Customs and Origins of Chinese New Year

The Spring Festival is one of the four traditional Chinese festivals, the Lunar New Year, traditionally known as the "New Year's Day", which is celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Lunar Calendar every year. The Spring Festival is the traditional Lunar New Year of the Chinese cultural circle, but also the Chinese people at home and abroad **** the same holiday, cohesion of the Chinese people's pursuit of life and emotional support, very much valued by the people of China.

Customs of the Spring Festival are:Preparing for the New Year's goods, sticking the New Year's red, sacrificing to the stove, dusting, hanging New Year's paintings, sticking the windowpane, upside down the word "blessed", New Year's Eve dinner, paying homage to the New Year, letting off firecrackers, putting on the new clothes, eating dumplings, guarding the New Year's Day, dancing with the dragons, hanging the lanterns, taking the New Year's Eve money, eating dumplings, opening the door to the cannons, paying homage to the New Year's Eve, watching the fireworks, stepping on the stilts, the Lanterns and the lion dance.

The Spring Festival origin: The Spring Festival originated from the wax festival, from witchcraft rituals, from the "New Year" beasts, from the Yu and Shun period of sacrifice to the heavens and the rise of the said, from the ancient book of the word to the word "Wo" said, The "New Year's money" said, originated from the Qin Shi Huang unification of the six countries after the provisions of the said, the door god said.

I think that in the Spring Festival in the many customs and history, most noteworthy have each 5 , the following with me to see it:

A,? The origin of the Spring Festival?

? The Chinese New Year is the first year of the Chinese New Year, and it is the first year of the Chinese New Year.

Legend has it that in ancient China, there was a monster called "Nian", which had a sharp horn and was very fierce. The beast lived deep under the sea for many years, and every New Year's Eve, it would climb up to the shore to devour livestock and hurt people, so every New Year's Eve, people took their young and old, fled to the mountains to avoid the harm of the beast. It is said that the beast of the year head big body small, body length of more than ten feet, eyes such as copper bells, come and go as the wind, wailing when the sound of "Nian Nian", so the name of the beast of the year.

The ferocious beast called "year", every Lunar New Year's Eve, will be scurrying from village to village, foraging for human flesh, mutilation of living beings. One night on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, Nian arrived at a village where two shepherd boys were competing in a cattle prodding contest. When the two cowherd boys were competing with each other, the Nian suddenly heard the sound of whips snapping in mid-air and fled in fear. It scurried to another village, and looked head-on to the door of a family sunshine a big red dress, it does not know what it is, scared and quickly turned around and fled. Then it came to a village, towards a family door a look, only to see inside the bright lights, pricked it dizzy, had to clip the tail again to slip away. People have thus recognized the weakness of the "New Year", which is afraid of noise, red, and light, and have come up with a number of ways to defend themselves against it, which has gradually evolved into the present New Year.

? The origin of the Spring Festival No. 2: the year created the calendar said?

According to legend, in ancient times, there was a young man named Wannian, who saw that the seasons were very chaotic at that time, and had the intention of trying to set the seasons right. One day, when he was tired of chopping wood on the mountain, he sat down to rest under the shade of a tree, and the movement of the shadow of the tree inspired him to design a sundial for measuring the sun's shadow and counting the time of the day, and to determine the time of the day. Later, the dripping spring on the cliff inspired him, and he made a five-tiered funnel pot to count the time. Over time, he realized that every 360 days or so, the seasons turned around and the length of the day was repeated.

On one occasion, Zu Yi went to learn about the progress of the Ten Thousand Years Test Calendar. When he ascended to the Altar of the Sun and the Moon, he saw a poem inscribed on the stone wall beside the Temple of Heaven: "The sun rises and the sun sets in three hundred and six days, and the cycle repeats itself from the beginning. Grass and trees wither and prosper in four seasons, and a year has twelve rounds." Knowing that Wannian's creation of the calendar had come to fruition, he personally ascended to the Sun and Moon Pavilion to visit Wannian. Wannian pointed to the sky and said to Zuyi, "It is now the twelve full months, the old year is over and the new spring begins again, so I pray that the king of the country will set a festival." Zu Yi said, "Spring is the first day of the year, let's call it Spring Festival". This is said to be the origin of the Spring Festival.

Winter to spring, year after year, Wannian after a long period of observation, careful projection, developed an accurate solar calendar, when he presented the solar calendar to the succeeding king, already full of silver beard. The king of the country was y touched, in order to commemorate the achievements of Wan Nian, the solar calendar named "Wan Nian Calendar", Wan Nian as the sun and moon life star. Later, people put up a picture of the star of longevity at New Year's Eve, which was said to be in honor of Wannian, who was a highly respected person. In his honor, the first day of the year must be "year".

