🧧 Red lanterns are glowing, festive decorations are up, and vibrant displays are everywhere! The streets of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and the Taiwan region are buzzing with excitement as they embrace the upcoming Chinese New Year. It's a shared celebration that's lighting up Chinese communities with joy and unity.
Despite the distance, people across China are connected by a common cultural heritage. The Spring Festival isn't just a holiday—it's a time when traditions bring everyone together, highlighting deep-rooted connections that span miles.
For Zhuang Ling, a photographer living in the Taiwan region, this time of year is all about family traditions passed down through generations. Born on the Chinese mainland, Zhuang fondly remembers his childhood in Sichuan Province. Life was simple, but the warmth of the Spring Festival made it special.
\"Before the festival started, my mother would take my siblings and me on a long trip to the rural market to buy meat for our New Year feast,\" he recalls. \"She would smoke the meat with pine branches to make bacon—a delicacy that filled our home with the aroma of the holidays.\"
His father would craft Spring Festival couplets and decorate their home with plum blossoms, turning their space into a festive wonderland.
After moving to the Taiwan region, Zhuang's family kept these beloved traditions alive. They write couplets, make dumplings, and honor their ancestors with incense. For him, these customs are more than rituals—they're a lifeline to his Chinese heritage.
\"Keeping these traditions helps me stay connected to where I come from,\" Zhuang shares. \"It's a way to bridge the past and present, no matter where we are.\"
As the Spring Festival approaches, the shared festivities in Hong Kong, Macao, and the Taiwan region showcase the unity and cultural richness of Chinese communities. It's a beautiful reminder that traditions can cross oceans and borders, bringing people together in celebration. 🎊
Reference(s):
China's Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan embrace the Spring Festival
cgtn.com
