Traditionally, it’s a 15-day celebration for this spring festival. We have specific customs and symbolic activities each day. Here’s a clear, day-by-day overview (traditions can vary by region and family):
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Day 1 – New Year’s Day
- Welcome the new year and honor ancestors
- Set off firecrackers (traditionally) to scare away bad spirits
- Wear new clothes, often red for luck
- Avoid cleaning or sweeping to prevent “sweeping away” good fortune
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Day 2 – Day of the God of Wealth
- Pray for prosperity and business success
- Married daughters visit their parents
- Offerings made to the God of Wealth
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Day 3 – Day of the Red Dog
- Considered unlucky for social visits
- Families stay home to avoid arguments
- Worship ancestors or gods quietly
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Day 4 – Welcoming the Kitchen God
- Prepare offerings to welcome household gods back from heaven
- Light incense and candles
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Day 5 – Po Wu (Breaking the Taboos)
- Birthday of the God of Wealth (major day for businesses)
- Firecrackers are set off again
- Dumplings commonly eaten
- Cleaning resumes after earlier restrictions
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Day 6 – Sending Away Poverty
- Clean the house thoroughly
- Throw away garbage to remove bad luck
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Day 7 – Renri (Birthday of Humankind)
- Believed to be everyone’s birthday
- Eat symbolic foods (e.g., fish, noodles, or seven-vegetable dishes)
- Celebrations focus on well-being and harmony
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Day 8 – Eve of the Jade Emperor’s Birthday
- Family dinners and prayers at midnight
- Incense offerings made
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Day 9 – Birthday of the Jade Emperor
- Major religious day, especially in Taoist communities
- Elaborate offerings and prayers
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Days 10–12 – Feasting with Friends and Relatives
- Continued banquets and social visits
- Express gratitude and strengthen relationships
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Day 13 – Light Food & Purification
- Eat simple or vegetarian meals
- Allow the body to rest after heavy feasting
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Day 14 – Preparations for Lantern Festival
- Make or buy lanterns
- Prepare festival foods
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Day 15 – Lantern Festival
- Mark the official end of Chinese New Year
- Light and display lanterns
- Solve lantern riddles
- Eat tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls symbolizing family unity)
🌟 Key Themes Across All 15 Days
- Family reunion and respect for ancestors
- Renewal, luck, health, and prosperity
- Harmony, generosity, and gratitude
Hope you learn something from this post!🧧🎁🎉