WakinguponNewYear,everybodydressesup.Firsttheyextendgreetingstotheirparents.TheneachchildwillgetmoneyasaNewYeargift,wrappedupinredpaper.PeopleinnorthernChinawilleatjiaozi,ordumplings,forbreakfast,astheythink"jiaozi"insoundmeans"biddingfarewelltotheoldandusheringinthenew".Also,theshapeofthedumplingislikegoldingotfromancientChina.Sopeopleeatthemandwishformoneyandtreasure.
SouthernChineseeatniangao(NewYearcakemadeofglutinousriceflour)onthisoccasion,becauseasahomophone,niangaomeans"higherandhigher,oneyearafteranother."ThefirstfivedaysaftertheSpringFestivalareagoodtimeforrelatives,friends,andclassmatesaswellascolleaguestoexchangegreetings,giftsandchatleisurely.
Chinahas56ethnicgroups.MinoritiescelebratetheirSpringFestivalalmostthesamedayastheHanpeople,andtheyhavedifferentcustoms.
AfterthePreliminaryEve,peoplebeginpreparingforthecomingNewYear.Thisiscalled"SeeingtheNewYearin".
StoreownersarebusythenaseverybodygoesouttopurchasenecessitiesfortheNewYear.Materialsnotonlyincludeedibleoil,rice,flour,chicken,duck,fishandmeat,butalsofruit,candiesandkindsofnuts.What'smore,variousdecorations,newclothesandshoesforthechildrenaswellasgiftsfortheelderly,friendsandrelatives,areallonthelistofpurchasing.
BeforetheNewYearcomes,thepeoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.
Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheircleanroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.AllthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithSpringFestivalcouplets,highlightingChinesecalligraphywithblackcharactersonredpaper.Thecontentvariesfromhouseowners'wishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckfortheNewYear.Also,picturesofthegodofdoorsandwealthwillbepostedonfrontdoorstowardoffevilspiritsandwelcomepeaceandabundance.
WillChristmasReplacetheSpringFestival?
ChristmasarousesincreasingattentionyearbyyearinChina.Christmascardsbecomepopularwithstudents.PeopleholdChristmaspartiesandexchangeChristmasgirts.AlotorTVandradioprogramsaboutChristmasareon.MeanwhiletheSpringFestivalislessappealing(有吸引力的)toyoungsters.ThussomepeoplewonderwhetherChristmaswillreplacetheSpringFestival.
Thisworryisfairlyunnecessary.Why?OnereasonliesthatChristmasonlyaffectsChristians，collegestudentsandjoint-venture(合资企业)workers.AnotherreasonisthatChristmasismostlycelebratedincities.Fewpeopleincountrysideshowextremeinterestinthisexotic(带有异国情调的)festival.Bycontrast，theSpringFestivalisthemostinfluentialtraditionalfestivalineveryfamily.
Ithink，itisnaturalthatwithincreasingexchangeswiththeWest，alotofWesternholidayshavebeengraduallyintroducedintoChina.ForusChineseweshouldneverneglectorevendiscardourowntraditionalfestivals.ForcenturiesChinesehaveobservedthistraditionalholidaytowelcomethebeginningofanewyear.AndwewilltreasuretheSpringFestivalforever.
SpringFestivalisthemostimportantfestivalinChina.It’stocelebratethelunarcalendar‘snewyear.IntheeveningbeforetheSpringFestival,familiesgettogetherandhaveabigmeal.Inmanyplacespeopleliketosetofffirecrackers.Dumplingsarethemosttraditionalfood.Childrenlikethefestivalverymuch,becausetheycanhavedeliciousfoodandwearnewclothes.Theycanalsogetsomemoneyfromtheirparents.Thismoneyisgiventochildrenforgoodluck.PeopleputNewYearscrollsonthewallforgoodfortune.TheSpringFestivallastsabout15dayslong.Peoplevisitrelativesandfriendswiththewords“Haveallyourwishes”.PeopleenjoytheSpringFestival,duringthistimetheycanhaveagoodrest.
春节是中国最重要的节日,是为了庆祝农历新年的晚上,在春节之前,家庭聚在一起吃一顿丰盛的饭。在许多地方,人们喜欢放鞭炮饺子是最传统的食物.孩子非常喜欢这个节日,因为他们可以有好吃的食物,穿新衣服。他们也能得到一些钱来自父母。这钱是给孩子们,以求好运。人们把新年卷轴在长城上停留了好运。
春节将持续大约15天拜访亲朋好友超前用这句话:“你祝愿”。人们喜欢春节,在这段时间里他们可以好好休息一下了。
TheChinesecharacter"fu"(meaningblessingorhappiness)isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastednormallyorupsidedown,forinChinesethe"reversedfu"ishomophonicwith"fucomes",bothbeingpronouncedas"fudaole."What'smore,twobigredlanternscanberaisedonbothsidesofthefrontdoor.Redpaper-cuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycoloredNewYearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningsmaybeputonthewall.
PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymemberseatdinnertogether.Themealismoreluxuriousthanusual.Dishessuchaschicken,fishandbeancurdcannotbeexcluded,forinChinese,theirpronunciations,respectively"ji","yu"and"doufu,"meanauspiciousness,abundanceandrichness.Afterthedinner,thewholefamilywillsittogether,chattingandwatchingTV.Inrecentyears,theSpringFestivalpartybroadcastonChinaCentralTelevisionStation(CCTV)isessentialentertainmentfortheChinesebothathomeandabroad.Accordingtocustom,eachfamilywillstayuptoseetheNewYearin.