On December 4, 2024, the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage decided to include Chinese New Year as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

China has have 44 items of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage by now, including the 24 solar terms, Kunqu opera, Beijing opera, Chinese paper cuttings, seal carving, acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Dragon Boat Festival. Thus, China has still possessed the most enlisted items in the world.

Chinse New Year

 

Chinese New Year, or called Spring Festival, is the grandest festive celebration of Chinese people, to welcome their traditional New Year. It usually fall in mid-late January or early-mid February of Gregorian calendar. Family members get together for the celebration, and they visit relatives and friends during the holiday.

Chinese people would go for the special purchases for New Year, clean up their house, stick New Year pictures, Fu characters and couplets in their houses. They would also have the New Year's Eve dinner with family, do dragon and lion dances, hang lanterns, worship ancestors and gods, pray for blessings, and hang out around a temple fair.

Dragon & Lion Dancing During Spring Festival

Sticker of Fu Character

Colorful celebrations are held during the New Year, not only in China, but also in the Chinese communities all over the world. More cultural and travel experiences become popular during the New Year in China as well.

 Read More: How do Chinese People Celebrate the Lunar New Year?
 

Lantern Show during Chinese New Year

It would not be better to experience Chinese culture during Chinese New Year. Tourists could join in the local people and immerse in the strong festival vibe. Apart from New Year shopping and temple fairs, every attraction is decorated to celebrate the traditional New Year, and interesting events such as New Year lantern show and cultural activities & performances are held.
   Some attractions are closed on the day of Chinese New Year or/and the New Year’s Eve. Some would shorten their opening hours during the New Year holiday.
 For the travel rush during Chinese New Year, it’s very likely to suffer from a shortage of train tickets. The price of air tickets goes higher at the same time.
 Please wear thick clothes to keep warm, it’s winter in China. If you are going to enjoy the lantern show or other more activities at night, please wear thicker.
 It is crowded everywhere in China during the lunar New Year, please be careful and take good care of yourselves when going out.