China is rich in colorful festivals make up an important part of the Chinese culture. Most of the festivals in China are based on the Chinese lunar calendar. These are some of the most important festivals in China that are worth witnessing during your vacation there:

Chinese New Year

This event usually takes place on the first day of a year in the lunar calendar, usually between late January and early February. This is perhaps the most elaborate, colorful, and important of all the traditional Chinese festivals. For the Chinese people, it is a time to congratulate each other and themselves for having passed through another year, finish out the old, and welcome in the new year. The activities include fireworks display, visiting and greeting, Yangke dancing, lion and dragon dancing, holding temple fairs and many other great folklore-inspection events.

Lantern Festival

The New Year celebration ends with the Lantern Festival, which is held on the 15^th day of the first lunar month. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor in Heaven was so angry at a town for killing his favorite goose that he decided to destroy it with a storm of fire. When a kind fairy heard of this, she warned the people in the town to light lanterns throughout the place on the appointed day. The people did as they were told. From the Heaven, it looked as if the village was burning. Satisfied that his favorite goose was avenged, the Jade Emperor decided against destroying the town. From that day forth, the people celebrated their day of deliverance every year by carrying different colorful lanterns throughout the streets on the first full moon of the year. During the festival, lantern expositions, garden parties, fireworks displays, and folk dances are held.

Dragon Boat Festival

This festival takes place on the 5^th day of the 5^th lunar month. It originated as a religious practice, but now is a purely recreational activity. This event is a celebration of the death of the poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the 3^rd Century BC to protest a corrupt government. According to the legends, the townspeople attempted to rescue him by beating drums to scare fish away and threw rice dumplings in the river  to prevent them from eating his body. Presently, Dragon Boat races are being held during this festival. They also eat Zong Yi which is pyramid shaped rice wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves to commemorate history.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu)

This event is held on the 15^th of the 8^th lunar month, usually sometime between the end of September and beginning of October. Zhong Qiu is probably the second most important festival in the Chinese calendar because it celebrates the moon. Traditionally, it is a time for poets and lovers. But for the Chinese, the moon is a symbol of unity and wholeness and is a time for reunion of families. In celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese hold Dragon Boat races, enjoy the moonlight, and eat abundant meals and moon cakes (round pastries filled with nuts, dried fruit, preserved flowers, sesame, marinated beef, or bacon).

Qingming

This event is celebrated on the 12^th of the 3^rd lunar month, usually around April 4 or 5. Springtime is a time to pay respect to ancestors. The Chinese people sweep and tend the graves of their deceased relatives, cherish the memory of the dead, and offer food to them. They also burn money to assist ancestors in the afterlife “Bank of Hell,” thereby transferring spending money from this world to the other. They also hold memorial ceremonies, indulge in spring outings, and fly kites.

These are just some of the colorful festivals in China. When you take your vacation there, make sure that your timing is just right for one of these joyful celebrations. A Chinese festival is a wonderful sight to behold. Moreover, it helps you gain a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture.

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