This is the big holiday of the year here in China. It would most resemble Christmas where people try
to spend time with family. One student said that going home is expected. Without a doubt, China is
on the move for the Spring Festival, which lasts about 2 weeks. The buses and especially the trains
are packed with travellers, and the stations are thronged with people camping out, waiting for their turn.
It is really something to see, the greatest annual human migration on earth.
Some places, like our campus, are empty. Many large wholesale districts are closed for 2 weeks.
Other places, such as restaurants, are very busy. Tourists destinations can also be busy later
in the festival, with families taking advantage of the time off of work to be domestic tourists. For example,
Canton Tower was busy that week. There is also a lot of shopping during the festival, as many
shops have very good sales.
The country decorates to celebrate. Red lanterns are everywhere and are usually lighted and beautiful along
streets or hanging from entryways. Tall ornamental orange plants are situated near doorways or entry ways.
There are banners posted on either sides of doors. Guangzhou already has spectacular lights hanging
from the trees that line the streets of downtown. For the holiday, more lights were added, and a light
display was enjoyed in a public square. It is all very festive. And it is true that fireworks are a big part of
the fun. We saw an official public display in Hong Kong. Guangzhou didn't have an official display the
night before, but there were fireworks just the same, and at midnight, the firecrackers made a thunderous
racket for about an hour. One night Don and Ian went out to try to find where the firecrackers were coming from. In Beijing, later that week, we could hear and see random fireworks displays
going off all around the city.
The reaction of the people in general is the best part of the festival. People are very happy, just like the atmosphere
at Christmas time in the West. People are with family. They are enjoying dumplings and their mother's cooking and
visiting with family. In Guangzhou there is the annual Flower Festival and people can go to a few locations around
the city to buy flowers or potted plants. Wonderful to behold! On Sunday, New Year's Day, we went to church at the
Ramada. Before the meeting, a troop of drummers led a "dragon" down the halls and into most of the rooms in some
kind of New Year's ritual, it looked like. Very loud and colourful. An interesting way to start our church service.
Later we went to a park and it just happened to be having a celebration. The crowds were literally crushing. The park
had traditional entertainment and it was especially nice to see the very elderly people out listening to the traditional
music being performed by traditional instrumental musicians and singers in painted faces and bright costumes. We
presumed that it was Chinese opera music.
It was good to see what happens in China during Chinese New Year.
By the way, 2013 is the Year of the Snake
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