Chinese Spring Festival, also called Lunar New Year, has more than 4,000 years of history. Being one of the traditional Chinese festivals, it is the grandest and the most important festival for Chinese people. It is also the time for the whole families to get together, which is similar with Christmas Day to the westerners. Originating during the Shang Dynasty (about 17th - 11th century BC), Spring Festival, which celebrates family reunion, is full of rich and colorful activities, and hopes with the advent of spring and flowers blossoming. People from different regions and different ethnic groups celebrate it in their unique ways.
中国的春节，也被称为农历新年，迄今已有四千多年的历史。对于中国人来说，这是规模最大，最重要的传统节日。就如同西方的圣诞节一样，春节是一家团聚的日子。春节起源于商朝（公元前11-17世纪），为了庆祝全家团圆和表达对春暖花开的期盼，节日期间会准备丰富多彩的活动。不同地区和不同少数民族人们会用自己独特的方式庆祝这一传统节日。
Festival Time
节日时长
It comes on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for almost half of a month. But in folk custom, this traditional holiday lasts from the 23rd day of the twelfth month to the 15th day of the first month (Lantern Festival) in the lunar calendar. Among these days, the New Year’s Eve and the first day of the New Year is the peak time. The exact days are different in every year according to the lunar calendar.
春节从农历新年第一天开始，几乎要持续一整个月。但在民间传统中，这一节日从腊月23日就开始了，直到正月十五（元宵节）。在这些天里，除夕和春节第一天是最热闹的时候。根据农历，每年除夕和春节所在的公历日期都有所不同。
History
春节由来
It is said that the custom of Spring Festival started in when people offered sacrifice to ancestors in the last month of Chinese lunar calendar. At that time, people prepared the sacrifice by doing thorough cleaning, having bathes and so on. Later, people began to worship different deities as well on that day. It is the time that almost all the farm works were done and people have free time. The sacrificing time changed according to the farming schedule and was not fixed until the Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD). The customs of worshipping deities and ancestors remains even though the ceremonies are not as grand as before. It is also the time that spring is coming, so people held all kinds of ceremonies to welcome it.
据说，春节起初源于人们在农历腊月祭祀先祖，在那期间，人们为了祭祀会做大扫除，沐浴换衣等等。后来人们开始在那一天敬奉神明。春节期间正好各种农耕活动结束，人们有空余时间。最开始的祭祀日期由于农耕活动并不固定，直到汉朝（公元前202年-公元220年）才固定下来。祭祀神明和先祖的传统延续下来，但并不像以前那样浩大。春节也是春天的开始，所以人们会举办各种仪式迎接春天的到来。
Legends
春节传说
There are many legends about Spring Festival in Chinese culture. In folk culture, it is also called “guonian” (meaning “passing a year”). It is said that the “nian” (year) was a strong monster which was fierce and cruel and ate one kind of animal including human being a day. Human beings were scared about it and had to hide on the evening when the “nian” came out. Later, people found that “nian” was very scared about the red color and fireworks. So after that, people use red color and fireworks or firecrackers to drive away “nian”. As a result, the custom of using red color and setting off fireworks remains.
中国文化中有很多关于春节的传说。在传统文化中，春节亦被称为“过年”。传说“年”是一种凶猛异常的怪物，每天都会吃一种动物（包括人）。人们非常惧怕他，当“年”夜间出来活动时，人们会找地方躲起来。后来，人们发现“年”非常害怕红色和爆竹，于是，人们用红色和鞭炮来驱赶“年”。久而久之，春节用大红色和放鞭炮的习俗就保留了下来。
Festivities Schedule
春节活动
Preparing the New Year starts 7 days before the New Year’s Eve. According to Chinese lunar calendar, people start to clean the house on Dec. 24, butcher on Dec. 26th and so on. People have certain things to do on each day. These activities will end Jan. 15th of the lunar calendar.
新年的准备工作在除夕前的七天就开始了。根据中国农历，人们从腊月二十四开始打扫屋子，二十六日杀猪宰羊等等。每一天都有不同的活动，所有这些活动将在正月十五结束。
Customs and Practices
传统习俗
Every family does a thorough house cleaning and purchases enough food, including fish, meat, roasted nuts and seeds, all kinds of candies and fruits, etc, for the festival period. Also, new clothes must be bought, especially for children. Red scrolls with complementary poetic couplets, one line on each side of the gate, are pasted at every gate. The Chinese character 'Fu' is pasted on the center of the door and paper-cut pictures adorn windows.
