Spring Festival
It's a lot like Christmas, and New Years, and Easter, and 
(for Americans) Thanksgiving all rolled into one holiday. While celebrated all over the world, one-fifth of the world's population consider it the most important holiday of the year. It is know as Chunjie, or Spring Festival on the mainland. You probably know it as Chinese New Years.
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Traditionally, Spring Festival lasts for two weeks, beginning on the first day of the first new moon following the winter solstice. The actual day varies from year to year, usually anytime from mid-January to mid-February. In 2006, the festival begins January 30th. And 2006 is the Year of the Dog. (By the way, if your birthday falls in 2006 but before January 30th, you are not a dog, you belong to the Year of the Rooster. Keep this in mind when selecting a marriage partner.) The holiday ends in the full moon, called the Lantern Festival. Red lanterns are hung from houses and shops bringing the holiday to a beautiful end.
For many Chinese workers, it is their only holiday for the entire year. The week before the holiday signals the beginning of the largest human migration on the planet as workers and students return to their hometowns to see family and friends. This places an enormous burden on the transportation system. Government officials predict an estimated 2 billion trips during this holiday travel season,
known as chunyun. Over 300 extra trains (not cars; trains) and close to 700,000 large- and medium-sized buses will be added. The train stations in the larger cities resemble large-scale ant hills. Buying a train ticket, any classification, is like buying a ticket to the Super Bowl at face value, not impossible just extremely difficult.
On the mainland, the holiday retains some of the traditional customs with a few modern twists. The holiday begins with a reunion dinner of family and friends on the eve of New Year's Day. In the north, the most famous Spring Festival food is jaiozi--Chinese dumplings or raviolis. They are prepared at home and eaten at the stroke of midnight, portending good luck and fortune for the upcoming year. A coin in placed into one jiaozi, bringing one careful eater especially good luck.
Before the holiday, the house is cleaned, with all the misfortune of the past year swept away as it were. An offer of honey or other sweets is left in the kitchen to be found by the Kitchen God who visits every home and reports back to the heavens. New clothes are purchased and hair is cut to get ready. To get a haircut during the holiday is considered bad luck. Nowadays though, Spring Festival is the time for some of the department store's biggest sales of the year.
Through the centuries, the Chinese discovered that Evil Spirits were quite fearful of loud noises and the color red.
Hence, red is the most auspicious color and fireworks are employed to scare away evil spirits (and small dogs). Both will definitely be on the run in Beijing this year as the government will, for the first time in 12 years, permit fireworks in the city proper. They have issued safety regulations to assist proper implementation. A few of the regulations outline where they may not be used; hospitals, kindergartens, nursing homes, petrol stations, and key military installations. Throwing lit fireworks into crowds and lighting them inside apartment buildings are frowned upon. Article XVI makes it clear no person should have more than 70 lbs of fireworks stored. Makes sense.
The people of Beijing like to visit "temple fairs" during the holiday. These are carnival-like gatherings offering food, drink, street performers, arts and crafts displays, and sweets for the kids. Although many are held in parks now, they still retain their traditional name, miao hui. Visiting one is a good time; visiting two is considered bad luck.
The holiday is spent like many others around the world, catching up with family members and friends, planning for the New Year, shopping, and eating. Lots of eating. A favorite pastime for whiling away the hours is playing majiang (majhoong). It is a tile game similar to gin rummy, combining straights or runs with three-of-a-kind, to get rid of your tiles before your opponents do. The game requires four players and is easily picked up. The game becomes truly interesting though when money is involved. It is then one can view four old normally quiet, soft-spoken women become like pit traders, with money and tiles flying everywhere.
A more modern way to bring in the holiday is for the 
family to watch the CCTV Spring Festival Extravaganza. Originating in the capital, it is broadcasted throughout the mainland and via cable worldwide. It has to be among the most widely-watched television programs in the world. The six-hour long show features the country's most popular celebrities sing, dance, act and generally welcome in the New Year. It is replayed throughout the holiday period and even throughout the year. One doesn't need to understand Mandarin to enjoy it. Check your local listings.
While Christmas is now celebrated in China, the celebration is more about Christmas decorations, and elevator-style music and fake antlers on the heads of Kentucky Fried Chicken workers and Santa hats on those at Pizza Hut. All the accoutrements are there, the only thing lacking is the spirit.
It is impossible to be in China and not get caught up in the excitement of Spring Festival. The subway stations start filling up with folks and their suitcases--roller bags for the well-off, painted canvas bags for those not so. Shoppers crowd the markets selecting that special gift for their boss. Specially-prepared fruit baskets start appearing at the fruit stalls. After a quick hello, the first question between friends is "what are you doing for the holidays?" Apartments get their annual cleaning. Red lanterns and red banners welcoming the New Year are hung at hotels and restaurants. Paper cuts are pasted on windows. Strings of tiny plastic flowers line the entrance of small hole-in-the-wall snack shops. The excitement is infectious and it is a great time to be in China.
But no matter where you are in the world, we hope Year of the Dog will bring you good fortune and prosperity. Chunjie Kuaile! Happy Spring Festival!
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Jee-oow-dz
Jiaozi is one of the most popular dishes in China and a tradition during Spring Festival. They are often called Chinese "dumplings" or "raviolis". Many call them "pot-stickers", which is really just one way of preparing them. Here is how you can make them at home.
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Jiaozi (pronounced as in the title to this article) are really quite simple to make. The difference between an expert and a novice is really only in the appearance, uniformity, and speed of preparation. But whether made by professionals or beginners, they all end up in the same place, so who cares?