? The origin of the Spring Festival No. 3: Yu Shun's sacrifice to heaven?

There are many legends about the origin of the Spring Festival, but the one that is generally accepted by the public is that the Spring Festival was started by Yu Shun.

In the era of historical legends, Zhucheng, Juxian area for one of the activities of the East Barbarians, the East Barbarians for the Shao Hao, one of the earlier tribes in China. Therefore XuXuSheng think ChiYu for east barbarians tribal long, ZhuoLu battle ChiYu defeat, YanHuang tribal culture eastward, to YaoSun period.

But the Taishan festival is different from the general festival of heaven, but the emperor or tribal alliance leader of the festival of heaven, such as Yu Shun east patrol in Taishan on the festival of heaven; Juxian Ling Yang River found in the ceramic of the festival of heaven, may be the Department of the local clan level of the festival of heaven; zhucheng before the cottage of the ceramic unearthed, when the tribal level of the festival of heaven. From the rich connotation and complex stratigraphic relationship of the former Zhai site, it can be seen that the ancestors there were a more advanced tribe worshipping the bird and the sun, and it was also the cultural center of the tribe at that time. It is worth noting that this site is not far from Zhufeng, where Shun is said to have been born, and belongs to the Weifang River Basin, so it is likely that Yu Shun was active here or belonged to the tribe to which he belonged before he was elected tribal leader. Of course, the Juxian Lingyanghe site, also related to Yu Shun, or even Yu Shun in the former Zhai or Lingyanghe two places, used to carry out small-scale, tribal-level sacrifices, and was elected tribal leader, and then Zhucheng former Zhai sacrifices to the sky of the custom, brought to the Taishan Mountain, rising to the imperial level of sacrifices to the sky.

One day, more than 2,000 years B.C., Shun, the son of heaven, led his men to worship heaven and earth. Since then, people have taken this day as the first day of the year. This is said to be the origin of the Lunar New Year, later called the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival used to be called New Year's Day. The month of January in which the Spring Festival falls is called New Year's Day.

? The origin of the Spring Festival No. 4: from the ancient character book "Wo" character evolution said?

The word "year" was first seen in the Yinxu divination. Oracle character shape on the "Harvest" (full drooping crops), under the "people", the whole like a person carrying the harvested grains, belonging to the word, meaning that the harvest, "people" also The character "人" is also a phonetic character. In the divination, there are often the words of "seeking the year" and "receiving the year", which means praying for a good harvest.

Because the Shang Dynasty generally planted one season of crops a year and harvested only once a year, the term "year" was also derived as a unit of time, i.e., 12 months. In the divination, there are sayings such as "up to seven years" and "up to five years".

Nian: Shuowen Jiezi (说文解字)本作秊. The grain is also ripe. The word "harvest" is also used to describe the ripening of grain. The regularization of the seal script, so that the regular script has this writing style of the word "year", and this writing style, but also directly affects the writing style of the word "year" in cursive, many contemporary calligraphers, only to imitate the handwriting of the ancients, do not go deeper into the origins of the cursive character form.

China's ancient calligraphy puts the word "year" in the Wo department to show that the wind and rain are favorable and the grains are plentiful. Since grains and cereals are usually ripened once a year, the character "年" was used to indicate that there is a good harvest. The "year" will be derived as the name of the year. From the original meaning of the word "year" and the derivation of the meaning of the word, we can know that, as late as from the Shang Dynasty, China has been an agricultural country based on agriculture.

? The origin of the Spring Festival No. 5: the fight for flowers to rule the world said?

In the folklore around Guanzhong, Shaanxi, there are legendary stories about the Spring Festival. Legend has it that in order to govern the earth, the Jade Emperor sent Maitreya Buddha from the Heavenly Palace down to earth. This was known to Rulai Buddha, thought, I count the Lord Buddha miles, why not let me go? So, to find the Jade Emperor reasoning, the Jade Emperor heard, speechless, had to say: "discuss and then say it." The Jade Emperor has come up with a solution to the problem by taking the opportunity to discuss the matter.　

He invited Maitreya Buddha and Rulai Buddha, put two pots of flowers in front of the two Buddhas, said: "These two pots of flowers you two each service a pot, whose flower first bloom, who will go down to earth to manage the earth." Rulai Buddha's mind, thick ideas, know that the Jade Emperor must favor Maitreya Buddha, because he guessed that the Jade Emperor is afraid of the words hard to take back, only to service flowers as an excuse to do this matter. In front of these two pots of flowers, I'm afraid the Jade Emperor has secretly made arrangements, so also came up with a small plan. He took the opportunity of Maitreya Buddha's closing his eyes to give thanks, and quietly switched the two pots of flowers. The next day, Rudraksha's flowers bloomed, so Maitreya Buddha only managed one day on earth, which was the first day of the first month. Legend has it that Maitreya Buddha's heart was good, and on this day he let people eat well, wear good clothes and sleep well, and thus people spent the first day of the first month joyfully and cheerfully. Afterwards, in order to honor Maitreya Buddha, people called this early spring, the time when the two Buddhas met, "Spring Festival".

