China is the longest-lasting civilization alive today. With over 7,000 years of history, China boasts a rich cultural heritage. Perhaps one of the best ways to experience China’s legacy is Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year traditions date back over 4,000 years, and they’re some of the biggest celebrations in China.
Family is central to Chinese New Year traditions. As the lunar new year approaches, think about your family’s memories over the past year and your hopes for the coming year. See what family memories others have shared about Chinese New Year, and even add your own! FamilySearch Memories is a free web resource all about sharing family photos and stories.
Are Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year the Same?
Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year both refer to lunar new year celebrations, and they’re often used interchangeably. However, Lunar New Year includes all countries that celebrate the holiday. Chinese New Year specifically refers to Chinese lunar new year traditions. In China, the new year celebrations are called 春節 (chūnjié) or “Spring Festival.”
This distinction is important to understand. Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Some countries that celebrate the lunar new year also use the Chinese lunar calendar.
Other countries celebrate the lunar new year based on the Mongolian lunar calendar, Jewish calendar, or Islamic calendar. Lunar new year traditions and customs around the holiday may also differ from country to country.
Be mindful which term you use, and try to use the term that matches what you mean. And as always, be respectful.
When Does Chinese New Year Start?
Chinese New Year celebrations start on the eve of the lunar new year. The official holiday is 7 days long, but celebrations can last up to 16 days! Everything closes down for at least a week while the holiday is celebrated all over China.
Why Is Chinese New Year Sometimes in February and Sometimes in January?
Chinese New Year is usually in late January to mid-February. The date changes every year based on the Chinese lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar that follows both the phases of the moon and the sun. Chinese New Year usually lines up with the second new moon following the winter solstice.
The Chinese lunar calendar is different from the international Gregorian calendar, which is a solar calendar and follows the earth’s rotation around the sun. New Year celebrations using the Gregorian calendar happen a few weeks earlier than Chinese New Year.
China still observes the Gregorian new year, but it’s a much smaller celebration, and it holds a different cultural significance and history when compared to Chinese New Year.
What Year Is It in the Chinese Zodiac?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle in China where each year is assigned an animal.
The animal of a given year is associated with the luck of the coming year. The year you were born is associated with the zodiac animal for that year and is said to determine if you'll have good or bad luck in the coming year. Each year is linked with the attributes of that animal, which is believed to shape your personality and your destiny.
The tradition dates back centuries to the Jade emperor. It’s said that the Jade emperor held a race to honor the first 12 animals to make it to his palace. Along the race, the rat made it to a river and could not cross, but the ox allowed him to ride on its back.
Once they reached the other shore, the rat jumped off and scurried to the palace, becoming the first animal to make it and the first animal of the Chinese zodiac. The rat was followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
Use this calculator to determine what year it is in the Chinese zodiac or to check someone's birth year.
Do you have the same zodiac animal as any of your relatives or ancestors?
Tip: Use the fan chart view on the free FamilySearch Family Tree to easily see the birth years of your ancestors all in one place. You can also try the first ancestor view to see your ancestry in a more traditional Chinese format.
Why Is Chinese New Year Important?
A Time of Rest
As the biggest holiday in China, Chinese New Year is important for several reasons. First, many people in China work long weeks without much of a break. The new year is anticipated year-round both for the 2-week break and for the cultural celebration. In the past, it was a time for farmers to rest from their long labors after the fall harvest.
Good Fortune for the Coming Year
Chinese New Year traditions also revolve around letting go of the old year and bringing in the new. Many traditions are culturally associated with bringing good fortune, health, and prosperity in the coming year. They also focus on ushering out misfortune and bad luck. The eve of Chinese New Year is seen as a night that links 2 years. In Chinese, it’s called 一夜連雙歲 (yīyè lián shuāng suì) or “2 years 1 night.”
