春节的英文介绍

第一篇：春节的英文介绍

what does the holiday mean?

这个节日有什么含义吗？

The term “pass year” is used for the Spring Festival(Chinese New Year).The word “Year” in Chinese characters used to mean a horrible beast.To combat the beast, the Chinese hang “good luck” wishes on red paper on the door and use fireworks in the belief that the beast fears red and fire.This tradition in many ways resemble the Western belief of using garlic and crosses to fight vampires.中文中“过年”这个词组用以表示对春节（中国新年）的庆祝。“年”这个字在中文里是一种恐怖的怪兽。因为“年”害怕红色和火，所以中国人会在门上悬挂“春联”写上美好祝福，并放鞭炮来赶跑它。这个传统有点类似西方人用大蒜和十字架吓跑吸血鬼的传统。

Why New Year is so special?

为什么新年那么特别呢？

The Chinese zodiac features 12 animals in the sequence of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.This year is the year of Tiger.Each animal represents a different “personality”.According to legend, people held a conference with all the animals, informing them that they would pick the 12 to represent the zodiac.However, in spite of being fast, the cat was not picked as its then-close friend, the rat, did not wake it.This action sparked off a rivalry that continues till this day.中国的十二生肖代表了十二种动物，他们的顺序是：鼠、牛、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗和猪。今年是虎年。每一种动物有他们自己的“性格”。根据传说，人们当初和动物们开了一个会，最先到会的动物们就可以进入十二生肖。而身为猫最好的朋友，老鼠却没有把猫叫醒去开会。因此，它们之间的战争一直持续到今天。

What do people do?

那人们在新年都干啥呢？

Eat, eat again, and then eat some more!As the old Chinese saying goes: food is everything.吃、接着吃、再吃更多东西！就跟一句中国古话说的那样：食物即一切。（沪江小编：这算是哪门子“中国古话”！？）

The tradition is to have different main courses everyday from the 1st day of the New Year to the 15th day of the New Year, from Jiao Zi(dumplings), noodles, spring rolls, sticky rice cakes, and Tang Yuan(stuffed rice balls).Besides culinary satisfaction, each food has a meaning as well: for instance, Jiao Zi looks like gold, implying a wealthy year ahead.传统就是，从新年第一天开始直到正月十五，每天都要吃不同的主菜。从饺子、面条、春卷、年糕到汤圆。除了祭好五脏庙以外，每一种食物也有含义：比如饺子看起来就像金元宝，这意味来年的丰衣足食。

Besides eating, young people visit older family members and kids are blessed with a red pack of “lucky” money.And then, people gather and eat again(!), leading to a lot of advertisements about fitness right after the Chinese New Year holiday.除了吃以外，年轻人要去拜会家里的老人家，而小盆友们就有大把压岁钱拿。跟着，人们又聚在一起吃，所以节后中国就会出现很多减肥广告……（沪江小编：写这东西的老外看就知道被骗了。这是哪家的规矩……不过没事，大家随机应变、等见了老外把真正的中国习俗告诉他们吧。）

Happy Chinese New year！!

