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Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the oldest traditional festival in China, but a few people concern the origin and story behind the holiday. Many existing customs and activities of the festival actually can be traced back to a popular story of the Monster Nian, which helps to explain why and how the festival is celebrated. The stories date back thousands of years. Read on to learn of a few popular and interesting Chinese New Year myths. The Monster and New Year’s Eve. In ancient times, there was a monster named Nián (年). It usually lived at the bottom of the sea and would come up once a year to feast on animals and humans. Chinese New Year's Day is called Guo Nian (过年) in Chinese, which can mean 'celebrate (a new) year' or 'overcome Nian'. The character 年 (Nián) could mean a 'year' or 'the monster Nian'. In ancient times, there was a monster named Nian (年, or Nianshou 年兽) with a long head and sharp horns. It dwelled deep in the sea all year round and From then on, on the last day of the year, people put up red couplets, hung up red lanterns, set off firecrackers, kept the lights on and stayed up late to keep safe from Nian. As time passed, this custom spread to almost every corner of China and thus developed into one of the most important festivals of Chinese people, the Lunar New Year`s Eve. It is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar (the first day of the second new moon after the day on which the winter solstice occurs, unless there is an intercalary eleventh or twelfth month in the lead-up to the New Year—in such a case, the New Year falls on the day of the third new moon after the Chinese New Year is a vibrant tapestry woven with myths that shape its celebrations. From the legend of Nian to the traditions surrounding the Kitchen God and the zodiac animals, these stories not only enrich the festivities but also reinforce cultural values of family, respect, and hope for prosperity. II. The Myth of the Nian. The legend of the Nian dates back thousands of years and is deeply embedded in Chinese cultural history. According to folklore, the Nian is said to emerge from its underwater lair once a year, specifically on the eve of the New Year, to terrorize villages and feast on livestock and even people. Legend has it that in ancient China, there was a ferocious monster called 'Nian', which had horns, lived deep in the ocean all the year, and went onshore only on the New Year's Eve to eat animals and hurt human. As a result, all the villagers would flee to the mountains to escape from 'Nian' on Chinese New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, due to the notorious and "evil" coronavirus, this year, millions of Chinese people were unable to celebrate the most important holiday on their calendar: the Chinese New Year. The festivity is also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, the origins dated back more than 3,500 years ago and this year was falling on January 25. Chinese New Year is steeped in history, much of which intertwines with the story of Nian, a fearsome beast whose name coincidentally shares the same word for “year” in Chinese. As legend has it, Nian would terrorize villagers annually until a wise old man suggested using loud noises, firecrackers, and the color red to scare the monster away. By the Song dynasty (960 -1279 AD), Taofu was gradually replaced by two pieces of red paper and evolved into today's Chinese New Year couplets. Having evolved from the ancient custom of defeating evil spirits, nowadays Taofu serves as a lucky decoration and expresses people's best wishes for the coming new year. There are 12 Chinese zodiac signs, in the following order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.Each sign is named after Lunar New Year, festival typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later. The dates of the holiday vary from year to year, beginning some time between January 21 and February 20. From then on, on the last day of the year, people put up red couplets, hung up red lanterns, set off firecrackers, kept the lights on and stayed up late to keep safe from Nian. As time passed, this custom spread to almost every corner of China and thus developed into one of the most important festivals of Chinese people, the Lunar New Year`s Eve. An author's note explains more about Chinese New Year, the legend of Nian and how she made a few changes including make the hero a girl. The author's Chinese name is Mei so she named the character after herself. This book is a must-read for everyone interested in Chinese legends and the history behind Chinese New Year. Known locally as Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in Singapore. While the name implies otherwise, it’s celebrated by all Singaporeans and not just the Chinese. Preparations start weeks in advance, with thorough housecleanings to sweep away bad luck. Every January or February, when there is a new moon, lots of people all over the world celebrate Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year. Follow the legend of Chinese New Year and learn why people Legend and Folklore Behind The Chinese New Year. Just like the other Chinese festivals, there are many different legends and traditions behind the Chinese New Year festival. However, one of the most popular and widely known folklore for the Spring Festival is one about the mystical monster named Nian. Stories of Chinese New Year including the legend of Nian, the legend of why Spring Couplets and Door Gods are pasted, the Legend of why Chinese people paste upside down Fu and the legend of red envelopes.
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