过年期间，每家每户都会做大扫除，购买丰富的食物，包括鱼肉坚果，水果糖果等。另外，春节必须买新衣服，尤其是给小孩子购买。门上贴上新对联和福字，窗户上还要贴上窗花。
Taboos
春节禁忌
The Spring Festival is a start for a new year, so it is regarded as the omen of a year. People have many taboos during this period. Many bad words related to “death”, “broken”, “killing”, “ghost” and “illness” or “sickness” are forbidden during conversations. In some places, there are more specific details. They consider it unlucky if the barrel of rice is empty, because they think they will have nothing to eat in the next year. Taking medicine is forbidden on this day, otherwise, people will have sick for the whole year and take medicine constantly.
春节是新的一年的开始，预示着一年的运气，所以过年期间有很多禁忌，比如“死”“破”“杀”“鬼”“病”这类字眼是谈话中要避免的。在某些地方还有一些特殊的禁忌，比如新年米缸空了不是好兆头，因为这预示着新的一年将没东西吃，春节那天也不能吃药，这会预示着新的一年疾病产生，医药不断。
1. good luck, good health, hood cheer. i wish you a happy new year.——祝好运、健康、佳肴伴你度过一个快乐新年。
2. with best wishes for a happy new year!——祝新年快乐，并致以良好的祝福。
3. i hope you have a most happy and prosperous new year.——谨祝新年快乐幸福，大吉大利。
4. with the compliments of the season.——祝贺佳节。
5. may the season's joy fill you all the year round.——愿节日的愉快伴你一生。
6. season's greetings and best wishes for the new year.——祝福您，新年快乐。
7. to wish you joy at this holy season. wishing every happiness will always be with you.——恭祝新年吉祥，幸福和欢乐与你同在。
8. may the joy and happiness around you today and always.——愿快乐幸福永伴你左右。
9. please accept my sincere wishes for the new year. i hope you will continue to enjoy good health.——请接受我诚挚的新年祝福，顺祝身体健康。
10. allow me to congratulate you on the arrival of the new year and to extend to you all my best wishes for your perfect health and lasting prosperity.——恭贺新禧，祝身体健康、事业发达。
11. best wishes for the holidays and happiness throughout the new year.——恭贺新禧，万事如意。
12. with very best wishes for your happiness in the new year.——致以最良好的祝福，原你新年快乐幸福。
13. may the coming new year bring you joy, love and peace.——愿新年为你带来快乐，友爱和宁静。
14. wishing you happiness during the holidays and throughout the new year. ——祝节日快乐，新年幸福。
15. a happy new year to you.——恭贺新年。
16. season's greetings and sincere wishes for a bright and happy new year!——献上节日的问候与祝福,愿你拥有一个充满生机和欢乐的新年。
17. i give you endless brand-new good wishes. please accept them as a new remembrance of our lasting friendship.——给你我无尽的新的祝福，让它们成为我们永恒友谊的新的纪念。
18. good luck and great success in the coming new year.——祝来年好运，并取得更大的成就。
1.I like the Chinese new year better than any other festival. This is a time especially for rest and joy. I need not study. I wear good clothes and eat good food. I have a good time from morning till night. I am as happy as a king.
我喜欢中国新年比喜欢其它任何节日更甚。这是一个专为休息和欢乐的时间。我不需要读书。我穿好衣服，吃好东西。我每天从早到晚日子过得轻松愉快。我和上帝一样快乐。
r New Year , the most solemn of traditional Chinese folk festivals. First day of the first lunar month in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, known as the Moon, commonly known as "New Year" and "New Year." The long history of the Spring Festival, which originated in the Shang period the year draws to a close servicemen and the memorial activities. According to China's Lunar, the first day of the first lunar month yen ancient name, Yuan-chen, a copy, is Emperor, the New Year Day, which is commonly known as Day of the Republic. switch to the Gregorian calendar, the calendar on January 1 as New Year's Day, January 1st called the Lunar Spring Festival.
