Beijing Festivals & Events
Chinese New Year in Beijing: Celebrations, Temple Fairs & Tips
A complete guide to Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) in Beijing: the best temple fairs, traditions, food, closures, crowds and visiting tips.
Chinese New Year — Spring Festival (Chunjie) — is the biggest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar, and experiencing it in Beijing is unforgettable: the city dresses itself in red lanterns and couplets, ancient temple fairs (miaohui) burst into life with lion dances, folk crafts and street food, and a quieter, more intimate side of the capital emerges as millions head home to family. It’s a fascinating, atmospheric and surprisingly easy time to visit — but it comes with a few quirks worth understanding, from shop closures to the famous travel rush. Falling on a different date each year (late January or February, on the new moon that begins the lunar new year), the festival officially runs for 15 days, climaxing in the Lantern Festival. This guide covers what Chinese New Year in Beijing is really like, the best temple fairs, the traditions and food, whether you should visit during the holiday, what’s open and closed, and all the practical tips you need to make the most of Spring Festival in the capital.
Spending Chinese New Year in Beijing is a bucket-list experience — but it’s nothing like a normal city break, and knowing what to expect makes all the difference. This guide covers the temple fairs, the customs, the food, the closures and the crowds, so you can plan a Spring Festival trip that’s joyful rather than frustrating. Here is what the red-lantern season actually involves.
Chinese New Year in Beijing at a glance
- What
- Spring Festival (Chunjie), China’s biggest holiday — 15 days of celebration ending with the Lantern Festival.
- When
- a different date each year, on the lunar new moon in late January or February.
- Highlights
- temple fairs (Ditan, Longtan and more), lion and dragon dances, folk crafts, festival street food, red lanterns everywhere.
- The vibe
- festive at the fairs and parks, but quieter citywide as locals go home; many shops and restaurants close.
- Note
- fireworks are largely banned in central Beijing; the big “travel rush” (chunyun) makes trains and flights busy.
- Best for
- culturally curious travellers who want a unique, atmospheric experience and don’t mind some closures.
What Spring Festival means
Chinese New Year marks the start of the lunar new year and is, above all, a family festival — the Chinese equivalent of Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year rolled into one. In the days before, hundreds of millions of people travel across the country to be with their families for the all-important New Year’s Eve reunion dinner, part of the world’s largest annual human migration, known as chunyun. Homes and streets are decorated in red — the colour of luck and joy — with lanterns, paper-cuttings and “spring couplets” (chunlian) pasted around doorways; children receive red envelopes (hongbao) of lucky money; families eat symbolic foods like dumplings and fish; and the new year is welcomed with noise, light and well-wishing to drive off bad luck and invite prosperity. The festival is steeped in tradition and superstition, from sweeping away the old year’s dust beforehand to avoiding inauspicious words during the holiday. Understanding that this is fundamentally a private, family-centred celebration explains much about what Beijing feels like during it — both the warmth and the closures.
The temple fairs (miaohui)
For visitors, the absolute highlight of Spring Festival in Beijing is the temple fairs (miaohui) — lively, colourful folk carnivals held in the city’s parks and temples through the first week of the new year, and the best place to experience the festive spirit. The two most famous are the Ditan (Temple of Earth) Park fair, running since 1985 and one of the grandest, and the Longtan Park fair, going since 1984. At Ditan you can watch a spectacular reenactment of the Qing-dynasty imperial ceremony to worship the God of Earth, complete with costumed processions, alongside folk performances, opera, acrobatics and craft stalls. Longtan is known for its folk culture, performances and, in recent years, an ice-and-snow park with winter activities. Both fairs overflow with traditional crafts and snacks: artisans shaping dough figurines and painting sugar pictures, sellers of the iconic Beijing clay “Rabbit God” (Tu’er Ye) figurines, and stalls piled with tanghulu (candied haws), lvdagun (glutinous rice rolls), jianbing, lamb skewers and more. Other fairs take place at the White Cloud Temple, Changdian, the Summer Palace and elsewhere. Wandering a temple fair, with lion dancers weaving through the crowds and the air full of food smells and festive noise, is the quintessential Beijing New Year experience.
