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Lunar New Year's customs
By Tao Jiming and Pan Zheng |
January 25, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE New Year is also called the Spring Festival. It is the most important festival for Chinese people and many customs have been passed down over generations.
Firecrackers
People set off firecrackers on Chinese New Year's Eve and early on Lunar New Year's Day. It's said that the firecrackers can drive away a monster called nian, (which means year in Chinese). According to old stories, nian would eat a lot of people if it wasn't driven away by the noise from firecrackers. Now every year, many people light firecrackers to protect themselves from the monster.
Spring Festival couplets
In Jiading, a pair of scrolls is hung on the front door. In ancient China, people hung wood from peach trees on the door to avoid the intrusion of evil. This tradition slowly evolved and paper scrolls are now used instead of wood. People write wishes for good luck and health on the scrolls.
New Year visit
In Spring Festival, people will dress up and pay a New Year's visit. The visit is divided into several parts. First, people hold a ceremony for gods and ancestors. Then, young members of the family will come to see their elders to show their respect. As a reward, the elders will give children a red envelope with money in it. This is called yasui in Jiading. The final part is a visit between relatives and friends. They hold hands and give best wishes to each other.
Dinner
Spring Festival dinners are usually the biggest feast of the year. The whole family gathers to enjoy the meal. On Lunar New Year's Eve, people have the family reunion dinner. On the morning of Chinese New Year's Day, people eat tang yuan (sticky rice dumplings) and nian gao (rice cake). In Chinese tang yuan means reunion and niao gao means a better life in the coming year. People eat noodles as well because they are long and symbolize a long life. It's a time to relax and enjoy.
Auspiciousness
For Jiading people, the Spring Festival is a wonderful time. Everyone can play jokes on each other and laugh together, regardless of your age. There are only two rules - no rude words or no quarrels are allowed. During the Spring Festival, people should be harmonious and make good wishes to each other. Using dirty words to abuse others or quarrelling are regarded as extremely shameful.
Firecrackers
People set off firecrackers on Chinese New Year's Eve and early on Lunar New Year's Day. It's said that the firecrackers can drive away a monster called nian, (which means year in Chinese). According to old stories, nian would eat a lot of people if it wasn't driven away by the noise from firecrackers. Now every year, many people light firecrackers to protect themselves from the monster.
Spring Festival couplets
In Jiading, a pair of scrolls is hung on the front door. In ancient China, people hung wood from peach trees on the door to avoid the intrusion of evil. This tradition slowly evolved and paper scrolls are now used instead of wood. People write wishes for good luck and health on the scrolls.
New Year visit
In Spring Festival, people will dress up and pay a New Year's visit. The visit is divided into several parts. First, people hold a ceremony for gods and ancestors. Then, young members of the family will come to see their elders to show their respect. As a reward, the elders will give children a red envelope with money in it. This is called yasui in Jiading. The final part is a visit between relatives and friends. They hold hands and give best wishes to each other.
Dinner
Spring Festival dinners are usually the biggest feast of the year. The whole family gathers to enjoy the meal. On Lunar New Year's Eve, people have the family reunion dinner. On the morning of Chinese New Year's Day, people eat tang yuan (sticky rice dumplings) and nian gao (rice cake). In Chinese tang yuan means reunion and niao gao means a better life in the coming year. People eat noodles as well because they are long and symbolize a long life. It's a time to relax and enjoy.
Auspiciousness
For Jiading people, the Spring Festival is a wonderful time. Everyone can play jokes on each other and laugh together, regardless of your age. There are only two rules - no rude words or no quarrels are allowed. During the Spring Festival, people should be harmonious and make good wishes to each other. Using dirty words to abuse others or quarrelling are regarded as extremely shameful.
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