In 2007, the Holiday Office of the State Council cancelled the May Day Golden Week, but declared a number of traditional festivals as official holidays, including Tomb-sweeping Day, the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Day. I think this is an important measure aiming at protecting traditional festivals and cultures, thus, I cannot agree more there.
April 4th is Tomb-sweeping Day, the most important day for Chinese people to show their respect for the deceased members of their families through activities such as sweeping their tombs and burning spirit money as an offering to the departed relatives and ancestors in the afterlife. The famous Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu wrote the following verse, "It drizzles thick and fast on Tomb-sweeping Day. Mourners travel with heart lost in dismay". These famous lines catch the unique atmosphere of the day.
The 5th day of the 5th month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar is the Dragon Boat Festival. The various activities on that day commemorate Qu Yuan, a great poet in ancient China. This festival is one of the most important festivals in the summer, when people usually eat zongzi, bamboo-leaf wrapped parcels of glutinous rice stuffed with fillings. Dragon boat races are held, and in some places people drink wine containing arsenic to ward off evil spirits.
The 15th day fo the 8th Lunar month is Mid-Autumn Day. The moon on that day is at its brightest and fullest for the whole year, and a full moon symbolizes reunion, so Mid-Autumn Day is also called Reunion Day. The full and bright moon on that day has inspired generations of poets. Li Bai once wrote, "I invited the moon to have a drink with me, and my shadow made up a party of three". And Su Dongpo wrote, "We wish each other long life and though miles apart share the graceful beauty of the moonlight." These are just a few of the best known lines.
In fact, whether in China or in Europe, traditional festivals are affected by globalization, and are under threat of extinction. Many young people in China now prefer foreign festivals to the traditional ones.