The 2026 Spring Festival holiday will last for nine days, one of the longest ever. The 28th day of the twelfth lunar month falls on a Monday, and the holiday officially begins on the traditional day of "the 28th, when dough is prepared," giving people more time to leisurely prepare for the New Year, visit relatives and friends, or travel.
The Spring Festival of 2026 exhibits distinct characteristics of our times. AI technology has transitioned from a "cutting-edge technology" to an everyday part of the festival: personalized New Year's greetings can be generated by entering keywords, family portraits can be created by uploading photos, and simple video clips can be transformed into heartwarming vlogs by AI. New forms such as cloud performances, online exhibitions, and VR temple fairs allow traditional New Year customs to transcend the limitations of time and space.
On Lunar New Year's Eve 2026, the core spirit of the Spring Festival remains the same: the whole family gathers around the table for a reunion dinner. Fish symbolizes "abundance year after year," and dumplings represent "the transition to the new year." Each dish carries the romance of a thousand years of culture. Adults stay up late around the stove, while children ask for red envelopes, all guarding peace and happiness, and hoping for safety and good fortune.
During the 2026 Spring Festival and Lantern Festival, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, in conjunction with relevant departments, held a nationwide "Our Festival: Spring Festival" themed cultural event, with demonstration activities simultaneously taking place in seven locations:
Wuxi, Jiangsu: A "village gala" written and performed by the villagers was staged in Shanquan Village, with the skit "Inside and Outside the Door" depicting a heartwarming transformation of neighborly mutual assistance.
Zhangzhou, Fujian: 3,600 red tortoise cakes and 600 jin of glutinous rice balls were displayed at Bihu Ecological Park, with artists from Fujian and Taiwan jointly performing Gezai Opera and puppet shows.
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi: A "three-minute pre-show" civility campaign was held at the ancient stage in Laobei Street, Leping City. Policy interpretation was integrated into various artistic forms such as sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument) singing and clapper talk.
Sanmenxia, Henan: The Shanzhou Lantern Festival was brightly lit, with lanterns blooming in 21 pit courtyards, and Shanzhou gong and drum storytelling and Jiangzhou drum music taking turns on stage.
Lichuan, Hubei: The national intangible cultural heritage Lichuan lantern song "Drunken Lantern Song" premiered, with the classic melody of "Dragon Boat Tune" resounding along both banks of the Qingjiang River.
Qingdao, Shandong: The "Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps" themed street in Chengyang District brought together intangible cultural heritage handicrafts and unique cultural and creative Spring Festival items.
Dali, Yunnan: At Jianyang Tower Square in Jianchuan County, students from the Couplets School sang "Primer of Prosody," and calligraphers presented over a thousand auspicious Spring Festival couplets.
