Chinas history dates back around 5,000 years，and comprises a large number of traditional festivals, which are rich on tradition, excitement and participation. It is no exaggeration to say that traditional Chinese festivals play an important and brilliant part of the heritage of the colorful Chinese culture.

What are the main Chinese traditional festivals and how do people celebrate them?

There are eight main Chinese festivals , which include: the Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, the Pure Brightness Festival (Qingming festival), the Dragon Boat Festival, Double Seventh Festival(the 'Chinese Valentine's Day'), the Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Festival(Elder Day ), and the Winter Solstice Festival

Why does each Chinese festival fall on a different day?

The Chinese Festivals occur throughout the Lunar year. As our calendar year and the Lunar year are different, the festivals fall on different dates each year.

Agricultural civilization dominated ancient China and thus traditional festivals and customs were mainly connected to agricultural production. The rhythm of China's traditional festivals was set by the sowing and reaping of crops.
The Chinese New Year comes in winter when farmers are unable to work in the fields. The Lantern Festival ends in the Chinese New Year season. Pure Brightness Day or Tomb-Sweeping Day, which is a day to pay respect to the deceased, comes between spring plowing and summer weeding. The Dragon Boat Festival is held after one of the harvests of the year is completed.

What is the development process of traditional festivals?

The formation of traditional festivals is a long process of historical and cultural accumulation in a nation or a state.
Most traditional festivals took shape during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the first unified and power-centralized dynasty of China. Major traditional festivals were fixed by the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), when China had experienced a great development period and the 24 seasonal divisions had almost been settled. Therefore,  the beginning of Chinese festivals was particularly related to the later decided 24 seasonal division points under the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

In the most prosperous Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), traditional festivals liberated themselves from primitive sacrifice, taboo and mystery became more entertaining. From then on, festive occasions turned more brisk and exciting and more and more folk customs were developed. Some festivals and customs we still follow today, although some customs have been left back in time, and are not practiced today.

What influences the formation of the traditional festivals?

Chinese traditional festival activities always reflect primitive sacrifice, superstitious taboo and earthly life, people's spirit and religious influence. Sometimes historical figures become the focus of a festival, showing people's commemoration for them and endowing some historical sense to it.
Traditional Chinese festivals were often associated with ancient astronomy, calendars and mathematics. Jieqi, or the 24 solar terms is a key factor in forming traditional festivals.

According to the traditional Chinese calendar, a year is divided into 24 points, which can accurately show seasonal changes and acts as a basic guidance system for agricultural production.