Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to people in the West. The dates for this annual celebration are determined by the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, so the timing of the holiday varies from late January to early February.

To the ordinary Chinese, the festival actually begins on the eve of the lunar New Year's Day and ends on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. But the 15th of the first month, which normally is called the Lantern Festival, means the official end of the Spring Festival in many parts of the country.

Preparations for the New Year begin the last few days of the last moon, when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, hair cut and new clothes purchased. Houses are festooned with paper scrolls bearing auspicious antithetical couplet (as show on both side of the page) and in many homes, people burn incense at home and in the temples to pay respects to ancestors and ask the gods for good health in the coming months.

"Guo Nian," meaning "passing the year," is the common term among the Chinese people for celebrating the Spring Festival. It actually means greeting the new year. At midnight at the turn of the old and new year, people used to let off fire-crackers which serve to drive away the evil spirits and to greet the arrival of the new year. In an instant the whole city would be engulfed in the deafening noise of the firecrackers.

On New Year's Eve, all the members of families come together to feast. Jiaozi, a steamed dumpling as pictured below, is popular in the north, while southerners favor a sticky sweet glutinous rice pudding called nian gao.

One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite. People were very scared.

傳說有一個叫“年”的怪獸，有一個大嘴，能一口吞下很多人。人們都很怕它。

The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers is to scare away Nian.

貼紅紙和方鞭炮的俗就是為了嚇跑年。3lian.com/zl/轉載請保留

However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration.

但是，現在人們大多忘記了為什么這么做的原因，只是覺得色彩和響聲增加了過節的氣氛。

According to the briefing, according to legend there is a Chinese ancient times called the "years" of the monster, the first long tentacles, unusually ferocious. "Year" for many years hiding the sea, only to climb up every New Year's Eve shore, devouring livestock harm human life. Therefore, every New Year's Eve that day, the village young people Walled villages fled to the mountains, to escape the "year" animal damage.

據介紹，相傳中國古時候有一種叫“年”的怪獸，頭長觸角，兇猛異常。“年”長年深居海底，每到除夕才爬上岸，吞食牲畜傷害人命。因此，每到除夕這天，村村寨寨的人們扶老攜幼逃往深山，以躲避“年”獸的傷害。

This Year's Eve, Peach Blossom Village, young people are the mountain refuge, from a village outside begging the elderly, saw hiscrutches, arm ride capsule bag, silver to be graceful, head if Lang stars. Some villagers sealed windows locked, and some to pack up and get some Thunbergia sheep, everywhere people shouting, scene of a panic rush. At this time, who determined to take care of the elderly people begging. Village head only an old lady to the elderly more food, and urged him to speed up the mountain to escape the "Year" beast, the old man smiled stroking beard: mother-in-law if I stay at home one night, I have the "year" removed the animal. Head scared the old lady look at, to see him mental healthy, bearing out of the ordinary. She is still continuing to persuade, begging people laugh instead of the phrase. Mother-in-law no option but to leave home and go up the mountain refuge.

這年除夕，桃花村的人們正扶老攜幼上山避難，從村外來了個乞討的老人，只見他手拄拐杖，臂搭袋囊，銀須飄逸，目若朗星。鄉親們有的封窗鎖門，有的收拾行裝，有的牽牛趕羊，到處人喊馬嘶，一片匆忙恐慌景象。這時，誰還有心關照這位乞討的老人。只有村東頭一位老婆婆給了老人些食物，并勸他快上山躲避“年” 獸，那老人捋髯笑道：婆婆若讓我在家呆一夜，我一定把“年”獸攆走。老婆婆驚目細看，見他鶴發童顏、精神矍鑠，氣宇不凡。可她仍然繼續勸說，乞討老人笑而不語。婆婆無奈，只好撇下家，上山避難去了。

The middle of the night, "years" to break into the village of animals. It found that the village atmosphere, unlike in previous years: the first lady Village home, the door paste big red, brightly lit candles inside the house. "Year" all animalsa bang. "Year" towards mother-in-law home glower moment, then head over the pastforward. Almost at the entrance to the hospital from a sudden "bang flap" sound of bombing, "year" every tremble, and then move forward together a dare. In fact, "year" fear red flames and炸響. At this time, opening the door to let mother-in-law's house, wearing only a hospital Dahongpao elderly laughter. "Year" scaring the daylights out, embarrassed fled the spurt.

半夜時分，“年”獸闖進村。它發現村里氣氛與往年不同：村東頭老婆婆家，門貼大紅紙，屋內燭火通明。“年”獸渾身一抖，怪叫了一聲。“年”朝婆婆家怒視片刻，隨即狂叫著撲過去。將門口時，院內突然傳來“砰砰啪啪”的炸響聲，“年”渾身戰栗，再不敢往前湊了。原來，“年”最怕紅色、火光和炸響。這時，婆婆的家門大開，只見院內一位身披紅袍的老人在哈哈大笑。“年”大驚失色，狼狽逃躥了。

The next day is the first day, people who sought refuge back safe and sound very surprised to see the village. At this time, the old lady came before, and hastened to the villagers described the promise of the elderly begging. Together villagers over to the old lady, and mother-in-law saw the door close to the red paper, yard pile of bamboo is still unburned "flap"炸響inside several red candles also issued a Yu ... ... joyvillagers to celebrate the auspicious arrival of their new clothes to wear for a new hat, say hello to friends and relatives at home Daoxi. This matter quickly spread around the village, people are aware of the expulsion of "years" beast approach.

第二天是正月初一，避難回來的人們見村里安然無恙十分驚奇。這時，老婆婆才恍然大悟，趕忙向鄉親們述說了乞討老人的許諾。鄉親們一齊擁向老婆婆家，只見婆婆家門上貼著紅紙，院里一堆未燃盡的竹子仍在“啪啪”炸響，屋內幾根紅臘燭還發著余光……欣喜若狂的鄉親們為慶賀吉祥的來臨，紛紛換新衣戴新帽，到親友家道喜問好。這件事很快在周圍村里傳開了，人們都知道了驅趕“年”獸的辦法。

Since then the annual New Year's Eve, families paste red couplets, set off firecrackers; household candles Tongming, Shou-more-year-old question. Early in the morning early to go pro-string Daoxi Friends say hello. This custom of the more mass the more widely and became the most solemn of Chinese folk traditional festivals.

從此每年除夕，家家貼紅對聯、燃放爆竹;戶戶燭火通明、守更待歲。初一一大早，還要走親串友道喜問好。這風俗越傳越廣，成了中國民間最隆重的傳統節日。快車教育閱讀