The coming Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, begins on Jan 29. Celebrations for the Spring Festival last for 15 days, ending with Lantern Festival on Feb 12, giving full play to family gatherings, feasts and various cultural activities.

New beginnings

This year's festival has taken on extra significance, being the first since UNESCO added "Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year" to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last month.