Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional stories - What are the customs of Chinese New Year?

What are the customs of Chinese New Year?

1, red envelopes

During the Chinese New Year, the elders will give some gifts to the younger generation, wrapped in red envelopes, known as "New Year's money", commonly known as "red envelopes" (in Cantonese as (Cantonese: "red packet"). Children and grandchildren with financial means also give red envelopes to their elders. The amount of the red packet varies: in mainland China, it ranges from RMB 100 to more than 10,000 yuan; in Taiwan, it is quite common to pay between NT$600 and NT$6,000 yuan.

2. Fairs

Fairs and markets selling New Year's merchandise, such as flowers, toys, clothing and even fireworks, make it easy for people to buy gifts for visiting friends and relatives, or for decorating their homes. In some places, buying New Year's flowers is no different from the Western tradition of buying a Christmas tree.

3. Clothing

Clothing worn during the Lunar New Year is mainly red or other bright colors, as it is believed to ward off evil spirits. In addition, people wear new clothes from head to toe to symbolize a new beginning. Some people also wear Hanboks and other clothing that are characteristic of Chinese culture.

4. Family Portrait

It is an important ceremony for the kin to gather together for a family portrait. The photo will be taken in the hall of the house or outside the house, and the highest-ranking elder in the family will sit in the center.

5. Food and Drink

1. Nian Gao (rice cake), which means "rising year after year". Guangdong and Zhejiang regions are different;

2, reunion rice?

3, Dumplings: A New Year's custom in the northern provinces of China, where dumplings are shaped like Yuanbao, and silver bills were called jiaozi in the Song Dynasty, so it is believed that making dumplings on New Year's Day will bring in wealth.

Origin of the festival

The origin of ancient traditional festivals is related to ancient primitive beliefs, sacrificial culture, and the contents of humanistic and natural cultures, such as astrology and calendars.

According to the research results of modern anthropology and archaeology, the two most primitive beliefs of human beings are the belief in heaven and earth and the belief in ancestors. Most of the ancient traditional festivals were formed when ancient people chose a day to offer sacrifices to thank the gods of heaven and earth and their ancestors for their kindness, as well as to pray for blessings and ward off evil spirits.

The early festival culture reflects the humanistic spirit of the ancients, who worshipped nature, united with man and heaven, and were prudent in pursuing the past and thinking of the origin; a series of sacrificial activities contain the profound cultural connotations of respecting virtue and civilizing rites and music. The origin and development of the New Year's Day (Nianjie) covers humanistic philosophy and the laws of nature.