We’ve packed up and stored our Christmas tree out of sight along with our festive cheer and celebrations. Our minds are geared into working hard towards our goals but many of us are unaware that, for a quarter of the world’s population, the most anticipated time of the year is yet to come.

This year the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, will fall on February 12 according to astronomical observations of the sun’s longitude and the moon’s phases.

Messages of Spring: The internet keeps the people together in spirit. Photo: Ye Huiling

No matter the worries that envelop a person’s life, no matter the attractive and captivating distractions that beg for our attention, during this week-long national holiday in China, priorities shift towards the most important aspect of life – family.

More than 277 million Chinese people live away from their hometowns seeking the better wages and brighter business opportunities pre­sent in metropolitan cities. During the Spring Festival, this seemingly trite statistical number transforms into a remarkable phenomenon known as China’s great migration where flurries of people travel back to their hometowns to be reunited with family in time for the Chinese New Year’s Eve.

People flow out of the cities and breathe life and light into their hometowns. A week before New Year’s Day, the air is already charged with festivity. Restaurants and shops alike are studded with swaying red lanterns and ornate red banners embellished with golden Chinese calligraphy wishing passers-by prosperity and good fortune for the new year ahead.

Ancient traditions and customs of China are deeply rooted into the memories and beliefs of the Chinese. It is crucial to prepare for the New Year through the delightful guidance of these traditions in order to enjoy a prosperous year of good fortune and health. Similar to our January 1 New Year, the Chinese New Year provides an opportunity for a fresh start.

Togetherness: Coming together as a family for the New Year’s Eve dinner is an important Chinese custom. Photo: Lu Yi

To prepare for a new beginning, homes are cleaned by all members of the household. Floors are swept, shelves and drawers are cleaned to wash away any bad luck that accumulated inside over the past year. The house will then be ready for good luck to enter in the new year ahead.

Intricate red paper cuttings and decorations bestowing well wishes are then pasted on windows and doors, adding to the charm of the Spring Festival. Traditionally, these skilfully made red paper cuttings were hand-cut at home but nowadays most are bought ready to be pasted on the cleanest of windows.

A scene taken from the Turandot opera.

This time of the year, streets in China will be humming with just the right level of activity as people attend temple fairs, purchase gifts and search for the best decorations and ingredients to cook their New Year’s Eve dinner. The food chosen for this dinner is riddled with symbolism and traditions depending on which part of China you are from. In the northern parts of China, dumplings swell with mouth-watering fillings.

Traditionally, families spend the afternoon of the eve of the new year sitting around the dinner table, chatting and wrapping dumplings in the shape of half a moon. This delicious meal symbolises wealth as dumplings are similar in shape to ancient gold ingots.

People hailing from the south of China prefer to eat crispy golden-yellow spring rolls which acquire their name through welcoming the new spring yet to come.

Fish is another dish that is popular all around China during the Spring Festival as its Chinese name has similar pronunciation to the word ‘surplus’, symbolising an abundant year ahead.

The great effort that goes into cooking this grand dinner is immediately forgotten and replaced by the overwhelming joy that the different generations of family members feel as they can finally all be together to enjoy food, and most importantly, free-flowing conversation.

Homeward bound: The Chinese New Year is a day of reunion. Photo: Su Yang

To prepare for a new beginning, homes are cleaned by all members of the household

The main focus of the fami­ly is often directed towards the children, and the value of respecting and honouring the elder generations is continuously passed on to them. Friends, parents and older generations gift beautifully designed red envelopes stuffed with paper money to children.

If you work with a Chinese company, you might even be lucky enough to receive such envelopes from your boss. It is proper etiquette to receive these red envelopes, also known as hongbao, with both hands and it is important not to peep inside until later.

This 2,000-year-old hongbao custom evolved and now has a great presence in the modern world. In fact, you can now send digital hongbao on China’s most popular app, WeChat, an all-encompassing app. Chinese families are also choosing to have their New Year’s Eve dinner at restaurants rather than at home.

