Spring Festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month is the most important festival in China and a time for family reunion, like Christmas in the West.
农历正月初一开始，就到了中国最重要的节日——春节。人们阖家团圆，就如同西方的圣诞节一样。
Traditionally, Spring Festival starts in the early days of the 12th month of the lunar calendar and lasts until the middle of the 1st lunar month of the following year. With the modernization of China, some traditional customs are still followed today, but others have fallen by the wayside.
Chinese will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb 8 this year, which is also the Year of the Monkey according to the Chinese zodiac. As we are preparing for the most important festival, let's have a review of the traditional customs that celebrate the Spring Festival.
Little New Year, which falls the 23rd day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, is also known as the Festival of the Kitchen God, the deity who oversees the moral character of each household.
农历腊月二十三日是小年，也是祭灶节。灶神在中国神话传说中监管一家善恶。
People make sacrifices to the Kitchen Gold on this day. A paper image is burnt dispatching the god's spirit to Heaven to report on the family's conduct over the past year. The Kitchen God is then welcomed back by pasting a new paper image of him beside the stove.
Families undertake thorough house cleaning on the 24th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, sweeping out the old in preparation for the coming year.
农历腊月二十四日，各家各户会进行大扫除扫舍去尘，预示着除旧迎新。
According to tradition, ghosts and deities must choose either to return to Heaven or to stay on Earth during the last month of the year. It is believed that to ensure the ghosts and deities' timely departure, people must thoroughly clean both their bodies and their dwellings, down to every last drawer and cupboard.
People turn the mill and make tofu on the 25th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar, as legend says the Jade Emperor will descend and taste the soybean curd residue to experience an austere life.
农历腊月二十五日，人们推磨做豆腐，因为传说玉帝会在这一日降临人间，品尝豆腐渣，体味人间疾苦。
According to Taoist mythology, the Jade Emperor is the Taoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below, including that of Man and Hell. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religious pantheon.
The folk saying goes: "butcher a pig and get some meat to prepare for the New Year feast" on the 26th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar.
中国有一句俗语：“杀猪割年肉。”农历腊月二十六正是杀猪割年肉的日子。
In the old days, many people could not afford meat and they saved the best for the New Year feast. People's livelihoods have improved greatly and meat is now a very common dish in daily diet, but the Chinese still prefer having meat during festival season.
People kill chickens and go to market to buy provisions for the Spring Festival on the 27th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. With the approach of the Lunar New Year, Chinese people prepare ingredients and food they need for the New Year feast. Chicken is an indispensible dish.
After people have cleaned the house and started preparing food, they begin decorating their homes creating an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity on the 28th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. Decorations include spring couplets, New Year pictures, posters of door gods and paper-cuts.
On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month people visit the graves of their ancestors to honor their memory. It is said Spring Festival originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the start of a new one.
Chinese people are supposed to stay up the whole night on the 30th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar
腊月三十，人们熬夜守岁。
In Chinese mythology, a monster called nian would come out to harm people on New Year's Eve, so people get together, staying up and chatting, hoping for a peaceful passage of time. The custom of staying up (Chinese: shou tai sui) symbolizes the warding off of all diseases and disasters and wishing good luck in the New Year.
Chinese people attach great importance to the Spring Festival Eve, when all family members eat dinner together.
中国人十分重视除夕（即新年前一夜），彼时阖家团圆，共享团圆年夜饭。
The first day of Chinese New Year, also known as the "day of chicken", officially begins at midnight.
午夜零点时分，人们正式跨入新年第一天，也叫“金鸡报晓”。
It is traditional to light firecrackers and make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evil monster nian.
传统习俗是，人们会燃放鞭炮，尽可能制造大的喧闹声赶走邪恶的妖怪“年”。
Most importantly the oldest and most senior members are visited with the visits strengthening family kinship.
最重要的习俗是，人们会拜访家中最年长的长辈，以加强家人之间的亲情。
Senior members of the family hand out red envelopes containing cash (Chinese: ya sui qian), a form of blessing and to suppress aging and the challenges of the coming year, to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers.
On the second day, married daughters usually go back to their own family to visit parents, relatives and close friends. Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
初二，出嫁的女儿会回娘家给父母、亲人和密友拜年。旧时，女儿出嫁后拜访娘家父母的机会并不多。
Some believe the second day is also the birthday of all dogs and remember them with special treats.
