As the lunisolar calendar turns, the Chinese Spring Festival of 2025 invites billions to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Snake. This festival, steeped in tradition and culture, marks not only the beginning of a new year but also a time for reunion, reflection and renewal. The snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition and grace, sets the tone for the year ahead, encouraging introspection and strategic planning.

In the lead-up to the festival, which falls on January 29 this year, cities across China are transformed into a dazzling display of red lanterns and intricate decorations. Families gather to share sumptuous feasts, honor their ancestors and partake in time-honored customs that have been passed down through generations. From the rhythmic beat of lion dances to the sparkling fireworks that light up the night sky, the Spring Festival is a celebration of both heritage and hope for the future.

The Spring Festival, the oldest and most important traditional festival in Chinese culture, has been added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) heritage list. On December 4, 2024, UNESCO announced its recognition of the Spring Festival, or social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 19th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asunción, Paraguay.

According to Xiao Fang, head of the Department of Anthropology and Folklore Studies at Beijing Normal University, the inclusion of the Spring Festival on the list reflects global recognition and respect for traditional culture.

"It is a jubilant time for Chinese people, and China warmly shares its rich traditional culture with people around the world," Xiao told newspaper People's Daily.

Starting from 2025, the Spring Festival holiday will be extended from three days to four days, with the addition of Chinese New Year's Eve. This year's eight-day holiday, from January 28 to February 4, will be made up of these four days and four additional days that people will make up by working on weekends before and after the festival.

Celebrations Xinjiang-style 

During the Spring Festival holiday, residents in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region engage in a series of celebratory activities, such as posting spring couplets, hanging lanterns and setting off firecrackers, similar to other regions across the country.

While the customs are similar, they also have unique local characteristics. For example, families prepare a rich array of speciality foods, including pilaf, or zhuafan in standard Chinese—a hearty rice dish teeming with succulent meat and vibrant vegetables, samosa, or kaobaozi—flaky golden pockets bursting with juicy fillings of spiced mutton, and yangrouchuan, lamb skewers. These dishes not only enrich the festive dining table but also showcase the diverse culinary heritage of the region.

Different localities in Xinjiang host Spring Festival Eve galas and other activities featuring traditional dances and music performed by not only artists but also local residents. There are also bonfire parties for locals and visitors to participate in.

Kashi Prefecture was one of the four sub-venues of the 2024 China Central Television Spring Festival Gala on February 9, 2024. The gala, broadcast live on the eve of every Spring Festival, is one of the most-watched annual shows in China.

Kashi, also known as Kashgar, with its time-honored history, stands as a quintessential representation of Xinjiang. Over 2,000 years ago, the prefecture was a crucial hub on the Silk Road, attracting merchants and traders from both China and abroad. As a place of diverse ethnicities, it has also become a stage for the exchange and integration of cultures.

Popular actress Dilraba Dilmurat was among the performers on the stage of the Kashi sub-venue. Born in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, in 1992, Dilraba, a Uygur, has established herself as a versatile actress, boasting a massive following of more than 80 million followers on microblogging platform Weibo.

"I was honored to join the show at the Kashi sub-venue. I hope my performance offered a taste of my hometown's ethnic singing and dancing and helped the audience enjoy a different kind of Chinese New Year. Xinjiang is a wonderful place, where everyone is always welcome!" Dilraba wrote in a post on Weibo following the show. Many Chinese netizens expressed that Dilraba's performance had piqued their interest in Xinjiang dance and incentivized them to better understand and explore this art form.

She believes that everyone can be a carrier of traditional Chinese culture. "By incorporating ethnic elements and traditional culture into our performances and integrating cultural confidence into our daily lives, we can make international audiences truly experience the charm of Chinese culture," she added.

Her mesmerizing dances during the 2024 Spring Festival Gala were featured in an official Chinese-English bilingual video introducing the festival, released after it was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list.

Xinjiang is one of the provincial-level administrative regions with the most ethnic groups in China, a country inhabited by 56 such groups. In addition to the Spring Festival, some ethnic groups celebrate festivals unique to their own cultures. For example, the Nowruz Festival is a holiday marking the arrival of spring for multiple ethnic groups including the Kazak, the Uygur and the Uzbek. It falls on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on March 21.

Shared joys 

The Spring Festival is not just a Chinese festival, but a global one. Nearly 20 countries have designated the first day of the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar as a public holiday, with about one fifth of the world's population participating in different forms of celebration, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference in Beijing on December 5, 2024, following the announcement at the session in Asunción.

Through vivacious parades, culinary fairs and workshops on Chinese crafts, the festival draws people from all segments of society to experience its inclusive and festive spirit.

"From Southeast Asia to Europe, not only overseas Chinese, but also an increasing number of local people consider the Spring Festival their own festival. They also integrate local culture into the festive activities," said Zhang Bo, Deputy Secretary General of the China Folklore Society.

"China has cultural policies worthy of recognition," Nancy Ovelar de Gorostiaga, Paraguay's Permanent Representative to UNESCO and Chair of the session, said. "China is always present in cultural movements and is visible, so we value that and believe that it is the example that many countries should follow in order to try to safeguard their heritage, culture and traditions."

Zheng Changling, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Cultural Studies, said that in today's rapidly developing society, relationships can sometimes become strained. Family reunion and universal celebration can help relieve people of life's stresses, providing a sense of joy and connection. "The charm of the Spring Festival is reflected here. It is not only a day for reunion with family and friends, but also a manifestation of shared human values," he told newspaper Global Times.

"We very much hope that the festival's cultural message will contribute to a world of fewer conflicts, harmony among civilizations, and amity between peoples of the world. We hope the Spring Festival will be a moment of joy shared by all," Lin added during the press conference.

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Tradition and Modernization 

The origins of the Spring Festival can be traced back over 2,000 years to ancient agricultural practices. It was originally a celebration of the harvest and a way to honor deities and ancestors. Over the centuries, the festival has evolved, incorporating many regional customs, but its core themes of renewal, family reunion and good fortune remain unchanged. 

The festival is celebrated with a plethora of traditional practices that vary across regions in China. One of the most prominent customs is the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, when families gather to enjoy a lavish meal featuring symbolic dishes such as fish (for abundance) and dumplings (for wealth). Children receive red envelopes filled with money, known as hongbao, as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. 

Today, with many people working in different cities far from their hometowns, the Spring Festival triggers a massive travel rush. This annual migration, known as chunyun, sees hundreds of millions of people journeying back to their homes to celebrate the holiday together. It usually gets underway 15 days ahead of the Chinese New Year and lasts for some 40 days. 

As the largest population migration in the world, it involves all modes of transportation­—trains, buses and planes­—often resulting in crowded stations and airports. Despite the challenges of travel, the joy of getting together with family members and partaking in rich festival customs makes the journey worthwhile for many. 

In the days leading up to the Chinese New Year, homes are cleaned and decorated with items believed to bring good luck, including red lanterns, paper cuttings and spring couplets—two lines of matching poetry written on red paper banners affixed to either side of a home or building's front door. The color red symbolizes happiness and is believed to ward off evil spirits. 

The Spring Festival celebrations last for 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival, during which families display lanterns and enjoy yuanxiao, traditional glutinous rice balls. This display of lights conveys the hope for a bright future. 

The box office often experiences a boom during the festival, with many families flocking to cinemas to enjoy new movies together. This festive period is one of the most lucrative times for the film industry in China, as studios strategically release highly anticipated films. 

Comedies are particularly popular during this time. Incorporating themes of family, reunion and celebration, they are especially appealing to audiences looking for uplifting content.