• Chinese New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka

China is celebrating its New Year and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka ushered in the Chinese New Year with a cultural performance, led by Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and spouse Jin Qian. 

Held on 19 January, this event marked the beginning of the New Year festivities, offering attendees an immersive experience into China’s rich cultural traditions. An ensemble of 30 performers from Henan, China took centre stage, mesmerising audiences with traditional dance, music, and artistic performances, bringing to life the vibrancy and history of Chinese heritage.

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Qi extended warm wishes to those celebrating the Year of the Snake, highlighting its symbolism of growth, resilience, and the strengthening of international relations. He emphasised that Sri Lanka and China’s enduring friendship continued to flourish, with cultural exchanges playing a key role in fostering deeper mutual understanding and cooperation between the two nations.

Attracting good fortune and prosperity

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, follows a 12-year zodiac cycle, where each year is associated with an animal sign and one of the five elements – metal, wood, water, fire, or earth. 

The year 2025 marks the Year of the Wood Snake, which is believed to bring wisdom, adaptability, and transformation. While Chinese communities worldwide, including in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore, celebrate the festival with shared traditions, other countries such as Vietnam and Korea have their own unique Lunar New Year customs under different names.

In Sri Lanka, Chinese New Year celebrations have gained popularity over the years, not only within Chinese communities and businesses but also among locals who enjoy the festive atmosphere, cultural showcases, and culinary delights. From traditional dragon and lion dances to lantern festivals, temple visits, and elaborate feasts, the celebration has become an occasion that highlights both Sri Lanka’s multicultural spirit and its close ties with China.

For many expatriates living in Sri Lanka, Chinese New Year is a time to reconnect with their roots and celebrate with the communities around them. Jian Thapa, who is half-Chinese and half-Nepali, currently resides in Sri Lanka for work but remains deeply connected to his Singaporean nationality and heritage.

Since he lives alone in Sri Lanka, celebrating the festival with fellow Singaporeans has become a cherished tradition. 

“I usually get together with my boss’s family to celebrate the Lunar New Year,” he shared. For Jian, the celebrations are centred around family, food, and cultural traditions, even when far from home.

“As an important family reunion occasion, food and drink play a crucial role in the New Year celebration. Members of the family sit around a big table to have a New Year’s Eve dinner, known as ‘nian ye fan,’” he explained. The dinner is a time for families to reflect on the past year, express gratitude, and welcome prosperity for the coming year.

Beyond food, ancestral worship is another integral part of the celebrations. “Families burn incense to worship their ancestors,” Jian added. “Older and senior members of the family give the younger ones good luck pocket money, which we call ‘ya sui qian,’ contained in a red envelope.” 

The act of gifting red envelopes symbolises passing on good fortune, protection, and blessings to younger generations.

Jian also emphasised that decorations played a vital role in creating the festive atmosphere. “People spend a lot of time and effort decorating their homes and surroundings to welcome the gods of wealth,” he said. According to Chinese tradition, there are two gods of wealth – one representing civil and the other military strength.

To attract good fortune, families adorn their homes with paper cut-outs on windows, folk paintings on walls, and red lanterns both indoors and outdoors. Door couplets are displayed at entrances, while a large Chinese character for ‘luck’ is hung on the main door, often placed upside down to symbolise that good fortune is arriving.

The spring migration

For many Chinese people around the world, Chinese New Year, which they also refer to as the Spring Festival, is not just a holiday; it is the most significant and solemn celebration of the year. It is a time to leave behind the old and welcome the new, honour ancestors, ward off misfortune, and pray for prosperity and a bountiful year ahead.

For Shen Yue, a Chinese Singaporean, this year’s celebration is particularly special, as she is finally making the long journey home to China after three years away. 

“I haven’t had the chance to celebrate the Spring Festival in a very long time, so I am really looking forward to it,” she shared. Like millions of others who return home for the festival, she will be reuniting with her family for an extended stay, spending one full month immersed in the traditional celebrations.

“The Chinese New Year has been celebrated in China for thousands of years, with various traditions across different regions. Today, it is not just a festival in China but a celebration embraced by Chinese communities worldwide as well,” Shen explained. 

Lion dances, dragon dances, temple fairs, and flower market shopping are just a few of the vibrant festivities that bring life to this special season.

A key part of the New Year preparations is the ritual of cleaning and decorating homes. “In the lead-up to the New Year, people clean their houses to remove dirt, rubbish, and anything unwanted,” Shen said. 

“Then, they redecorate with red couplets, lanterns, new flowerpots, and even new furniture. And, of course, they stock up on food for the elaborate banquet feasts that will take place during the celebrations.”

For many families, the festival is the only time in the year when all members gather together. “The New Year is an important family reunion occasion, so those who live or work far away make a great effort to return home before the celebrations begin,” she said. 

The massive migration of people travelling home for the festival is known as ‘Chunyun’ or ‘spring migration.’

“This is one of the largest annual human migrations in the world,” Shen explained. “Tens of millions of people travel across China using trains, buses, planes, or private transport, just to be home with their loved ones in time for the New Year.”

For Shen, this year’s journey home is deeply meaningful. It is not just a return to her family but also a reconnection with tradition, culture, and the warmth of shared celebrations that have defined Chinese New Year for generations.

Rooted in tradition, family and renewal

For Jian, Shen, and many others, celebrating Chinese New Year abroad is not just about festive meals and rituals but also about keeping cultural traditions alive, staying connected to their roots, and sharing the joy of the occasion with those around them.

As Chinese communities across Sri Lanka and around the world usher in the Year of the Snake, the Chinese New Year remains a celebration deeply rooted in tradition, family, and renewal. Whether it is through grand cultural performances, festive decorations, elaborate feasts, or heartfelt reunions, the Spring Festival continues to be a time of joy, reflection, and togetherness.

For those celebrating far from home, the festival provides an opportunity to connect with their heritage and build new traditions in their adopted communities. For those returning home, it is a moment of reconnection with family and cultural roots. And for those embracing a simpler celebration, it is about cherishing what truly matters – health, happiness, and the bonds of family and friendship.

As Sri Lanka continues to deepen its ties with China, the growing presence of Chinese New Year celebrations in the country highlights the strength of cultural exchange and international friendships. 

With its vibrant customs, timeless traditions, and spirit of renewal, the Chinese New Year is more than just a festival; it is a reminder that no matter where we are in the world, the warmth of tradition and the joy of reunion remain at the heart of every celebration.

Gong xi fa cai! May the Year of the Snake bring prosperity, health, and happiness to all!