Zakharova congratulated the people of China on the Spring Holiday in Chinese

On February 16, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted a video message on her Telegram channel to the people of China, in which she congratulated them in Chinese on the upcoming Spring Holiday.

"Dear Chinese friends! The Year of the Horse is already on the threshold. I sincerely congratulate everyone on the Spring Holiday! I wish that in the new year you would be filled with energy, that you would be the first in everything, that luck would come to you immediately and that success would be instant," Zakharova said in Chinese in her video message.

The diplomat also noted that this is the third time Moscow has become a venue for a large-scale celebration of the Chinese New Year. According to her, in parallel with this, events dedicated to the Russian Carnival will be held in Beijing.

"I invite you to celebrate Chinese New Year in Moscow and Maslenitsa in Beijing," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

How to celebrate the Chinese New Year in 2026: dates, traditions and the meaning of the holiday

One of the famous legends about the origin of the holiday is associated with the mythical monster Nyan

On the same day, the celebration of the Chinese New Year took place in Moscow on Manezhnaya Square, which coincided with the beginning of Maslenitsa Week in Russia. Chinese music was playing on the square and there were many people in Chinese clothes who introduced the guests of the festival to the culture and history of China. For example, masks in China reflect the spirit of the centuries and the Middle Ages.

The Chinese New Year in 2026 begins on February 17th. According to the Eastern calendar, this is the year of the Fiery Horse. The celebration will last until the Lantern Festival, which this year falls on March 3, 2026. The year itself will end on February 5, 2027.

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