Traditions for Good Fortune center Chinese ‘Spring Festival’

(Photo : Xinhua/NEWSis)

The year 2014 has ended and a new year is coming. As Western countries celebrate Christmas with excitements, China similarly celebrates the Spring Festival similar with the Korean new year’s day.

As Western countries get excited at the beginning of December preparing for Christmas, China also gets excited for the Spring Festival since December. Elders put their handwriting with the script ‘Spring Festival’ on a front gate and hangs a picture of a baby hugging a carp symbolizing luck. It is a cultural custom in China to hang the letter ‘fortune’ upside down on front gate of a house since it means ‘fortune will come to your house.’

However, as Chinese society changes, it seems that this tradition is fading away. The red bean porridge is sold in the form of canned food, handmade dumplings are replaced by frozen food, and traditional new year’s bow is done simply through smart phone applications or online. Moreover, greeting cards are also replaced by online mails. As the economy flourished, citizens’ level of income increased and their standard of living evolved. Perhaps it is a natural process that we have to face. Wang Qi Reporter | Summary by Lho Ji-young