The date of the Chinese New Year (CNY) changes each year, like Easter, it is not always on the same date. The first day on the New Year falls on the new moon between January 21 and February 20. They use the lunar calendar so it depends on when the first full moon of the lunar calendar is.
During the Chinese New Year, I think it could be the biggest display of fireworks in the world. There would be firecrackers starting a week before the actual celebration. The closer it got, the more fireworks and the noisier it became.
On New Year’s Eve day, the sidewalks and streets would almost clear out. It was wonderful for me, I could go for a walk and no one was around. I couldn’t believe it. I have pictures of the streets with no one there. To walk down a street in China and not see people or traffic is really amazing. There were times that I could see for three blocks and there were no people. Very little traffic on the streets, I could walk across from one side to the other and no cars coming from either way. The small shops would close and people would leave to go to see family and others.
From that afternoon until after midnight, the noise would slowly increase from the fireworks. When I talk about fireworks, I mean both fireworks and firecrackers. About an hour or two before midnight, I would have to put my earplugs in because it got so noisy even while I was sitting in my apartment on the 5th floor. The noise would bounce off of the buildings so it was amplified. Remember, there is no insulation in the walls.
From 11:30 P.M. to 12:30 P.M., I couldn’t even hear my TV while I was sitting three feet away. By that time, it sounded like a war zone. You would think the city was under attack. It was unbelievable. We have nothing like it here in the US. It is illegal to shoot off fireworks in the cities but it is overlooked at this time. Fireworks would go off until 3:00 A.M. and about 6:00 A.M. some would start up again and you would hear them on and off during the following week.
The Lantern Festival is two weeks after the CNY starts and that is the official end of the New Year celebration. The night before the Lantern Festival the fireworks would be set off again but it wasn’t as bad as the CNY Eve.
I had come back to the states at the end of June in 2013, so during the CNY celebration in 2014 I was here in the US. Mary had stayed one more year. I sent her a message on WeChat and she would send a voice mail back and I could hardly hear what she said because the noise was so loud that it was picked up on her phone while she was in her apartment. That was the first time she had been there for the CNY and she couldn’t believe how loud it was. She would usually go to her home in the Philippines because there was a long break for the foreign teachers. We would have off from the time that the students had finals until the Lantern Festival. We would have anywhere from 4-6 weeks off.
The reason for the big celebration and so many fireworks is because it is believed that the noise will keep the evil spirits away and brings good luck. This tradition started thousands of years ago.
The one thing that I really liked about the NY celebration was I would be invited over to friend’s places sometimes to be with them and their families. From 8:00 p.m. to midnight there is a big celebration on CCTV from Beijing. The whole country and Chinese all over the world watch this. There are entertainers from all over China like singers, dancers and actors that would sing, dance, do skits and comedy. The performers would wear some of the most beautiful clothes along with traditional Chinese clothes that I have ever seen.
I couldn’t understand anything when they sang or talked but the humorous skits were hilarious. Just watching them, their actions and reactions to others, their voices, it was so funny. I just laughed and laughed at some of it. Since I have come back here, I have watched these live performances by bringing them up on CCTV on my computer. It is live, it is on during the early morning here when it is night there. It would start at 6:00 a.m. here which would be 8:00 p.m. there that night. I think it is replayed sometime the next day or a couple of days afterwards.
Pollution is a growing problem in China. It is very serious at times. During the time of the Chinese New Years of 2012 and 2013, my last two years there, the Federal Government asked people to back down from shooting off fireworks. Like I said before, it sounds like a war zone on New Year’s Eve so you can imagine how many fireworks are shot off and how much it adds to the pollution problem. People and cities did shoot off less but there still needs to be more done for this.
The Chinese New Year is also called The Spring Festival. The Chinese use the Lunar calendar. They go by the moon. The US uses the Gregorian calendar. We go by the sun.
The first day of the New Year falls on the new moon between January 21st and February 20th. The New Year celebration ends two weeks later on the 15th day of the first calendar month. It is called The Lantern Festival. In the year 2016, The Chinese New Year began on February 8th and ended two weeks later on February 22nd. This is the time when families get together. It is like what we do for Christmas. Instead of gifts, children are given red envelopes called hong bao, with money in them. The money comes from parents, grandparents and other relatives.
Most people have seven days off. Students are off from schools and universities. This is called the winter holiday. The universities usually have one month off. As for other schools, depending upon which grade the students are in they can have from four days to two weeks off or more.
It can be very difficult to get tickets for trains and planes. You really have to plan ahead. Even traveling by car can be difficult because there are so many cars on the roads trying to go places. There are hundreds of extra trains used during this time so people can get to where they are going. Six million people travel by train each day during this time. I read once that 500,000 people go through the train stations in Beijing the day before the Chinese New Year begins. I have more information about this in my writings entitled "Chinese Festivals".
In the following pictures, you see all kinds of decorations throughout the city and people everywhere buying food and whatever they need. People clean their homes and prepare for relatives and friends just like we do in the US for Christmas.
Peony Square in Luoyang-The Year of the Rabbit (2011)
The next seven pictures are in an area in Luoyang where people get together to have meetings, sing and play music. This is a big social gathering place. Thousands of people can gather here. This is next to the shopping area Bai Huo Lou, the Emperor Driving Six Museum and the PSB (Public Security Bureau).
These red banners are for sale on the wall. People put one on each side of their doorways where they live. There are different things said on them. Basically they wish you a prosperous and happy new year. These are sold everywhere. You will see all kinds of things being sold on the streets like food, fruits, dishes, lots of things.
All of these pictures are in the same place. They cover about a two block area. You will find places selling things like this all over the city. As you can see, the Chinese New Year is a very busy time.
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