Chinese Spring Festival Celebrated in Tehran

Chinese Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival in China, was celebrated at the Chinese Embassy in Tehran on Thursday, AVA Diplomatic reports.The Chinese ambassador to Iran, Yu Hongyang, delivered a speech at the ceremony, in which he said that the festival is celebrated in various countries around the world to make the people of other countries familiar with the Chinese culture and history.

The ambassador also described Iran-China relations as “friendly” and expressed hope that bilateral ties would be strengthened.

Iran’s Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani also attended the event and said that efforts should be made to enhance bilateral cooperation in the culture sector.

The activities which took place at the event included a display of Chinese handicrafts, costumes, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese fireworks. Interactive games with prizes were also held for visitors.

A charity Bazaar was held at the embassy as well.

This year’s Chinese Spring Festival, also called the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, falls on January 31.

From the first day of the Lunar New Year, all kinds of New Year entertainments and activities begin to display one after another, such as the Lion Dance, the Dragon Dance, Yangge Dance, She Huo parade, and hanging lanterns.

A popular custom in the Spring Festival is paying New Year’s Call, which is the most direct means of expressing the best wishes to one another at the time of replacing the old with the new. The bustling New Year’s Call paying starts at the early morning of the first day of the New Year. Beautifully dressed people go to visit relatives and friends to exchange New Year’s greetings. From making a bow with hands folded in front to telephone calls, communication through the Internet, mobile messages, and card greetings, endlessly emerging means of sending New Year’s greetings bring a trendy air to the old traditional customs.