Traditions and things to do
Beyond the temple fairs, there’s plenty to experience. The city is beautifully decorated, with red lanterns strung across streets, malls and hutongs, and festive markets selling new-year goods. You can join locals in praying for good fortune at temples on the first days of the new year — Yonghegong, the Tibetan Buddhist temple better known as the Lama Temple and the Taoist courtyards of White Cloud Temple draw huge, devout crowds seeking blessings for the year ahead (expect queues and incense smoke). Many of Beijing’s parks and palaces stage special lantern displays and cultural events — a small taste of the calendar covered in our film festival and contemporary arts guide — and shopping districts put on decorations and promotions. The holiday concludes 15 days in with the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao), when people eat sweet glutinous rice balls (yuanxiao/tangyuan) and enjoy lantern displays and riddles. One important change to note: fireworks and firecrackers — once the deafening soundtrack of Beijing’s New Year — are now largely banned within the central city for safety and pollution reasons, so don’t expect the citywide pyrotechnics of decades past (though organised displays may occur in outer areas). The celebrations today are more about fairs, food, family and festive atmosphere than fireworks.
The zodiac and the 15 days
Each Chinese New Year ushers in one of the twelve zodiac animals — rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — cycling in turn, so the year you visit will be “the Year of the…” something, and you’ll see that animal’s image everywhere in decorations and souvenirs. People born under each sign are thought to share certain traits, and your own zodiac year (ben ming nian) is considered both special and, paradoxically, a year to take care. The festival itself unfolds over 15 days, each with its own customs: New Year’s Eve centres on the family reunion dinner and staying up late; the first day is for honouring elders and visiting temples; the following days are for visiting relatives and friends, welcoming the God of Wealth, and so on, building to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day, which closes the celebration with lanterns, riddles and sweet rice balls. As a visitor you won’t follow every custom, but knowing the rhythm helps you understand why the city is quietest right at the turn of the year and gradually reawakens as the days pass and shops reopen. By the end of the first week, the temple fairs are in full swing and the festive energy is at its peak.
Where to go, day by day
To make the most of a New Year trip, time your activities to the holiday’s rhythm. Around New Year’s Eve and the first day, when the city is at its quietest and many places shut, take advantage of the rare calm at the big sights — the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace can be blissfully uncrowded (do check they’re open on the exact dates), and it’s a wonderful, atmospheric time to visit temples like the Lama Temple if you don’t mind joining the throngs praying for luck. From roughly the second or third day onward, the temple fairs open — this is when to head to Ditan, Longtan and the others for the full festive experience of performances, crafts and food. Throughout the holiday, the parks and lakes host lantern displays and, in the cold, winter activities, while the shopping malls and Wangfujing stay lively with decorations. Aim to catch a lion or dragon dance (common at fairs and malls), and if you’re still in town for the Lantern Festival, seek out a lantern display to close your trip. Building your itinerary around these beats — quiet sights early, fairs mid-holiday, lanterns at the end — lets you enjoy both faces of Beijing’s New Year.
Should you visit during Chinese New Year?
This is the key question, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you want. On the plus side, visiting during Spring Festival offers a unique cultural experience you can’t get at any other time — the temple fairs, the decorations, the festive energy — and, because many residents leave the city for their hometowns, Beijing’s usually-crowded major sights can be surprisingly peaceful in the days right around New Year’s Eve and Day. On the downside, many restaurants, smaller shops and some businesses close for several days (especially around New Year’s Eve and the first days), so dining and shopping options shrink; the temple fairs and major temples get extremely crowded; and the national travel rush makes trains and flights packed and expensive, so book any domestic travel far ahead. Hotels remain open and major attractions like the Forbidden City generally stay open (though it’s wise to check exact dates). On balance, if you’re curious about the culture, flexible about dining, and plan ahead, Chinese New Year is a wonderful and memorable time to be in Beijing. If you want every restaurant and shop open and a “normal” city break, choose another time — the cherry blossoms of April and the fiery leaves of October both make gentler alternatives — see which months suit which kind of trip.
Practical tips for a Spring Festival visit
A little planning makes a New Year trip smooth. Book accommodation and any domestic transport very early — trains and flights around the holiday sell out weeks ahead due to chunyun, and prices spike; popular runs like the bullet train down to Shanghai go first. Check opening dates for restaurants and attractions you care about, as schedules shift around the holiday; have backup dining options (hotel restaurants, larger chains and malls usually stay open). Dress very warmly — Beijing in late winter is bitterly cold, and temple fairs are outdoors. Go early to temple fairs and temples to beat the worst crowds, and keep belongings secure in the crush. Carry cash and a mobile-payment app for fair snacks and stalls. Learn a few festive greetings — “Xīnnián kuàilè” (Happy New Year) and “Gōngxǐ fācái” (wishing you prosperity) — which locals love to hear. And embrace the spirit: try the street foods, buy a lucky Rabbit God figurine, watch a lion dance, and soak up an atmosphere that’s pure, joyful tradition. For getting around, see how the subway works, line by line.
