Written by Natalia |
When talking about winter, the bitter winds, heavy snows and desolate trees come into our mind. But China shows its different and unique charm of winter to every tourist. You can experience a series of lively and unique winter festivals in China. Follow this article to experience the grandest ice and snow festival in northeast China, immerse yourself in the joyous atmosphere of the traditional Chinese New Year, and discover the unique festivals of ethnic minorities. Then you may be clearer on how to plan your China winter tour.
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- Traditional Lunar Celebrations: Spring Festival & Beyond
- The Grandest Ice & Snow Spectacles (Northern China)
- Unique Cultural and Ethnic Festivals
- Planning Your China Winter Festival Tour
- FAQs about Winter Travel in China
- Contact China Xian Tour for a Memorable China Winter Tour
Traditional Lunar Celebrations: Spring Festival & Beyond
Among all the China winter festivals, Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year)Ā is the most famous one. In addition, Lantern Festival is also a grand outdoor event that is celebrated by all Chinese. The other two important festivals are the Laba Festival and the Winter Solstice, when each family will prepare and celebrate by themselves.
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
- Time: January 1st in the lunar calendar, typically falls between Jan. 20 – Feb. 20 in the solar calendar
- Main customs: enjoy family reunion dinner, give red envelopes, paste Spring Festival couplets, and perform dragon and lion dances
Spring Festival is definitely the grandest and most important traditional winter festival in China. It is not only a simple festival, but also a national celebration that carries thousands of years of culture and peopleās longing for a better life. The core meaning of the festival is family reunion. So no matter where we are, we will make every effort to go home before New Yearās Eve. So the world-famous Spring Festival travel rush is formed. In addition, it also symbolizes bidding farewell to the past year and ushering in the new year.
The celebrations of CNYĀ usually last from New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. Every Chinese family will paste Spring Festival couplets and paper cuts on the doors and windows and hang red lanterns. At the temple fairs and streets, there are various performances, such as dragon and lion dances. In the family, the elders will give red envelopes to the kids to bless them. All the family members will gather to enjoy a family dinner on New Yearās Eve. For travelers, the most important thing is to buy train tickets as early as possible. Besides, some stores may be closed for several days. Check the opening time with the restaurants in advance.
Recommended tour: Xian City Wall Spring Festival Lantern Exhibition Tour
Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival)
- Time: January 15th in the lunar calendar
- Main customs: Eat Yuanxiao/Tangyuan, appreciate lanterns and guess the lantern riddle
Different from the family gathering in Spring Festival, Lantern FestivalĀ is more like a grand outdoor carnival that all the people can participate in. So it is also a very important traditional China winter festival. For tourists, it is the most interesting and eye-catching moment to experience traditional Chinese culture.
During the festival, the gardens, streets and temples will be a sea of lanterns. You will see various shapes of lanterns, such as animals, flowers, etc. Most places will also hold a grand lantern show, the most famous should be the Zigong Lantern Show in Sichuan Province. Under the lanterns are papers with riddles, and guessing the riddle is the most popular traditional game. It is a test of wisdom and Chinese level. If you think it is difficult, then release a sky lantern and watch thousands of twinkling lanterns slowly rise into the sky. This dreamy scene is an excellent opportunity for taking beautiful photos! Besides, Chinese will eat Yuanxiao/Tangyuan, which are round glutinous rice balls with varieties of fillings, such as red bean paste, peanuts, and meat.
Recommended tour: Tang Paradise Spring Festival Lantern Exhibition Tour
Laba Festival
- Time: December 8th in the lunar calendar
- Main customs: Eat Laba Rice Porridge and make Laba Garlic.
There is a saying in China, āAfter December 8thĀ is the New Yearā. So Laba Festival is regarded as the prelude to all the celebrations of the Chinese New Year. The absolute star of the festival is the Laba rice porridge. It is not ordinary porridge, but boiled with at least 8 materials, including glutinous rice, red beans, peanuts, red dates, lotus seeds, longans, various kinds of beans and nuts. The abundant materials symbolize a bountiful harvest and an abundance every year. In the cold winter, this hot and sweet porridge will make you feel warm instantly. You can buy it in the street stores.
