One World,One Family

“Amid the crackle of firecrackers， another year comes to an end and the warm breath of spring enters every home.”

This well-known verse by Wang Anshi， one of the great poets of the Northern Song Dynasty （960-1127）， depicts a typical scene during the Spring Festival （Chinese New Year）. The festival， which has been celebrated for over 4，000 years， fell on January 28 this year. For 15 days， starting on Spring Festival Eve， every household across the country observed it by writing couplets on red paper， having big family dinners， and visiting friends and relatives.

Different cultural events are held during the holiday season， such as Peking Opera shows， dragon and lion dances， traditional stand-up comedy， and acrobatic performances. These enrich the cultural life of the people while renewing the important Chinese traditions of family reunion， communion with nature and the replenishment that comes from new beginnings. They also signify the philosophy that Chinese people have always traditionally embraced.

After decades of opening up and progress， China is now beginning to share its development achievements with the rest of the world. China’s progress and mutually beneficial， win-win approach have been embraced by the international community. Spring Festival， the quintessential symbol of Chinese culture， is now celebrated in many countries around the world.

Former French President Jacques Chirac， who has a vast knowledge of China， used the word “we” in his remarks on Chinese New Year celebrations， so expressing a cultural identity which includes Chinese social-cultural practices. He is not the only one. Today， state leaders in the U.S.， U.K.， and Australia， among many others， send best wishes to local Chinese neighborhoods at Spring Festival. These communities often give colorful and vibrant performances featuring players who have traveled all the way from China. Growing numbers of local residents in these countries enjoy taking part in Spring Festival celebrations.

Last year in the U.S.， the firework display in New York State at Chinese New Year was on almost as grand a scale as that of its Independence Day celebrations. In the U.K.， non-Chinese restaurants often add special courses to their menus on this festive occasion. London’s Chinatown hosts an enormous parade that features Dragon Dances and fire crackers， which huge crowds come to see. Some of the many French people interested in Chinese culture buy dumplings from French supermarkets to enjoy according to the Chinese tradition. In China， it is now becoming popular to hold Chinese New Year’s Eve dinners at a restaurant instead of at home. This has sparked a trend in France， so booking well in advance is essential. In Germany， Spring Festival is introduced in English class at primary schools just before the big day. Worksheets with questions and interesting facts help students to learn more about the festival and its cultural background.

Spring Festival represents a wish for unity， peace， success， and harmony for all people. An emblem of Chinese culture. This blessing is shared by more and more people around the world in efforts to promote spiritual wealth and strength.

Spring Festival has been declared a national holiday in more than 10 foreign countries， including Canada， Malaysia， Singapore， Mauritius， and Suriname. Children at public schools in New York State also get a holiday for Chinese New Year.

In 2016， the “Happy Chinese New Year，” a cultural event organized by China’s Ministry of Culture， toured over 400 cities in 140 countries and regions and included 2，100 activities， including performances， parades， temple fairs， exhibitions， and gourmet festivals. The event drew more than 250 million participants worldwide.

Intangible cultural heritage and traditional Chinese music were highlights of 2017’s “Happy Chinese New Year”event， especially the cultural exchanges with countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Performances and exhibitions held at Fantastic Art China C part of the “Happy Chinese New Year” events in New York C took place across North America. In addition， top-line music， dance， drama， martial arts， and acrobatics productions were held in Europe， and six troupes took their remarkable shows to African countries. Activities in many areas across Asia have been refined by the absorption of local cultural elements.

China boasts an extensive and profound culture. Activities held during Spring Festival provide an opportunity for companies working in the arts （performance， art， design and film） to develop Chinese culture into impressive cultural products. Via such commercial platforms as exhibitions， expositions， and fairs， those cultural products display China’s charisma and capacity for innovation.

As the world gives Chinese folkways a broader platform， China respects and accepts the splendid and diverse cultures of all human beings. Cultural exchanges assuredly strengthen bonds between different peoples， because the whole world is one big family.