How seven ancient poets wrote about celebrating the Lunar New Year
The precise date of the Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, has varied according to different calendars adopted by different dynasties, but the holiday spirit has remained for thousands of years. The festival naturally became a common subject for ancient poets, who captured cheerful moments, pondered over the fleeting nature of time, or sometimes disregarded tradition to celebrate in solitude.
Holiday celebrations typically start on New Year’s Eve or 除夕 (chúxī), when people stay awake all night long to welcome in the New Year, a tradition called 守岁 (shǒusuì). Here’s a poem by Lu You (陆游), a poet from Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279), on a timely holiday snowfall:
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