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    THE CHINESE SPRING FESTIVAL


    Posted on: February 10, 2013 | | 中文

    The Spring Festival of China is the grandest cultural event in the country, with over 4000 years of history and the longest celebration time. The most important date of the festival that spreads over several weeks, is the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. This is followed by an official week-long holiday during which the country comes to a standstill and everyone takes leave from work to be with their loved ones. Before New Year’s Eve, the country witnesses a human migration of magnificent proportions as all the Chinese people travel to their hometowns to rejoin their families. In 2013, the New Year falls on February 10th, and, according to Chinese tradition, the day will usher in the Year of the Snake.

    bowl of porridge

    Preparations for celebrating the coming of the new year or ‘Seeing the New Year in,’ begin with the Laba Festival, on the 8th day of the twelfth lunar month. On the occasion, a traditional sweet dish laba, resembling porridge with several ingredients, is eaten. Preparations for New Year festivities get underway after the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, known as Preliminary Eve. The home and all articles of personal use are thoroughly cleaned. Food - including chicken, beef, fish, duck, rice, flour, oil, fruit, candy and different kinds of nuts - is purchased in heavy quantities, along with gifts for friends and relatives, new clothes and shoes for children, and brightly colored decorations. Homes are adorned with special Spring Festival couplets, featuring Chinese calligraphy in black ink on red paper. While the characters signify several different wishes, such as for good fortune or prosperity, it is essential to put up the Chinese character for happiness, ‘fu’. Elaborate cutouts of red paper pasted on window glass are also a common sight.

    Family sitting together

    The Spring Festival Eve is significant as families gather to see the new year in together. The highlight of the evening is a sumptuous dinner featuring a number of dishes, three of which – chicken, bean curd and fish – form the most essential elements, because their Chinese names – ji, doufu and yu, respectively – mean auspiciousness, riches and abundance.

    On New Year’s day, children receive gifts of money wrapped in red paper, and traditional breakfasts are eaten _ jiaozi or dumplings in northern China and niangao, a glutinous rice flour cake, in the South. In the days that follow, communities indulge in traditional performances such as the lion dance and the dragon dance. The end of the Spring Festival is marked by the Lantern Festival.  


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021