Life of Guangzhou - Spring Festival and Valentine's Day Finally Meet

Spring Festival and Valentine's Day have not coincided since 1953 and it will only happen again in thirty-eight years in 2048. Although previously an insignificant festival in China, Valentine's Day has taken on a certain importance in recent years. Lovers now frequently exchange gifts and promises but this year, for most of the young unmarried couples, there'll have to choose between their family and their lover ... a situation which will inevitably lead to a few amusing conflicts.

The reason these two festivals coincide at irregular intervals is due to the differences between the ancient lunar calendar and the more accurate solar calendar. Valentine's Day is set on the 14th February, whereas the Spring Festival begins on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. That changes date on the solar calendar each year. This means that the Spring Festival can occur any time between January 21st and February 20th.

Between 1895 and 2104, Spring Festival and Valentine's Day occurred simultaneously in: 1915, 1934, 1953, 2010, 2048, 2067 and 2086.

(Katherine Zhang, David Keyton)

[More Guangzhou News]