Residents Face Severe Environmental Health Risks amid the Spiritual Happiness during the Spring Festival: An Evidence from Rural Northern China

The Spring Festival, a cornerstone of Chinese cultural heritage, fosters family reunions. However, its traditional practices, such as burning incense and setting off fireworks, generate severe air pollution and pose significant health threats. This presents a critical dilemma regarding how rural residents balance the imperatives of cultural preservation against environmental health risks. This study investigates this trade-off using a multidisciplinary approach. Field measurements within a rural household during the 2024 festival revealed alarmingly high indoor PM_2.5 levels, peaking above 1000 μg/m³ on New Year's Eve and averaging over 600 μg/m³. Furthermore, a survey of 1035 residents across nine northern provinces found that 38.7% and 19.7% reported adverse physiological symptoms from high outdoor and indoor pollutant levels, respectively. Notably, of those experiencing symptoms, an overwhelming 81.8% were still willing to tolerate temporary air pollution for cultural fulfillment derived from the festival. This underscores that for these rural residents, the perceived value of traditional observance can outweigh immediate environmental health concerns. Therefore, policymakers must develop strategies that reconcile public health and cultural heritage. Effective interventions could include promoting eco-friendly fireworks, organizing pollution-free community events, and subsidizing advanced ventilation technologies.