What is the origin, meaning and legend of setting off firecrackers?

Setting off firecrackers is said to say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year, which means a beautiful yearning for the new year. According to legend, in ancient times, there was a fierce monster named Nian.

They are in the deep sea all year round, but at the turn of the new year, they come out to destroy crops and hurt people and animals, and the people complain. Once it went to the village to do evil again and was scared away by the red clothes hanging at the door.

When I arrived at another place, I was scared by the lights and ran around. So people have mastered the weakness of Nian's fear of sound, red and fire. At the end of each year, people put up red couplets at home, set off firecrackers and hang red lights, burn firewood in the yard, and chop vegetables and meat with kitchen knives, making a noise. So everyone should set off firecrackers during the Spring Festival.

Setting off firecrackers in the Spring Festival has pinned the good wishes of the working people of the Han nationality to ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters and pray for blessings. Setting off firecrackers is a traditional folk custom of Han nationality, which has a history of more than 2000 years. According to legend, it was to drive away a monster named Nian.

At midnight, the New Year bell rang and firecrackers shook the whole sky of China. In this "three yuan" moment of "year yuan, month yuan, time yuan", some places still set up "Wang Huo" in the courtyard to show that the spirit is soaring and prosperous.

The era when customs exist.

Whether it's Chinese New Year, marriage, promotion, building completion, store opening, etc. People are used to setting off firecrackers to celebrate. Even in many places, old people will set off firecrackers when they die, but not to celebrate. Different customs in different places have different purposes of setting off firecrackers, but most of them are for celebration.

This custom has a history of more than 2500 years in China. When Jingchu was old, it was recorded that on the first day of the first month, the rooster crowed for the first time, and everyone got up and set off firecrackers in their yard to drive away the evil spirits of plague.

At that time, there was no gunpowder and paper. People burned bamboo to make it burst and make a sound, so as to drive away the plague. This is superstition, of course, but it reflects the beautiful desire of the ancient working people in China for Aetna.