Another interesting custom is to make Laba Garlic. The Chinese will soak the peeled garlic cloves in rice vinegar. As time goes by, the cloves will gradually turns into emerald green. On the Spring Festival, they are paired with dumplings, which taste crispy and can reduce greasiness and stimulate appetite.
Winter Solstice (DÅngzhƬ)
- Time: Around December 21 or 22 in the solar calendar.
- Main customs: Eat dumplings in North China and Tangyuan in South China
From the Winter Solstice on, the daytime becomes longer, making it a festival full of hope. On this day, people in North China will eat dumplings and people in South China will eat Tangyuan. Though the customs are completely different, both symbolize reunion and good fortune. Do not forget to taste if you are in China during this time. Winter Solstice is also the best time to supplement nutrition. Almost every family will cook all kinds of nutritious soups, such as mutton soup, ginger duck soup.
āCounting Nine DaysāĀ is an ancient poetic tradition in the festival. That is, with the following day of Winter Solstice as a start and nine days as a unit, after counting nine ānine daysāĀ (a total of 81 days), the spring will come. You can also try to count by yourself.
Besides the popular winter festivals, there are many other traditional festivals in ChinaĀ that people celebrate throughout the year.
The Grandest Ice & Snow Spectacles (Northern China)
Besides the above common China winter festivals, in Northern China, there are also plenty of ice and snow festivals, winter fishing festivals, etc. The giant ice sculptures and abundant activities attract numerous tourists every year. During the tour, all tourists will be completely immersed in the charm of ice and snow.
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival
- Time: Late December to the end of February next year
- Highlights: giant ice sculptures, various ice and snow sports and entertainment facilities
- Main locations: Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo and Zhaolin Park
When it comes to winter tours, a Harbin tourĀ is always the first choice in China. Harbin International Ice and Snow FestivalĀ is the worldās largest ice and snow event with the longest duration. It is renowned as the āOriental Ice and Snow Disneylandā. Ice and Snow World, Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo and Zhaolin Park are the three core scenic areas and each has different characteristics.
The Ice and Snow World boasts the worldās largest ice architectural complex. Here, you can also experience the 350-meter-long ice slides and watch the splendid and colorful lights in the evening. Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo is the art palace of snow. The giant sculptures here display superb snow sculpture art. Tourists can also try making snowmen and small snow sculptures in the experience area. Zhaolin Park is the birthplace of the Chinese ice lantern art. Different from the magnificence of the ice sculptures, the traditional ice lantern show here focuses more on the details and artistry. This small and exquisite garden is an ideal dating place for couples.
Suggested Harbin winter tour
Jilin International Rime Ice and Snow Festival
- Time: Late November to the end of February next year
- Highlights: Appreciate the natural wonder Jilin Rime ice, go skiing
- Main locations: Songhua Lake Ski Resort, North Lake, Rime Island
Jilin Rime Ice is one of the four natural wonders in China, making Jilin also a top place to visit in China in winter. It is not snow, but white ice crystals formed by the condensation of fog on the trees. The best time to appreciate it is from 06:00 – 09:00 every morning when the trees are all dressed with ice and sparkle in the morning sun. Rime Island and Songhua River are like a fairy tale world during this time. If you want to enjoy a different perspective, take a hot air balloon or a helicopter to overlook from the sky. In Rime Island, you can also experience the folk customs of the Manchu and the Korean ethnic minorities.
Ski lovers can not miss the Songhua Lake Ski Resort and the North Lake Ski Resort. Jilin is famous for its dry and soft powder snow, making it an ideal place for skiing. No matter you are a beginner or a professional athlete, you can find suitable ski trails. If you donāt ski, there are also various water sports, such as snowmobiles.
Suggested China winter tour with Jilin
Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Festival
- Time: Late December to the end of February next year
- Highlights: Watch the Lake Worship Ceremony and the spectacular fishing scene
- Main locations: Chagan Lake Scenic Area
The Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Festival is also a unique and grandĀ winter festival in China. The most solemn and sacred part should be the Lake Worship Ceremony before the winter fishing. It is usually held on Dec. 28th. The processes include chanting sutras, performing the Chama dance, reciting poems to worship the lake, throwing offerings into the ice cave and drinking the ceremonial wine, etc. All express peopleās awe of nature’s gifts and the wish for a harvest.
