This is the year of the horse.
The Chinese New Year is celebrated very differently than what I expected. This holiday is predominately family centered. There are no parades or lots of extravagant decorations in Beijing but it is one of the most important holidays in China. At the hostel, I watched the infamous CCTV New Year’s Gala which is actually quite a boring four hour program.
However, at midnight things got a little crazy. A group of us in the hostel heard, BANG, BANGBANG, BANG. Then it got louder and louder and closer and closer! Everyone (and I mean everyone) was setting off fireworks. This was not an official show but rather families setting off massive fireworks in alley ways, streets, and on top buildings. This was our view of the sky from the roof of the hostel! (Caution: Turn down your volume while watching these videos because they are a little loud.)
We decided to walk down into the hutongs and see the fireworks being set off. Families were setting them off as loved ones looked on. Kids were being taught how to light them while some men just lit the fireworks with their burning cigarettes.
Some Chinese guys set off fireworks for us in the street. I ran away to get some distance but these guys were less than 10 feet away from the fireworks! It’s interesting to see how different Chinese and American culture is toward fireworks. I think because the Chinese invented fireworks they are very open and liberal to it. However, I kept hearing a little voice in my head reminding me to stand back and watch where I aim the fireworks.
I even set off a few. These were a pack of sparklers that got very hot and very bright. It was scary to hold but when they burnt out we threw them in the street just like everyone else.
Obviously, the streets were littered with debris from the fireworks. You couldn’t walk one step in any direction without seeing the litter.
It didn’t take long to see workers out on the streets sweeping up the celebration debris. They started at 12:20pm and by morning the whole street was clean. Not only the street though, the side streets, hutongs, main roads, everywhere. It almost felt like the fireworks celebration didn’t even happen last night.
Even though the streets are all clean and it feels like a regular Friday instead of New Years Day- I want to remember the great night I had seeing all the fireworks. It definitely was a blast!
新年快乐！ Xin nian kuai le, or Happy New Year!