Spring Festival is essentially an expression and manifestation of long-standing traditional Chinese cultural concepts, but is nowadays challenged, like other world cultural heritages, by the diversions of modern life.

The traditional manner of celebrating Spring Festival, and its related concepts and customs are changing as a result of social development and progress. The most drastic change is that nowadays the majority of the public takes just seven days holiday over Spring Festival, instead of spending a whole month on rest and celebration, as was the case when China's economy was based on agriculture.

Some of the main Spring Festival customs, such as putting up Spring Festival couplets, staying up late on the eve of the festival, holding a family banquet, and paying New Year calls, as well as going to temple fairs and the lantern festival, remain. They have nevertheless undergone significant modification. Today, many of the old Spring Festival taboos are defunct, and new innovations feature in festival celebrations. At the lantern festival, for example, are displayed lanterns manufactured from modern technologies, in shapes reflecting popular contemporary themes and characters, such as dinosaurs, Mickey Mouse, and UFO-style lanterns.

Dragon dance, the most representative Spring Festival celebration.

In the old days, setting off firecrackers at Spring Festival was considered essential for creating a festive atmosphere and driving away evil spirits. This practice has, however, been banned in large cities, or areas with a dense population, as a measure to prevent environmental pollution and physical injury. Firecrackers have now been substituted by small balloons on which to trample, and electric firecrackers, but neither achieves the same effect. Consequently, traditional diehards prefer to travel the long distance necessary to reach a non-restricted area, and light real firecrackers that go off with exactly the right bang volume.

Jiaozi (dumplings) were formerly a major Spring Festival dish, and although hand or machine-made frozen jiaozi are on sale in supermarkets throughout the year, families still like to gather together and make their own jiaozi during the Spring Festival, as they symbolize family reunions and harmony. This is one tradition that has successfully withstood the impact of modern life.

Traditional toys, such as clay dolls, masks, and wooden knives, are these days less appealing than computer games and electronic toys, and audiences at old-style theatrical performance are dwindling in the face of today's wide scope of colorful and diverse TV programs, available in the midst of home comforts.

There are different reactions among the public to these changes. On the one hand, young people enjoy the traditional festivities; on the other, they like to arrange activities according to their own taste. They may take the opportunity to travel abroad, or simply stay at home surfing the Internet. Older people may have mixed feelings about the changes that have occurred. They no longer need to wait until the Spring Festival to eat a luxurious meal and wear new clothes, as both are commonplace throughout the year. Spring Festival spirit does, therefore, seem a little diminished without this feeling of excited anticipation.

Street performances greatly add to the festive atmosphere.

It is gratifying to see that traditional activities and customs imbued with strong cultural connotations and family values, such as the dragon dance, the lion dance, folk art performances, and putting up Spring Festival pictures and couplets remain, having developed and been gradually integrated into modern life.

The importance of the Spring Festival lies in that it embodies the ancient Chinese philosophy "man is the integral aspect of nature." It symbolizes the harmonious unification of nature and the spring season in people's minds, and a fresh, vital starting point for both humanity and nature.