Traditions9 min
Qixi: China's Valentine's Day and what it used to be
On 19 August 2026, China celebrates Qixi. Astronomical origin, the cowherd and weaver girl legend, needle contests: the story of a festival that was never romantic.
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The Kotoba Interactive journal.
Editorial features on the cultures, history and languages of Asia. Filter by culture, by topic, or search for what inspires you.
10 articles
Traditions14 min
The Hungry Ghost Festival: China's Ghost Month
Gates of hell flung open, spirit money burned, meals left for wandering souls: inside Zhongyuan, China's ghost month and its rites.
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Traditions12 min
Chongyang: The Double Ninth Festival and Chinese Autumn
On the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, China celebrates Chongyang: climbing the heights, chrysanthemum wine, Wang Wei's poem, and honoring the elderly.
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Traditions13 min
Qingming: China's Tomb-Sweeping Festival of the Dead
Every spring, the Qingming festival gathers Chinese families around ancestral graves. Discover its origins, rites, foods, and living meaning today.
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Traditions13 min
Auspicious Dates: Picking the Right Day with the Chinese Almanac
Weddings, moving house, opening a shop: how the Chinese almanac (huangli) and the art of choosing a lucky day (zeri) still guide China's biggest decisions.
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Traditions8 min
The Dragon Boat Festival: when China paddles for Qu Yuan
History and traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 Duanwu) in China: dragon boat races, zongzi, Qu Yuan, and rituals of the fifth lunar month.
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Traditions6 min
The Lantern Festival: when China lights up the night
History and traditions of the Lantern Festival (元宵节) in China: lanterns, riddles, tangyuan, dragon and lion dances, the fifteenth night of the New Year.
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Traditions5 min
The Chinese kite: two thousand years in the wind
History of the Chinese kite (fengzheng): ancient invention, military uses, popular art, the capital Weifang and the symbolism of cutting the string in spring.
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