Family Gatherings
Family gatherings are also deeply important for Chinese New Year traditions. If family lives far away, the new year is the best time to reunite. Millions of people travel across the country and even across the globe to see family for Chinese New Year, creating a mass travel rush known in Chinese as 春運 (chūnyùn) or “spring travel.” In fact, it’s the world’s largest migration of people every year!
How Do People Prepare for Chinese New Year?
Preparing for the Spring Festival is a big part of Chinese New Year traditions. Everyone wants to put their best foot forward for the new year, and all the preparations are rich in history and in meaning.
Most people wear red for good luck, and some people still opt for traditional clothes such as the 唐装 (tángzhuāng) for men and the 旗袍 (qípáo) for women. Avoid wearing white or black, which are usually associated with funerals, or you’ll bring yourself bad luck!
Then a sign is hung upside down in the middle because the Chinese word 倒掛 (dàoguà) for "upside down" sounds like the Chinese word 到達 (dàodá) for "arrive." Hanging the sign upside down invites the wish to arrive!
Chinese New Year Traditions
Chinese New Year traditions can vary from region to region and from family to family. Foods, customs, decorations, and celebrations may not be the same everywhere. That being said, let's explore some of the most common Chinese New Year traditions.
Honoring Ancestors
Ancestors are of great religious significance in Chinese culture, as they were believed to become spirits that looked after and blessed the family. They are held in highest respect because they are the people who brought your family into the world and who paved the way for your successes.
On important days, such as Chinese New Year and following days, people visit ancestral shrines and graves to pray to their ancestors, offer sacrifices and items, and burn joss sticks to open communication with the spirits.
The Laba Festival: Before Chinese New Year
A few weeks before Chinese New Year and preparations for the Spring Festival is the Laba Festival. During the Laba Festival, people pray to their ancestors to bring good fortune and a successful year. They’ll offer sacrifices of meat and wine to show respect and to please their ancestors.
For the Laba Festival, people often eat 臘八粥 (làbāzhōu), a porridge made with rice, beans, peanuts, dried fruits, lotus seeds, nuts, and sugar.
The porridge is made with many of the staples from the previous year’s harvest. It’s not a rich or lavish meal, so eating it shows that you’re grateful for what you have.
Family Reunion Traditions
Family ties are central to Chinese New Year traditions. The most important celebration happens on Chinese New Year’s Eve, when families gather together for a reunion. Traditionally, the family travels to the 老家 (lǎojiā), the old home or ancestral home, to celebrate with paternal grandparents. Many families no longer live in their ancestral homes, so city gatherings are common as well.
The Spring Festival is kicked off with a big family dinner. The whole family is usually involved in cooking, particularly in making dumplings. Even after a tough year, people try to provide an impressive spread both to enhance the celebration and to bring good fortune and abundance in the coming year.
After dinner, families join in 守歲 (shǒusuì), which means staying up late together to usher in the new year. They light candles and reminisce about the previous year. It’s a time that fosters family connections and gives people a chance to catch up on each other’s lives.
The tradition is also believed to bring longevity to your parents as well as drive away evil spirits. This practice is such a deep and meaningful experience for anyone to participate in.
Reminiscing on important memories and especially with family brings with it a wave of nostalgia, a powerful, positive emotion. Take the time to reflect on the previous year with your family, and save those memories for future years with FamilySearch Memories.
After reminiscing together and playing games, most families light fireworks at midnight. Some families choose to drive up the mountains to visit temples, where bells are rung to welcome the new year. This Chinese New Year tradition is believed to bring good fortune.
The day after Chinese New Year is often spent with maternal grandparents and family. In the following days, people visit other friends and family, wishing seasonal greetings and good luck wishes, as well as visiting temples, offering ancestral sacrifices, and joining in town celebrations.
The Tradition of Red Envelopes
At the Chinese New Year family dinner, people exchange red envelopes called 紅包 (hóngbāo) filled with cash. Typically, older or married family members give envelopes to children or unmarried adults. The tradition dates back centuries to a myth in ancient China.
