THE SPRING FESTIVAL: HOW DO PEOPLE IN CHINA CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR
среда 29 января 2025, 13:38
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Dear readers! Today we would like to tell you about the traditions and meaning of one of the brightest and the most significant festivals in the world. The Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival is celebrated by billions of people across the world. The Chinese New Year celebrations have no fixed date. Every year they take place at a different time between 21 January and 20 February and last 15 whole days. Everything ends with the Lantern Festival which signifies unity and light. In 2025 it will be held on 29 January! People awaiting the Spring Festival clean their houses in order to block all the negative energy and make room for good luck and prosperity. Everywhere around there are red lanterns and decorations with wishes of happiness. The celebrations are accompanied by fireworks intended to scare away evil spirits. People perform dances in dragon and lion costumes symbolic of power and good fortune. If you are willing to make a closer acquaintance with the traditions of the Chinese culture, we would like to introduce the following works of Chinese fiction at the Circulation Desk of Liberal Arts & Humanities (room 252, 4 Turgeneva Street): • The Scoffing Scholar of Lanling, “Jin Ping Mei (The Plum in the Golden Vase)”, 1610 The novel deals with life and adventures of the main character named Ximen Qing who is a civil servant and also a lower class representative. The plot centers on his relationship with three women: Pan Jinlian, Li Ping'er and Pang Chunmei. These liaisons are often used to shed light on the topics of desire, lust, intrigues and betrayal, while at the same time depicting social and moral aspects characteristic of the Chinese society at those times. • Zeng Pu, “A Flower in a Sinful Sea”, 1905 The story is set in Hong Kong and centres on the hardships and the inner conflict of Jin Wenqing, the main character who is faced with social and cultural changes and moral dilemmas. The main characters are people that find themselves in the eye of the storm of romantic passions and social life. They air their views on reforming the political system of China on the pattern of the neighbouring countries. • Liu E, “The Travels of Lao Can”, 1906 The story centres on Lao Can who sets on a journey around ancient China. On his way he meets some characters, each embodying a particular aspect of human life or mentality. In his conversations with them Lao Can shares his wisdoms and teachings thus encouraging the readers to ponder over life, nature and the meaning of existence. Let us know if you have any relevant experience or traditions, how you hold these celebrations. Congratulations on the arrival of the Chinese New Year! May it bring you happiness, health and prosperity! Text by: Ilya Bagrin
Translation by: Valery Beklemysheva |