In the following days, you can witness the traditional fishing scene and the superior fishing technique of the fishermen. With the power of the winch pulled by the horse, the fishermen can pull out the 2,000-meter-long net from under the 1-meter-thick ice. At the moment, thousands of fish are leaping on the ice, this magnificent spectacle will leave a deep impression on you.
See more other things to do in China in winter besides experiencing the traditional festivals.
Other Notable Ice & Snow Events
Festival |
Time |
Location |
Highlights |
Changchun Jingyue Lake Vasa International Ski Festival |
Around January 4th, lasting for some time |
Jingyue Lake National Scenic Area, Changchun, Jilin |
International cross-country skiing competition includes professional skiing competitions, public skiing experiences, snow sculpture viewing, etc. |
Changbai Mountain Powder Snow Festival |
Usually opens in late December, lasting through the entire snow season |
Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve, Jilin |
Experience high-quality āpowder snowā,Ā hot spring, and rime drifting; join inĀ ice and snow food festivals, snow music parties, etc. |
Early January to late February |
Longqing Gorge Scenic Area, Yanqing District, Beijing |
The oldest ice lantern art exhibition in North China displays large ice waterfalls, colorful ice sculptures, and light-and-sound ice lanterns. |
|
Shenyang International Ice and Snow Festival |
JanuaryĀ toĀ March |
Qipan Mountain, Shenyang, Liaoning |
View ice sculptures, rich folk cultural experiences such as Eastern temple fair, Shengjing lantern festival, and winter fishing activities, enjoy skiing and snow activities including snowmobiles, ice slides. |
Altai International Ice and Snow Festival |
Usually from December to March, with main activities concentrated in January. |
Altai region, Xinjiang, main venue often at Jianshan Ski Resort, with sub-venues in Ā Kanas and Keketuohai |
Ancient fur-skiing performances, helicopter cross-country skiing, rime festivals, winter fishing at Ulungur Lake, and ethnic song and dance performances |
Heihe Ice and Snow Festival |
November to late February |
Heihe City, Heilongjiang (Wudalianchi Scenic Area, Xunke County Daping Rime Scenic Area,Ā etc) |
View the rime in Xunke, enjoy snow hot and cold spring at Wudalianchi,Ā watch or participate inĀ the China-Russia cross-border ice and snow car challenge. |
Ultimate winter tour for your ultimate adventure in Northeast China
Unique Cultural and Ethnic Festivals
Besides the above China winter festivals, below are the places you can visit in China in winterĀ to experience the unique festivals of ethnic minorities or the local festivals.
Tibetan New Year (Losar)
The Tibetan New Year is called Losar. It is also the happiest and grandest festival for Tibetan people. Its date is usually in January and February and the celebrations last for 15 days. This is similar to the Chinese New Year. On New Yearās Eve, Tibetan people will do a spring cleaning to sweep out the bad luck and enjoy the dough drop soup called Gutu. The most interesting game is to predict your personality when drinking the soup. What you eat in the soup represents your personality. For instance, eating chili peppers indicates that you have the gift of gab, while eating wool suggests that you are a gentle person.
On the morning of the New Year, all the women will get up very early to rush for the first bucket of water. Because people believe that whoever gets the water first will have good luck for the whole year. On the streets, you will see everyone dressed in the most splendid traditional costumes and wearing expensive jewelry to visit each other and give greetings.
Related reading: Things to Know before Visiting Tibet in Winter
Inner Mongolia Winter Naadam Festival
From December to February next year, the Winter Naadam Festival will be held in several cities in Inner Mongolia, including Hulunbuir, Xingan League and Xilin Gol League. It is actually an innovative form of the traditional Naadam. During the Naadam Festival, you can also watch the wrestling, horse racing and arrow shooting competitions. The difference is that they are competing on the snow. Tourists can take part in the tug-of-war on snow, drive the snowmobile and try to spin the ice gyroscope. Besides, there are also wonderful song and dance shows performed on the ice stage and a solemn fire sacrifice ceremony. You will feel like in a large-scale grassland carnival.
