What do they call Chinese New Year in Taiwan?

Red envelopes. New Years eve dinner. Dumplings. Red. Lion Dancing. Why do we do these things during Lunar New Year? What other traditions are there?

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What is Chinese New Year called in Taiwan?
Does Taiwan do Chinese New Year?
Do you say Happy Chinese New Year to Taiwan?

Lunar New Years is more than just money in red envelopes or meeting distant relatives during an annual dinner. Just like how much of the Christian faith has to do with Christmas being such a family holiday, Lunar New Year comes from Buddhist and Taoist traditions to bring the family together.

I grew up in Taiwan with a traditional Taiwanese family. For nearly twenty years, I have been celebrating Lunar New Years in Taipei, running from temples to temples, placing spring signs after spring signs. Lunar New Year is my favorite holiday. During my four years in college in New Jersey, I missed celebrating with my family (couldn’t leave school in the middle of February). Therefore, ever since I started working, I took vacations from work specifically to celebrate Lunar New Year with my family back in Taiwan. This year, again, I will be traveling back again …but this time around, I plan on writing about my experience and explaining these traditions a bit more.

To start things off, here’s a bit about another name for Lunar New Year:

Spring Festival

Simply, in Mandarin, Lunar New Year is (農曆新年), it is also known as spring festival (春節) to represent the coming of spring. Lunar calendar is based off of the calendar to assist farmers in better preparing their crop.

迎春 (ying2 chun) – welcoming the spring

I will link each aspect of Lunar New Year as the 15 days of celebration (Lunar New Year lasts for 15 days) goes by. Be sure to check back.

Read about:

Where to go for Lunar New Year?

What to do on New Years Eve?

What food to eat during Lunar New Year?

Where to go to pray for love? academic? money?

…will update and link as each aspect gets explored.

Note: these are personal accounts and stories I grew up with. There are many variations of celebration, and these are mine.

If there are traditions that you are curious about or want to write about, email us at

What is Chinese New Year called in Taiwan?

What is this? In Mandarin, the holiday is called Spring Festival (chun jie/春節) or guo nian (過年). I use all these terms in this article, but especially “Chinese New Year” simply because that is what most people in Taiwan, including my Taiwanese family members, say.

Does Taiwan do Chinese New Year?

When is Chinese New Year? The Lunar New Year usually falls in February – however, national holidays in Taiwan begin on New Year's Eve and run until the following week. On New Year's Eve, many people return to their family homes for a big reunion that includes a huge meal to celebrate the coming of the New Year.

Do you say Happy Chinese New Year to Taiwan?

Other common phrases include sayings such as Happy New Year (新年快樂, Xīnnián kuàilè) or Happy Year of the Zodiac Sign. This year, you can greet with: Happy Year of the Tiger (虎年快樂, Hǔ nián kuàilè).