中国春节传统汉字“福” Chinese New Year traditional character "Fu" (© DuKai摄影师/Getty Images)

中国春节传统汉字“福” Chinese New Year traditional character "Fu" (© DuKai摄影师/Getty Images)

福气满满，马年大吉 Wishing you a prosperous Year of the Horse

马年春节

过年好！今天是中国民间最隆重最富有特色的传统节日之一。其实每年从腊八或小年开始，到元宵节，都称之为过年。春节期间，中国全国各地人们都举办着感恩祈福、阖家团聚、除旧布新、迎禧接福、祈求丰年为主要内容的活动。而中国农历新年也在世界各地掀起了“中国风”，春节庆祝活动内容丰富多彩，具有重要的历史、艺术和文化价值。

马在中国文化中象征着力量、速度、活力与进取精神。自古以来，马在战争、农业和商业中都扮演着重要角色，在文学、成语和俗语中也占有一席之地，如“马到成功”和“马上封侯”常用于表达顺利与成功。马的形象被历代文人歌颂，并在艺术和文化创作中频繁出现。

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This calendar follows the phases of the moon and the rhythms of the seasons. Red lanterns—like the ones shown in today's image—are widely associated with the celebration. The holiday falls on the new moon between January 21 and February 20 and has been observed for more than 2,000 years. In 2024, UNESCO added the Spring Festival to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, recognizing its cultural and historical importance.

The festival follows a 15-day sequence, beginning on Chinese New Year's Eve and ending with the Lantern Festival. Each day traditionally carries its own customs, though practices vary from region to region. Even with these regional differences, the overall progression of the celebration remains similar across communities, reflecting a shared cultural framework tied to the lunar calendar.

The date of Chinese New Year changes annually because it is based on lunar cycles rather than the Gregorian calendar. This shifting date sets it apart from fixed-date holidays and explains why the festival's timing varies each year, even though its internal structure stays consistent.