Chinese New Year or 'Spring Festival' is China's most important festival and holiday, not only in China, but in many of China's neighboring countries such as Singapore and South Korea, too. In 2018 the CNY fell on Friday, February 16th 2018, beginning a year of the Dog. Meliá Hotels International has congratulated all its partners, employees and clients in China with a warm letter in striking red color.
CNY's date is decided by the Chinese lunar calendar, and it changes every year, but it's always in the period January 21 to February 20. It's traditionally celebrated for 16 days, from the eve to Lantern Festival (March 2nd 2018). The coming 7-day Spring Festival public holiday will be February 15–21, 2018.
Each Chinese year is associated with an animal sign according to the Chinese zodiac and 2018 is the year of the Dog, the eleventh in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign.
Dog is man's good friend who can understand the human's spirit and obey its master, whether he is wealthy or not. The Chinese regard it as an auspicious animal. If a dog happens to come to a house, it symbolizes the coming of fortune.
People born in the Year of the Dog are usually independent, sincere, loyal and decisive according to Chinese zodiac analysis. They are not afraid of difficulties in daily life. These shining characteristics make them have harmonious relationship with people around.
Traditions and Activities
In China, traditions and celebrations vary greatly across the country. In the North, Chinese dumplings are the must-eat food on Chinese New Year's Eve, but south of the Yangtze River most people eat spring rolls or sticky rice cake.
The main traditions include eating reunion dinner with family, giving red envelopes, firecrackers, new clothes, and decorations, including milestones like the Chinese spring cleaning, the decoration of buildings and streets with lucky red items, and of course the Chinese New Year's Eve , which is a Family Time. CNY is a time for families to be together. Wherever they are, people are expected to be home to celebrate the festival with their families. The New Year's Eve dinner is called 'reunion dinner', and is believed to be the most important meal of the year.
Also, it has long been a Chinese tradition to set off firecrackers from the first minute of their new year. The most common New Year gifts are red envelopes, with money in, and are believed to bring good luck because they are red. They are given to children and retirees. Customarily only employers give red envelopes to working adults.
There are also some superstitions around this season, asChinese people believe that the year's start affects the whole year. There are lucky foods and gifts and rituals, but also many CNY Taboos.
The Chinese New Year Travel Rush — the World's Largest Annual Human Migration
The Chinese New Year causes the biggest and longest annual period of transport stress anywhere in the world.In 2016, it was estimated that Chinese travelers made around 2.9 billion trips during the Travel. In recent years, travel and tourism has become a popular way for many people to spend their Spring Festival holiday, which has added more stress to the transportation system.
Within the country, the top 5 cities with the most departures were Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou, where many Chinese people live and work, and the top 5 cities with the most arrivals were Wuchang, Chongqing, Chengdu, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou, where many of them are from.
