Chinese across the world, celebrate Spring Festival with traditions, travels and shopping spree, since its inclusion into the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

 

Chinese New Year offers window on nation's economic vitality

Tourists pose for a selfie at a flower market in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Jan. 27, 2025. China is alive with vibrant celebrations with the Spring Festival just around the corner. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

With traditional fairs and shopping and travel booms over this year's extended holiday, China is about to ring in the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake, the first since its inclusion into the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.

For Chinese across the world, the Spring Festival is a time for family reunions, festive traditions, holiday shopping and diverse cultural and tourism activities. This year, it falls on Jan. 29 with hundreds of millions of people traveling to reunite with families in the world's largest annual human migration.

Celebrations today highlight both traditional and modern elements, from temple fairs, lantern displays, lion dances and intangible cultural heritage bazaars to village galas, light and drone shows, museum exhibitions, and travels at home and abroad.

This year, festive glee and activities are further boosted by the UNESCO recognition, pro-consumption policies and the extension of the traditional seven-day holiday by an extra day.

FAMILY REUNIONS AND TRADITIONAL FESTIVITIES

For migrant workers like Zhang Changfu, a native of Baise in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, the Spring Festival offers a rare opportunity for a family reunion.

"I've been working away from home for 20 years, but I return home every Spring Festival," said Zhang, 41, who works as a machinist in the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, adding that he is looking forward to taking his family to the local temple fair.

The temple fair, a panoply of folk performances, local delicacies and traditional handicrafts, is a familiar sight at this time of year. While such activities contain more traditional elements in the countryside, large cities like Beijing and Shanghai have a tradition of holding large-scale fairs.

For others, like Lin Jia who works in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Spring Festival is the perfect time for a family tour. Lin's parents and grandmother have traveled from Hunan Province to join her for the holiday.

Lin plans to take them sightseeing around the city after a New Year's Eve dinner at a hotpot restaurant. "It's both a reunion and a mini vacation," she said.

This year, many cities are holding more traditional festive activities, motivated by the inscription of the Spring Festival on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December. The southwestern megacity of Chongqing has planned more than 100 intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, bazaars and performances during the holiday.

"We hope visitors can feel the strong festive ambiance and the special charm of our cultural heritage," said Tang Mao, the organizer of a cultural heritage bazaar in Chongqing's bustling Jiefangbei commercial area, where over 40 artisans display traditional crafts like paper-cutting, New Year picture drawing and sugar-figure making.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING

For centuries, shopping has been a crucial part of Spring Festival preparations: from nice food to new clothes and carefully chosen gifts.

Liu Fengmei, a woman in her 70s in Shanghai, traveled over an hour by subway to First Foodhall, a time-honored food store on the iconic Nanjing Road, to stock up on traditional holiday snacks.

A long queue is seen outside the store, which, like many across the country at this time of the year, is filled with festive decorations and a dazzling array of traditional foods.

Following the UNESCO recognition, Chinese consumers also appear to be particularly interested in goods with a cultural festival flair.

Li Gang with the Ministry of Commerce said sales of neo-Chinese-style jewelry and goods featuring intangible cultural heritages have grown by 52.6 percent and 26.6 percent in the month-long online shopping event for the festival initiated by the ministry.

In recent years, the Spring Festival shopping lists have included more imported goods, reflecting Chinese people's rising purchasing power and growing appetite for imported quality goods.

Earlier this month, a cargo ship loaded with 20,000 tonnes of Chilean cherries arrived at the Nansha Port in south China's Guangzhou, perfectly timed to offer a festive treat for millions ahead of the Spring Festival.

"Chilean cherries, Australian lobsters and Russian snow crabs ... the prices of imported products are quite attractive, so I plan to prepare a New Year's Eve dinner that blends both Chinese and foreign flavors," said a customer surnamed Guo at a store of fresh-food chain Freshippo in Beijing.

Driven by government-subsidized trade-in programs, mobile phones, wearable devices, and green and smart home appliances are also highly sought-after items ahead of the festival, according to the ministry.

"Spending on New Year's goods can offer a glimpse into the resilience and vitality of consumption throughout the year," said Hong Tao, director of the Institute of Business Economics at Beijing Technology and Business University, who expects a new wave of holiday consumption growth.

