Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year is an important Chinese festival celebrated at the
turn of the Chinese calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival,
the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Chinese New Year
celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last
day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the Lantern Festival
on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in
the Chinese calendar. The first day of the New Year falls between 21
January and 20 February.
Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the
celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely. Often, the evening
preceding Chinese New Year's Day is an occasion for Chinese families
to gather for the annual reunion dinner. It is also traditional for every
family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any
ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and
doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with
popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness", "wealth", and
"longevity." Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving
money in red paper envelopes.
The Tale of Nian
According to tales and legends, the beginning of the Chinese New
Year started with a mythical beast called the Nian. Nian would come
on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers,
especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put
food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was
believed that after the Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn't
attack any more people. One day, a villager decided to get revenge on
the Nian. A god visited him and told him to put red paper on his house
and to place firecrackers. The villagers then understood that the Nian
was afraid of the color red. When the New Year was about to come,
the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on
windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the
Nian. From then on, Nian never came to the village again.
Fireworks
Bamboo stems filled with gunpowder that were burnt to create small
explosions were once used in ancient China to drive away evil spirits.
In modern times, this method has eventually evolved into the use of
firecrackers during the festive season. Firecrackers are usually strung
on a long fused string so it can be hung down. Each firecracker is
rolled up in red papers, as red is auspicious, with gunpowder in its
core. Once ignited, the firecracker lets out a loud popping noise and,
as they are usually strung together by the hundreds, the firecrackers
are known for their deafening explosions that are thought to scare
away evil spirits. The burning of firecrackers also signifies a joyful
time of year and has become an integral aspect of Chinese New Year
celebrations.