BEIJING - More than 85 percent of respondents to a survey about the Chinese Lunar New Year said they expect the festival's traditions to be preserved, survey results have shown.

The survey, conducted online by the China Youth Daily Social Investigation Center on 7,012 people, showed that 88 percent of the participants considered reuniting with family to be the most important part of the festival.

Xu Jianguo, a teacher in Guilin Lingchuan Middle School, said that some Lunar New Year traditions in his hometown are disappearing.

"The atmosphere was not as heated as before, as the group countdown and other activities have disappeared," Xu said. "Chinese people visit seniors and friends during the holiday, which has tightly reinforced our ties."

According to the survey, 78.6 percent of respondents see the festival as an opportunity to visit relatives as many people live far from their hometowns, and 54.1 percent believed that good traditions, such as respecting elders, are reflected during the holiday.

Wan Jianzhong, a professor with Beijing Normal University, said that positive Lunar New Year traditions, including visiting the elderly, holding family get-togethers and setting off firecrackers, have mostly been preserved, but some others are disappearing.

"During the Spring Festival, people working outside their hometowns hurry to get home and reunite with their families. This causes a great national migration, because the tradition of family get-togethers on Chinese New Year's Eve is rooted in the hearts of the Chinese," Wan said.

Wan suggested that the government, scholars and social elite should try to create better conditions for citizens, like a more comfortable way to travel home.

Moreover, more traditional activities could be carried out in communities, Wan added.