Chinese New Year celebration. Year of the Snake 2025

The Nicola Calipari Gardens in Piazza Vittorio are transformed into a vibrant theater of lights, colors and traditions, offering a unique experience for the Chinese New Year. In fact, there will be two days of celebrations - 7 and 8 February - with exciting shows, culinary delights and engaging activities for everyone.

The New Year's Eve celebration, also called Spring Festival, because it marks the end of the coldest season in view of spring, is organized by the Chinese Community in Rome and kicks off the year of the "Wooden Snake" 2025. The snake, in Chinese symbolism, represents transformation, metamorphosis; the snake is associated with wisdom, reflection and adaptability.This year in fact, the symbol of the snake is linked to the element of wood which, according to Chinese tradition, is a living and ductile element, capable of changing its shape.

The beginning of the new year in China is identified starting from the moon: the first day coincides with the first new moon which occurs between January 21st and February 20th. The date of the New Year and other anniversaries is therefore different every year, as happens in the lunar calendars, which are different from the solar one we use in the West.

The first day features cultural and culinary performances, accompanied by the evocative lights of lanterns and shows, while the second day features the dragon parade and lion dances which are followed by institutional greetings from the Chinese ambassador, tastings of traditional Chinese dishes and other performances.

Finally, we would like to remind you that the Libraries of Rome also dedicate a space to the Chinese New Year. In particular, a meeting for children aged 4 to 7 with readings and workshops is organized at the Enzo Tortora Library and the Nelson Mandela Library. The programme, in detail, includes: Wednesday 29 January, 5pm, at the Nelson Mandela Library and Thursday 30 January, 4.45pm, at the Enzo Tortora Library, readings by the children of the civil service of the "A nest of books from the Mandela Library" and "Interculture in the library".

For all information, consult the official website: www.comunitacinese.it/