Candy craftsmanship: Candy sculptors at temple fairs are a popular tourist attraction. Photo: He Jun

The families celebrating this feast at home move from their round dinner table to the sofa where they watch the CCTV New Year’s Gala.

This extravagant event is the most watched TV programme in the world that presents an incredible array of entertaining performances, including acrobatics, musical numbers, comedy skits and operatic scores.

From the superb performances to the stunning stage design and luxurious ball­gowns and tuxedos, it is destined to impress.

Another impressive sight to behold is the first few moments of the new year. As the full moon suspends in the sky and midnight approaches, people rush outside and light colourful fireworks that streak the sky. The booming vibrations add to the excitement of bidding farewell to Year of the Rat and welcoming the Year of the Ox.

The Chinese Zodiac is composed of a 12-year repeating cycle with each year represented by its own zodiac animal. 2021 is the Year of the Ox, meaning that people born this year are thought to be diligent, dependable and strong.

Welcoming good tidings: Chinese people have the custom of pasting paper cut-outs on their windows. Photo: Sun Qiong

To illustrate the folklore, myths and cultural symbolism of zodiac culture, the China Cultural Centre in Malta, also known as the CCC, will be holding two exhibitions taking the form of digital art.

Upon entering Valletta, people can enjoy an exhibition illustrating the 12 zodiac animals in the form of digital art surrounding Pjazza Teatru Rjal. The CCC has also launched an online exhibition entitled Chinese Zodiac Crea­tivity Exhibition – Back to a Good Start in the Year of the Ox, which demonstrates the origin, evolution and meaning behind the Year of the Ox through innovative design.

To compliment these two exhibitions, the CCC has also designed an informative and intricate folder of persona­lised stamps related to the Year of the Ox. Every year, the China Cultural Centre in Malta brings the New Year Chinese Zodiac along with prestigious artists and performers to Malta to showcase China’s bright culture, exceptional talent and festive spirit.

The year 2021 was meant to be the year the CCC would invite the China National Opera to Malta; alas, due to the current delicate situation of the world, this was not possible.

Nevertheless, the CCC, in collaboration with the Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC), is bringing Puccini’s final masterpiece, Turandot, performed by the China National Opera to everyone’s home. It will be available to stream from February 7 on the MCC’s official website.

In this tale set in mythical China, Princess Turandot will marry a man who can decipher three impossible riddles.

Many have tried and many have failed; the price of failure is death by beheading. This extraordinary production, direct from Beijing, is a grand spectacle filled with dramatic plot twists, huge choruses and one memorable heart-breaking melody after another, starring the world-renowned soprano Yao Hong, tenor Li Shuang and conducted by the masterful Yuan Ding.

Moreover, in an interesting collaboration between the CCC and Spazju Kreattiv, six Chinese films have been selected to form part of the Happy Chinese New Year – China Film Festival where the audience may choose to allow their senses experience riveting kung fu fights with Jet Li in Fist of Legend, or take in the sumptuous colours and deep emotions in the critically acclaimed Farewell my Concubine.

The director of the CCC, Yang Xiaolong, says the centre’s aim is “to bring new hope, enthusiasm and strength during the Happy Chinese New Year”.

On February 25, an online get-together on Zoom will be set up for the public to join and participate in quizzes with many prizes to be won, and small performances of martial arts, song and dance.

The CCC Facebook page offers followers with plenty of cultural content and exhibitions, including a children’s art exhibition entitled Imagining China where over 150 children submitted artwork on the theme Magnificent China.

As China looks to the future with advanced technology becoming ever more present in daily life and futuristic cities ever more prominent, the Chinese New Year sentiments and traditions continue to flow strong in the hearts of Chinese people.

One could say it has gained more importance in today’s fast-changing world as it anchors people through the bewildering changes and difficulties. It bridges the gap bet­ween generations whose lives have become so different.