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Festivals

How China celebrates, and the stories behind each holiday.

Choose a levelRead at your level

Every reading sits at the level where most of its words are taught

HSK 167 readings HSK 232 readings HSK 328 readings HSK 435 readings HSK 519 readings HSK 620 readings

19 readings

Article · 1 min audio为什么中国人过年要给红包？Why do Chinese people give red envelopes?Money in a little red envelope. A monster scared off by red paper. And Mum, who will just “look after it” for you.HSK 3

Story · 2 min audio嫦娥奔月The legend of Chang’eTen suns in the sky. One elixir. And the woman China looks for on the moon every Mid-Autumn.HSK 5

Article · 3 min audio什么是春运？What is Chunyun, China’s Spring Festival travel rush?Over nine billion trips in forty days. One train ticket everyone wants. And a suitcase that goes home half full and comes back stuffed.HSK 6

Story · 3 min audio牛郎织女The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl: the story behind QixiA cowherd with nothing but an old ox. A weaver girl from heaven. A river of stars between them, and one night a year to cross it.HSK 4

Article · 2 min audio双十一是怎么来的？Where did Singles Day come from?Four 1s in a row. A joke among single students in Nanjing that grew into China’s biggest shopping festival.HSK 4

Story · 1 min audio生日快乐Happy birthday in ChineseA big day. Nobody says a word. Then Dad comes home with a cake.HSK 1

Article · 1 min audio新年快乐，过年好！How to say happy new year in ChineseTwo new years. Two ways to say it. One very long night at a Chinese family’s table.HSK 1

Story · 1 min audio八种笔画Chinese calligraphy for beginnersAnna wants to write one 福 for Spring Festival. Her calligraphy teacher gives her a different character, and only that one, for three weeks.HSK 2

Article · 1 min audio月饼里面有什么？What are mooncakes?A red box of little round cakes, a festival under the full moon, and an egg where you least expect one.HSK 2

Article · 1 min audio端午节：龙舟和粽子What is the Dragon Boat Festival?Boats with dragon heads, a poet in a river two thousand years ago, and the one question about rice dumplings that starts arguments.HSK 2

Article · 1 min audio元宵节：看灯、猜谜语What is the Lantern Festival?Chinese New Year isn't over until the fifteenth night. Come and see the lanterns, eat something round, and try to solve the riddle before we tell you.HSK 2

Story · 2 min audio奶奶的麻将桌How to play mahjong: grandma's tableShe has never touched a mahjong tile. Grandma teaches her in one minute, she wins the first hand, and she keeps winning. Then she sees grandma's tiles.HSK 2