The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together,just like Christmas in the West.All people living away from home go back,becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival.Airports,railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.
Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity.All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets,highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper.The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year.Also,pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.
Burning fireworks was once the most typical custom on the Spring Festival.People thought the spluttering sound could help drive away evil spirits.However,such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities once the government took security,noise and pollution factors into consideration.As a replacement,some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to,some break little balloons to get the sound too,while others buy firecracker handicrafts to hang in the living room.
The lively atmosphere not only fills every household,but permeates to streets and lanes.A series of activities such as lion dancing,dragon lantern dancing,lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days.The Spring Festival then comes to an end when the Lantern Festival is finished.