![\"Fireworks](\"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/chinese-festivals-chinese-new-year.jpg\")
<\/a>Image via Flickr – CC BY-SA 2.0- Bridget Coila<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n Set to the start of the traditional Chinese calendar, the Chinese New Year (which is also known as the Spring Festival) is a big deal around the world. And in China it\u2019s even bigger, with parties events, and (of course) fireworks that can run for up to two weeks. It\u2019s also a time when guests are especially welcomed in China Image via Flickr – CC BY 2.0 – Jakob Montrasio<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n Probably the most picturesque of all Chinese festivals, the Lantern Festival traces its roots back to the early days of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Buddhist tradition of lighting lanterns in temples as a sign of respect to the Buddha. It\u2019s now the big finale for the two weeks of celebrating after Chinese New Year. And although there are regional and local variations on how it\u2019s observed, all include organized displays of lanterns at night, which are fantastic to admire. Image via Flickr – CC BY 2.0 – istolethetv<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n It’s believed that the Dragon Boat Festival was originally meant to commemorate the suicide by drowning of the ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan.\u00a0Over the centuries, it has spread\u00a0to other Asian countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, and has been recognized as a public holiday by the Chinese government since 2008. The main focus of the festival is organized races between “Duanwu” (dragon boats). Some say that the races are meant to imitate the effort to find Qu Yuan\u2019s body in the Miluo River. The tradition of eating sticky rice dumplings, called zongzi, is said to come from what the searchers dropped into the water to give fish something besides Qu Yuan’s body to eat. Image via Flickr – CC BY 2.0 – Tom Thai<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n A fall harvest festival that’s celebrated in most East Asian countries, the Mid-Autumn Festival is usually celebrated by spending time with family and admiring the moon in some way, since it takes place when the moon is often at its brightest and fullest. There’s also lighting of lanterns and dining on mooncakes, a pastry made with a filling that most commonly consists of red bean or lotus seed paste.
\nWhen to Go:\u00a0<\/strong>The exact date varies year to year, but it\u2019s usually between late January and late February.
\nWhere to Go:\u00a0<\/strong>Your best bet is going to be a major city, which will have the best firework displays and biggest parties, like Hong Kong, Shanghai, or Beijing<\/a>.<\/p>\nLantern Festival<\/h2>\n
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\nWhen to Go:<\/strong> The 15th day of the first lunar month, which is usually in February or early March.
\nWhere to Go:<\/strong> You can definitely take in some amazing lantern displays in the major cities, but it might be worth doing some research to find a smaller town or village in the south \u2013 like Taijiang, or Binyang \u2013 which are said to be home to celebrations that are more vivid and authentic.<\/p>\nDragon Boat Festival<\/h2>\n
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\nWhen to Go:<\/strong> Close to the summer solstice,\u00a0on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese calendar, which occurs in May or June.
\nWhere to Go:<\/strong> The most popular Duanwu races are hosted in the bays of Hong Kong<\/a> or the lakes close to Beijing.<\/p>\nMid-Autumn Festival<\/h2>\n
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\nWhen to Go:<\/strong> The festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar and is typically between late September and early October.
\nWhere to Go:<\/strong> It’s best to visit friends or family during the Mid-Autumn since it’s a more intimate holiday, but there are usually tons of events and cultural displays for visitors in the major cities, like Shanghai<\/a> or Beijing.<\/p>\n