With a continious history of over 5,000 years, Chinese culture celebrates a seemingly endless series of festivals and holidays. This is deeply rooted and shows its enormous vitality as a result of the advanced social development of ancient China's social life. The increased productive force and the ever-improving conditions of society, along with the emergence of evolved spiritual activities all provided a stage for the emergence and development of festivals. Most of the traditional festivals in ancient China had something to do with the development of astronomy, calendar and mathematics.

The beginning of these traditional festivals was particularly related to the development of the 24 seasonal division points under the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. All of the 24 seasonal divisions had almost been settled by the time of Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). These divisions helped to form festivals, for in their work and life, people developed different customs and activities which can express their good wishes according to yearly change of seasons and natural phenomena. Based on these customs and activities, festivals and holidays began to take their shape. Here are just a few:

Chúxi New Years Eve Chinese New Year Eve is very carefully observed. It was believed that gods in Heaven would spread gold over to each family so they kept awake, ready to seize it with door closed.		Xinnián Spring Festival The Spring Festival is the grandest and most important Chinese festival. Originating during the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC), Spring Festival, celebrates family reunion and new hope.		Yuán Xiao Jié Lantern Festival According to tradition, at the very beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung out for people to appreciate.		Zhong Hé Jié Blue Dragon Festival Zhonghe Festival is celebrated in honor of the dragon who controls the rains and insects. Since ancient times the eating Chinese "fajitas" and noodles is common.
Qi Xi Magpie Festival According to legend, the goddess Zhi Nü fell in love with the farmer boy Niu Lang at the disapproval of her mother goddess. As punishment, they were separated and could only meet once a year on this night.		Qing Míng Jié Ching Ming Festival Ching Ming or Qingming, meaning clear and bright, is a day for families to visit ancestral graves. It falls in early April as a time for happy communion when the descendants to sweep the graves of their ancestors.		Duan Wu Jié Dragon Boat Festival Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan and is celebrated by boat races in the shape of dragons, eating rice dumplings and drinking yellow rice wine to drive away the White Snake Lady and other evil spirits.		Zhong Yuán Jié Ghost Festival The Festival is celebrated during the 7th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar. Tradition is that on the 7th Lunar month the Gates of Hell open. The hungry ghosts roam in the living world for a month.
Zhong Qiu Jié Moon Festival The third and last festival for the living, is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, during the autumn equinox. Many referred to it simply as the "Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon". It's a time for mooncakes, family union meal, and to recall legend of Chang E.		Chóng Yáng Jié Double Ninth Festival The ninth day of the ninth lunar month brings the Double Ninth Festival, when people in all dynasties will climb mountains, to appreciate chrysanthemums and chrysanthemum wine.		Dong Zhì Winter Solstice Festival 2,500 years ago, China had determined the Winter Solstice with the invention of the sundial.The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived thereafter.		Làba Jié Congee Festival The Congee Festival celebrates the day the Buddha attained enlightenment. People usually eat Laba congee, which is made of mixed grains and fruits. The last month of lunar year is called "la Yue", or the month of "la" and the eighth day of that month is called "Laba."