Tag: Beijing

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福 – China’s luckiest character? 2020 Edition

At Spring Festival there are many ways to decorate, but one of the most common is to paste the character ‘fu’, 福, on doors and windows. There is evidence that this custom dates back to the Song dynasty (AD 960 – 1279).

福 is pronounced fú and means ‘blessings’. It is traditionally handwritten in black or gold ink by itself on square red paper, with the corners pointing in the directions of the compass, and it is hung up facing outwards to keep bad luck away and bring good luck to the home. It is often hung with other decorations, such as couplets and red lanterns.

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Cultural Keys’ happiest moments from the Year of the Pig

Failing to live up to its namesake’s stereotypical laziness, the Year of the Pig was a non-stop hurtle from project to project at breakneck speed for Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Centre.

While we were hoping the Year of the Pig would see us raise the profile of our company, and continue to help people access and experience traditional Chinese culture, the number of people who joined us, and the number of partners who decided to work with us, exceeded even our greatest hopes for the year!

Read on to see our happiest moments of the year, and be sure to share yours with us on Facebook and Twitter! Continue reading “Cultural Keys’ happiest moments from the Year of the Pig”

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Chinese New Year 2020: Beijing Temple Fair Roundup

If there is one thing we all know (and definitely appreciate!) it’s how quiet Beijing generally becomes during the Spring Festival. Of course, quiet can also mean it’s a little more difficult to find fun and interesting things for the whole family to enjoy.

But difficult certainly doesn’t mean impossible, especially in Beijing! One fun way to celebrate the new Year of the Rat is to attend a temple fair, which have been traditional throughout China for hundreds of years.

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Spring Festival 2020: What you need to know

Chinese New Year, called Spring Festival in Chinese (春节 Chūnjié), is the largest and most important holiday of the year in China. The coming year is the Year of the Rat and marks the first year in a new cycle of 12 years. It’s a family holiday, and most celebrating on New Year’s Eve is done at home. In the 4-5 days afterwards, temple fairs – markets selling small gifts and food with traditional performances – are also a popular way to celebrate. 

Read on to find out key information if you plan to spend Spring Festival 2020 in Beijing!

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