Summary

  • The Year of the Snake is here - and millions across Asia and the world are welcoming it, with family, friends, prayers and plenty of food

  • The Lunar New Year, which coincides with the first new moon of the lunar calendar, is a 15-day festival that falls between 29 January and 4 February

  • Chinese communities, in China and elsewhere, largely consider it to be the most important festivaI of the year

  • It's also celebrated in a big way in the Koreas, Vietnam, Thailand and other parts of Asia

  • The first two days of the new year is when families and friends gather for a feast, gifts in tow - and cash-filled red envelopes are a common sight

  • Read on to find out how to wish people luck and happiness depending on where you are - and also what dishes to look out for!

Media caption,

Watch: Hong Kong residents make wishes for Year of the Snake

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  1. Watch as panda cubs make debut in Sichuanpublished at 06:15 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 06:15 29 January

    Ahead of the holiday, a panda sanctuary in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan held a special event where dozens of panda cubs made their first public appearance.

    The cubs, all born in 2024, were seen playing among New Year decorations - though it seems some of them haven't quite mastered the skill of balancing yet.

    Media caption,

    Watch: Panda cubs make group debut in Sichuan ahead of Lunar New Year

  2. Colourful scenes from Bangkokpublished at 06:07 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 06:07 29 January

    Here is how Thailand's capital is celebrating the Lunar New Year.

    Images by BBC's Natalie Thomas and Benjamin Begley.

    Lunar New Year 2025 celebrations in Thailand
    Lunar New Year 2025 celebrations in Thailand
    Lunar New Year 2025 celebrations in Thailand
    Lunar New Year 2025 celebrations in Thailand
    Lunar New Year 2025 celebrations in Thailand
  3. Korean politicians work the ground during the holidaypublished at 05:46 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 05:46 29 January

    Hyunjung Kim
    BBC Korean

    Heo Eun-ah (center), leader of the New Reform Party, greets citizens at Yeongdeungpo Station with party officials to deliver Lunar New Year holiday greetings in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, South Korea, on January 24, 2025Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Heo Eun-ah (center), leader of the New Reform Party, delivers Lunar New Year greetings in Yeongdeungpo district in Seoul

    In South Korea, the Lunar New Year holiday is not just a time for family gatherings. It’s also a political battlefield.

    Leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties usually visit major train stations and express bus terminals ahead of the holiday to greet voters who are travelling home.

    Traditionally, these holiday meet-and-greets have been a golden opportunity for political parties to connect with many citizens in a single bustling location.

    But this Lunar New Year, there is more tension than usual.

    With suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol facing impeachment over his declaration of martial law, the country has been in political chaos over the last two months. This has driven not only the two major parties but also smaller parliamentary parties to roll up their sleeves and hit the streets, hoping to sway public sentiment in their favour.

    For politicians, this holiday season is more than just a PR opportunity; it’s a crucial opportunity to court the support of an electorate that could soon be heading to the polls.

  4. Why isn't the cat in the Chinese zodiac?published at 05:23 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 05:23 29 January

    A ginger cat lies on a bedImage source, Getty Images

    Earlier, we shared the story of how the Chinese zodiac was created when the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to a race across a river on his birthday.

    Legend has it that the Cat too was one of the contenders. But it dropped out of the race after getting tricked by the Rat. There are different tales as to how this deceit unfolded.

    In one of them, the Rat and Cat were both riding the Ox, when the competitive rodent pushed the Cat into the river, leaving it struggling for survival.

    In another version, the Cat was said to have overslept and missed out on the race.

    Thus, the legend goes, began the enmity between cats and rats - and it's the reason why the cat is not in the Chinese zodiac.

    However, the cat's legacy lives on in Vietnamese culture - it replaces the rabbit in their zodiac.

  5. 'Chinese by blood, Filipinos by heart'published at 05:15 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 05:15 29 January

    Virma Simonette
    Reporting from Manila

    The Lor family in Manila gather for a Lunar New Year's eve dinner
    Image caption,

    The Lor family in Manila gather for a Lunar New Year's eve dinner

    On the eve of Lunar New Year, 19-year-old Aragon Lor feasted on shrimp and noodles with his family in Manila's Chinatown, regarded as the world's oldest.

    It's a double celebration as the Lor family is celebrating his win in a local Mr Chinatown Global male pageant. Chinoy refers to someone in the Philippines with Filipino and Chinese heritage.

    “I want to preserve the Chinese culture within our family and extended families where we enjoy get-togethers, family dinners, and the Hokkien language for the generations after us,” Lor told the BBC.

    He said his family may be “Chinese by blood” but they are definitely “Filipinos at heart.”

    His father, Alfred, told the BBC, “The blessings are doubled this year. We are very happy. We are very proud of Aragon.”

    After dinner, the Lor family, all wearing red, walked down Ongpin Street, Manila Chinatown's famed strip of restaurants.

