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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. During the Chinese New Year period, the married or the elderly give red envelopes to children or unmarried juniors. A red envelope is also called yasui qian ("suppressing Sui money"). According to legend, on New Year's Eve, besides the monster Nian, there was a demon named Sui that came out to terrify children while they were asleep. Immerse yourself in the heart of the Chinese New Year, where the legend of a formidable creature, the Nian Monster, shapes many unique customs we celebrate today. This mythical beast, as per the Chinese fable, would rise from the depths of the sea, its long horns and razor-sharp teeth ready to feast on unsuspecting humans and livestock, marking The Nian (年) is a mythical creature in Chinese folklore, best known for its association with the origins of Chinese New Year traditions. According to legend, the Nian is a fierce beast that terrorized villages at the end of each lunar year, prompting the development of rituals and celebrations to ward it off. Today, the story of the Nian is The first and most well known is the legend of Nian (Year “Nian” as in New Year –”Xin Nian”). There are two versions of the legend of Nian, both include a scary beast with characteristics of a lion, ox, and unicorn, that had a dragon like appearance. New Year customs like setting off firecrackers and writing couplets on red paper were allegedly inspired by the legend of nian (VCG) Another version of the legend states that the monster was actually known as 夕 (xī), and nian was a minor god dispatched by the Kitchen God to deal with xi by using firecrackers and bands of red silk. This is Chinese New Year Rituals. So, to this day, the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year by setting off firecrackers, hanging red lanterns, wearing red clothing, and putting up red couplets (posters decorating the main door and walls expressing hope and happiness for the coming year). This Nian legend of the Chinese New Year is also a fascinating 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. Chinese New Year Legend Long ago in China there was a man-eating monster called Nian who for most of the time slept at the bottom of the ocean. However at the end of winter, on the last day of the lunar year, the hungry Nian would terrify everyone when he woke up to come on land to eat whatever he could find. Chinese New Year Legend of Nian (sometimes Nien, traditional Chinese: 年獸; simplified Chinese: 年兽; pinyin: nián shòu). Nian According to a Chinese legend a terrible monster (pictured sometimes with features of a lion, unicorn, and ox), a really giant, monstrous creature by the name of ‘Nian’ lived in the mountains and would come 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. Furthermore, the traditions born from this myth serve as a reminder of hope and the promise of new beginnings as families gather to celebrate the Lunar New Year. VII. Nian in Contemporary Celebrations. Today, the story of Nian continues to resonate in Chinese New Year festivities around the world. Nian, the mythical monster, is an important symbol in Chinese culture. According to legend, Nian would come out of hiding on New Year’s Eve to terrorize villagers. However, the villagers soon discovered that Nian was afraid of the color red, loud noises, and bright lights. As a result, they started using these things to scare away the monster. The story of Nian tells of how a monster terrorises a village and eventually led to many of the Chinese New Year traditions. The legend has a central place in Chinese New Year lore and is passed down from generation to generation. 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. The Chinese character nian more usually means "year" or "new year". The earliest written sources that refer to the nian as a creature date to the early 20th century. As a result, it is unclear whether the nian creature is an authentic part of traditional folk mythology, or a part of a local oral tradition that was recorded in the early 20th Cultural Significance: Nian’s Influence on Chinese New Year Traditions. Uncover how the legend of Nian has shaped numerous traditions associated with Chinese New Year. From the use of red decorations to the significance of fireworks and firecrackers, explore the rituals practiced to ward off the Nian monster. 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 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. But on Spring Explore the rich cultural heritage of Lunar New Year and its time-honored traditions—like the significance of lucky Red Envelopes and how the Legend of Nian
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