The Spring Festival

七年级来源:查看次数:9发布日期:2026-03-20

　The Spring Festival comes on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival. It is the grandest and the most important festival for Chinese people.
　It is said that the nian (the word “year”) was a strong monster. People used red colour, fireworks or firecrackers to drive away nian. As a result, the custom of using red and setting off fireworks remains.
　Spring couplets1 are traditional decorations during the Spring Festival and an important element of Chinese culture. They usually consist of a pair of phrases with blessings such as “good fortune” “spring” “reunion”. People paste spring couplets before the Spring Festival to pray for peace and good fortune in the new year. 
　The reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve is an important traditional custom during the Chinese Spring Festival. Family members gathering for the reunion dinner symbolizes reunion and happiness. The dinner usually includes various traditional dishes such as fish, dumplings and rice cakes. Eating fish symbolizes surplus2 every year, eating dumplings symbolizes reunion, and rice cakes symbolize progress step by step.
　The various traditional customs during the Spring Festival reflect the Chinese people’s emphasis on family reunions and blessings, as well as their yearning for 3 a better life in the new year.

Notes:
1. 意为：春联 
2. surplus n. 盈余；剩余
3. 意为：渴望