It is said that Nian is a man-eating monster, and it will go from house to house to harm people on New Year's Eve. Why do people like "Happy New Year"?

There is an interesting story about New Year's greetings among the people. Nian is a monster. It grows bigger than a camel, runs faster than the wind and barks like a lion. Nian beast often comes out to harm people and livestock, so the gods keep it in the mountains and allow it to come out only once a year. Because people don't know when it will come out, they are prepared every day.

A day or two passed, and Nian never came out, but in December, Nian beast suddenly appeared, hurting many people and livestock. Since then, every December comes, people are ready to kill Nian beast, especially in the night of the twelfth lunar month, every household closes the doors and windows to prevent Nian beast from hurting people. Because it is said that on this night, Nian beast will go door to door to eat people.

One year on the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, an old man with a white beard came. An old woman advised Grandpa White Beard to close the doors and windows and be careful of Nian beast. Grandpa with white beard said, I'm not afraid of Nian beast. Nian beast is only afraid of me. Nian beast broke into the village at night and was the first to come to the house where Grandpa White Beard lived. It saw the red paper on the door of the house, and its body shook. Nian beast screamed with anger and rushed into the yard. Just then, there was a bang and a fire in the yard.

Nian beast is shaking even more. It turns out that Nian beast is most afraid of red, noise and fire. At this time, the white-bearded grandfather came out of the room in red and laughed at Nian beast. Nian beast saw it, turned and fled in fear. Grandpa White Beard chased Nian Beast all the way to the mountains. Nian beast hid in the mountains and never came out.

From then on, everyone knew a good way to get rid of Nian beast. During the Spring Festival, red couplets and red blessings will be posted on doors, red window grilles will be posted on windows, and firecrackers and fireworks will be set off. In order to celebrate the drive away of Nian beast, people congratulate each other, which is the origin of "Happy New Year".