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. There are many legends and stories about the Chinese New Year. We would like to share with you the three most popular ones. 1. The Legend of Why New Year Is Celebrated. Chinese New Year's Day is called Guo Nian (过年) in Chinese, which can mean 'celebrate (a new) year' or 'overcome Nian'. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is one of the most important and widely celebrated festivals in Chinese culture. Rooted in ancient traditions, the festival is marked by various customs, rituals, and, most notably, a collection of fascinating stories and legends. The Chinese New Year is steeped in mythology, from the terrible monster Nian, to various gods and superstitions. Learn about them all. But why do Chinese people celebrate this festival? Why Chinese New Year has so many traditions? Read these three interesting stories and you will find the answers. Chinese New Year 1. Legends of Monster Nian. In ancient times, there was a big-horned monster called "Nian" who lived at the bottom of the sea all year. 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. The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival in China. There are many legends about the Spring Festival. Here below are top 10 interesting stories of the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year Story #1 - Legend of the God of Wealth Chinese New Year legends are plenty, and one of the best known is the story of Nian. It is the legend of why the new year is celebrated and why the Chinese celebrate it with a lot of noise. It is also the story of why the red color is important for this festive season. Chinese New Year has enjoyed a history of about 3,500 years. Its exact beginning is not recorded. Some people believe that Chinese New Year originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC), when people held sacrificial ceremonies in honor of gods and ancestors at the beginning or the end of each year. The centuries-old legend of the origins of the Chinese New Year celebration varies from teller to teller, but every telling includes a story of a terrible mythical monster preying on villagers. The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (年), which is also the Chinese word for “year." Travel Tips for Chinese New Year Celebrations. Book everything in advance: Unlike other times of the year when you can book hotels, flights, and experiences last minute, during Chinese New Year, it’s a different story. Things sell out sometimes months in advance because everyone is off work, so the demand for services is much higher. Amid the Chinese New Year, Marcos said everyone is being called to embrace the promise of prosperity with courage and determination. Marcos is hoping that the vibrant lanterns amid the celebration will also ''brighten our purpose as a nation.'' Chinese New Year kicks off every year after the second new moon of the Lunar Calendar. This year it falls between 29th January to 12th February. Lastly, for the Chinese, the Lunar New Year is sacred, it is a chance for families to come together and make unforgettable memories What are the animals of the zodiac? Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals — the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — measure the cycles of time. Rather than following the western Gregorian Calendar with 365-day years, the Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar based the moon's 12 phases. Each phase cycle spans approximately 29 days with Year Of The Snake Celebrating Chinese new year book for kids 2025 : A Kid's Adventure stories , the Lunar New Year Celebration History and Learning about Chinese Traditions [Zhango Jink yo] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Red Envelopes (红包, hóng bāo): Elders give these to younger family members as a blessing for the new year. Don’t forget to say 新年快乐! (xīn nián kuài lè , Happy New Year!). For more customs during Chinese New Year (春节, chūn jié), we strongly recommend you check the video we shared on YouTube. I'm sure you'll learn a lot Lunar New Year, celebrated by Chinese communities worldwide, begins on January 29, 2025, and lasts up to 16 days. 2025 marks the Year of the Snake, associated with wisdom, intuition, and charm in The new year in 2025 falls on Jan. 29 and ends with the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. Celebrations last up to 16 days; the Chinese public holiday lasts from Wednesday to Feb. 4. Happy New Year! Today I’m celebrating Lunar New Year by offering a beautiful storytime to ring in the new year. What many used to call Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is actually celebrated by many Asian countries including China, Korea, Vietnam and more. This year we celebrate the Year of the Rat, which is most exciting because I was born
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