    Filipino Chinese family in Manila Chinatown
    Image caption,

    All wearing red, they cap the night with a stroll down Manila's Chinatown's restaurant strip

  6. S is for snake and spendingpublished at 04:57 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 04:57 29 January

    Suranjana Tewari
    Asia business reporter

    People shop for New Year decorations for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at a market in BeijingImage source, EPA

    The Lunar New Year usually gives a boost to local businesses like shops, cinemas and restaurants in China, as families return to their hometowns and enjoy time together - eating and shopping.

    This year, authorities are particularly keen for people to open their wallets. Officials say they’ve made a lot of effort by promoting winter-themed holiday destinations, and making sure airfares are affordable.

    The government has been trying to boost the economy since late last year with a raft of stimulus measures, including interest rate cuts, raising pensions and trade in schemes for household goods.

    Latest data shows that people are continuing to tighten their belts, in the face of a prolonged property slump and concerns about job security.

    One bright spot is movie sales, with advance film ticket sales exceeding $55.24 million, according to ticketing platform Maoyan - the fastest-ever pre-sales for the Lunar New Year season.

    The film Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants starring actor and singer Xiao Zhan has been driving much of the demand.

  7. Chinese Communist Party warns against 'red packet bribes'published at 04:47 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 04:47 29 January

    Giving a red packet containing cash is one of the most common ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Chinese culture. Usually it's given by an older family member, or as a token of appreciation to employees and service workers.

    In recent years this practice has gone virtual especially in China, where many people give red packets using WeChat, the country's most widely used social and payment app.

    This year the Chinese Communist Party has warned its cadres not to accept or give WeChat red packets of any electronic gift certificates, as it could "cross the red line".

    It's not the first time the party has sounded the alarm on this practice: in 2023, the party's anti-corruption department, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said that receiving bribes was "becoming increasingly covert" with some using electronic red packets as an "invisibility cloak for gift cards".

  8. What does Lunar New Year look like in North Korea?published at 04:27 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 04:27 29 January

    Jean Mackenzie
    Seoul correspondent

    Children play folk games in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on February 10, 2024Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Children played folk games in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang during last year's Lunar New Year festival

    Compared to South Korea, Lunar New Year is not one of North Korea’s main holidays. The birth anniversaries of its two later leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and its foundation days, take centre stage.

    In fact, the country’s founder Kim Il Sung encouraged people to celebrate New Years Day on January 1, meaning that after the Korean War, Lunar New Year festivities disappeared from this part of the peninsula. This changed in 2003, when Kim Jong Il designated it a public holiday as part of an ideological drive to promote Korea-First traditions.

    Today North Koreans spend the holiday enjoying some of the same games and food as South Koreans, including rice cake soup, board games and kite flying – but not before showing their loyalty to the Kim family.

    They are expected to start the day laying flowers at statues and portraits of the former leaders. Those in the capital Pyongyang visit the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun where the embalmed bodies of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are enshrined.

    And unlike in China and South Korea, citizens do not travel en mass across the county to see family, as they are not allowed to move around freely. Instead, many celebrate quietly at home.

  9. World's oldest Chinatown welcomes Lunar New Yearpublished at 04:17 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 04:17 29 January

    Virma Simonette
    Reporting from Manila

    In what is regarded as the world's oldest Chinatown, revelers gathered last night to welcome the Lunar New Year with fireworks.

    Manila's Chinatown was established by Spanish colonizers in the late 1500s as a permanent settlement for Chinese traders who had converted to Catholicism. For centuries since then, the riverside district has become a melting pot of Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino cultures.

    During the Lunar New Year, it is not uncommon to see Filipinos attending mass at a Catholic church in Chinatown before shopping for good luck charms and feasting on dumplings, noodles, and mooncakes.

    Jones Bridge Lunar New Year 2025 fireworksImage source, BBC News
    Image caption,

    Fireworks light up the sky over a China-funded bridge that connects Manila's Chinatown to the old Spanish quarter

    Friendship arch Manila chinatownImage source, BBC News
    Image caption,

    Filipinos take photos of the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch

    Revelers in Manila Chinatown for Lunar New Year 2025Image source, BBC News
    Image caption,

    Lunar New Year revelers pose for pictures as they count down to the Lunar New Year

    Revelers in Manila Chinatown for Lunar New Year 2025Image source, BBC News
    Image caption,

    A boy views a fireworks display from his dad's shoulders

  10. Were you also born in the year of the snake?published at 04:06 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 04:06 29 January

    Stephen McDonell
    China correspondent

    If this is your year congratulations! Well errr... not really.

    According to Chinese tradition, when your turn comes around – every 12 years – this is a time of potentially bad luck.

    You see, you have offended the God of Age, Tai Sui.

    The way to get around all the misfortune which could potentially come your way is to wear something red everyday (red socks, red underpants, a red t-shirt etc) to scare away the evil spirits.

    So, pay attention if you were born in 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 or 1929.

