SPRING FESTIVAL is called to the almost 30 days of first preparations to receive a New Lunar Year, the arrival of it, and 15 days later ending with Lantern Festival on lunar 15.'  It consist of 8 days of preparations, followed by 15 days with each day dedicated to a special activity according to their customs, traditions and culture

CHINESE NEW LUNAR YEAR is called to the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice.

And LANTERN FESTIVAL closes the festivities, occurring on the 15 day after New Lunar Year.

There are more than one legend explains why the Chinese people celebrate this festival, but we just concentrate on legend that commonly told in Asia.

A long time ago, a beautiful crane flew from heaven down to the earth. After it landed down on earth, the crane was hunted and killed by an earth villager. The Jade Emperor in Heaven was so angered at a town for killing his favorite crane that he decided to destroy it with a storm of fire. However, a good-hearted fairy heard of this act of vengeance, and warned the people of the town to light lanterns throughout the town, and explode firecracker on the 14th, 15th, and 16th of the month.

This would give the village the appearance of being on fire to the Jade Emperor. On the fifteenth lunar day, troops sent down from heaven whose mission was to destroy the village saw that the village was already ablaze, and returned to heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. Satisfied that his crane had already been avenged, the Jade Emperor decided not to destroy the town.

From that day on, people celebrated the anniversary of their deliverance by carried lanterns of different shapes and colors through the streets on the first full moon of the year, providing a spectacular backdrop for lion dances, dragon dances, and fireworks.

For further knowledge and details, please visit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year