New Year is the main annual festival in China determined by the old Chinese calendar. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it is falls towards the end of January or early February. For at least 2,000 years it has been a time for all families to get together, often traveling long distances across China (bàinián 拜年 a New Year visit). Brightly colored papers and paper cut designs are displayed everywhere often carrying the character ‘fu’ for good fortune. Traditionally a week before the festival, the home is cleaned and dusted, the image of the kitchen god is honored so he gives a good report of the house and its occupants to heaven. One legend has it that a kitchen god was so disgusted with a family’s antics that he petitioned the Jade Emperor to wipe out mankind, but a delay gave people a few days to tidy things up so everything looked better on a final inspection and disaster averted. The family’s ancestral temple and tombs are visited. The traditional lion dance is often seen in public festivities.