Customs of the Spring Festival in Wuxi [Photo from wuxinews.com.cn]

Customs of the Spring Festival in Wuxi [Photo from wuxinews.com.cn]

Customs of the Spring Festival in Wuxi [Photo from wuxinews.com.cn]

People in Wuxi attach great importance to the Spring Festival. On the first day of the Chinese traditional lunar year, the very first thing is to shoot off firecrackers outside the houses, meaning “opening doors to welcome a new year and expecting a promotion”. By tradition, people need to shoot off three firecrackers, to pray for good harvests”; however, a pair of firecrackers are set off in some places, bringing prosperity to family and fortune”.

After the firecrackers, incense will be burned and candles will be lit to offer sacrifices to the gods and ancestors. After that, the youth will wish the elders a happy NewYear and receive lucky money from the old to ward off evil and disasters. On that day, people will visit their relatives and neighbors in new clothes, and give others their best wishes.

In the morning, they will have rice cakes, dumplings and noodles as breakfast, meaning reunion, promotion and longevity; for lunch and dinner, they will eat either noodles or rice left from the New Year’s Eve meal, implying always getting more than what?was wish for.

Cleaning is forbiddenon the first day of the lunar year, because they believe it will sweep off wealth when drawing water and borrowing fire source. People ought to pay more attention to their words during the Spring Festival. No angers, no name-calling and no infelicity talks. All in all, people pray for a safe and happy new year.