Chinese New Year

During the Chinese New Year, Hong Kong's skyline is brightly lit from the famous fireworks that take place over the harbor on the second evening of the Chinese New Year. This is one of the most important festivals in the Chinese calender. People to visit their friends and relatives and shops are nicely decorated with red and gold - the colors of the Chinese New Year. Peach blossoms, which mean good fortune for the person owning them, can be bought everywhere, as can be little trees, which symbolize gold or money to the believers in it. One afternoon of the Chinese New Year, there is a parade on the streets. Celebrations usually continue for 3 days, while some shop owners decide to close down their shops for the whole week.

The Ching Ming Festival is in the springtime and the Chung Yeung Festival takes place on the ninth day of the ninth moon. They are times for visiting graves. At Chung Yeung, many people climb hills to remember an ancient Chinese family that fled to a mountain top to escape sickness and death.

This is a festival which is also a big sporting event that takes place every year in either May or June in Hong Kong. Qu Yuan was a national hero who died 2,300. Legend says that as townspeople attempted to rescue him, they beat drums to scare fish away and threw food into the sea to keep the fish from eating Qu Yuan's body. To symbolize the attempted rescue of Qu Yuan, they race narrow long boats made of wood (the front of the boats are carved into a dragon's head, therefore the name) to the beating of a drum.

This takes place on the 15th day of the eighth moon. All people, family and friends, come together under the full moon, usually at beaches, carrying bright and beautiful lanterns. They exchange presents, mooncakes, fruit and wine.