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Level 2 – Pre-intermediate
The Chinese New Year
The most important festival for the Chinese is the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival as it is sometimes called. It is one of the oldest and most popular Chinese festivals and is probably over four thousand years old. It is celebrated in China, of course, but also by other Chinese communities all over the world. The Chinese use a different calendar from Europeans, and the dates of the Chinese spring festival are decided by the cycles of the moon - so New Year's Eve is on a different date each year. The beginning of the New Year festivities is on the day of the new moon. The main celebrations and parades are held fifteen days later when the moon is full – that is the traditional Lantern Festival.
During the New Year celebrations the outsides of houses are brightly decorated. Good-luck charms are hung on the front doors to keep evil spirits away. On New Year's Eve it is customary to have a big family dinner with traditional dumplings, chicken or fish dishes and sweet rice. After dinner, the members of the family get dressed up in new clothes and go into town to enjoy themselves at a traditional fair, where they can watch dragon dances or see a firework display.
Early the next morning, children are given presents wrapped up in brightly coloured paper. During the days following New Year's Day, people visit their neighbours and friends. They exchange greetings and gifts and wish each other good fortune.
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Answer the questions below to check how well you understand the text.
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C2 Mastery
