1. (Chinese Spring Festival)
CHINESE CULTURE LINK
Chinese New Year
(Chinese Spring Festival)
中国春节 /chun jié/
Tai Lam
CHIN101

7. travel.china.com

8. Chinese New Year (Chinese Spring Festival)
CHINESE CULTURE LINK
Chinese New Year (Chinese Spring Festival)
中国春节 /chun jié/
Chinese New Year:
An important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the first day of the year of the Chinese calendar.
Chinese new year: Spring Festival / chunjié/
Dated from: Chinese New Year’s Eve to 15th day of the first month, called Lantern Festival 
date changed compared with Gregorian Calendar.
Based on Lunar Calendar, based on the moon’s orbit around the earth.
Chinese New Year is celebrated where Chinese-culture is influenced: CN, HK, TW, KR, VN, ML, IN, PH
Considered major holiday for the Chinese.
Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the first day of the year of the Chinese calendar. InChina, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar.
often referred to as the "Lunar New Year". The date of Chinese New Year changes each year as it is based on the lunar calendar.
While the western Gregorian calendar is based on the earth’s orbit around the sun,
China and most Asian countries use the lunar calendar that is based on the moon’s orbit around the earth.
Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong ong,[ Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,[ and also in Chinatowns elsewhere.
Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations of its geographic neighbors.
Korea, Japan and Vietnam also celebrate new year using the lunar calendar.
Depending on where rice is grown in China, the rice season lasts from roughly May to September (north China), April to October (Yangtze River Valley), or March to November (Southeast China). The New Year was likely the start of preparations for a new growing season.
Spring cleaning is a common theme during this time, as many Chinese will clean out their homes during the holiday. The New Year celebration could even have been a way to break up the boredom of the long winter months.

9. A week before the new year starts, /Zàojun/ (King of Kitchen)
Festivities:
Preceding days
On the eighth day of the lunar month prior to Chinese New Year, a traditional porridge known as làbāzhōu  (腊八粥) is served in remembrance “of an ancient festival, called Là. shortly after the winter solstice 冬至 /dongzhì/
A week before the new year starts, /Zàojun/ (King of Kitchen)
Reunion Dinner (年夜饭）： New Year's Eve dinner
Festivities:
Preceding days
- On the eighth day of the lunar month prior to Chinese New Year, a traditional porridge known as làbāzhōu (臘八粥) is served in remembrance "of an ancient festival, called Là,  that occurred shortly after the winter solstice.
 In many households where Buddhism or Taoism is prevalent, home altars and statues are cleaned thoroughly, and altars that wre adorned (decorated) from the previous year are taken down and burned a week before the new year starts, to be replaced with new decorations
The biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the Reunion Dinner, named as "Nian Ye Fan". A dish consisting of fish will appear on the tables of Chinese families. It is for display for the New Year's Eve dinner.

10. 2。First day 年初一 /Nián Chuyi/
Welcoming of the Gods of the heavens and earth
To honor one's elders and families
3. Second day
Known as kāinián (开年) "beginning of the year", was when married daughters visited their birth parents, relatives and close friends. (Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.)
4. Third day
Known as Chìkǒu (赤口), directly translated as "red mouth".
considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting.
2。First day
The first day is for the welcoming of the deities of the heavens and earth, officially beginning at midnight. It is a traditional practice to light fireworks, burn bamboo sticks and firecrackers and to make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evil spirits 
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time to honor one's elders and families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended families, usually their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
3. Second day
The second day of the Chinese New Year, known as kāinián (開年/开年, "beginning of the year"), was when married daughters visited their birth parents, relatives and close friends. (Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.)
4. Third day
The third day is known as Chìkǒu (赤口), directly translated as "red mouth". 
It is considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting. People Hong Kong called it the Day of the Poor Devil and believed everyone should stay at home. 

11. Red envelopes
Red envelopes or red packets (利是 lìshì) or 'hóngbāo' (红包) passed out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is also common for adults or young couples to give red packets to children.
Red envelopes
Traditionally, Red envelopes or red packets (利是 lìshì) or 'hóngbāo' (红包) are passed out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is also common for adults or young couples to give red packets to children.
Red packets are also known as 压岁钱 (yàsuìqián) literally, the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit) during this period.
also known as 压岁钱 (yàsuìqián) literally, the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit during this period.

12. Dragon dance 
Lion dance
It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the Dragon or lion dancing aggressively can drive away bad or evil spirits.
Dragon and lion dances are common during Chinese New Year. It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the Dragon or lion dancing aggressively can evict/ drive away bad or evil spirits. Lion dances are also popular for opening of businesses in Hong Kong and Macau.

13. 挥春
Huichun
During the period of Chinese Lunar New Year, most households will embrace the custom of putting up "Hui Chun" in their homes. The fact is that there are many forms of "Hui Chun". Generally speaking, it would be writings of blissful / good words and sentences that pray for a blessing of good fortune for the family in the coming year.
生意興隆 Business prospers 一本萬利 May you make great profits 恭喜發財 Wishing you prosperity 招財進寶 May money and treasure be plentiful 花開富貴 Fortune comes with blooming flowers 出入平安 Wishing you safety wherever you go 萬事如意 Everything goes as you hope 青春常駐 Full of youthful vigour 和氣生財 Harmony brings wealth 身壯力健 Be healthy and vigorous all year 金玉滿堂 Treasures fill the home 步步高昇 Be promoted to a higher position 心想事成 May all your wishes come true 龍馬精神 The energy of a dragon and a horse Best wishes for the year to come! 恭賀新禧！  Good luck in the year ahead!  祝吉星高照！  May you come into a good fortune!  恭喜發財！  Live long and proper!  多福多壽！  May many fortunes find their way to you!  祝財運亨通！ 

14. 生意兴隆 /Shēnyì xīnglóng/ Business prospers 一本万利 / Yìběn wànlì/ May you make great profits 恭喜发财 / Góngxǐ fācái / Wishing you prosperity 招财进宝 / Zhāocái jìnbǎo/ May treasure be plentiful 花开富贵 / Huākāi fùguì/ Fortune comes with blooming flowers 出入平安 / Chùrù píng’an/ Wishing you safety wherever you go 万事如意 / Wànshì rúyì/ Everything goes as you hope 和气生财 / Héqì shēngcái / Harmony brings wealth 金玉满堂 / Jīnyù mǎntáng / Treasures fill the home 心想事成 / Xīnxiǎng shìchéng/ May all your wishes come true 龙马精神 / Lóngmǎ jīngshén/ Energy of a dragon and a horse

16. 祝你新年快乐
Zhù nǐ xīnnián kuài lè
I wish you a Happy New year

17. 谢谢
xièxie