HOLIDAY TRAVEL

In addition to local festivities, many are venturing farther afield to make the most of the eight-day Spring Festival holiday.

Fang Xue, a resident of Shanghai, plans to take her parents on a holiday trip to Shantou, a coastal city in Guangdong Province. "Traveling during the Spring Festival has become quite fashionable," Fang said. "My parents in their 80s are very eager to travel."

The extended holiday has given a boost to the travel industry. While tourist cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu are attracting large numbers of holidaymakers, smaller cities are also getting more travelers who wish to savor celebrations with local flavors, according to Fliggy, a leading online travel agency.

"Expectations for intangible cultural heritage activities are especially high during the first Spring Festival after the UNESCO recognition," said Wang Liyang, operations manager at Fliggy.

Thanks to China's further easing of visa policies, many Chinese cities are also witnessing an influx of international visitors, with many eager to experience the festival traditions.

"The UNESCO heritage status gives Spring Festival worldwide recognition and increases its appeal to international tourists," said Zhou Huijie, an analyst at Trip.com research institute.

Trip.com Group has estimated that inbound bookings would jump by 203 percent during the Spring Festival, with tourists from the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, Australia, Thailand and Britain topping the list.

Lukas Muller from Germany is traveling in northeast China's Jilin Province for skiing and to experience the Spring Festival.

"My friends and I will experience Chinese New Year up close, including eating dumplings, putting up spring couplets, setting off fireworks, and many other customs I'm not familiar with yet," he said, also praising China's visa-free policy that facilitated his trip.

Spring Festival serves as the most direct cultural window to understand the Chinese people and it is also a traditional festival with the most Chinese cultural characteristics, said Feng Jicai, a renowned Chinese writer who has long championed intangible cultural heritage protection.

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Rediscovering the heart of Qing Ming tradition

Important observance: Lim (right) and his family members preparing for Qing Ming prayers for his late parents at the Johor Baru Tiong-Hua Association memorial park.

 It is important to educate the young about purpose of practices to honour ancestors

FOLDING gold and silver foil paper ingots was an annual exercise that my brother and I were tasked to do before Qing Ming.

Both of us would compete to see who could fold more ingots.

My late grandmother would remind us that folding these ingots was not about the quantity or quality, but our sincerity in carrying out the process.

Traditionally, people believed that these ingots, resembling money in the afterlife, would bear different values depending on their shapes.

Those that were perfectly folded would bear more value, in contrast to imperfect ones with pointed edges or which looked like cups.

These memories come flooding back as Qing Ming approaches this year.

Although it falls on April 4, it is observed two weeks before and after that date.

Qing Ming is a day for Taoists and Buddhists to honour their departed family members and ancestors.

Back then, my family and I would visit the columbarium and pay our respects to my grandparents and great-grandparents.

We would always bring their favourite food, such as kopi O kosong for my late grandfather as well as fruits and roasted meat for our ancestors.

We would burn the gold and silver ingots, alongside boxes of other paraphernalia such as clothes, shoes and “hell banknotes”.

After praying, my mother would “update” them on our lives and whether I had been a naughty boy or not.

That was about two decades ago, when I still observed Qing Ming.

Paper smartphones, computers and credit cards were not available or too expensive back then, but now you can even burn a range of paper luxury cars and bungalows.

I always find that aspect fascinating and look forward to seeing what creative items will be churned out each year by enterprising traders selling prayer paraphernalia.

I gradually stopped this annual pilgrimage due to the hassle and inconvenience.

Other than the crowds at columbaria and cemeteries, one would also have to contend with the sweltering heat and smoke from the burning of joss sticks and other items.

Excuses, some might say, but I have stopped observing the tradition.

Yet deep down, I am curious about the origins of these rituals and their significance.

Customary practices can sometimes change due to circumstances and modernity.

One may even wonder to what extent these rituals were practised by our ancestors.

To find out, I spoke to cemetery management committee members and historians about Qing Ming rituals.

While the main rituals do not differ much, offerings such as food can be unique to respective clan associations.

Each clan association prepares its own specialty foods for offerings on the altar, such as the Cantonese fatt gou (prosperity cake) Hakka hee pan (rice cake), Hainan yi bua (glutinous rice cake) and Teochew ang ku kueh (sticky cake).

I also learnt that most of the paper paraphernalia items that I looked forward to, are commercialised.