Weather and what to pack
Spring Festival falls in the depths of Beijing winter — see our Beijing winter guide for the season in full — so come prepared for serious cold. Daytime temperatures often hover around or below freezing, and nights are far colder, with a biting wind that makes it feel harsher still; snow is possible but the season is mostly dry, cold and bright. Since the temple fairs and many festivities are outdoors, dressing properly is essential to actually enjoying them. Pack a warm insulated coat, thermal layers, hat, gloves and scarf, and comfortable, warm footwear for hours of standing and walking on cold ground. Hand and foot warmers are a worthwhile addition. The upside of the season is the crisp, clear winter light, which is beautiful for photography — red lanterns against blue skies, snow-dusted temple roofs — and the cold keeps the festive snacks (and warming street foods) all the more appealing. Indoors, heating is generally good, so dress in layers you can shed at restaurants and museums. With the right clothing, Beijing’s winter cold becomes part of the seasonal charm rather than an obstacle; without it, you’ll struggle to last at the fairs. See our best time to visit Beijing guide for more on the seasons.
Chinese New Year in Beijing FAQ
When is Chinese New Year?
It falls on a different date each year, on the new moon that begins the lunar new year — usually in late January or February. The festival officially lasts 15 days, ending with the Lantern Festival. Check the specific year’s date when planning, as it shifts annually.
What are the best temple fairs in Beijing?
The Ditan (Temple of Earth) Park fair and the Longtan Park fair are the most famous and grandest, with folk performances, crafts and street food. Other notable fairs are held at the White Cloud Temple, Changdian and the Summer Palace. They run through roughly the first week of the new year.
Is Beijing a good place to visit during Chinese New Year?
It can be wonderful if you’re after a unique cultural experience and are flexible. You get temple fairs, decorations and surprisingly quiet major sights. But many shops and restaurants close, fairs and temples get crowded, and travel is hectic. Plan ahead and it’s memorable; expect some inconvenience.
Are there fireworks in Beijing for New Year?
Largely not in the central city — fireworks and firecrackers are now mostly banned within urban Beijing for safety and pollution reasons. The old citywide pyrotechnics are gone, though organised displays may happen in outer districts. The celebrations now centre on fairs, food and festivities rather than fireworks.
What’s open during Chinese New Year?
Major attractions like the Forbidden City, temples and parks generally stay open (check exact dates), as do hotels, malls, larger restaurants and chains; the theme park out at Universal Studios Beijing also runs through the holiday, though it is one of the busiest places in the city over those days. Many smaller shops and independent restaurants close for several days around New Year’s Eve and the first days, so plan dining accordingly.
What food should I try at the festival?
At temple fairs, try Beijing classics like tanghulu (candied haws on a stick), lvdagun (glutinous rice rolls), jianbing (savoury pancakes), fried sausage and lamb skewers. New Year foods at large include dumplings (shaped like old gold ingots), whole fish (the word for fish sounds like “surplus”, symbolising abundance) and, at the Lantern Festival, sweet glutinous rice balls (yuanxiao/tangyuan) that represent family togetherness.
The bottom line on Chinese New Year in Beijing
Chinese New Year in Beijing is a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience — a city wrapped in red lanterns, temple fairs alive with lion dances and folk crafts, and a rare, intimate quiet over the usually-crowded sights as the city turns to family. It takes a little planning around closures, crowds and the travel rush, and the old fireworks are largely gone, but for culturally curious travellers willing to bundle up and go with the flow, Spring Festival is magical. Hit the Ditan and Longtan fairs, sample the street snacks, buy a lucky Rabbit God, and toast the new year with the locals — Gōngxǐ fācái!
Plan around the seasons with our best time to visit Beijing guide, see the full Beijing festivals and events calendar, and discover the other great celebration, the Mid-Autumn Festival. First time in the city? Start with our full guide to visiting the capital.