Local Festivals

Spring Festival falls on the first day of the first lunar month or in late January or early February. On the eve of the Spring Festival all family members gather together for the last dinner of the old year and welcome the coming of the New Year. To celebrate the festival, the Chinese people have a three-day holiday and visit relatives or friends. Firecrackers and fireworks are set off; flower lamps are lit and people stick antithetical couplets on doors.

Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. To celebrate the festival the Chinese people usually hang up colorful lanterns and eat stuffed dumpling made of glutinous rice flour. The dumplings symbolize a sweet and happy life.

Pure Brightness Festival is one of the 24 divisions of the solar year in the traditional Chinese calendar and always falls on or around April 5. It is a day for people to pay their respects at the tombs of ancestors, deceased relatives and friends.

Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. On that day Chinese people always eat pyramid-shaped dumplings made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves and hold dragon boat competitions to commemorate Qu Yuan, a great poet of ancient times.

Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. On that day, the moon is purer and brighter; people like to enjoy it outdoors while eating moon cake with family members.

The Double Ninth Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. On the day people climb hills to appreciate nature. They also admire chrysanthemum flowers and compose poems while drinking wine symbolizing the exorcising of evil.

The Laba Festival falls on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month. According to a legend, on that day Sakyamuni took a rest and enjoyed the day. To commemorate it people eat rice porridge with nuts and dried fruit.