Many different fillings can be used. Ground pork and diced shrimp, along with ginger,
spring onions, carrots, Chinese cabbage, and cilantro are among the most popular ingredients. But the list is only limited by one's imagination. Restaurants that feature jaiozi may have 40 or 50 versions on their menu. We'll show you how to make two different fillings, both simple and delicious.
Pork Jiaozi
-1 lb ground pork
-1 egg, beaten
-1 palmful of ginger root, diced or coarsely grated
-2 spring onions, diced
-1 teaspoon sugar
-1 small bowl of water
-sufficient jiaozi "skins" or wrappers
Note: Wontons skins may be used as they tend to be a little thinner. 
Pot-sticker skins tend to be too thick. The wontons should be round however.
Mix the pork, ginger, egg, sugar, and onions together in a bowl. Add a touch of salt and pepper. Place a skin in your left palm (reverse if you're left-handed). Add a small spoonful of the mixture onto the skin. With a single chopstick (or your finger), add a thin film of water to the outermost inside edges of the skin. (This will help the skin to adhere to itself.) Firmly press the skin edges together. This is where the artistry comes into play. See the pictures for the difference. The key here is to make sure the skin is tightly sealed. Continue this process until the ingredients or you are exhausted.
Vegetarian Jaiozi
-3 eggs, beaten with a teaspoon of water
-2 green bell peppers, diced or coarsely grated
-1 small bowl of water
-Jiaozi skins
First scramble the eggs in a bit of oil that has been preheated. Add a bit of salt and pepper to flavor. The eggs should be fluffy and not browned. Remove and let cool. Mix the eggs with the diced peppers. Drop a spoonful of the mixture unto the skin. Repeat the process described above. Remember, tightly close the skin.
Families will prepare dozens of jiaozi at a time. They can be 
frozen and then cooked at a later date. It makes for a quick and easy meal.
Cooking Instructions
There are several ways to cook jaiozi. They can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried (this is what is know as pot-stickers.) We will show the traditional, northern way of boiling them, handed down from generation to generation. These are called shui jiao, or water jaiozi.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully add the individual jiaozi, being careful they don't stick together. Once the water starts to boil again, add a bit of cold water, just enough to stop the boiling. Let the water return to a boil. Again add enough cold water to stop the boiling. Once the water comes to a boil for the third time, the jiaozi are cooked and ready to be served. Remove from the water and let cool just a tad.
Serving suggestions
The shui jiao are eaten in China with black rice vinegar. Do not use white vinegar. This borders on the sacrilegious. Many folks like to add some ground chili peppers to add a bit of "bite" to the vinegar.
Proper etiquette calls for eating the single jaiozi in two bites. 
The first bite should be small enough just to take off one of the ends. The jiaozi is then dipped into the vinegar to let some of the vinegar inside. The second bite polishes it off. If you tend to make monster jiaozi, you would add a third bite. It would also be considered "crude" to use your chopsticks to "spear" the jiaozi.
But however you cook and however you eat them, jiaozi are quite tasty and a great way to bring in the New Year.
Good luck! Let us know how you fare.
Is it safe?
The question comes in many shapes and sizes, but it's always asked. Is it safe to eat from the street vendors? Can I drink the water? Is it okay to eat salads? Do they really eat dog? The short answers are yes, sometimes, no, and yes. But there's a little more to it than that.
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One of the real pleasures of visiting China is experiencing the different foods. And at the risk of over generalizing, you haven't had the "real deal" until you have visited. Some people, unfortunately, have listened to so many tall tales before coming, they suffer a mild anxiety attack each time they feel a hunger pang. That's no way to travel. A few simple precautions will keep you safe, and an open mind will reveal a new world of dining.
If you are allergic to any foods, it is very important to either learn the words in Mandarin or let your host know. Those with reactions to peanuts and MSG (a seasoning additive) should be particularly careful.
Although the water in most major cities is quite safe, it is best not to take any chances. Only drink bottled or boiled water. All hotels will have a thermos of boiled water, a water dispenser, or bottled water in every room. Try to buy your bottled water in markets in lieu of off the street. It isn't necessary to check the seal of each bottle, better to check to English words on the bottle. Nestle has a huge business selling bottled water in China.
Avoid buffets like the plague, whether in an airport or a five-star hotel.
Food that sits after cooking is a breeding ground for nasty bacteria that can turn your digestive system inside out. That is why it is actually quite safe to eat at street markets (all other things being equal). The food is eaten immediately after cooking.
The old standby of traveling that says "if you can't cook it, wash it, or peel it, don't eat it" applies to China as well. That is why salad bars should be avoided. The Chinese eat very few vegetables without cooking them first. For good reason; even a quick dip and a couple of turns in hot oil will kill the germs without depleting the nutritional value or taste of the vegetable.
If traveling independently, well, good luck. You will miss out on a large part of the food experience. Even the bravest soul with the largest dictionary available will find it difficult to order and actually know what is being served. Your best bet is stick to street stalls, backpackers' cafes, and McDonalds.
The path to opening up the world of Chinese cuisine is quite straightforward. Try every different dish you can. If you like it, eat more. If you don't, politely decline. Let your sense of taste and smell determine your experience and not some preconceived notions. Do not be surprised if every ingredient cannot be translated into English. Some veggies over here are indigenous and there is no English word.
Put simply, don't be picky.
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