    The way many people in China achieve this evil-amelioration is to wear a red wristband during their year, often with a little image of their zodiac sign, in this case a snake.

    Even for those who don’t really believe in such superstitions this is seen as a fun thing to do and a big part of Chinese traditional culture, whether it be here or in the many Chinese communities around the world.

    A red wrist band with a little image of the snake
  11. Time for Hanbok and Sabae in South Koreapublished at 03:45 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 03:45 29 January

    David Oh
    BBC Korean

    Two children, a boy and a girl, wearing traditional Korean attire and bowing on the wooden floor of a traditional Korean homeImage source, Getty Images

    For many children, Seollal, or Lunar New Year’s Day, is all about two exciting traditions: wearing their traditional wear - hanbok - and receiving sabaetdon (New Year's cash).

    Seollal, one of Korea’s most significant holidays, brings families together to celebrate. Children dressed in hanbok kneel and perform a deep bow, known as Sabae, to their elders. In return, the elders offer words of wisdom and small cash gifts.

    During my childhood, receiving 10,000 KRW (about $7) was thrilling. Nowadays, the average sabaetdon, saebae money, has increased to 50,000 KRW (around $40).

    Today, the tradition continues. My children are just as eager for Seollal as I was - whether it’s for the hanbok or the sabaetdon. It’s a joy to see this cherished tradition passed down through generations.

  12. A messy salad toss for good luckpublished at 03:23 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 03:23 29 January

    In Singapore and Malaysia, it is not uncommon to see people gathered around a huge plate of what appears to be a messy salad, made up of various ingredients, including shredded vegetables and raw fish.

    It's a tradition called lohei and is believed to bring good luck.

    The dish is made up of different ingredients that are deemed auspicious. Fish for example, is a main ingredient in the dish - with the word for fish sounding like the word for abundance.

    The dish is meant to be mixed together by tossing it high in the air - the idea is, the higher you toss the salad, the more luck you will attract.

    Media caption,

    Chinese New Year food: How to get rich tossing fish

  13. How were the animals chosen for the Chinese zodiac?published at 02:52 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 02:52 29 January

    Chinese paper cuttings of the 12 animals of the zodiac, arranged in orderImage source, Getty Images

    There are several versions of the legend behind how the Chinese zodiac came about, but they all take similar forms. Here's the story:

    The heavenly ruler, known as the Jade Emperor, organised an animal race on his birthday to decide how the years should be named.

    As the race starts, the main hurdle was obvious: a river with swift currents.

    The Rat, which could not swim, asked the Ox if it could get a ride across the river. The kind Ox obliged, but as they approached the end point on the shore, the Rat jumped ahead of the Ox and scampered across the finish line, coming in first place. The Ox had to settle for second.

    The Tiger came in third and the Rabbit, which hopped on stones and floated to shore on a log, came in fourth.

    The Dragon, which was delayed after stopping to help some villagers along the way, took fifth place.

    Shortly after, the Horse galloped near, looking poised to cross the finish line. But suddenly the Snake appeared from the Horse's hoof, where it had hidden. The Horse got a shock and stumbled back as the Snake slithered to sixth place. The Horse got seventh.

    The Goat, Monkey and Rooster worked together to cross the river, coming in eighth, ninth and 10th.

    In 11th place was the Dog, which had gotten distracted playing in the river water.

    And trotting in with last place was the Pig, which had napped and snacked along the way.

  14. Wishing you a Happy Lunar New Year - from China, Korea and Vietnampublished at 02:51 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 02:51 29 January

    BBC Language Service teams

    Big decorative dragon on the streets of Hong Kong, Hong Kong was already getting ready for the New Year of the dragon.Image source, Getty Images

    In Mandarin, people say "xin nian kuai le", while in Cantonese it is "sang neen fai lok". Both simply mean "Happy New Year".

    But another equally common greeting in those languages is "gong xi fa cai" or "gung hey fatt choy", which means "wishing you prosperity".

    In Korean, the common greeting is "Saehae bok mani badeuseyo" meaning "wishing you lots of blessings".

    In Vietnamese, "Happy New Year" is "chuc mung nam moi".

  15. Hello and welcome to our live coveragepublished at 02:50 Greenwich Mean Time 29 January
    published at 02:50 29 January

    Fan Wang
    Live page editor

    Artists perform a dragon dance to welcome Chinese Lunar New Year in Zhangye cityImage source, Getty Images

    There will be gifts, reunions with friends and family, and plenty of food - dumplings, rice cakes, mandarin oranges and many more. It's that time again, when millions around the world welcome the start of the Lunar New Year.

    Widely considered to be the most important event in the year for many in Asia and some Asian communities worldwide, the Lunar New Year represents a fresh start for those who celebrate.

    Follow us as we take a look at the various ways different communities are celebrating today - whether its the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam or Seollal in Korea.And if you're among them, here's wishing you a very happy Lunar New Year!