About Spring Festival (一)

Zhōnɡɡuó nónɡlì niándesuìshǒuchēnɡwéichūnjié，

中国农历年的岁首称为春节，

shìzhōnɡɡuórénzuì lónɡzhònɡdechuántǒnɡjiérì。

是中国人最隆重的传统节日。

Yìbānzhǐchúxīhézhēnɡyuèchūyī

一般指除夕和正月初一。

Dànzàimínjiān，

但在民间，

Chuántǒnɡyìyishànɡdechūnjiéshìzhǐ

传统意义上的春节是指

cónɡlàyuèchūbādelàjìhuòlàyuèèrshísānhuòèrshísìdejìzào

从腊月初八的腊祭或腊月二十三或二十四的祭灶，

Yìzhídàozhēnɡyuèshíwǔ，qízhōnɡyǐchúxīhézhēnɡyuèchūyīwéiɡāocháo。

一直到正月十五，其中以除夕和正月初一为高潮。

The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival. Airports, railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.

The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It 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 beginning of a new one.

Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. The Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.