春节是中国民间最隆重的传统节日。在夏历正月初一，又叫阴历年，俗称“过年”、“新年”。春节的历史很悠久，它起源于殷商时期年头岁尾的祭神祭祖活动。按照我国农历，正月 初一古称元日、元辰、元正、元朔、元旦等，俗称年初一，到了民国时期，改用公历，公历的一月一日称为元旦，把农历的一月一日叫春节。
ng festival is ng Festival is on the traditional Chinese le used to call it "the Lunar New Year" always starts between january the first and february the twentieth.
Shortly before the festival ,Chinese people are busy shopping . They buy vegetables,fish,meat and new clothes and many other clean the houses and decorate them.
春节到了,春节是中国的传统节日,人们习惯上成作农历年.这个节日总是在每年的一月初到二月中旬之间.
春节前的一段日子,中国人早早地开始买年货.他们买蔬菜.鱼和肉.新衣服和种种其他的东西.他们打扫房屋,把自己的家布置一新.
Chinese New Year is a festival whose Chinese are most history of the Chinese New Year is very za front stick in an on the face the New Year's Day of the implied meaning of the yellow word in red paper in top send message by word and the god of wealth resembles with hang deep red lantern etc.. The Chinese New Year is a close relatives the festival of the family not far a long distance in child that leave the house returns to the family rounds to sit together a dumpling, use the dumpling symbol family beginning of January is on thering is fiesta cooking stove etc. rites before;In the stanza make New Year's visit the child New Year's Money, friend etc.
春节是汉族最重要的节日。春节的历史很悠久。节前就在门脸上贴上红纸黄字的寓意的新年寄语及财神像和挂大红灯笼等. 春节是个亲人团聚的节日。离家的孩子不远千里回到家里。家人围坐在一起包饺子,用饺子象征团聚。正月初一前有祭灶等仪式；节中有给儿童压岁钱、亲朋好友拜年等.
Spring Festival
春节
The Spring Festival is very important to Chinese people. In the past，people could not often have meat，rice or other delicious food. They could only eat these during the Spring festival. So every year they hoped that the Spring Festival would come soon. Now， although people‘s life is much better，and we can eat the delicious foods everyday. People still like the festival. Because most people can have a long holiday，and we are free to go on a trip or visit our friends or have parties with our family. In the evenings，we can have a big meal in the restaurant or stay at home with family and watch the TV programs.
春节对中国人来说非常重要。在过去，人们往往没有肉，大米或其他美味的食物吃。他们通常只能在春节吃到这些。所以每年他们都希望春节可以快点来。现在，虽然人们的生活好多了，我们每天都可以吃美味的食物。人们仍然喜欢的春节。因为大多数人可以有一个很长的假期，我们可以自由地去旅行或拜访我们的朋友或与我们的家人聚会。晚上，我们可以在餐厅大吃一顿，或与家人留在家里看电视节目。
I like the Spring Festival very much. How wonderful the Spring Festival is！
我非常喜欢春节。春节是多么的美妙啊！
Just like the Christmas Eve to western people, for Chinese, the Spring Festival eve is also a meaningful night, full of happiness and expection for the coming up new year.
With the brilliant fireworks light the sky, the prelude of the festival is matter how long and how tough it is, the Chinese people trudged long way to back home for the reunion of the family in the eve. It has been lasting for many years, the Spring Festival Gala on the TV show is the repertoire, entire family is enjoying the delicious and abundant dinner and foods and watching the show together.
For Chinese, every terrible memory and unhappiness will be stopped at this night, and a splendid next year will also begin at here. Their wishes become the blare of the crackers and colorful flash of the firework into the air and spread generations, the Spring Festival Eve is considred as a new start for the future, a wonderful conclusion for passed a year, and night when everybody is able to open their mind. From .
With the dramatic increasing economy, people have less time to stay with the family. But in this eve, it could be a payback,a compensation, or a opportunity to everybody who wants to share the enjoyment with his or her family. The relaxing conversation and jokes are around the rooms with the warm atmosphere in the chill winter night.
There are a lot of traditions of the eve inherited for generations. But, now more and more new fashions introduced into this eve and even replaced the old traditions. More and more people are glad to have the dinner in the restaurants instead of cooking and having at home. However, no matter what it is, a harmouious and peaceful night is the favorite of everybody here.
