A woman wearing traditional Chinese clothes during the Chinese New Year parades in Madrid’s Usera neighborhood, Spain, on February 18, 2018. 

Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. Usually marked by a wide selection of food with auspicious meanings, temple fairs, and fireworks, it’s a particularly special occasion for family gatherings. 

Since ancient times, the Chinese people have celebrated Spring Festival to thank nature for its bountiful gifts and pray for good weather and a bumper harvest in the new year. The customs and rituals associated with the festival embody the Chinese concept of “unity of heaven and man.” More importantly, the festive culture highlights the value of family in Chinese people’s lives and their pursuit of a harmonious family relationship. 

The Spring Festival celebrations and culture have now spread to the rest of the world. The following Special Report shows our readers how people of different countries and foreigners living in China celebrate the Spring Festival and how it now forms part of their lives.