According to the folklore, an evil spirit named 祟 (Suì) would come out on New Year’s Eve and tap sleeping children on the head, giving them a fever. That is, until one couple gave their child coins to play with.
When the child fell asleep that night, the couple placed the coins on a red paper by the child’s bed. When 祟 (Suì) came that night, light reflecting off the coin scared the spirit away.
Today, parents and grandparents will give children red envelopes after a child offers well wishes. Employers also give their employees envelopes, and friends often exchange them as well.
The custom symbolizes good luck in the new year, and there are specific etiquettes that bring more good fortune:
- Always offer and accept 紅包 (hóngbāo) using both hands. Using both hands represents using your whole heart, so it can be offensive to use one hand. In some places, children are also expected to kneel.
- Wait to open your red envelope. It’s impolite to open your envelope in front of the person who gave it to you.
- Offer envelopes in pairs. Traditionally, a couple will each offer an envelope. Odd numbers are associated with funerals, death, and bad luck while good things are believed to come in pairs.
- Avoid the number four. In China, the number four is considered unlucky. Four, 四 (sì), sounds similar to the word for death, 死 (sǐ), so it’s associated with death and misfortune.
- Use crisp, new paper bills. New bills represent a fresh start and new hopes for the new year.
What Do People Eat on Chinese New Year?
Foods such as dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, fish, chicken, longevity noodles, and more are the stars of family dinners on Chinese New Year. Food traditions are integral to holiday celebrations around the world. Think of your favorite holiday. Are there any special dishes that immediately spring to mind? Meals that you just can’t imagine skipping in your festivities?
Chinese New Year is no different! And there’s an extra layer to it. The foods you choose to eat are highly symbolic, and they represent your hopes and wishes for the coming year. The shape, color, and name of the dishes are all tied to traditions that symbolize wealth, luck, health, and success.
As a very large country, China has variations between regions with different foods and customs. Spring Festival foods may differ depending on where you go, but these are some of the most common foods eaten for Chinese New Year:
- 餃子 (jiǎozi), or dumplings, are a popular choice on Chinese New Year, particularly in the north. They’re believed to bring wealth in the coming year because they’re shaped like ancient Chinese gold ingots. Dumplings are traditionally made with the help of the whole family, making and rolling the dough, mixing the filling, shaping them, and boiling them. The tradition of making them together has also earned an association with family unity. Some families even hide a coin in one of the dumplings, bringing good fortune for whoever finds it.
- 年糕 (niángāo) is a sweet rice cake. Its name sounds similar to 年高 (niángāo), which means "year high," so it’s believed to bring higher success in the new year. The sweet treat is associated with earning a raise or a promotion, getting better grades, or even growing taller.
- 湯圓 (tāngyuán) are rice balls with sweet fillings that are served in a sweet broth. 湯圓 (tāngyuán) sounds similar to 團圓 (tuányuán), which means "reunion," so it’s associated with family unity and happiness. The round shape also signifies family unity.
- 魚 (yú), or fish, is commonly served on Chinese New Year because it sounds like 余 (yú), which means extra or abundance. Eating fish denotes success and surplus. However, be sure to prepare extra. If you eat all the fish and don’t save leftovers for the next day, you won’t be prosperous in the new year! Also, be sure to place the fish carefully on the table and avoid the fish’s head pointing towards others.
- 春捲 (chūnjuǎn), or spring rolls, look like gold bars, so they’re believed to bring wealth in the coming year.
餃子 (jiǎozi) or dumplings
年糕 (niángāo) or sweet rice cake
湯圓 (tāngyuán) or rice balls - 伊麵 (yīmiàn), also known as longevity noodles, are long noodles left uncut to ensure a long and healthy life.
- 橘子 (júzi), or oranges, are lucky foods for the new year because the color represents wealth and the round shape represents fullness.
