Chinese New Year – Spring Festival
Abby Chen
Program Director, Chinese Culture Foundation

Year of the OX
First of Chinese New
Year (Chu Yi): Jan.
26, 2009
Fifteenth of Chinese
New Year (Shi Wu):
Feb. 9, 2009

Chinese New Year Custom for Family
• Everything is colorful
• Clean everything before the new year
• New clothing
• Greet different gods: God of food, God of fortune
• Fireworks
• New Door Guards
• Bai Nian
• Hong Bao (Lai See)
• Taboos (things you don’t say)
• North tradition vs. South tradition (Zhai, Baifo)
• Old Tradition vs. New Tradition (Home meal)

Spring Festival Décor
Door Guards Peach Blossom
Couplets
Narcissus
Paper Cut

Spring Festival Food
Must have for
Spring Festival:
Fish, Chicken,
Sticky Rice
Cake, Sticky
Rice Ball Soup
Northern:
Dumpling
Southern: Fried
Sweet Dumpling,
Facai (Hair Like
Vegetable)

Chinese New Year Custom for Community
• New Year Temple Fairs
• Flower Market
• Lantern Appreciation & Riddles
• Lion & Dragon Dancing
• Regional custom varies such as
Dry Boat Racing, Stilts, Parades

Chinese Culture Center & Spring Festival
Preserve, promote & influence the course of
Chinese & Chinese American culture
Feb. 7th & Feb. 8th: Spring Festival
Celebration:
Lantern Riddles Paper Cutting
Couplets Performances
Chinese Puzzles Opera Face Painting
& More!

Programs at Chinese Culture Center
Preserve, promote & influence the course of
Chinese & Chinese American culture
Exhibition, Mandarin Classes, In Search of
Roots, Heritage Walking Tours, Film
Screening
Space for rental
Gallery Shop
Artwork & Podcast online

Upcoming Exhibition:
Present Tense Biennial – Emerging Artists’
Perspective on Chinese Culture
Opens on May 1st, 2009