第二篇：英文春节介绍

英文春节介绍.txt单身很痛苦，单身久了更痛苦，前几天我看见一头母猪，都觉得它眉清目秀的什么叫残忍？ 是男人，我就打断他三条腿；是公狗，我就打断它五条腿！A cheery New Year hold lots of happiness for you!给你特别的祝福，愿新年带给你无边的幸福、如意。May you have the best New Year ever.愿你度过最美好的新年!Much joy to you in the up coming year.May the warmest wishes, happy thoughts and friendly greetings come at New Year and stay with you all the year through.让温馨的祝愿、幸福的思念和友好的祝福，在新年来到你身边，伴你左右。A New Year greeting to cheer you from your daughters.愿女儿的新年祝福带给你快乐。At New Year and always, may peace and love fill your heart, beauty fill your world, and contentment and joy fill your days.新年的祝福，平日的希冀，愿你心境祥和、充满爱意，愿你的世界全是美满，愿你一切称心如意，快乐无比。May the joy of New Year be with you throughout the year.愿新年的快乐一年四季常在。Peace and love for you at New Year from all your students.祝老师新年充满平安和爱。Wishing you a sparkling New Year and bright happy New Year!May the season bring much pleasure to you.愿你的新年光彩夺目，愿你的新年灿烂辉煌!佳节快乐!Wishing you all the blessings of a beautiful New Year season.愿你拥有新年所有美好的祝福。Wishing you all the happiness of the holiday season.祝节日幸福如意。Hope all your New Year dreams come true!愿你所有的新年想都成真!Hope you enjoy the happiness of New Year and all the trimmings.祝你享尽新年佳节的快乐和新年的礼品。Warm hearted wishes for a happy New Year filled with all your favorite things.传统佳节之际，献上殷殷祝福，祝新年万事如意!I wish you a happy New Year.All affection and best wishes to you and yours.以我所有的爱心与真诚祝你及全家圣诞快乐。In the season of joy I present my sincere wishes and kind thoughts.May the kind of New Year outshine all the rest.在这欢乐的时节给你我最真的祝福和亲切的思念，愿你今年的新年比往年更璀璨。May the New Year be a time of laughter and real enjoyment for you.Best wishes.愿新年不仅是你欢笑的时刻，更是你欣喜的日子。祝福你。May the glow of New Year candle fill your heart with peace and pleasure and make your New Year bright.Have a love filled New Year!愿新年的烛光带给你祥和与喜悦，祝你新年充满爱。May the bright and festive glow of New Year candle warm the days all the year through.Hoping you will have a wonderful time enjoying New Year that is happy in every way.愿明亮喜庆的新年烛光温暖一年中的每个日日夜夜，祝你欢欢喜喜度新年!New Year time is here.I hope you have a wonderful New Year.May every day hold happy hours for you.新年来临，祝新年快乐，愿你时时刻刻幸福欢乐!

中国春节习俗(英文版)

The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.People usually decorate the doors and windows with red papercuts.becouse red means good luck.People usually clean house too.becouse they want to sweep away bad luck.Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.On New Year's Eve,family always have a big dinner.Everybody are watch TV and talk.In the midnight,there usually fairworks.On New Year's Day,people usually put on their new clothes and visit their femily and friends.They usually say:“Happy New Year's Day.”

The Spring Festival finishes at the Lantern Festival after two weeks.People usually

eat a kind of rice dumpling called yuanxiao.It can take people good luck all the year round.春节常用英文

过年 Guo-nian;have the Spring Festival

对联 poetic couplet: two successive rhyming lines in poetry

春联 Spring Festival couplets

剪纸 paper-cuts

年画 New Year paintings

买年货 special purchases for the Spring Festival;do Spring Festival shopping敬酒 propose a toast

灯笼 lantern: a portable light

灯会 exhibit of lanterns

守岁 staying-up

拜年 pay New Year's call;give New Year's greetings;New Year's visit禁忌 taboo

去晦气 get rid of the ill-fortune

祭祖宗 offer sacrifices to one's ancestors

压岁钱 gift money;money given to children as a lunar New Year gift

辞旧岁 bid farewell to the old year

扫房 spring cleaning;general house-cleaning

八宝饭 eight treasures rice pudding

糖果盘 candy tray

什锦糖 assorted candiesgrowth and good health

西瓜子 red melon seedprosperity

糖莲子 candied lotus seedfulfilling love relationship

红枣 red datessweet

--给父母亲

Mom and Dad: Thank you for everything this holiday season!

爸爸妈妈：值此佳节，感谢您们所给予的一切。

Warmest thoughts and best wishes from your daughter.寄上无限的思念和最美好的祝愿，你们的女儿。

May you have the best season ever.愿你过个最愉快的节日。

A New year greeting to cheer you from your daughter.愿女儿的祝福带给您欢乐。

Happy New year to the world's best parents!

祝世界上最好的父母节日快乐！

Season's greetings to my dearest parents!

