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 origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back to about 3,500 years ago. Chinese New Year has evolved over a long period of time and its customs have undergone a long development process. A Legend of the Origin of Chinese New Year. Like all traditional festivals in China, Chinese New Year is steeped with stories and myths. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This week of relaxation has been designated Spring Festival, a term that is sometimes used to refer to the Chinese New Year in general. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years 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 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." Legendary tales and mythological creatures are interwoven throughout the history of Chinese New Year. One of the most famous is the story of the Nian monster. According to folklore, on the night before the new year, the Nian would emerge from its dwelling and rampage through villages, devouring livestock and people. 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. The first day on Gregorian calendar, the New Year's Day, was called Yuandan, while the first day on the lunar calendar was called Chunjie (Spring Festival), which is the present widely celebrated Chinese New Year. After 1949, the Spring Festival was listed as a nationwide public holiday, and people got days off work and school. Like all traditional Chinese festivals, the origins of Chinese New Year are steeped in stories and myths. One of the most popular, which emerged during the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 BC), is about the mythical beast ‘Nian’ (which translates to ‘year’), who terrorised local people by eating livestock, crops and even humans on the eve of For Chinese people, Lunar New Year is the Spring Festival, and it’s celebrated widely in Taiwan and across Southeast Asia in countries with large Chinese populations, such as Singapore and Malaysia. 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 Lunar New Year, a holiday celebrated by more than 1 billion people around the world, is nearly upon us. With its symbols, traditions and diversity across countries and populations, Lunar New Year Do you know Why Chinese New Year is Celebrated?Long long ago, there was a ferocious monster named "Nian" with sharp teeth and a horn. It lived deep down in t 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. The following story reveals legendary reasons, and some of the characteristics of the 12 animals. The story is widespread (and widely varying) among Chinese. Though it is made up, it might be interesting for you to tell your children and friends. The Heavenly Gate Race Story - Reasons for Zodiac Rankings. Long, long ago, there was no Chinese The Story of Chinese New YearSay hi to us at : www.writemi.comWriteMi is a marketplace to discover l SNap l Share l Sell l Earn l amazing things curated by G The last Year of the Snake happened in 2013. Why is it the year of the snake? 2025 is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, a 12-year cycle represented by animals. What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, marks the start of a new zodiac cycle based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Each year, the date shifts within the Gregorian calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world, particularly in Asian countries like China, shown here (Beijing). Research Scholar of East Asia Studies, Gender and Women's History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University Red envelopes, known as hongbao in Mandarin, are a cherished cultural tradition in Chinese New Year in 2025 falls on January 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.
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