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CNY Special: Expats celebrate in China

Overview

Shownote

Highlights

Transcript

Chapters

Pins

CNY Special: Expats celebrate in China

Round Table China

2025/01/31
Round Table China

Round Table China

2025/01/31
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

Today, we will explore how Chinese people celebrate the New Year and how international friends perceive these rich traditions. Additionally, we have the inside scoop on some of the best places to visit during the holiday season. Joining Heyang via video link are Lizzy Bessenger from South Africa, who has been living in Kunming, China, for over six years as an English teacher and content creator, and Jack Forsdike from Yorkshire in the UK, who has been in China for about four years and is now a content creator.

Highlights

This episode dives into the lived experience of Chinese New Year—not as a distant cultural spectacle, but as a deeply personal, sensory-rich journey through family, food, and regional contrasts, guided by two international residents who’ve made China their home.
03:07
Spending Chinese New Year with his wife's family in Harbin made him realize the importance of family reunions.
05:44
Chinese New Year lasts much longer than Christmas, with a month or two of celebrations before and after
14:36
Harbin and Sanya have measures to ease international travel, including visa-waiver policies, more direct flights, digital payment solutions, and bilingual support
21:16
The speaker felt no culture shock because they could fit in with their Chinese family
23:53
Stereotypes about China in the West will disappear once people visit
35:28
Chinese New Year brings people together through culture and tradition

Chapters

What does Chinese New Year feel like when you're welcomed into a Harbin family?
00:00
How does the month-long rhythm of Chinese New Year differ from Christmas?
05:44
Why are Harbin and Sanya being reimagined as twin gateways to Spring Festival?
11:45
What surprised these foreign residents most about celebrating CNY in China?
18:06
How did spontaneous moments—like dancing in the street—reshape their view of Chinese hospitality?
23:53
What makes the CMG Spring Festival Gala more than just a TV show?
35:28

Transcript

Lizzy Bessenger: Discussion keeps the world turning. Heyang: This is Roundtable. Welcome to a special Spring Festival edition of Roundtable. I'm Heyang, coming to you from Beijing. The biggest holiday in China is here. And whether you're enjoying the cele...