The Chinese observe many festivals, some religious and some secular. The most important celebration however is the Spring Festival, more commonly known today as the Chinese New Year.

According to experts, the Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the zodiac. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the start of the Chinese Lunar Calendar can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February.

A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each. Because of this, Chinese New Year changes each year, as it falls on the first day of the lunar calendar.

Why it is also called the Spring Festival

Why is the Chinese New Year also known as the Spring Festival? Astrologers describe springtime as a season of renewal, when new life springs forth after the cold and passiveness of winter.

Similarly, the Chinese New Year is a time of fresh beginning.

Preparations

The 20th day of the 12th Moon is set aside for the annual house cleaning, where every corner of the house must be swept and cleaned with bamboo leaves or a broom in preparation for the new year. Debts are paid, hair is cut and coiffed, and new clothes and shoes bought.

An auspicious 'chai' or red banner bearing well wishes of wealth and prosperity is hung over the front door. Propitious sounding couplets like "peace on your coming and going" and "big prosperity coming in a big way" is hung everywhere.

The Kitchen God, regarded as the inventor of fire leaves the house on the 23rd of the last month to report to heaven on the behavior of the family. Although the household would have done all they could to ensure a favorable report, no chances are taken and the Kitchen God's mouth and lips are sweetened, and if need be, sealed with a sweet meat called lin ko (a homophonic word which means both 'auspicious year' and 'sticky cake' in Cantonese). With lips sufficiently sugarcoated and safely closed, he is given a grand send off, only to return once more on the first day of the lunar New Year.

In many Chinese homes and temples, incense and joss sticks are burned as a mark of respect to ancestors.