Now let's see, foreigners know more about Chinese New Year than we think, how do they spend the traditional Chinese festival?
Brits will say, "Congratulations on your fortune"
Many Chinese New Year items will be added to the streets of Britain during the Spring Festival. Non-Chinese restaurants will add several "Chinese New Year specials" and British newspapers will launch "China Week" to teach people to learn Chinese. The UK is also in the mood to celebrate the Chinese New Year. In London, for example, on the first day of the New Year, 300,000 people (most of them non-Chinese) chanted "Congratulations and Fortune" in Trafalgar Square. All the Chinese were proud of what they saw. There was a dazzling display of dragon and lion dances, fireworks, military parades and cultural performances. There were also theatrical performances and fireworks displays in both squares. The London police turned all the neighborhoods involved into pedestrian streets, and the celebrations lasted all day like never before.
On this day, London became almost Chinese, with happy children with rattles and balloon pigs; men and women who love Chinese food crowded into Chinatown for Chinese food; in the city center, young people used cameras, cell phones and camcorders to save beautiful images of the dragon and lion dance performances; and some Britons simply wore Tang costumes. London has become a Chinese city. Previously, London held two Chinese New Year lantern parades. Last year, 100,000 people attended the event, whose distinctly Chinese cultural features made the parade a huge success.
Why is Chinese New Year so influential in London? According to statistics, there are more than 80,000 Chinese people in London, including more than 6,300 foreign students. They provide an indispensable base of support for the settlement of Chinese culture in London. According to the London Investment Authority (LIA), the UK is the largest recipient of Chinese direct investment in Europe, with around a third of Chinese investment in the UK taking place in London. Over the past five years, the number of Chinese arrivals in London has increased by 45% and consumption by 66%. As a result, the Chinese New Year has received special attention from the UK government. In recent years, the active participation of mainstream British society, the spread of Chinese culture and the high level of enthusiasm of the British people have led to the rapid spread of the festive atmosphere of Chinese New Year in the UK.
France: I love it from the bottom of my heart
In recent years, with the increasingly frequent economic and cultural exchanges between China and France, the French have become more and more familiar with the Chinese New Year. It is no exaggeration to say that the Spring Festival has quietly entered many French families, and its customs have become part of their daily lives.
On the eve of the Spring Festival, the streets and alleys of France are covered with colorful flags. Not only the areas where Chinese people live, but also the town square in Paris will be filled with bright red lanterns. The festive atmosphere to welcome the New Year is quite strong.
Carrefour and other leading French supermarket chains will open their counters to sell Chinese food on Chinese New Year's Eve. Dumplings will naturally be a top seller. Chinese restaurants will also see their annual rush of orders at this time of year. "The French love to celebrate Chinese New Year with the Chinese. On New Year's Eve, restaurants have to be full and you even have to reserve seats in advance." said Mr. Ye, who owns a Chinese restaurant in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, where the middle class gathers.
The French celebrate the Chinese New Year not only out of curiosity about Eastern culture or just for the fun of joining in, but also because of their love and admiration for Chinese culture. On the eve of last year's Spring Festival, former French President Jacques Chirac sent a message to all overseas Chinese living in France and Europe: "On Feb. 18, we will celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year." The simple word "we" undoubtedly reflects President Chirac's recognition of the Chinese New Year and traditional Chinese cultural practices. Other French dignitaries, including current President Nicolas Sarkozy, have said similar things.