Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, CNYis one of the most important Chinese holidays. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often called as the “Lunar New Year. It is also known as “Spring Festival” 春節 (Pinyin: Chūnjié), since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts at that day, the first solar term in a Chinese calendar year. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western Carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēngyuè) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year’s Eve, this is the day where Chinese families sit together for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chúxī (除夕) or “Eve of the Passing Year.”

Traditional Customs:
There are lots of traditional customs during CNY, including having dinner together with families at the Chinese new year eve, all family members no matter how busy they are during the normal days, they have to come back for dinner during CNY.

Food in always important, dumplings, cakes, are all needed, firecrackers are very popular as well.

Another thing is the Chinese new year eve TV program, all families sit around and enjoy the TV show organised by CCTV.

No more shoppings in Hong Kong.

During the CNY, all shops are closed for holiday, possibly the only time of the year that Hong Kong’s shops bring down their shutters, Chinese New year can play havoc with tourist itineraries, with most of the city going into shutdown.

The ‘big day’ for the flower market is Chinese New Year’s Eve, when the city’s biggest flower market at Victoria Park will be swarming with people looking to pick up prize bouquets. The flowers are said to give good luck and are given when visiting family for the traditional New Years Eve feast of chicken and fish.