Suggested tour
Mohe Arctic Polar Festival & Hunting Festival
MoheĀ is in the northernmost end of China. In winter, its temperature is as low as -30 – 40 ā. But there is also winter fun for tourists to experience. The most famous is the Daxinganling (Mohe) Winter Hunting Festival, which is usually held around the Winter Solstice (December 21 or 22)Ā in Arctic Village. When the huge fishing net is pulled out of the ice cave, numerous fish jump out of the ice surface, offering every tourist a visual shock.
Or pay a visit to the Ewenki Folk Village. Just step into the local tent and listen to them telling the stories of forest hunting and the legends of shaman culture. After it, try on the clothes, hats and boots made of raw paote skin and learn to shoot arrows and experience simulated hunting.
Planning Your China Winter Festival Tour
For tourists who do not know how to plan a winter trip to China, the following information will give you useful guidance.
Best Destinations for Winter Festivals
The Northwest China is definitely the top choice for China winter festivals. Harbin and Jilin are the two hottest destinations, where you can take part in the Ice and Snow Festivals. The ice and snow art and natural wonder of rime appeal to a large number of tourists every year. Besides, head to Sichuan to watch the varieties of giant lanterns in Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival or visit Beijing or Shanghai to immerse in the strong festival atmosphere of Chinese New Year.
Practical Tips for Visiting in Winter
- In northern China, the winter climate is dry and cold, so keeping warm is the first and most important thing during the tour. Warm clothes, hats, gloves, scarfs are all needed.
- Since it is also the winter vacation in China, it is better to book tickets for trains, flights and scenic areas as early as possible, especially during the Spring Festival.
- On New Yearās Eve and the first day of the lunar New Year, many stores, restaurants and supermarkets will close. The large shopping malls and chain restaurants usually shorten the opening hours.
- The price for dining and accommodation in the scenic areas is also higher than on usual days.
Recommended China Winter Tours
For tourists who prefer ice and snow activities, Harbin and the surrounding cities will not let you down. This tour will make you feel the charm of ice and snow completely. The most recommended scenic areas are Ice and Snow World, Yabuli Ski Resort, Snow Town, etc.
Recommended tour
If you also want to combine the tour with Chinese culture, how about including Beijing or Shanghai, the two classic destinations in China. Your travel experience will be more abundant.
Recommended tours:
6 Days Harbin Ice Snow Tour from Beijing by Bullet Train
7 Days Shanghai and Harbin Winter Tour
FAQs about Winter Travel in China
When is the best time to visit China for winter festivals?
From late December to late February is the best time. During this time, you can join in the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, which is held from January 5 to the end of February, and feel the joyous atmosphere in the Spring Festival, which is usually in January and February.
What is the most famous winter festival in China?
It is definitely the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, Chinaās largest ice and snow event, and the Chinese New Year, Chinaās most important traditional festival.
Is it difficult to travel in China during the Lunar New Year?
Due to the travel rush, it is extremely difficult to book train tickets and air tickets. But it is the best time to experience the festival atmosphere of the traditional Chinese New Year. Just remember to reserve the tickets in advance.
Are the Lantern Festival and the Spring Festival the same?
No. Though the dates are close, they are completely different. The Spring Festival is on Jan. 1stĀ and the Lantern Festival is on Jan. 15th in the lunar calendar. In the Spring Festival, we usually stay at home to enjoy the happy family time. While in the Lantern Festival, we will go out to take part in public celebrations.
Contact China Xian Tour for a Memorable China Winter Tour
After reading the article, you may be attracted by the abundant China winter festivals. The unique integration of ice and snow wonder and traditional culture will definitely offer you a memorable experience. But the tickets are hard to book because of the winter vacation and the Chinese New Year. To ensure you have a satisfying experience, China Xian TourĀ is glad to customize a trip for you. Whether you want to experience the ice and snow charm or explore Chinese culture, we are able to meet your demands. And all the tickets and hotels are included to make sure you have a carefree tour. Just contact us to start your China winter tour.
