Chinese New Year, also known as the “Spring Festival” in modern China, is a significant Chinese festival celebrated at the start of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Cambodia, Mauritius, Australia and the Philippines. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for Chinese culture and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations in other cultures as well.

Unlike western New Year festivities, which take place at midnight between Dec. 31 and Jan.1, Chinese New Year is a movable celebration, and takes place on different dates because it is based on the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year’s Day normally falls between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. This year celebration kicks off February 18. It’s one of the most famous and fêted holidays in the world, with the largest annual mass human migration in the world coming together to celebrate.

Beware of the Nian

Chinese New Year is centuries old and it’s significant because of several myths and customs. Traditionally, the festival served as a time to honor deities and remember ancestors. Its origins start with a mythical beast called the Nian. This dragon-like creature would eat villagers and had an especially fond appetite for children.

According to legend, one night, an old man who was tired of hiding from the beast stayed in the village to drape red papers on houses and set off firecrackers. It was discovered that the Nian was afraid of the color red and loud noise, so nothing was destroyed that night. This is why the color red signifies luck and wealth during the holiday.

Chinese Celebration

Within mainland China, local customs and traditions regarding the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary. Typically, the evening prior to Chinese New Year’s Day is an opportunity for families to gather for their annual dinner. It’s also a tradition for families to clean their house. This is done out of tradition in order to wipe away any ill-fortune from the previous year, and to embrace incoming good luck.

Doors and windows are draped with red colored paper and couplets are written with popular themes of fortune, happiness and wealth. Other events include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes. Mobile apps have been created that mirror the red envelopes for children and teenagers to be able to receive their New Year’s cash electronically.