Little New Year sparks festive folk celebrations across China

In traditional Chinese culture, the 23rd or 24th day of the twelfth month of the traditional Chinese calendar is known as Xiaonian, or "Little New Year," a festive milestone that marks the countdown to the Spring Festival. In northern China, the Xiaonian Festival is celebrated on the 23rd day, today this year, while in the south it falls on the 24th. Also called the Kitchen God Festival, the day marks a time when families pause their year-end routines to honor the Kitchen God and bid farewell to the household deity, while vibrant folk celebrations unfold across the country.

In Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, a lively folk street parade welcomed Little New Year with dragon dances, land-boat performances and elaborately dressed folk artists filling the streets with laughter and a growing sense of festivity. Similar scenes were seen in Liaocheng, Shandong Province, where traditional performances such as bamboo-horse dances and land-boat shows drew enthusiastic crowds, creating a joyful atmosphere ahead of Spring Festival.

Historically, before the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Little New Year was observed on the 24th day of the twelfth month of the traditional Chinese calendar across both northern and southern China. After the Qing Dynasty, the date in the north gradually shifted to the 23rd, while the south retained the original tradition. The change is believed to have originated in the imperial court, where rituals honoring the Kitchen God were combined with ancestral worship to reduce ceremonial expenses, a practice later adopted by the nobility and eventually spread among the northern populace. Today, the dual dates reflect the rich diversity and continuity of China's folk traditions.