Elderly residents in Gansu celebrate 'Little New Year'

Elderly residents of a nursing home in the city of Zhangye, Gansu province, received paper cuttings cut into the Chinese character "福" (fu), on Feb 11. The word fu means 'blessing' or 'happiness' in English. The nursing home handed out the paper cuttings to observe the Chinese traditional festival xiaonian, which means "Little New Year" in English. The festival falls on the 23rd or 24th of the 12th lunar month.

An elderly woman (middle) receives the paper cutting cut into Chinese character "福" (fu), meaning 'blessing' or 'happiness' in English. [Photo/ Xinhua.com.cn]

The nursing home also held other celebration activities to entertain the elderly, including dumpling making, couplet writing, dancing and singing. The elderly residents participated in the activities along with staff members to welcome the New Year.

Elderly residents and staff members of the nursing home make dumplings on Feb 11. [Photo/ Xinhua.com.cn]

According to Chinese folklore, the xiaonian, or "Little New Year" is held to make sacrifices to the kitchen god, who reports to the god of heaven at the end of every year about what happened to human beings. Chinese people held the celebrations expecting the kitchen god to put in a good word for them, and receive good fortune in the New Year.

Elderly residents write couplets for the coming New Year. [Photo/ Xinhua.com.cn]

By Li Xiaoxu and edited by Jacob Hooson