129 days until Chinese New Year 2027

About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday of the traditional Chinese calendar. It is celebrated in China and by Chinese communities worldwide, and related new year festivals fall on or near the same day in Korea, where it is called Seollal, and in Vietnam, where it is called Tết. Each year is linked to one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, such as the dragon, the horse or the rabbit.

The date follows the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which tracks both the moon and the sun. The new year begins with a new moon that falls between January 21 and February 20, so the Gregorian date changes every year. Celebrations traditionally last about two weeks and end with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, at the first full moon of the year.

Before the holiday, families clean their homes to sweep away bad luck and hang red decorations, such as paper cutouts and couplets wishing good fortune. The most important meal is the reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, often with dumplings, fish and other dishes whose names or shapes suggest luck and plenty. Elders give children red envelopes containing money, and firecrackers, lion dances and dragon dances fill the streets. In the US, San Francisco and New York hold large parades and festivals, and many schools and museums host celebrations.

How we check dates and facts: see our sources.

Chinese New Year by year