Ushering in the New Year in Chinese style!

The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is a 15 day long celebration that witnesses the largest human migration across the world as Chinese from around the world reunite with their families to celebrate the New Year. As the Chinese follow the Lunar Calendar, the date and day on which the New Year falls is continuously different.
As in most Asian and Chinese celebrations, the New Year has its roots in mythology. It is said that there used to be a village to which a monster – Nien – would visit yearly and destroy crops, villagers including children and livestock. The villagers used to make food and place them outside their doors to appease the beast that would not thereafter destroy the village. One day, it was observed that the beast was terrified of a small child adorned in red. Following this, the villagers started decorating their homes in red and lit firecrackers in order to scare away the beast who since the incident never came near the village.
This practice of red decoration and fire crackers is still carried out. On the day preceding the New Year, the entire house is given a thorough spring cleaning as it is believed that the bad luck and ill winds that have plagued the house should be swept away to make way for good luck to be brought in with the dawn of the New Year. The Eve of the New Year also sees a grand preparation of food for the entire family to partake in.
According to the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year itself begins on the first day of its first month and on this day gifts are exchanged and money is given in red envelopes to the unmarried and the children. Each day from then on, brings with it symbolic events and activities such as lighting incense to one’s ancestors, officially starting off business, the celebration of the Jade Emperor’s birthday and the final Lantern Festival on the 15th and final day.
The Chinese New Year is an exciting and eventful time to visit China and the Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai is an excellent hotel in Shanghai that provides some of the best options of private dining Shanghai offers.