Chinese New Year / Spring Festival

2026: February 17, 2026

Chinese lunisolar calendar

Lunar New Year (Spring Festival, Chūn Jié) begins the year in the Chinese lunisolar calendar and is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia.

Origin

An ancient festival of family reunion and renewal, linked in folklore to scaring away the beast Nian with red colours and noise.

Where & who

China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia; as Tết in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea; diaspora communities worldwide.

How people celebrate

• Reunion dinner on New Year's Eve.
• Red envelopes (hóngbāo) with money for children and unmarried relatives.
• Cleaning the house beforehand, lion and dragon dances, and the Lantern Festival on day 15.

How you can take part or learn

• Watch a public parade or lion dance.
• Greeting: "Xīnnián kuàilè" (Happy New Year).

Symbols

Red, lanterns, the zodiac animal of the year, the character 福 (fú, good fortune).

Food, music & art

Dumplings, fish (for abundance), niángāo rice cake.