The Rich History Behind the Chinese New Year

While we celebrated the arrival of the new year on January 1st, preparations for the Chinese New Year are just beginning! The date of the New Year changes from year to year because it is based off of their Lunar Calendar, and this year the eagerly awaited holiday falls on January 31st. 

Out of the countless Chinese festivals and holidays, this is by far the most celebrated and cherished one. It is a time dedicated to honoring the household, remembering ancestors, and relaxing and celebrating with friends and family. And people really know how to get in the spirit, with celebrations beginning the evening before and lasting up to fifteen days after- sign me up! 

Like with most Chinese holidays, the Chinese New Year is a cultural event filled with rich history and tradition. There is deep legend and mythology behind the beginning of the national public holiday involving a mythical creature the ancient villagers referred to as "Nian". The stories say that this creature would reek havoc through the villages on the first day of every New Year- attacking people and eating livestock and crops. In order to protect themselves from Nian, the villagers began leaving food on their doorsteps each New Year's Eve, in hopes that the distraction of food would prevent further attack to their people. 

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The significance of the color red during the New Year also stems from this same legend of Nian. After the beast was scared away by a child wearing red, the villagers concluded that he was fearful of that color. So from then on, in addition to putting food offerings on their porches, the people would also hang red lanterns and red scrolls on all their windows and doors to ward Nian off. It was only after this act that the ancient creature never again returned to cause harm to the villages and people. 

The Chinese Celebrate the Arrival of October With National Day

With the arrival of October we welcome a season of color changing leaves, pumpkin picking, apple cider, halloween, and light jackets- but in China the coming of October 1st means the arrival of National Day. Lasting from October 1st to the 7th, National Day is thought of as one of China's "Golden Weeks". 

This 7-day stretch makes this the longest Chinese public holiday after the Spring Festival, so people love taking this time to travel. It is also a very popular time for tourists to come to the country to witness the display of patriotism, so if you ever want to visit during this week make sure to plan ahead! The much anticipated week is purposed to commemorate the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. 

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Although the People's Republic of China was technically founded on September 21st of 1949, the ceremony to celebrate this revolutionary formation was held in Tiananmen Square on the first day of October, passing the "Resolution on the National Day of PRC" the following day. 

Curiously, even though National Day was not declared a holiday until 1949, the term appears within writings and the Chinese language as far back as the Western Jin Dynasty, which lasted from 265-316 AD. 

On this day, people love showing their national pride through spectacular parades and parties. The Military Review and Parade at Tiananmen Square is held every five years- with the 5 year anniversaries being smaller parades and the ten year anniversaries being very large and more heavily celebrated. 

For people across China unable to make it to Tiananmen Square, there are also many other activities including flag-raising ceremonies, dancing, firework displays, and art exhibitions in many of the towns and cities. For lovers of bargains and discounts, the 7-day holiday is one of the best times to shop, so get your wallet ready!