- 八寶飯 (bābǎofàn) is a rice pudding also known as 8-treasure rice. It’s usually topped with red dates, longan, winter melon, dried apricot, red bean paste, lotus seeds, goji berries, and lily bulbs. The toppings signify a rich harvest, and 八 (bā) from the name sounds like 繁 (fán), for prosperity.
- 蝦 (xiā), or shrimp, will bring joy and happiness in the new year because it sounds like 笑 (xiào), or laughter.
- 雞 (jī), or chicken, is often served whole, including the head and feet of the bird. The whole chicken represents unity, and 雞 (jī) sounds like 運氣 (yùnqì), or luck. The breadwinner in the family traditionally eats the chicken’s feet, symbolic for grabbing onto wealth and prosperity.
- 獅子頭 (shīzitóu), or lion’s-head meatballs, are named for their appearance resembling a lion’s mane. Lions represent strength and protection in Chinese culture, while the round shape is associated with family unity.
伊麵 (yīmiàn) or longevity noodles
八寶飯 (bābǎofàn) or rice pudding
獅子頭 (shīzitóu) or lion’s-head meatballs
Dos and Don’ts for Bringing Good Luck
Chinese New Year is all about welcoming the new year and parting with the previous year, and many Chinese traditions revolve around fostering good luck and fortune for the year to come as well as leaving behind bad luck. What you do, wear, eat, and say are all tied to superstitions around the lunar new year, so it’s tradition to be mindful of your actions.
How Do You Bring Good Luck on Chinese New Year?
To ensure that the new year is filled with good fortune, many people stick to Chinese New Year traditions such as the following:
- Bathe or shower to wash away the bad luck before the end of the year, but don’t bathe on the first day of Chinese New Year to avoid washing away your newfound good luck.
- Clean your house before the new year to rid your home of bad memories and bad luck, but don’t clean or throw out trash on the first day of the Chinese New Year to avoid throwing away good luck.
- Hang a peach wood sword in your bedroom to ward off evil spirits and ensure a good night’s sleep.
- Visit a temple to get a good luck talisman.
How Do You Avoid Bad Luck on Chinese New Year?
To rid one's self of bad luck in the year to come, many people heed Chinese New traditions such as the following:
Avoid washing clothes on the first or second day of the new year. Water is associated with wealth, so draining water is considered to be like pouring wealth down the drain.
- Avoid using sharp objects such as knives, scissors, or sewing needles.
- Avoid breaking dishes or mirrors.
- Try not to say unlucky words such as “death,” “sickness,” “poverty,” or “ghosts.”
- Avoid cutting or washing hair on the first day of the Chinese New Year because it's believed that you may be washing away or cutting out your fortune.
- Avoid wearing black and white, which are associated with funerals and mourning.
- Avoid decorating with chrysanthemums, which are often used for funerals.
- Avoid the number 4. In Chinese, the word for 4 (四 or sì) sounds like the word for death (死 or sǐ).
Public Events
While many Chinese New Year traditions are centered around family, public celebrations and events are also widely anticipated as well. Temples and public squares host fireworks, lion dances, dragon dances, and a lantern festival.
In ancient history, people feared the new year because it was believed that a lion named Nian would come out to attack people. One day, a humble old man used crackling burning bamboo and the color red to scare the spirit away, and it became a time of celebration rather than fear. The color red and fireworks are still part of the celebrations, and the lion dance is performed to drive away evil spirits.
On the first full moon (the 15th day of lunar new year), a lantern festival is held. Thousands of colorful and intricate lanterns light the way for the coming year and bring good fortune for all.
How Can You Connect with Your Chinese Ancestors?
Family both past and present are at the forefront of Chinese New Year traditions. The holiday brings families together through many generations to start the year in unity. If you have Chinese heritage, you can connect to a legacy of cultural heritage by finding and connecting with your ancestors.
Even if you don’t share a Chinese heritage or if you’re not certain where your ancestors are from, discovering your ancestors can be a powerful influence in your life. It can help you find belonging in your cultural heritage and your personal history. Discover where you’re from to help you find your ancestors.
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