2. The custom of the Spring Festival?

? One of the customs of the Spring Festival: eating New Year's Eve dinner with the door closed?

And in some parts of the South to close the door to eat the New Year's Eve dinner, this is also a long-standing custom, it is said that and one of the Eight Immortals Tie Qiao Li related.

When I was a child, I heard my grandfather tell a story that in the south, there are many places to eat New Year's Eve dinner, the door should be closed, and only after eating and cleaning up the dishes can the door be opened. This is also a symbol, Grandpa said this means "close the door to make money, open the door is very lucky".

Grandpa also said that closing the door for New Year's Eve dinner, folklore is to coax Tie Qun Li. We all know that Tie Qiao Li is a well-known immortal figure, its one of the Eight Immortals. Although this man is a lame, but is a fairy, and the Jade Emperor also gave him the task, so that when he reaches the last day of the year, he has to go to check the people's situation. So every year on New Year's Eve at meal time, Iron Knuckle Li would disguise himself as a beggar, and then go from house to house to beg. Then the begging to show the Jade Emperor to see one by one, so who is poor, who is rich, it is clear at a glance. The Jade Emperor was also very fair. For some rich families, the Jade Emperor would let them receive certain punishments, such as disasters, so as not to make them too rich. For the poor people, the Jade Emperor would be merciful and let them get rich a few more times to avoid being too poor.

Then this story spread among the people, and there was a very shrewd businessman who thought of a way to close the door during the New Year's Eve dinner, and the family didn't talk loudly, and then opened the door after the meal was finished and cleaned up. This time Iron Li came, has eaten clean, the table is nothing. Iron crutch Li came in a open, this family is too poor, so it is merciful, so that this family a few more chances to get rich. So many people know this method, have to learn up, so this method spread, everyone learns one by one, and close the door to eat the New Year's Eve dinner custom has been passed down and has continued to this day.

However, the farmer believes that the reason why in the south the custom of eating New Year's Eve dinner with the door closed is mainly because on New Year's Eve a lot of meals will be cooked, and in the winter time the weather is relatively cold. If you leave the door open, so that the meal is easy to be cooled by the north wind, which will affect the taste and flavor, and secondly, it is also not good for the body, easy to cause stomach pain!

? Customs of the Spring Festival No. 2: paste the year red?

Thirty days of household "sticker red" (red is a spring couplets, door god, New Year's paintings, Fuyi, crossword, windowpane, etc. collectively, because these are the New Year's Eve sticker red festive elements, so collectively referred to as "red"). ("Nianhong"). Stickers red is the traditional Chinese New Year customs , it reflects the customs and beliefs of the people, adding festive atmosphere, and sends people to the new year new life of the good hope.

Posting Spring Festival Couplets: According to the Jade Candle Treasure Tree, Yanjing Yearly Record and other literary works, the original form of Spring Festival Couplets is what is known as "Peach Symbols". Another source of spring couplets is spring stickers, the ancients in the spring day more stickers "Yichun" two words, and then gradually developed into spring couplets. Spring Festival couplets, also known as the posting of door pairs, spring stickers, couplets, pairs, peach symbols, etc., which is a unique form of literature in China, with neat, couplets, concise, sophisticated text depicting the background of the times, expressing the best wishes. Every Spring Festival, whether in the city or in the countryside, every family has to choose a big red spring couplets to paste on the door, for the festival to increase the festive atmosphere.

Pasted New Year's paintings: the Spring Festival hanging pasted New Year's paintings in urban and rural areas is also very common, heavy ink and colorful New Year's paintings to thousands of families added a lot of prosperity and joy of the festive atmosphere. New Year's paintings are an ancient folk art of China, reflecting the people's simple customs and beliefs, and entrusting their hopes for the future. With the rise of woodblock printing, the content of New Year's paintings has not only been limited to monotonous themes such as door gods, but has become colorful.

Window and "Fu" characters: In folklore, people also like to put all kinds of paper cuttings on the windows - window. Window flowers not only set a festive atmosphere, but also decorative, appreciative and practical in one. At the same time, some people want to stick large and small "Fu" characters on the door, wall and lintel of the house. Folk will also be "Fu" word fine as a variety of patterns, patterns of longevity, longevity peach, carp jump Dragon Gate, the five valleys, the dragon and phoenix, and so on.

