When is the Lunar New Year in Taiwan?

Usually in January or February. Here are a few dates for the next few years:

• 2025: January 29 (Year of the Snake)
• 2026: February 17 (Year of the Horse)
• 2027: February 6 (Year of the Goat)
• 2028: January 26 (Year of the Monkey)
• 2029: February 13 (Year of the Rooster)
• 2030: February 3 – (Year of the Dog)
• 2031: January 23 – (Year of the Pig)
• 2032: February 11 – (Year of the Rat)
• 2033: January 31 – (Year of the Ox)
• 2034: February 19 – (Year of the Tiger)
• 2035: February 8 – (Year of the Rabbit)
• 2036: January 28 – (Year of the Dragon)
• 2037: February 15 – (Year of the Snake)

As you can see, the Lunar New Year follows a 12-year cycle of animals in the Chinese zodiac.

What do Animals in the Chinese Zodiac Mean?

The 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac each represent different personality traits, characteristics, and fortunes. These animals rotate in a 12-year cycle, with each year associated with one of the animals. Here’s a breakdown of their meanings:

Rat (鼠): Intelligent, resourceful, and quick-witted.
Ox (牛): Reliable, hardworking, and patient.
Tiger (虎): Courageous, confident, and bold.
Rabbit (兔): Gentle, kind, and diplomatic.
Dragon (龍): Ambitious, charismatic, and energetic.
Snake (蛇): Wise, intuitive, and mysterious.
Horse (馬): Independent, adventurous, and energetic.
Goat (羊): Compassionate, artistic, and harmonious.
Monkey (猴): Witty, lively, and resourceful.
Rooster (鷄): Observant, hardworking, and disciplined.
Dog (狗): Loyal, honest, and kind.
Pig (猪): Generous, warm-hearted, and optimistic.

History of Lunar New Year in Taiwan

Lunar New Year festival dates back to ancient China and is celebrated throughout Asia. it is generally believed that they began during the Yin-Shang period (3000 BC) with year-end sacrifices to gods and ancestors.
The Chinese name for a year (年 nián) originally meant ripe grain, which meant one full year of harvest had passed.
The last day of the lunar year (the 30th day of the 12th month) is called Chuxi (除夕, New Year’s Eve). On this night, families gather for a reunion dinner, which is the last meal of the year. After the meal, traditions like giving gifts of money and staying up late take place, symbolizing seeing out the old year and welcoming the new one.
At the end of the year, people would slaughter livestock, offer sacrifices to their ancestors and the heavens, and pray for favorable weather, safety, and a prosperous harvest in the coming year. Therefore, some believe the Chinese New Year originated from shamanistic practices.

According to folklore, during the Spring Festival, a ferocious beast called Nian (年) or Xi (夕) appeared in the wild. The Nian beast would emerge once a year, devouring people and livestock. To avoid the Nian, ancestors of the Yan and Huang tribes would gather as a family to resist the beast. Through countless confrontations, they discovered that the Nian feared the color red, fire, and loud noises. Thus, people began hanging red couplets, lighting fires at their doorsteps, and setting off firecrackers to drive away the Nian. Over time, these practices became part of the New Year traditions. The practices continued wherever there are Chinese diaspora, such as in Taiwan and throughout East and Southeast Asia.

Traditions During the Lunar Festival Day by Day:

In Taiwan, there are special traditions associated with each day of the festival. Below is a brief summary of each day of the festival for your reference.

Day 1: Little New Year (小年, Xiǎo nián) / Spring Cleaning (大掃除 dà sǎo chú)

During this time, the family usually cleans the house known as the biggest house cleaning of the year 大掃除 “dà sǎo chú” which also symbolizes leaving bad luck and making way for good fortune.

Day 2: New Year’s Eve (除夕, Chúxī): Go to husband’s parent’s house for dinner

This is the most important day of the lunar festival. During this time there is usually a family reunion dinner at the husband’s family home or the oldest living patriarch’s home. This is known as Reunion Dinner (年夜飯, Nián yèfàn) and usually includes fish which symbolizes surplus, dumplings which symbolize wealth, and sticky rice cake which symbolizes higher achievements.

It is customary also for family members to exchange red envelopes filled with money. More on that later.
Traditional families also conduct ancestor worship at this time.
The house is also often decorated with red banners with auspicious phrases welcoming in the new year.?
Also, families usually stay up late to make sure the new year comes smoothly and to ward off evil and bring longevity.

Day 3: New Year’s Day (初一, Chū yī): Stay at husband’s house

The second day of the Lunar Festival usually includes staying with the husband’s family, playing games such as Mahjong, or going on outings. People also like to wear red at this time to welcome the new year and bring good luck. Traditional families will also visit temples to worship.

