A Family Festival

by Ni Junchen

The eighth day of the twelfth month on the Chinese lunar calendar on January 19， 2013， kicked off the biggest holiday in the country. Atop millions of breakfast tables are rice porridge with nuts and dried fruit. People welcome Spring Festival by worshipping the kitchen god， thoroughly cleaning the house， laundering clothing to get rid of bad luck， posting antithetical couplets， cooking loads of food， and purchasing new clothes.

Over the last few years， China has seen a rapid economic development and increasing cultural exchange with Western countries. More Chinese festivals are becoming recognized overseas. Nevertheless， Westerners most common introduction to the spirit of the ancient Chinese culture via TV programs displaying dragon dances or decorative lanterns and streamers doesnt do the holiday justice. One of the most amazing social phenomena in the history of mankind occurs annually when almost all Chinese people travel simultaneously and the entire country seems to stop working at the same moment.

This is tradition. It is the moment people bid farewell to the past year and welcome the new， pay homage to their ancestors， socialize with relatives and friends， and pray for prosperity.

Among the many customs， the most typical is worshipping gods. The 23rd day of the twelfth month marks “Xiaonian，” or pre-New Year， when people offer candies to the Kitchen God， hoping he will speak kindly of them to the Jade Emperor. When the bell of the New Year rings， people welcome the gods with booming fireworks. Of the many gods， the God of Fortune， the most “adorable，” receives special worship on the 5th day of the first lunar month.

New Years Eve dinner is the most important and biggest meal of the year to reunite the family and honor ancestors. In many places families still start dinner by placing food in front of memorial tablets on the table and “inviting” their ancestors home. Today， many families have New Years Eve dinner in a restaurant， but they still wont begin eating before cherishing memories of their lost family members. The awareness of bloodlines and family is thus reinforced.

For children， one of the most exciting characteristics of the holiday is that parents allow them to play as long as they like， even all night. It is still common to stay up late or all night on New Years Eve. Doing so is believed to bring longevity to ones parents and elderly relatives.

During the week-long holiday， every elder gives youngsters who visit on New Years Day a small amount of money in a red envelope to bring blessings. This tradition has been well-preserved not only on Chinas mainland but continues to be practiced in Hong Kong， Macao， and Taiwan as well as Chinese communities overseas. After decades of economic development， the expectations for monetary gifts have also increased heavily. In big and mediumsized municipalities， the sum is at least 200 yuan （about US$30）.

Paying a New Year visit has become an important means of communication for relatives， friends， and neighbors. It is also a major driver of social communication. In most places， the wife stays with her husbands family on New Years Eve and Day and returns to her parents home on the second day of the new year. People begin to visit friends from the third day on.

The closing and most fun piece of the festival falls on the 15th day， known as Lantern Festival. In ancient times， girls were urged to go out for fun or a date on this day， and everyone admired lanterns and ate sweet dumplings. The close of the festival was considered a carefree “carnival” for the normally very restrained Chinese people.

On the second day of the second lunar month， millions mark the dawn of spring by plowing and sowing， and as farmers return to work， the biggest celebrations of the year wind down.