Chinesisches Neujahr

About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the most important traditional festival in Chinese culture. It marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. The celebrations typically begin on the eve of the first day of the new lunar year and continue for about 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival.

The date of Chinese New Year varies each year in the Gregorian calendar, falling between January 21 and February 20. Each year is associated with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig — which cycle on a 12-year rotation.

Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China but also across East and Southeast Asia, and by Chinese diaspora communities around the world. It is a public holiday in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam (as Tết), South Korea (as Seollal), and several other countries. The Spring Festival travel season (chunyun) in China is the largest annual human migration in the world, as hundreds of millions of people travel to be with their families.

History & Origins

The origins of Chinese New Year stretch back thousands of years. According to legend, a fearsome beast called Nian would emerge at the end of each year to attack villagers. People discovered that the creature was frightened by loud noises, bright lights, and the colour red — giving rise to the traditions of firecrackers, lanterns, and red decorations that define the festival today. Historically, the celebration marked the end of winter and the beginning of the spring planting season, making it an important agricultural milestone.

The festival has been continuously observed for over 3,500 years, with records of New Year celebrations dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). Over the centuries, it has absorbed influences from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, as well as regional folk traditions. In 1912, the Republic of China adopted the Gregorian calendar, and the traditional New Year was renamed the Spring Festival to distinguish it from the Gregorian January 1. Despite political changes, the Spring Festival has remained the most cherished holiday in Chinese society.

How It's Celebrated

• Reunion dinner — On New Year's Eve, families gather for a lavish meal featuring dishes with symbolic meanings: fish (surplus), dumplings (wealth), spring rolls (prosperity), and rice cakes (rising fortune).
• Red envelopes (hongbao) — Elders give children and unmarried adults red envelopes containing money, symbolising good luck and the warding off of evil spirits.
• Firecrackers & fireworks — Loud firecrackers are set off at midnight and throughout the festival to drive away evil spirits and welcome the new year with a bang.
• Decorations — Homes and streets are adorned with red lanterns, paper cuttings, chunlian (Spring Festival couplets), and banners with auspicious phrases.
• Lion & dragon dances — Colourful lion and dragon dance performances are held in streets, temples, and public squares, believed to bring good luck and frighten away evil.
• Temple fairs & Lantern Festival — The celebrations conclude on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival, when ornate lanterns are displayed, riddles are solved, and sweet rice dumplings (tangyuan) are eaten, symbolising family unity.