Chinese and Western observers of nature both recognize the four "joints" of two equinoxes and two solstices. This is the similarity. The difference is that the Chinese recognize another four more. On top of that, they further recognize an additional sixteen subordinate breaths of nature which are influenced by the "eight joints."

On the day before, there is a procession through the streets in honor of spring. Sometimes the first day of Spring comes in the later part of the twelfth month of the Chinese year, albeit more often in the first part of the first month. Honoring Spring in this way is really the one time of year that the "peffect" is also honored by all, high and low status alike. The "Perfect" is the honored guest at the procession. The marine inspector, two magistrates and many well-dressed citizens attend him. The officials ride in open sedan chairs while the attendants are on foot in pairs, each holding large bouquets of flowers. The whole celebration is an expression of the joy the people have for the "commencement of spring."

A life size paper image of a water buffalo is carried in the procession. It is made of bamboo and paper covering in five colors. These colors are red, black, white, green, and yellow. They represent the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. A blind person is chosen to pick paper at random. The predominant color is thought to be an omen regarding weather or the condition of things throughout the year. More red indicates hot weather and extreme fires, while more yellow could mean great winds, etcetera. A live buffalo is led ahead of the honored guest or "the perfect." When the processional reaches the temple, the buffalo is butchered and the paper buffalo burned. Even clay images of the buffalo carried by processionals are destroyed.

At homes, privately, the festival is celebrated with candles and incense. A plate with five fruits or seeds is placed on a table in the lightest part of the room as an offering. The offering is accompanied by worship. No soldiers or military officers are allowed in the procession. The event is an annual observation in the administration of government affairs and state religion of China.

Chinese New Year is undoubtedly the first festival. It is the most important holiday of the year. In the early morning hours of the first day of the year (Chinese Year) a "presentation of rice to heaven and earth" is made. Many families stay up to exit the old and bring in the new. Everyone tries to pay his or her old debts before the old year ends. Business is suspended in exchange for pleasure and merriment, similar to America’s New Years Day holiday.

Individual homes have a table decorated with offerings like rice, vegetables, tea, wine, incense, candles, cedar, flowers, lose skin oranges, almanac of the current year and various types of play money. Paper images of gods are pasted on front doors. Strips of red paper calligraphy with Chinese ideograms that connote happiness, wealth, good fortune and longevity are placed on door posts. Tables are covered with red cloth while flowers and decorations are everywhere. Once all arrangements are in place, firecrackers are set off in front of the home.

Back in the time of concubines, this would be a period where one would make arrangements with the sponsor and "Sing-song-girl." Money was placed beneath the pillow of one’s favorite, at which time after arrangements, the admirer would escort the girl away.

The third and forth days of the Chinese New Year see boat women and children visiting homes of the wealthy and sing songs. They are given cake and food. Very few families eat meat on New Years Day. The forth day is reserved for "receiving the gods." The main gods referred to are known as the Kitchen God, God of Wealth and the God of Happiness. They are said to come down from heaven to perform their duties on earth for the coming year.

Tradition had families place the Kitchen God or ‘Stove God’ image hanging near the stove. On the 24th day of the 12th month this god is feasted with sweets. A paper chariot is burned to provide the god a carriage to ascend heaven. Once there, the god makes a report on the conduct of the household over the prior year. On New Years Eve, his image is removed and burned. Firecrackers are let off. Eating and drinking are indulged in. On the fourth day the head of family pays homage to the returned god and places a new picture on the wall. This is the time when many Chinese return to their regular work.

An offering to the gods and ancestors is considered the principal ceremony of the festival. After this is accomplished, visits, feasting and idling are in order. Musicians and actors perform constantly during the first half of the first month, presenting the Dragon Play."
The tenth and eleventh days mark the display of paper lanterns. By the evenings of the 14th and 15th they are strung everywhere to be seen at every vantagepoint. The lanterns are in all shapes, sizes and color. On the night of the 15th the Feast of Lanterns is observed. This is the climax of the New Years holidays. This night surpasses all others in "party spirit."

The Feast of Lanterns dates back a couple thousand years to the Han dynasty. Back in those times it was a ceremonial worship of the First Cause and lasted from the 13th to the 16th of the first moon. It took another eight hundred years for the lantern to become part of the celebration. Another three hundred years after this, Imperial Authority added two more days to the feast, making for six days of festivities. The festival ends with the parade of the dragon we are all familiar with. The purpose of this article was to share the facets of Chinese New Year not often known about or acknowledged.

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