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Chinese New Year

• Summary

• Decoration

• Entertainment

• Special food

• Tradition

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Chinese New Year

• According to the Chinese calendar, the New Moon on the first day of the new year -- the full moon 15 days later. The Day is the Chinese Lunar New Year, also Spring Festival.

• Chinese New Year, Celebrated internationally, including in Chinatowns, Chinese New Year is the most important holiday of the Chinese people, and many East Asians such as Mongolians, Koreans and Vietnamese who have holidays which fall on the same day.

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Guò Nián过 年

• New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

• The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

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China's traditional festivals have evolved through the centuries from past major events.

• Long ago when people had a bountiful harvest, they gathered and celebrated their good fortune with gala performances.

• When natural disasters struck, they offered sacrifices to the gods and their ancestors, hoping for a blessing.

• The change of the seasons, flowers in spring, and the bright moon in autumn could all arouse their longing for a more beautiful life.

• Thus, creative activities were held to signify these events. Gradually these activities developed into festivals.

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DecorationChūn lián

春 联 Spring couplet

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Chūn lián 春 联

Spring couplet

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DecorationMén shén

门 神

Door God

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DecorationNián huà年画New Year Picture

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dēnglóng 灯 笼 Lantern

Decoration

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DecorationJiǎn zhĭ 剪 纸 papercuts

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Entertainment

Biān pào

鞭炮 fireworks

Yān huā

烟花 firecrackers

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Made by Ouyang Xiaofang

EntertainmentWŭ lóng

舞 龙

dragon dance

Wŭ shī 舞 狮lion dance

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Made by Ouyang Xiaofang

Made by Ouyang Xiaofang

Special Foodjiǎozi

饺子

Chinese dumpling

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Special Food

Nián gāo

年 糕

New year’s rice cake

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TraditionHóng bāo

红包

Red Packets

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Greetings

Gōng xĭ fā cái 恭 喜 发 财 Congratulations for getting rich!

Xīn nián kuài lè 新 年 快 乐 Happy new year!