Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, February 22 (Xinhua) — The Spring Festival (Chunjie, the traditional Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar) embodies universal values and embodies ideas such as cyclicality and unity. This gives it a truly universal resonance, which is recognized internationally. Konstantin Baraboshkin, head of the Chinese Philology Department at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University (IAAS MSU), stated this in a recent interview with Xinhua.
"At the end of 2024, the Spring Festival and the Chinese people's associated social practices were included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is truly global recognition, an acknowledgement of the festival's impact on the entire world," the scientist noted.
He believes that Spring Festival is, in many ways, the quintessence of Chinese culture. "Many of the traditions and customs of Spring Festival celebrations were formed a very, very long time ago," noted K. Baraboshkin. The sinologist recalled that, unlike many other cultures, Chinese culture has been continuous: the historical tradition, which originated many millennia ago, is still alive today.
K. Baraboshkin explained that Spring and Autumn was not so much a New Year in the sense of a calendar date, but rather a symbol of the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one. Seasonal and ritual traditions developed around this in China, and over time, the holiday expanded beyond its sacred sphere and became increasingly popular.
The sinologist emphasized that the idea of unity is the most important aspect of the Spring Festival. He drew attention to the festival's multifaceted unifying power: from family reunions over the festive table to the unity of villages, provinces, and the entire country. "China is moving toward the 2049 goal of realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, and I believe the Spring Festival is central to China. That's why it's celebrated on such a grand scale, because it underscores this unity," the Xinhua source noted.
K. Baraboshkin identified two layers of content in the Spring and Autumn Period: on the one hand, it is a unique legacy of Chinese culture; on the other, it contains universal human values, including the idea of unity, the idea of the end of the old and the beginning of the new.
"Among Russians, Spring Festival is still often perceived as exotic, but on the other hand, they recognize the common human values that underlie this holiday. It is precisely through these common human values that this holiday becomes universal. And that is why it has been recognized, including by UNESCO, as an intangible cultural heritage," the scientist concluded.
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