China hopes Spring Festival be moment of joyfulness shared by all: spokesperson

BEIJING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Thursday expressed warm congratulation on the inscription of Spring Festival on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, saying China hopes the festival will be a moment of joyfulness shared by all.

Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks in response to the news that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday inscribed Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Noting that the Spring Festival is the oldest and most important traditional festival in the Chinese culture, Lin said that the festival is always a time for family reunion and ringing in the new year.

"We have many Spring Festival traditions such as writing the character Fu which means good fortune, hanging Spring Festival couplets, making dumplings and watching dragon dance and lion dance performance, which I believe many of you are familiar with," he said.

The Spring Festival embodies peace, amity and harmony which are values cherished by the Chinese nation and civilization, making it a festival that is meaningful for China and can be enjoyed by the world, Lin said.

According to Lin, the festival is a public holiday in almost 20 countries and celebrated in various ways by about one-fifth of humanity. Last year, the 78th UN General Assembly decided to list the Lunar New Year as a UN floating holiday.

The Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake is coming in about six weeks. Lin welcomed friends from all over the world to come and experience the rich and wonderful Spring Festival culture.

"We very much hope that the festival's cultural message will contribute to a world of fewer conflicts, harmony among civilizations, and amity among peoples of the world. Hope the Spring Festival will be a moment of joyfulness shared by all," the spokesperson said.