What are the customs for New Year’s Day?

New Year's Day customs include sweeping dust, offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors, setting off firecrackers, lion dancing, posting couplets and door gods, etc.

1. Sweeping dust

Sweeping dust is something that Chinese people must experience every year, and it is also a traditional custom passed down from ancient times to the present. Whenever a year comes to an end, every household must conduct a general cleaning of the place where they live, wash all kinds of kitchen utensils, wipe doors, windows and floors, and change bed sheets and bedding. The meaning of sweeping dust is to drive all the bad things of the year out of the house and usher in good luck in the new year.

2. Worship gods and ancestors

Chinese people believe more in gods and ancestors, and long for their ancestors to bless them and keep them safe in the next year. And worshiping ancestors is mainly to show respect to ancestors, which is a traditional Chinese virtue.

3. Setting off firecrackers

In rural areas, people still have the custom of setting off firecrackers. This custom comes from an ancient mythological story, which is to drive away a beast called "Nian". The outer shell of firecrackers is usually red, because red is the color that ferocious animals are afraid of, and the sound of firecrackers exploding is loud enough to scare away ferocious animals. Moreover, the firecrackers are set up one after another, which also means that the number of firecrackers is rising steadily.

4. Lion dance

Lion dance is a traditional Chinese folk culture and art. The significance of lion dance is to exorcise evil spirits and ward off ghosts. On festive days, people will invite lion dance teams to perform lion dance performances.

5. Posting couplets and door gods

On New Year's Day, people will tear off the old couplets that have been posted for a year and replace them with brand new couplets. Some calligraphers will hand-write couplets and write their expectations for the next year on the couplets, hoping that their wishes will come true next year. The custom of sticking door gods usually appears in rural areas. People are accustomed to putting large door god stickers on their thick wooden doors, which plays the role of driving away bad luck and opening the door to welcome the god of wealth.