Never underestimate people's passion for the Chinese New Year. From red envelopes to family reunions, the Spring Festival is one of the most important and vibrant celebrations in China. But beyond fireworks and festive dinners, there are countless traditions—some beautiful, some surprising, and some that may sound completely unbelievable.
So this year, I took to the streets of Guangzhou to find out: How much do foreigners really know about the Chinese New Year? I challenged several international visitors with a series of "True or False" questions about traditional customs.
The first question: "We always sweep the floor on the first day of the Chinese New Year." Both participants confidently answered, "True." But actually, it's false. In many parts of China, sweeping the floor on New Year's Day is avoided because people believe it might sweep away good luck and fortune. The logic is simple: start the year by keeping prosperity inside the home.
The next question: "Red envelopes must contain an even amount of money." This time, they hesitated—but eventually chose "True." And they were right. Even numbers are preferred because Chinese culture values harmony and pairs. Odd numbers are often avoided, especially the number four, which sounds similar to the word for "death" in Mandarin.
Another question sparked even more curiosity: "Washing your hair on the first day of the New Year is considered unlucky." Surprisingly, this one is true in many regions. The pronunciation of "hair" (fa) sounds similar to "wealth" (fa), so washing it on the first day symbolically means washing away fortune.
But perhaps the most interesting moment came with this statement: "If you break something during Chinese New Year, it means bad luck for the whole year." This time, the participants chose "False." And they were correct. In Chinese, there's a phrase: "Sui Sui Ping An." It means "peace every year." The word "sui" sounds like the word for "break." So if something breaks, people transform the situation into a blessing through wordplay.
In many ways, Chinese New Year traditions reflect a deeper mindset: turning negativity into positivity and starting the year with hope.
So which one has surprised you most? Comment to let us know.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Video & Poster & Photo: Li Fangwang
