Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important among the traditional Chinese festivals. Ever wondered how its celebrations have evolved over time?
The origins of the Chinese New Year Festival date back approximately 3,500 years, with its customs evolving over time. Rich in stories and myths, one of the most famous tales revolves around the mythical beast Nian, notorious for devouring livestock, crops, and even people on the eve of the new year. Remarkably, Nian, the ‘yearly beast,’ shares the same pronunciation as ‘year’ in Chinese.
To thwart Nian’s destructive tendencies, people began placing food at their doors. Legend has it that a wise old man discovered Nian’s fear of loud noises and the colour red. Subsequently, red lanterns and scrolls adorned windows and doors, while the crackling of bamboo, later replaced by firecrackers, served to scare Nian away. With these measures in place, the menacing Nian never dared to return.
With a history spanning approximately 3,500 years, the exact origins of Chinese New Year remain unrecorded, though some trace its roots back to sacrificial ceremonies during the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC). The term “Nian” (‘year’) emerged in the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC), accompanying rituals of ancestor worship and blessings for bountiful harvests.
It wasn’t until the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) that the festival’s date was fixed to the first day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. During the Wei and Jin dynasties (220–420), festivities expanded beyond religious observances to include communal entertainment, such as house cleaning, family dinners, and staying up late on New Year’s Eve, marking the beginnings of modern traditions.
The prosperity witnessed during the Tang, Song, and Qing dynasties accelerated the evolution of the Spring Festival, aligning its customs closely with those observed in modern times. Key traditions such as setting off firecrackers, visiting relatives, and indulging in dumplings emerged as integral parts of the celebration. The festival also saw the rise of more entertaining activities, including dragon and lion dances, and lantern shows during Temple Fairs. Over time, the function of the Spring Festival shifted from religious observance to one of entertainment and social bonding, mirroring today’s celebrations. Despite a brief attempt to abolish Chinese New Year and the lunar calendar in 1912 in favour of the Gregorian calendar, its significance endured.
Post-1949, the festival was officially renamed the Spring Festival and granted nationwide public holiday status. Today, while some traditional activities are fading, new trends such as the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, online shopping, WeChat red envelopes, fireworks display, and overseas travel have injected fresh vibrancy and diversity into Chinese New Year celebrations.
