16 must-celebrate days during Spring Festival: Bread-steaming Day

By Zhou Jing

China.org.cn

Editor's note:

The Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, has been officially listed as a U.N. floating holiday as of 2024. This year, it falls on Feb. 10. To enjoy a traditional and fascinating Spring Festival, the most important festival for Chinese people, here are 16 days with unique traditions you won't want to miss this holiday season. 

Day 7, Bread-steaming Day (Feb. 7, 2024)

The Bread-steaming Day is on the 28th day of the 12th lunar month, three days before Spring Festival. This year, it falls on Feb. 7. Steamed bread was a must-have on this day in the past, serving as both a staple food and an offering for deities and ancestors. 

In northern China, families usually make a large batch of steamed buns, freeze most of them, and eat the rest during Spring Festival when meeting with friends and family. The small dough balls on the steamer grow bigger and rounder, symbolizing wealth and auspiciousness. At the same time, the steam curling up in the pot also represents the auspicious meaning of "flourishing day by day."

Day 6, Clothes-washing Day (Feb. 6, 2024)

The Clothes-washing Day is on the 27th day of the 12th lunar month, four days before Spring Festival. This year, it falls on Feb. 6. People usually wash clothes, bedsheets, curtains and the like on this day. These activities symbolize washing away all the bad luck of the past year and welcoming in happiness and good luck for the coming year.

Day 5, Meat-preparing Day (Feb. 5, 2024)

The Meat-preparing Day is on the 26th day of the 12th lunar month, five days before Spring Festival. From this day, dishes for the sumptuous New Year's Eve feast are prepared in succession. 

In the past when food was scarce, poor families could only eat meat during Spring Festival. This evolved into a custom of either slaughtering livestock raised the past year, or buying meat at a street market or supermarket on the day. In 2024, the Meat-preparing Day falls on Feb. 5.

评论一下
评论 0人参与,0条评论
还没有评论,快来抢沙发吧!
最热评论
最新评论
已有0人参与,点击查看更多精彩评论

友情链接

信息网络传播视听节目许可证:120330032

中华人民共和国互联网新闻信息服务许可证:45120170002

中华人民共和国互联网出版许可证 (署)网出证(桂)字第020号

广播电视节目制作经营许可证编号:(桂)字第0230号

网警备案号:45010302000253

桂ICP备11003557 南宁新闻网版权所有

举报电话:0771—5530647 邮箱:mail@nnnews.net