The 6 Chinese festivals we celebrate here at Dear Asia London

At Dear Asia London, we don’t just teach languages, we also celebrate our culture and traditions with our students to make each language come to life. We understand how language and culture are intrinsically intertwined because language is not just a means of communication; it is a reflection of the culture from which it originates and shapes the way people perceive and interact with the world.

As a pioneer in establishing our first Chinese school in London, we have been celebrating important Chinese festivals ever since. Chinese culture places a significant emphasis on celebrating festivals. Festivals are an integral part of Chinese life and are marked by rich traditions, symbolism, and cultural significance. These are the important Chinese festivals we celebrated throughout the year, each with its unique customs and rituals. These celebrations with our students and Londoners help them to fostering a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and language.

Chinese New Year Festival – Dumplings Making Celebration

Chines New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the biggest festival of the year in China. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year and is a time for family reunions, feasting, and vibrant celebrations. People will decorate their home with red decorations, lanterns, and couplets with auspicious phrases adorn homes. Families gather for reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve. The giving of red envelopes (hongbao) with money symbolizes good luck. Dragon and lion dances and firecrackers are common during the festival.

We celebrate Chinese New Year with a delightful blend of customs. Dumplings symbolize wealth and togetherness, you can join our dumpling making workshop where we share the traditions of making dumplings together like a typical Chinese family. As our students, we will also introduce a variety of traditional Chinese crafting for the new year like red papercutting which brings blessings and warding off evil spirits. Try your hand at this art form during our workshops, discovering the symbolism behind the craft. Chinese calligraphy expresses personality and blessings, you can share auspicious phrases on red paper, connecting with the beauty of Chinese writing and the spirit of the new year.

Mid-Autumn Festival – Mooncake Tasting Celebration

The Mid-Autumn Festival, often called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a time for moon-gazing and sharing mooncakes. At Dear Asia London, we host mooncake tastings and tea pairings, allowing our patrons to savor this beloved treat while embracing the spirit of togetherness under the full moon.

Students not only taste mooncakes but also learn about their cultural significance, reinforcing their understanding of Chinese culture through hands-on experiences. We offer the tasting of the festival essential, Mooncakes, to our students and guests. Mooncake symbolise unity and completeness during the Mid-Autumn Festival, take center stage as you savour a variety of flavors, each with its cultural significance explained, fostering a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. You can explore the delicate balance between different Chinese teas and mooncake varieties, enhancing your appreciation for this cherished festival tradition. Indulge in the flavors of tradition and unity with us, celebrating the cultural richness of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Red Lantern Festival Delights – China Town Food Crawl

The Red Lantern Festival, also known as Yuanxiao Festival, marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. Red lanterns light up the night, symbolizing good luck and warding off evil spirits. Red lanterns are powerful symbols in Chinese culture. We will explore the symbol behind these lanterns and celebrate this special festival, helping students grasp the depth of meaning in Chinese traditions.

China Town London is the perfect place for us to celebrate the Red Lantern Festival. During the festival, China Town will be decorated with hundreds of red lanterns hanging in the sky. The warm glow of iconic red lanterns sets the stage for a memorable experience. Our celebration will begin with a tour of China Town, fun fact and history of the festival, follows by sampling some delicious Asian food and snacks. We are also going to reveal the best kept secret places only the Chinese people know of in Chinatown.

Dragon Boat Festival – Perfume Pouches Making

Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, pays tribute to the legendary poet Qu Yuan and involves thrilling dragon boat races. Dragon boat racing is a cherished and ancient Chinese tradition with rich cultural significance. Originating over 2,000 years ago, it commemorates the poet Qu Yuan’s legacy and protest through races on vibrant, dragon-adorned boats. Traditional music and clothing, along with the consumption of zongzi, are integral to the annual Dragon Boat Festival, where these races take center stage. Beyond its Chinese roots, dragon boat racing has garnered international appeal, fostering unity, cultural exchange, and a celebration of perseverance and unity on a global scale.

Our celebration is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, our celebration workshop is to craft your own traditional perfume pouches, known as “sachets of good fortune” traditionally filled with aromatic herbs and spices believed to bring blessings and ward off evil spirits. As you engage in this hands-on activity, we will share cultural insights about the festival’s history and significance. While creating these fragrant pouches, savour delicious and traditional festival treats, zongzi (pyramid-shaped rice dumplings), and gain a deeper appreciation for the festival’s culinary traditions.

Winter Solstice Warmth: Reunion Dinner

The Winter Solstice, known as Dongzhi Festival in Chinese culture, is celebrated primarily through family reunions and the consumption of tangyuan, sweet glutinous rice balls. These round treats symbolize togetherness and unity. Some families also light lanterns, visit ancestral gravesites, and partake in cultural activities. It’s a time for reflection and gratitude as the solstice marks the return of longer daylight hours and the promise of renewal in the midst of winter.

Double 11: Hotpot Date

Double 11, or Singles’ Day, is a modern Chinese festival celebrating singlehood. It is arguably best known for is a shopping festival celebrating people that aren’t in relationships. Shops will offer big discount. At Dear Asia London, we invite all our students and guests no matter they are in relationship or not to join us for a Hot Pot. The Chinese name for hot pot, Huo Guo/火锅, literally means “fire pot”. It’s a communal meal that involves a pot filled with broth constantly simmered by a heat source underneath, a variety of food items around the pot that are cooked in the broth by every diner and then dipped in sauces for extra flavour.

To some, the gathering between families is considered to be the most important aspect of eating hot pot.Other than the spices of hot pot, what makes hot pot popular is the way in which it bonds families together. To some, the gathering between families is considered to be the most important aspect of eating hot pot.

Our celebration of Chinese festivals at Dear Asia London is not just about cultural enrichment; it’s a vital part of our language education approach. By immersing students in these celebrations, we offer a holistic language learning experience that incorporates culture, tradition, and practical language use. These events reinforce the connections between language and culture, making the learning journey more engaging and memorable for our students. It’s through these immersive experiences that we bridge the gap between language learning and cultural understanding, shaping well-rounded and culturally literate language enthusiasts.