Day 4: Son-in-Law Day (初四, Chū sì) Spend time with the wife’s family

During this time, families return to the wife’s family and bring gifts. Usually, this means the wife’s family will have a reunion with the oldest surviving family members and their descendants, enjoy a meal, worship at a temple, or go for an outing.

Day 5: Separation Day (初五, Chū wǔ) Avoiding Social Visits

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is considered an inauspicious day for social visits due to the belief that it may result in arguments and conflicts. Think of it as “me time.”
The fifth day is also the first day of work for many people, although they may start on the third, fourth, or eighth day, etc.

Start Work (開工 Kāi gōng)

As mentioned above, starting work again may start on the third, fourth, or eighth day, etc. depending on the business or the calendar for that year. After this day, the Lunar New Year holiday is pretty much over.

Other Traditions During Lunar New Year Day by Day:

There are other traditions for the later days of the Lunar New Year holiday, but they are usually not celebrated except by superstitious or religious people. So for the purposes of this blog, we can end the traditions here. However, just for reference, here are some other traditions I found on the internet:

Day 5: Breaking Five (破五, Pò wǔ)
Restrictions on various activities during the first four days of the New Year are lifted, and it’s a day to break the taboos, including sweeping and throwing out garbage. Families prepare a special meal to welcome the God of Wealth and bring prosperity for the year ahead. Setting off firecrackers is common to celebrate and scare away bad spirits.
Day 6: Sending Away the Poverty (送窮, Sòng qióng)
Families clean up and dispose of garbage, symbolically sending away poverty. It’s a suitable day for visits and gatherings with friends and relatives.
Day 7: Human Day (人日, Rén rì)
This day is considered the birthday of all humans. It’s common to eat dishes like “seven-vegetable soup” or raw fish salad, known as “Yusheng,” which symbolizes good fortune. People avoid punishing children or animals on this day to promote kindness and harmony.
Day 8: Eve of the Jade Emperor’s Birthday (初八, Chū bā)
Preparations are made for the Jade Emperor’s birthday, with offerings of food, incense, and paper money. Families often have another reunion dinner and make special prayers for blessings.
Day 9: Birthday of the Jade Emperor (天公生, Tiān gōng shēng)
This day is dedicated to honoring the Jade Emperor, a major deity in Taoism. People set up altars, light incense, and make offerings, especially at midnight.
Day 10-12: Feasting with Friends and Relatives
These days are often filled with feasting and visiting friends and extended family. People exchange gifts and enjoy various delicacies.
Day 13: Purification Day (上燈日, Shàng dēng rì)
After days of heavy feasting, people usually eat simple vegetarian meals to cleanse the digestive system. Some people make offerings to Guan Yu, the God of War, for protection and justice.
Day 14: Preparations for Lantern Festival
People start preparing lanterns and decorations for the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Day 15: Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuánxiāo jié)
The festival features beautiful lantern displays, and people write riddles on lanterns for others to guess.
Eating tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls) symbolizes family unity and happiness. You can check out our blog on the Lantern Festival here.

What is there to do During the Lunar New Year in Taiwan?

In Taiwan, the Spring Festival is typically a holiday celebrated at home or on outings with family. While there are many lantern decorations, performances, and religious activities during this time, you will see most people at home with their families enjoying food. Here is how you can enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival in Taiwan:

Wear Red Clothes

People also like to wear red at this time to welcome the new year and bring good luck. You can find red clothes at the store. Some people only pull out their red clothes once a year for the Lunar New Year.

Give Red Envelopes to Children and Elders

How much money should I put in my red envelope for relatives or friends?

Numbers that start with 1, 2, 3, and 6 are okay. For instance, 200, 600, 1200, 1600, 2000, 2200, 3200, 3600, 6000, 6600, 8800, 10000, and 12000 are okay. 
Avoid the number 4 at all costs, because the sound is similar to death “si 死.” Some say that the number 8 is bad because it sounds like “depart 別” but others say it is good because it sounds like “發 fa get rich.”

Where can I get the 20 NT coin, and 200 NT or 2000 NT bills?

You can find these at local banks in Taiwan. Most stores do not carry them. I recommend going to the Bank of Taiwan. I read online that some Bank of Taiwan ATMs carry them, like at the bank located at Taipei City Hall MRT station, but I have never seen one. 

Eat Fish, Dumplings, and Sticky Rice at New Year’s Eve Dinner

There is a Chinese saying 年年有魚 (nián nián yǒu yú, meaning May you have fish every year) is a homophone for 年年有餘 (nián nián yǒu yú, meaning May you have surplus every year), and both are popular Lunar New Year blessings. 魚 (yú), meaning “fish,” sounds the same as 餘 (yú), meaning “surplus” or “abundance.” This wordplay is the reason for the use of “fish” as a symbol. During Lunar New Year, fish is often served as part of the feast. The way it is prepared and eaten carries symbolic meaning.

