Why do we wear new clothes during the Spring Festival? What is the significance of wearing new clothes during the Spring Festival?

Why do we wear new clothes during the Chinese New Year? Why do we wear new clothes during the Spring Festival? Let’s take a look at why we wear new clothes during the New Year.

Why do we wear new clothes during the Chinese New Year?

The Origin of Wearing New Clothes During the Chinese New Year <br/>Every time the Chinese New Year comes, people will wear new clothes to express their joyful welcome to the new year. The Spring Festival is the Lunar New Year, which generally refers to New Year’s Eve and the first day of the first lunar month. However, the traditional Spring Festival among the people is the La Festival on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the encounter on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The first day of the first lunar month is the most important day. During the Spring Festival, many Han and ethnic minorities hold various activities to celebrate. The main contents of such activities are to worship gods and ancestors, get rid of the old and welcome the new, welcome happiness and blessings, and wish a good harvest. There are usually many activities during the New Year, and each place has its own characteristics. There is also a custom of wearing new clothes during the Tibetan New Year.

Social factors behind wearing new clothes during the Chinese New Year

Wearing new clothes during the Spring Festival is related to China's agricultural society. In the Yellow River Basin, crops usually harvest once a year, and jobs only have year-end bonuses at the end of the year. Unlike now, basic jobs are paid monthly. You can buy new clothes every week, and this year's expenses are all used from last year's income. Therefore, when the New Year is approaching, you have to change into new clothes. Buying new clothes represents a new year and a new atmosphere. New clothes are a celebration of the coming spring.
Wearing new clothes also has the meaning of warding off evil and inviting good luck. No matter rich or poor, everyone has to put on new clothes at this time.

Class differences in wearing new clothes during the Chinese New Year

During the Chinese New Year, every family will buy new clothes for themselves, but the new clothes bought by different families are different.
In the past, new clothes for wealthy people and big families were usually made of nylon, wool and silk.
The new clothes for children from poor families can be made of coarse cloth or old clothes, but they are all clean and tidy, different from usual times.
This embodies the ancient people's beautiful wishes to ward off evil spirits, avoid disasters and receive good luck.

The Chinese New Year’s Eve is called “chu”, which means replacement. Everyone has to get rid of the old and wear new clothes, and new clothes are one of them.