THERE are many interesting traditions of the traditional Chinese lunar New Year in different parts of China. Qingdao is no exception.

On the Chinese Lunar New Year eve, families will tidy their houses, decorate their windows with papercuttings and have couplets and a big Chinese character fu, which means good fortune, on the doors.

The big dinner on the eve is a reunion for families. Among the most popular dishes are fish with scales, as well as dumplings with a wide variety of stuffings, including peanuts, dates, coins and sweets. It is believed that the one that eats dumplings with a coin will have luck in money.

People will also worship their ancestors and heaven and set off firecrackers to farewell the old year and welcome the new.

On the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, it is a tradition for younger people to wish their elders a happy New Year, normally for grandparents and parents and others in the same family.

The elders will always give red envelopes or lucky money to children, which is a favorite with the children. Families also visit each other.

On the second day of the New Year, each family sets off firecrackers to worship their ancestors again.

One of the places with the strongest festive mood in Qingdao is Li Village. Each year there are a lot of people go there to buy joss sticks and couplets and experience the profound festive atmosphere. It has a strong visual impact on visitors as lines of red couplets with lucky words and a wide variety of papercuttings are displayed on both sides of a river.

Visitors can also find disappearing folk items at the village, including wooden scoops, which are used to make dumpling stuffing, and old-fashioned glass pot lids. (Jane Lai)