The Year of the Rabbit: Chinese New Year 2023

Happy Chinese New Year’s Eve! Tomorrow, January 22, will kick off this year’s Spring Festival holiday in China. The Spring Festival is the biggest holiday in China. People usually will have 3-7 days off of work and will travel back home to visit their families and spend several days celebrating, eating home cooked food, and resting.

Spring Festival is also the largest annual migration of humans in the world at one time. This time is called Chūnyùn (春运), which is literally translated as “Spring transportation”.

The Zodiac animal this year is the rabbit . The Years of the Rabbit include: 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927 and so on.

According to China Highlights, “The sign of Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. People born in a year of the Rabbit are called “Rabbits” and are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious.”

I usually spend my Spring Festival traveling (in my earlier years in China), with friends in Beijing, or sometimes even working (Last year I Performed In China’s 2022 Spring Festival Gala: The World’s Most Watched TV Program!)

This year, after going home to the US for the first time in 3 years, I’ll be staying in Beijing and celebrating with friends. And, of course, taking photos!

I went for a walk earlier in the week to Beijng’s Ditan Park and noticed they had lots of Spring Festival decorations up, and thought it would be fun to come back for photos – so I did!

I like to go to Ditan Park in the fall as well – they have beautiful yellow Gingko trees during October and November. They also usually have a Temple Fair at Ditan Park during the Spring Festival as well, but sadly that’s been put on hold the last few years with COVID.

I had a fun time taking pics and enjoying all the red lanterns!