Around the country, the calendar brims with colorful gatherings that blend deities, ancestors and local flair into moments of collective joy.

Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Often stretching over two weeks, this is the crown jewel. Households sweep away bad luck, light firecrackers and offer incense to Kitchen God and ancestors. Temple fairs burst into life with lion dances, paper-cut decorations and digital red-envelope apps pinging good wishes across WeChat.

Lantern Festival
On the 15th day of the first lunar month, lanterns float over rivers and hang in doorways. Riddle-solving contests, tangyuan (sweet rice balls) and glowing paper lantern parades bring communities together under a tapestry of light.

Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day)
When willow buds unfurl each April, families tidy ancestral graves, burn spirit money and scatter fresh flowers. Historic sites like the Ming Tombs in Beijing see crowds pay reverent homage—an age-old ritual that feels both solemn and restorative in today’s fast-paced world.

Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu)
Rice dumplings (zongzi) wrapped in bamboo leaves, dragon-boat races on glittering rivers and warding-off-evil-spirit charms mark this June observance. Coastal cities such as Guangzhou and Xiamen have seen record participation at races since travel restrictions lifted, proving old customs still paddle strong.

Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan)
Late summer evenings fill with paper offerings, floating lanterns and theatrical performances to soothe wandering spirits. Neighborhood shrines light up the night as incense smoke curls skyward, weaving tales of filial piety and respect.

Mid-Autumn Festival
Families reunite under the full moon, sharing mooncakes filled with lotus-seed paste or salty egg yolk—a sweet nod to unity. Parks host outdoor concerts and moon-gazing parties that feel like a cozy catch-up under celestial company.

Beyond these headline events, countless regional feasts celebrate local gods—Mazu’s birthday in coastal Fujian draws pilgrim flotillas, while Chengdu’s Qingyang Taoist Temple festival features face-changing opera that seems plucked from legend. Each gathering, whether grand or tucked away in a mountain village, keeps ancient bonds alive—proof that tradition, like a well-tended flame, never really flickers out.