Thursday 19 February 2015

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name 春節 (Pinyin: Chūnjié), since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts with lichun, the first solar term in a Chinese calendar year. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western Carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēngyuè) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year’s Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chúxī (除夕) or "Eve of the Passing Year." Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year".

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar.

From Wikipedia

In Luang Prabang, the festivities are quite small. Few fireworks are launched, and some shops owned by Chinese or Vietnamesee are closed.

A ceremony is held at the temple in the morning, when a special "bread made of sticky rice" is offered. This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar. The festival commemorates the original teachings of Lord Buddha given to over a thousand monks who came spontaneously to hear him preach. The festival is marked by grand parades of candle-bearing worshippers circling their local temples, merit-making, and much religious music and chanting.

On the morning, after morning alms, people meet in the temple to cook local pieces of sticky rice.

This festival is held during the third full moon of the lunar calendar. It happens the same day Wat Phou Festival in Champasak.