Chinese New Year is often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar. It is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration and the correct naming is hence "Asian New Year".
In China it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name, owing to the difference between Western and traditional Chinese methods for computing the seasons. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western carnival.
The festival begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xi or "Eve of the Passing Year."
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunisolar Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in the most.Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,Taiwan, Thailand, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere.
Source: Wikipedia
