Which calendar date begins the Chinese New Year period, whose date changes annually?

The Chinese New Year period begins on the first day of the first month of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Because the traditional calendar follows both lunar phases and the solar year, the date varies in the Gregorian calendar, generally falling between January 21 and February 20. The celebration lasts for fifteen days and concludes with the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month.

The holiday is marked by family reunions, ancestor-related customs, red decorations, gift-giving, firecrackers in some places, and public lion or dragon dances. Reunion dinner is traditionally held on New Year's Eve, making the evening before the first day a major part of the observance.

“Chinese New Year” is widely used in English, while “Lunar New Year” can refer to New Year festivals observed by several Asian cultures. Vietnam, Korea, and other societies have related but distinct traditions and calendars, so the terms should not automatically be treated as identical.