Festival Traditions

The landscape of the Hakka Chinese calendar is dotted with many holidays and festivals that help both shape and reflect who these people really are. Keep on reading for a basic rundown of five of their more significant celebrations.

1. Chinese (Lunar) New Year  2. Lantern Festival  3. Dragon Boat Festival  4. Dragon Boat Festival   5.  Mid-Autumn Festival


1. Chinese (Lunar) New Year

Arriving on the first day of the first lunar month (usually late January to mid February), Chinese New Year is by far the largest, and most festive, holiday of the Hakka calendar. Things get started a full week in advance when, according to tradition, all the household's minor gods take off and report to the god of heaven. This paves the way for the Hakkas to thoroughly clean their homes without fear of somehow offending these smaller deities.

Another tradition follows that a horrible "beast" roams the land on New Year's Eve looking for people to devour. In hopes of warding off this beast of death, the Hakka Chinese will stay up late and shoot off tons of loud fireworks. They also (get this) will hang red banners on the doorposts of their homes in hopes that the beast will pass them by. Sound familiar?

The first few days of the New Year can best be described as what westerners experience during the Christmas season. It's a time of family get-togethers, special food, brand new clothes, and red envelopes filled with money given to the children of the house. Even the broom gets a rest during this time as superstition holds that using it results in a "sweeping out" of your prosperity for the coming year.

2. Lantern Festival

Held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival signifies the end of Chinese New Year festivities. Once again, there are tons of fireworks, and as its name would suggest, Hakka children take to the streets carrying colorful, paper lanterns. All this in traditional hopes of protecting themselves from bad luck in the new year.


3. Dragon Boat Festival

On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the Dragon Boat Festival is held to commemorate the death of Chinese poet and statesman Chu-Yuan. About 2500 years ago, in protest of the emperor's corruption, Chu-Yuan killed himself by jumping into a river. According to legend, the townspeople rowed boats out to where he'd died and threw "jong tze" (sticky rice dumplings) into the water to feed his spirit. (Another version has it that they did this to keep the fish from feeding on him. Take your pick.) Today, this festival is celebrated by holding Dragon Boat Races on local rivers and lakes, and eating lots and lots of jong tze. (Followed by lots and lots of prunes, if you get our drift.)

4. Ghost Month

The whole of the seventh lunar month is called "Ghost Month." According to Hakka Chinese superstition, this is a season where the gates of hell are opened up and hungry ghosts are allowed to wander the earth. Giving in to the obvious fear factor here, the Hakkas typically regard Ghost Month as an extremely unlucky time and will avoid such activities as travel, weddings, swimming, and moving to a new house. And in an attempt at appeasement, they will set food-laden tables outside their homes on the 15th of the month, and invite the wandering spirits - who they politely refer to as "good brothers" - to come join the feast.


5. Mid-Autumn Festival

Also known as the Moon Festival, this Hakka holiday is celebrated on 15th day of the eighth moon. According to Chinese legend, the beautiful wife of a Tang Dynasty Emperor discovered a vial of "The Elixir Of Immortality" that had been prepared for her husband. Well, she got caught taking a sip of the brew, and decided that her best way of destroying the evidence was by drinking down the whole thing. Not a good idea. She immediately flew up to the moon, where she apparently lives to this day. (Or so the story goes.) The Mid-Autumn Festival has thus become a time of outdoor barbecues (Chinese style), eating "moon cakes", and sitting around trying to get a glimpse of the famous "Lady On The Moon."

This festival also has a second, more patriotic, significance. Seems that secret plans detailing an uprising against the Mongol (Yuan) Dynasty were smuggled inside of moon cakes to various patriots throughout the empire just prior to the rebellion. With success came a real reason to celebrate, and a natural affinity for these little pastries.