Historian Lee Eng Kew noted that gold and silver foil papers burned as offerings to ancestors were the only items that symbolised money.

“Hell banknotes and credit card paper paraphernalia are purely commercial,” he said.

Nowadays, families practise and conduct rituals within their means.

Attempts are being made to reduce wastage, such as bringing home edible offerings and minimising the burning of ceremonial items.

Though simplified, these rituals still have meaning if done sincerely.

While it is important to uphold tradition, we must also at the same time educate the younger generation on the significance of these rituals.

If they do not know the reasons for them, it may be difficult to ensure these traditions continue to be practised for years to come.

Qing Ming crowds arrive early to avoid hot sun

Paying respects: Lim (left) and her family members observing the Qing Ming festival by bringing prepared dishes and prayer paraphernalia for their dearly departed at the United Hokkien Cemeteries Teluk Bahang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

Guan Gong for integrity, and bravery, respected for loyalty and righteousness

 

The 24th day of the 6th lunar month is the actual birthday of Guan Gong

guan gong spirit medium

Guan Gong (also known as Guang Yu, Kuan Kong, Kuan Ti, Guan Ti or Guan Di), is a powerful Taoist immortal, a historical Bodhisattva in Buddhism and also revered in Confucianism.

The Buddhist worship of Guan Gong as Sangharama Bodhisattva is also practiced in some Theravada Buddhist temples. The Taoist also worship Guan Yu as the God of Literature. In Vietnam’s Cao Dao religion Guan Gong is one of the pantheons.

It is said Guan Gong is the keeper of all good people and the fighter of those who intend to hurt them or cause them a problem of any kind. He protects people from being robbed, assaulted and from all kinds of crimes in general.

As the God of War, he is the head of all protecting warriors, the god who commands all those who fight evil. Guan Gong is often depicted in paintings and sculptures. Sometimes with his two sworn brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, by his side.

Statues of Guan Yu on the Altar used by triads tend to hold the saber on the left hand, and statues in police stations tend to hold the saber on the right hand. The notion of brotherhood, god of loyalty, has been appropriated by triads to emphasize the group identify and brotherhood of triad membership.

As a General, Guan Yu was well known for his integrity, and bravery. As an individual, he was respected for his loyalty and righteousness.

According to Buddhist legends, Guan Yu manifested himself one night, In 592, before Ch'an Master Zhiyi, the founder of the Tiantai school of Buddhism, along with a retinue of spiritual beings.

Zhiyi was then in deep meditation on Yuquan Hill when he was distracted by Guan Yu's presence. Guan Yu then requested the master to teach him about the dharma.

After receiving Buddhist teachings from the master, Guan Yu took refuge in the triple gems and also requested the Five Precepts. From that time on, it is said that Guan Yu made a vow to become a guardian of temples and the dharma.

Legends also claim that Guan Yu assisted Zhiyi in the construction of the Yuquan Temple, which still stands today.

Later in the year, the thirteenth day of the ninth lunar month, is the day when Guan Gong was apotheosized. The ceremonies on these two days are identical.

It is popularly believed that if it rains on these days, it happens because Guan Gong is wetting the whetstone on which he sharpens his long-hilt sabre. The rain presages the well-being of the people.

