Must-Know Folk Customs for the Year of the Snake

Thursday, January 23, 2025

The Snake Year brings fascinating traditions and customs that have been passed down through generations. Here are the essential folk customs you should know for an auspicious Year of the Snake.

Spring Festival Cleaning

Spring cleaning 大扫除 (dà sǎo chú) is one of the most important pre-New Year customs. It represents sweeping away the old year's bad luck and preparing your home for new blessings. This tradition involves thoroughly cleaning every corner of the house, from windows to doorways, and even hidden spaces in drawers and cabinets. Many families also repaint their walls and replace old decorations with new ones.

大扫除, noun, cleaning 

  1. We do spring cleaning before New Year. 
    我们在新年前要做大扫除。 
    wǒ men zài xīn nián qián yào zuò dà sǎo chú.
  2. Spring cleaning is an important tradition. 
    大扫除是重要的传统。 
    dà sǎo chú shì zhòng yào de chuán tǒng.

New Year's Eve Family Dinner

The reunion dinner 年夜饭 (nián yè fàn) is the most significant meal of the year. Families gather to enjoy traditional dishes that symbolize prosperity and good fortune. The dinner typically includes fish (symbolizing abundance), dumplings (representing wealth), spring rolls (symbolizing gold bars), and longevity noodles (for long life). The preparation of this meal often starts days in advance, with family members working together to create these symbolic dishes.

年夜饭, noun, dinner 

  1. Every family prepares reunion dinner. 
    每个家庭都准备年夜饭。 
    měi gè jiā tíng dōu zhǔn bèi nián yè fàn.
  2. We eat reunion dinner together. 
    我们一起吃年夜饭。 
    wǒ men yī qǐ chī nián yè fàn.

Lucky Foods and Snacks

The celebration extends beyond the reunion dinner to include special snacks and treats. The Tray of Togetherness, filled with candies, dried fruits, and nuts, is placed in living rooms to welcome visitors. Each item in the tray has symbolic meaning: peanuts for longevity, lotus seeds for fertility, and candied melon for growth and health. Families also prepare special Snake Year treats, often shaped like serpents or containing ingredients believed to bring good fortune.

Sign up for a free trial now!

FAQ / Tips

Before starting any Chinese language course, the teacher will assess your Chinese language proficiency level through a placement test.This helps to determine your current level of understanding and ability in Chinese, and allows the teacher to tailor the course materials and teaching methods to your specific needs and goals. The placement test may include assessments of your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.Based on the results of the test, the teacher will be able to recommend an appropriate course of study for you.
Our Chinese learning method is focused on personalized and interactive one-on-one lessons with a professional teacher. The lessons are conducted live through our online teaching platform, which allows you to see and talk to the teacher. You can schedule the lessons at a time that suits you, and the teacher will tailor the lesson content to your specific needs and goals. During the lesson, you can ask questions and receive feedback from the teacher to ensure you understand and master the knowledge and skills being taught. We also have a student service team and academic coordinator team to assist you with your learning and provide any additional support you may need.Overall, our method is designed to be flexible, personalized, and interactive to help you achieve your language learning goals.
Our students come from a wide range of ages, from 3 years old to over 80 years old. Our courses are tailored to each student's age and proficiency level to ensure they can receive maximum benefit and progress. Whether you want to learn Chinese as a second language or improve your existing Chinese skills, we can provide you with courses and resources that are suitable for you
We offer a referral program that rewards both you and your friend with free classes.To participate, simply refer a friend to our program and once they successfully enroll, both you and your friend will receive free classes.We appreciate your support and look forward to helping you and your friend achieve your language learning goals.
At Chinese Learning, protecting our customers' personal information is a top priority. We have implemented robust security measures to safeguard your data and prevent any unauthorized access or disclosure. For further information on our privacy practices, please refer to our Privacy Policy, which outlines our commitment to data protection and privacy.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can send an email to: service @chineselearning.com.We have a team of professionals who will be happy to assist you with any issues as soon as possible.