Essays on How SoutheRners Celebrate Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important festival in China. Every year, millions of Chinese pEOPle go back to their hometowns to celebrate the festival with their families. Southern China is one of the most prosperous regions in China, and its New Year celebrations are rich in trADitions and unique experiences.

Family reunion: the most important custom of Southern New Year celebrations

The most important custom of the Chinese New Year in Southern China is the family reunion. Millions of southern Chinese people leave their workplaces and return to their hometowns to celebrate the festival with their families. Most of them live far away from their hometowns and only have a few days off work, so the time that they spend with their families is precious. During the festival, families gather together to cook traditional New Year dishes, watch TV shows, and play games. The atmosphere is lively, and the streets are full of happiness.

Visiting families: sharing the joy of New Year

During the Chinese New Year, it is customary to visit relatives and friends. This is an opportunity to share the joy of New Year and wish each other good fortune in the new year. Southern Chinese people decorate their homes with red banners, couplets and lanterns to convey their New Year wishes to their visitors. Home visits can also involve the exchange of gifts and red envelopes with money for children. The exchange of gifts is a way of expressing Chinese culture's deep respect for material culture, and it often follows established customs.

Watching performances: the New Year's fastival's cultural feast

Watching the performances is an essential part of the Southern Chinese New Year celebration. Streets, squares, and parks are dotted with various artistic performances, SUch as dragon and lion dances, Peking opera, cross-talks, and folk performances. People go to temples to pray and participate in cultural activities such as flower exhibitions, Cantonese opera, and puppet shows. During the Southern New Year celebration, the atmosphere is full of cultural entertainment, visitors watch, and enjoy the entertainment of Chinese culture.

Eating rice-cakes: the most classic custom of Southern Chinese New Year

Eating rice-cake is a classic custom of the Southern Chinese New Year. Rice cake is a kind of traditional Chinese food made from glutinous rice flour. Its round shape symbolizes the renewal of the years. Southern Chinese people usually cook rice-cake with peanuts, Chinese honey dates, and other fillings. It is a common practice to eat rice cake with one's family and share the joy of the new year. In addition to rice cake, Southern Chinese people also consume other foods such as dumplings, fish, and spring rolls, and these are all mouth-watering delicacies which show the traditional food culture of China.

Playing mahjong: the classic pastime of New Year celebration

The New Year celebrations of Southern Chinese people also include playing mahjong. During the festival, people have plenty of leisure time to enjoy a game with their family and friends. Mahjong is a card game with a long history and profound cultural significance to the Chinese people. The game's rules are simple and easy to understand, and playing it has become a way of celebrating New Year’s Day. It is a perfect way to create a fun and relaxed atmosphere while also improving people's sense of teamwork and collaboration.

Conclusion

The Southern Chinese New Year's Celebration is a celebration with a wide range of customs and cultural entertainment. People who live far from home return to their hometowns to reunite with their families, exchange New Year greetings with each other and express good wishes for the new year. They attend temple fairs, watch street performances, eat traditional foods, play mahjong, and engage in various other activities to celebrate Chinese New Year. This diverse range of cultural specialties has endowed the Southern Chinese New Year with a unique charm that will never fade away.