The Spring Festival: A Window into Chinese Culture

Abstract

With the increasing rise in the global economic integration of countries, the cultural exchange of different people in the world is becoming broader. The culture of a people is unique in its own way. This uniqueness constitutes the diversity and richness of the culture and civilization in the world today. People of different nations and ethnicities have, based on their cultural background and religious beliefs, developed different attitudes and ways to solve problems. To avoid misunderstandings and contradictions in the course of crosscultural communication, understanding and respecting the customs of other nations is of great importance. The traditional festivals are the outstanding cultural heritage of a nation, and the precious spiritual wealth of mankind, so different festivals reflect different cultures. China, which has the largest population in the world, is widely known for its long history and rich culture, including its ancient language, traditional arts, and festivals. Chinese traditional festivals are the soul of national spirit and the epitome of Chinese civilization. With the fast economic development noticed in China, and it being the second largest economy in the world today, different countries of the world are showing interest in having mutual economic and cultural relation with China. The government of China is also working effortlessly to make Spring Festival which is the most important festival in China, a globally recognized and valued festival. This paper discusses the Spring Festival with the broad aim of understanding Chinese culture, as it is the most important event celebrated by people of Chinese ethnicity. It introduces the Spring Festival by looking into the activities carried out during the festival, including the customs associated with it, the seven lucky dishes prepared and eaten, as well as taboos traditionally avoided during the festival. However, many activities and customs related to the festivals though still significant are less observed among younger generations.