The fish is usually not completely eaten, leaving leftovers to symbolize abundance. Sometimes, the head and tail are left intact to signify a good start and end to the year.

Dumplings (餃子 jiǎo zi) resemble ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots (元宝, yuán bǎo), which were used as currency. Eating dumplings during Lunar New Year symbolizes attracting wealth and prosperity..

Sticky rice (年糕 Niangao) has a gluey texture representing family cohesion and strong bonds, which are highly valued during the New Year.

Hang Couplets (春聯 chūn lián)

Spring couplets are traditional decorations used during the Lunar New Year. These couplets, featuring auspicious phrases written in Chinese calligraphy on red paper, are commonly displayed on walls or doors to enhance the festive atmosphere, invoke blessings, and ward off evil spirits. The tradition of hanging spring couplets originated in the Song Dynasty (1200 AD), and were initially handwritten with brushes. Modern spring couplets are often machine-printed, and their materials now include fabric and plastic. Spring couplets are widespread, much like Christmas Decorations in the US, except many people leave the same couplets on their house all year round, only changing them once a year, or keeping them for multiple years.

Light Fireworks

The Lunar New Year is an appropriate time to light fireworks. Be prepared to see lots of fireworks being lit off everywhere. Fireworks are thought to scare off the Nian Beast and evil spirits, bringing good luck for the new year.

Worship Ancestors

Along with visiting family, traditional Taiwanese families will also take time to visit their ancestors or ancestral hall and give offerings.

Visit Temples

Visiting Temples is a popular activity during the new year. Oftentimes, temples are conveniently located next to tourist “Old Streets” or night markets where it is convenient to snack.

Play Mahjong and other games

Some families like to play rounds of Mahjong endlessly for days. For some, it is the only time to gamble throughout the year. Some people choose not to gamble and just play for fun. Some people play other board games. May your Mahjong hand be better than mine.

Go on outings

The New Year Holiday is a prime time to travel to Taiwan and check out different sites because there is such a long vacation. Check out our travel guide to Taiwan here for ideas. Some people might go on an overseas trip.
People also may choose to just go to the movies, go to the mall, visit restaurants, and stay close to home.

Send Endless LINE Photos or Stickers

Lunar New Year is the time of year to receive endless New Year greeting photos from all the LINE groups. LINE is the most popular communication App in Taiwan.

My Experience as a Foreigner During the Lunar New Year in Taiwan:

The first time I really experienced Lunar New Year was when I visited while doing an internship in China. China was closed for the whole month, so I decided to visit some friends in Taiwan. I took a train ride around the entire island and visited mostly Hualien and Taitung. I also went camping in Kenting, swam at the beach, and visited nearby hot springs. The traffic to and from Kenting was horrendous. However, I do not recall the tourist spots being very crowded. At that time, my friend’s parents gave me a red envelope with 600 NT. I was surprised to receive this, especially considering I was not a family member.

After marrying my Taiwanese wife and settling down in Taiwan, we have spent almost every Lunar New Year with her Taiwanese family in Taipei. Two exceptions were taking a trip to the Philippines, and going to Hualien. After the visit to Hualien, my wife told me that we should not have gone because we were missing out on quality time with her extended family. Since then, I have not tried to schedule any big vacations during Lunar New Year and stay close to her family.

Since I am not Taiwanese or Chinese, I do not have to go back to my father’s family on Lunar New Year’s Eve, so we always spend it at my wife’s family’s house. It involves a big dinner always with fish, dumplings, and sticky rice. Also, we watch movies and usually play Mahjong nonstop for days. After that sometimes we visit my mother-in-law’s family on the second day and have dinner. Sometimes also we will go hit up a hot spring resort. After the first three or four days of Lunar New Year, the family does not have to stay together every day, so we are free to go do our own thing like take a trip down south. Usually, the traffic is not as bad during the Lunar New Year because the holiday is so long and spread out, but hotels will be much more expensive. Campsites will be about the same price.

Tips for Traveling During Lunar (Chinese) New Year in Taiwan

• The airports can be packed, and flights will usually be more expensive.
• The roads will be jammed going south on the first day and jammed going north on the last day.
• It may be hard to book train tickets during the holiday.
• Hotels will be more expensive than normal. Every day will be like a Saturday night price.
• Camping spots should stay the same price.
• Tourist spots may be packed with people.
• For more information, you can check out our Taiwan transportation guide here.

If you are a foreign tourist visiting Taiwan, consider avoiding travel during the first day of the Lunar New Year. If you don’t like crowds, avoid the holiday altogether.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for our Taiwan festival guide to come.