? Chinese New Year customs of the third: hanging lanterns?

Thirty days of families have hung lanterns custom, the Spring Festival New Year's Eve hang red lanterns to symbolize the meaning of reunion, to create a festive atmosphere . Later, the lantern became a symbol of Chinese celebrations. After generations of lantern artists inheritance and development, the formation of colorful varieties and high level of craftsmanship.

Legend has it that after Jiang Ziya sealed the gods, but there is nothing since the division, only a certain immortal traveled to play a substitute. On New Year's Eve, all the gods are in place, Jiang Ziya has no place to go, the people see him poor, in the head of the high pole to light a lamp, let him squat under the lamp on the night. Over time the custom of hanging lanterns was formed.

? The origin of the Spring Festival No. 4: keep the New Year's Eve to stay alive?

The custom of "keeping watch over the New Year" comes from a legend. This is also one of the most commonly heard legends, every New Year's Eve, the ancient times, there is a ferocious beast, scattered in the mountains and dense forests, people call them "year". It is hideous, ferocious nature, specializing in eating birds and beasts, scales and insects, a day to change a taste, from knocking insects have been eaten to the living, so that people talk about the "year" color change. Later, people slowly mastered the "year" of the activities of the law, it is every three hundred and sixty-five days scurrying to the crowd of people living in the place to taste a mouthful of food, and the time of the infestation are in the dark, until the rooster breaks the dawn, they will return to the mountains and forests to go.

Calculating the date of the "New Year" rampage, the people will be this terrible night as a pass to brake, called "New Year's Pass", and came up with a whole set of New Year's Pass approach: every night, every family is ahead of time to do a good job of dinner, extinguish the fire! Net stove, and then all the chicken coop cattle pen tethered to the front and back doors of the mansion are sealed, hiding in the house to eat "New Year's Eve dinner", because this dinner has the meaning of bad luck and uncertainty, so organized very sumptuous, in addition to the whole family to eat together to express the harmony and reunion, but also have to be in the meal before the sacrifice to the ancestors, praying for the blessing of the gods of the ancestors, and the gods of the ancestors, and the gods of the ancestors. After dinner, no one dares to sleep, sitting together and chatting.

People put the "year" rampant this night, as a pass to stay up, in order to kill time, the family reunion and talk, there is a prayer for a safe passage through the meaning of the night. After a long time, New Year's Eve to stay up the custom of the New Year's Eve was formed.

? Chinese New Year's Eve night firecrackers?

The custom of setting off firecrackers at night on New Year's Eve originated from a folk legend. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a four-horned, four-legged beast - Xi, when the snow closed the mountains, Xi party to the nearby scourge of the neighbors looking for food, and at the end of the waxing moon, the people are all sorted out clothes and carry the young and the old to nearby bamboo forests to hide from the Xi.　　

This year, when the village people were preparing to take refuge, a kind mother-in-law saved a child from starvation on the side of the road and brought him to the bamboo forest to escape from Xi. The grandmother told the child that Yu had chased him here and left in a hurry when she saw people felling the bamboo. The child thought for a moment and told everyone that he had a way to get rid of Xiu, so that they could cut more bamboo joints and take them with them, and go home with a piece of red cloth on the door of each house.　　

Yu came again, the child stepped in to attract Yu's attention, so that the villagers threw into the fire broken bamboo, but because of fear, everyone froze. At that moment, Yu picked the child up by his horns and threw him to the ground. The villagers reacted to the sound of the child's landing and threw bamboo sticks into the fire. Since it was not long ago that they cut it down, the wet bamboo sticks exploded and crackled when they met the fire! The "Yu" heard the noise and ran away, not damaging anything else in the village.　　

Yu was scared away, the households were saved because of the red strips hanging in front of their doors, and Yu didn't enter, but the clever boy who saved the village died. And that day was the first day of the first month. The name of the clever boy was "Nian".　

Because Nian didn't die, every year on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, everyone waited for Nian to die, hoping to get rid of Nian as soon as possible. But a year has passed, no one has not seen the "sunset", there are only people to prevent the "sunset" of the arrival of the firecrackers, but left us this firecracker burning legend.

Of course, these are just legends, but from these well-organized, chapter-based legends, can be reflected from the side, in the ancient farming society, the people of nature's fear, the fear of a high degree of abstraction, but also tell us, in the fear of the front, is not powerless, Yong "to punish the evil and promote the good," the myths of the prayers. The myth of the "punishment of evil and goodness" is to pray for the weather to be favorable and for the people to live in peace and happiness!