12 Facts About The Chinese New Year You Probably Didn’t Know

7. It’s Got A Confusing Name

The Chinese New Year is also confusingly called the “Spring Festival”, even though it falls in the middle of winter. But it’s given such a name because mid-February signals the start of spring in a traditional solar calendar. It represents the final and least cold part of winter in China, when they would typically begin preparations for upcoming spring.

8. It Lasts For 15 Days

That’s right, the Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 whole days, making it one of the longest celebrations in the world. The highlights of the entire shebang are on the first day of the lunar calendar (the actual new year), as well as the fifteenth day and first full moon of the Chinese calendar, called the Lantern Festival (a sure sight to see!).

9. Lighting The Sky Up

The Chinese New Year’s eve celebrations in China sees the largest display and usage of fireworks annually in the world. Given that China produces more than 90% of the world’s supply of fireworks, it’s not really a surprise. But it’s actually related more to a tradition that says the bright lights and loud noises scare away evil spirits and demons.

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