Around the Chinese New Year --- Traditional Chinese Festivals

Author: Cui Puren, Liu Guorong, Cui Yi
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Features: With the increasing and deepening opening-up of China, various forms of foreign cultures have also arrived, infiltrating and influencing this ancient land: Valentine's Day, April Fool's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, and more. These Western cultural products, which were once only seen in newspapers and publications, are now familiar to most urban youth. In a certain sense, it has made people's lives more diverse, allowing them to enjoy life more at ease, appreciate the blessings of nature and civilization, and grasp the pulse of the objective world. This book takes China's traditional Spring Festival—Chunjie—as its theme, documenting various folk activities from the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month to the second day of the second lunar month. These include: the origins of the festival, its customs, taboos, imperial court New Year rituals, Confucius Mansion New Year rituals, royal mansion New Year rituals, the festive culture of common people during the New Year, as well as folk activities from various perspectives such as merchants, opera performers, and beggars. It also provides a comprehensive introduction to the seasonal solar terms during this period, such as "Counting the Nine" and "Lichun." The folk activities documented in this book are rooted in the Beijing region, spanning (150 years forward and backward) and extending (to other parts of North China). The book is rich in folk knowledge and includes numerous anecdotes of famous figures celebrating the New Year, making it both informative, engaging, and entertaining. The language of the book is colloquial and local, with a red-printed layout that exudes the festive atmosphere of the New Year. Nearly a hundred illustrations further enhance the visual appeal.