Chinese Fun Traditional Festivals
Festival is the Positive wisdom for people to face different status of life, Represent hope, dream and happiness in bitterness.
1 Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Date: 1st day of Lunar January.
Origins: Celebrates the new year, rooted in ancient rituals to ward off the mythical beast Nian and honor ancestors.
2 Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Jie)
Date: 15th day of Lunar January.
Origins: Marks the first full moon of the year; symbolizes unity with lantern displays and sweet rice balls.
3 Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)
Date: April 4–5 (solar calendar).
Origins: Honors ancestors by cleaning graves; tied to the legend of loyal servant Jie Zitui during the Zhou Dynasty.
4 Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu Jie)
Date: 5th day of Lunar May.
Origins: Commemorates poet Qu Yuan’s suicide (Warring States era); features dragon boat races and zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
5 Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day)
Date: 7th day of Lunar July.
Origins: Celebrates the annual reunion of the cowherd (Niulang) and weaver girl (Zhinu) from Chinese mythology.
6 Mid-Autumn Festival (Moon Festival)
Date: 15th day of Lunar August.
Origins: Honors the moon and harvests; linked to the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, and family reunions.
7 Double Ninth Festival (Chongyang Jie)
Date: 9th day of Lunar September.
Origins: A day to respect elders and hike to avoid misfortune, inspired by the I Ching’s reverence for the number nine.
8 Winter Solstice (Dongzhi)
Date: December 21–23 (solar calendar).
Origins: Celebrates the return of longer days; historically tied to yin-yang philosophy and family gatherings with tangyuan (rice balls).
9 Labazhou Festival
Date: 8th day of Lunar December.
Origins: Buddhist tradition of sharing porridge to commemorate Buddha’s enlightenment; also linked to winter harvest celebrations.
West China Travel 