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Guan Gong Culture Guan Yu (关羽) was a historical person who lived in China during the Three Kingdoms period, (三国) (CE 220-CE 280). Historical background Towards the end of the Han dynasty (汉朝), the emperor had been reduced to a nominal ruler. Powerful clans and court officials fought against each other to become the power behind the throne. Meanwhile, disenfranchised peasant began series of uprising. The most severe of these movements was the Yellow Turban Rebellion (黄巾起义). As the political disintegration intensified, regional warlords were no longer contented to be the power behind the throne. They aspired to be rulers of their own empire. Nevertheless, others remained loyal to the Han dynasty and sought to restore the power of the Han Emperor. Guan Yu belonged to the group who aspired to restore the Han Dynasty. He had met two other persons with the same ideal; Liu Bei, (刘备)a distant member of the Han royal family and Zhang Fei (张飞). They became sworn brothers at the Peach Garden (桃园结义) and vowed to work together towards the revival of the Han Dynasty. Liu Bei was the eldest of the three brothers; Guan Yu was the second brother and Zhang Fei the youngest. When the regional powers Cao Cao (曹操) and Sun Quan (孙权) proclaimed themselves Emperors Wei (魏) and Wu (吴), Liu Bei declared himself the Emperor of Shu (蜀) with the aim of restoring the Han dynasty, often referred to as Shu-Han (蜀汉). With this development, Chinese history entered the Three Kingdoms Period, (三国时代) a political scene that lasted for 60 years from CE 220 to 280. As a General, Guan Yu was well known for this integrity, and bravery. As an individual, he was respected for his loyalty and righteousness. During a battle with Wu forces, Guan Yu was captured and beheaded. Guan Gong culture After his death, General Guan Yu became the embodiment of loyalty, righteous, bravery and benevolence(忠义勇仁) . Guan Yu’s brotherhood pact with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei provides strong imagery and symbolism for friends to look after each other in times of hardship. This idea offered motivation and role model for Chinese migrants when they arrive in their host society. His popularity and the respect he commanded are reflected by the list of posthumous honors bestowed on him by subsequent emperors. During the Ming dynasty, Wu Cheng En wrote the novel San Guo Yan Xi (三国演义), Romance of the three Kingdoms, using the Three Kingdoms period as a backdrop and immortalized Guan Yu and his sworn brothers. The Taoist worshipped Guan Yu as the god of literature、god of war and　Martial God of Wealth and is referred to as Guan Gong (关公), Guan Di (关帝) and as a sign of respect. There are also spirit mediums or Tangkis who can manifest the spirit of Guan Yu. In southern China and overseas Chinese community in Taiwan and South East Asia, Guan Gong is also manifested via spirit mediums. The Chinese Buddhist regarded him as Sangharama Bodhisattva (伽蓝菩萨). As Sangharama Bodhisattva, Guan Gong is usually found in the Bell Tower of forest style Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Monastery. In the Hokkien temple Thian Hock Keng in Singapore, Guan Gong can be found both in his Taoist and Buddhist form.  Representations of Guan Gong Guan Gong is often depicted in paintings, sculptures and many art forms. When he is depicted with his sworn brothers, Liu Bei as the eldest brother is seated with Guan Gong and Zhang Fei by his side. If Guan Gong is the central figure, his two assistants, Guan Ping (关平) and Zhou Cang (周仓) stand by his side. He is also represented alone either standing with a saber or seated and at times reading. In many temples, a sculpture of his horse can usually be found. Globalization of Guan Yu culture Many overseas Chinese communities worship General Guan Gong and dedicated temples or set up altars in his memory. Such practices reflect the importance these communities placed on social solidarity and the need for mutual support in a foreign land. The notion of brotherhood has also been appropriated by triads to emphasize the group identify and brotherhood of triad membership. The Buddhist worship of Guan Gong as Sangharama Bodhisattva is also practiced in some Theravada Buddhist temples and Guan Gong is also one of the pantheons in Vietnam’s Cao Dao religion. The history and continuous popularity of Guan Gong reflects the collective ideals of the Chinese over time and how these ideals are manifested as they migrate overseas. Among the overseas Chinese community, the temples dedicated to Guan Gong also demonstrated how the traditional social ideals provided a model for migrants as they leave their homeland to seek opportunities. At the same time, Guan Gong’s appearance in Theravada cultures and Cao Dao in Vietnam also reflect the universality in the values he embodies.       Related articles: Guan Gong main page Culture & Customs Taoism Main page Taoist Pantheon

Sculpture of Guan Gong in shung Lin Monastery, Singapore Guan Gong with Bali headscarf, Kwan Kong Bio, Denpasar Bali Indonesia Ming dynasty painting of Guan Gong Guan Gong temple, New York Chinatown Guan gong in battle, wall mural Baoan Temple, Taipei, Taiwan Guan Gong temple in Yokohama Chinatown Spirit medium manifesting the spirit of Guan Gong Shrine to Guan Gong, Liverpool Chinatown The famous physician treating Guan Gong's arrow wound Yokohama Guan Gong temple kobe kanteibyo, Japan Jim Kemp collection, Talisman of Guan Gong Guan Gong Temple in Manila Chinatown

Guan Gong Culture

Guan Gong Culture

Guan Yu (关羽) was a historical person who lived in China during the Three Kingdoms period, (三国) (CE 220-CE 280).

Historical background

Towards the end of the Han dynasty (汉朝), the emperor had been reduced to a nominal ruler. Powerful clans and court officials fought against each other to become the power behind the throne. Meanwhile, disenfranchised peasant began series of uprising. The most severe of these movements was the Yellow Turban Rebellion (黄巾起义).

As the political disintegration intensified, regional warlords were no longer contented to be the power behind the throne. They aspired to be rulers of their own empire. Nevertheless, others remained loyal to the Han dynasty and sought to restore the power of the Han Emperor.

Guan Yu belonged to the group who aspired to restore the Han Dynasty. He had met two other persons with the same ideal; Liu Bei, (刘备)a distant member of the Han royal family and Zhang Fei (张飞). They became sworn brothers at the Peach Garden (桃园结义) and vowed to work together towards the revival of the Han Dynasty. Liu Bei was the eldest of the three brothers; Guan Yu was the second brother and Zhang Fei the youngest.

When the regional powers Cao Cao (曹操) and Sun Quan (孙权) proclaimed themselves Emperors Wei (魏) and Wu (吴), Liu Bei declared himself the Emperor of Shu (蜀) with the aim of restoring the Han dynasty, often referred to as Shu-Han (蜀汉). With this development, Chinese history entered the Three Kingdoms Period, (三国时代) a political scene that lasted for 60 years from CE 220 to 280.

As a General, Guan Yu was well known for this integrity, and bravery. As an individual, he was respected for his loyalty and righteousness. During a battle with Wu forces, Guan Yu was captured and beheaded.

Guan Gong culture

After his death, General Guan Yu became the embodiment of loyalty, righteous, bravery and benevolence(忠义勇仁) . Guan Yu’s brotherhood pact with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei provides strong imagery and symbolism for friends to look after each other in times of hardship. This idea offered motivation and role model for Chinese migrants when they arrive in their host society.

His popularity and the respect he commanded are reflected by the list of posthumous honors bestowed on him by subsequent emperors. During the Ming dynasty, Wu Cheng En wrote the novel San Guo Yan Xi (三国演义), Romance of the three Kingdoms, using the Three Kingdoms period as a backdrop and immortalized Guan Yu and his sworn brothers.

The Taoist worshipped Guan Yu as the god of literature、god of war and　Martial God of Wealth and is referred to as Guan Gong (关公), Guan Di (关帝) and as a sign of respect. There are also spirit mediums or Tangkis who can manifest the spirit of Guan Yu.

In southern China and overseas Chinese community in Taiwan and South East Asia, Guan Gong is also manifested via spirit mediums.

The Chinese Buddhist regarded him as Sangharama Bodhisattva (伽蓝菩萨). As Sangharama Bodhisattva, Guan Gong is usually found in the Bell Tower of forest style Chinese Mahayana Buddhist Monastery. In the Hokkien temple Thian Hock Keng in Singapore, Guan Gong can be found both in his Taoist and Buddhist form. 

Representations of Guan Gong

Guan Gong is often depicted in paintings, sculptures and many art forms. When he is depicted with his sworn brothers, Liu Bei as the eldest brother is seated with Guan Gong and Zhang Fei by his side.

If Guan Gong is the central figure, his two assistants, Guan Ping (关平) and Zhou Cang (周仓) stand by his side.

He is also represented alone either standing with a saber or seated and at times reading. In many temples, a sculpture of his horse can usually be found.

Globalization of Guan Yu culture

Many overseas Chinese communities worship General Guan Gong and dedicated temples or set up altars in his memory. Such practices reflect the importance these communities placed on social solidarity and the need for mutual support in a foreign land. The notion of brotherhood has also been appropriated by triads to emphasize the group identify and brotherhood of triad membership.

The Buddhist worship of Guan Gong as Sangharama Bodhisattva is also practiced in some Theravada Buddhist temples and Guan Gong is also one of the pantheons in Vietnam’s Cao Dao religion.

The history and continuous popularity of Guan Gong reflects the collective ideals of the Chinese over time and how these ideals are manifested as they migrate overseas. Among the overseas Chinese community, the temples dedicated to Guan Gong also demonstrated how the traditional social ideals provided a model for migrants as they leave their homeland to seek opportunities. At the same time, Guan Gong’s appearance in Theravada cultures and Cao Dao in Vietnam also reflect the universality in the values he embodies.