祝我最亲爱的父母节日愉快！

--给师长-

Much joy to you in the upcoming year.愿您在新的一年充满快乐。

Thank you for your hard work and patience on this holiday season.值此佳节，谨对您的辛勤栽培表示感谢。

May happiness follow you everywhere …just like we do.愿快乐随时与您同在——如同我们与您寸步不离。

Wishing you and your family a very happy new year.祝福您及全家新年快乐。

--给朋友

A New Year greeting to cheer you, my good friend.希望新年祝福给你带来欢乐，我的好朋友。

Take your passion and make it come true.发挥你的热情，让理想变为现实。

Best of luck in the year to come.愿你在未来的一年里，吉星高照。

Wish all the best wishes for you.献上最美好的祝愿。

Wish many good wishes for the holidays and the coming year.新的一年，向你献上最诚挚的祝福。

Wishing you all the blessings of a beautiful season.愿你拥有美丽的新年所有的祝福。

May its blessings lead into a wonderful year for you and all whom you hold dear.祝福你及你所爱的人新的一年中万事如意。

To wish you special joy at the holidays and all year.祝你在节日和新的一年中享有无限的快乐。

春节英文介绍：

The Origin of Chinese New Year

中国春节的来历

The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the Begining of Spring(the first of the twenty-four terms in coodination with the changes of Nature).Its origin is too old to be traced.Several explanations are hanging around.All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means “year”, was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite.People were very scared.One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian.To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harrassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian.He turned out to be an

immortal god.Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life.Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again, because red is the color the beast feared the most.From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation.The term “Guo Nian”, which may mean “Survive the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the(New)Year” as the word “guo” in Chinese having both the meaning of “pass-over” and “observe”.The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers to scare away Nian should it have a chance to run loose is still around.However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration.

第三篇：春节英文介绍

春节英文介绍：

The Spring Festival is the most important festival in China.People usually decorate the doors and windows with red papercuts.becouse red means good luck.People usually clean house too.becouse they want to sweep away bad luck.Children can get some new clothes or presents from their parents and grandparents.On New Year's Eve,family always have a big dinner.Everybody are watch TV and talk.In the midnight,there usually fairworks.On New Year's Day,people usually put on their new clothes and visit their femily and friends.They usually say:“Happy New Year's Day.” The Spring Festival finishes at the Lantern Festival after two weeks.People usually eat a kind of rice dumpling called yuanxiao.It can take people good luck all the year round.The Origin of Chinese New Year 中国春节的来历

The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the Begining of Spring(the first of the twenty-four terms in coodination with the changes of Nature).Its origin is too old to be traced.Several explanations are hanging around.All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means “year”, was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite.People were very scared.One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian.To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harrassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian.He turned out to be an immortal god.Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life.Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again, because red is the color the beast feared the most.From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation.The term “Guo Nian”, which may mean “Survive the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the(New)Year” as the word “guo” in Chinese having both the meaning of “pass-over” and “observe”.The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers to scare away Nian should it have a chance to run loose is still around.However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration.

第四篇：春节的英文介绍

what does the holiday mean?

这个节日有什么含义吗？

The term “pass year” is used for the Spring Festival(Chinese New Year).The word “Year” in Chinese characters used to mean a horrible beast.To combat the beast, the Chinese hang “good luck” wishes on red paper on the door and use fireworks in the belief that the beast fears red and fire.This tradition in many ways resemble the Western belief of using garlic and crosses to fight vampires.中文中“过年”这个词组用以表示对春节（中国新年）的庆祝。“年”这个字在中文里是一种恐怖的怪兽。因为“年”害怕红色和火，所以中国人会在门上悬挂“春联”写上美好祝福，并放鞭炮来赶跑它。这个传统有点类似西方人用大蒜和十字架吓跑吸血鬼的传统。

Why New Year is so special?

为什么新年那么特别呢？

The Chinese zodiac features 12 animals in the sequence of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.This year is the year of Tiger.Each animal represents a different “personality”.According to legend, people held a conference with all the animals, informing them that they would pick the 12 to represent the zodiac.However, in spite of being fast, the cat was not picked as its then-close friend, the rat, did not wake it.This action sparked off a rivalry that continues till this day.中国的十二生肖代表了十二种动物，他们的顺序是：鼠、牛、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗和猪。今年是虎年。每一种动物有他们自己的“性格”。根据传说，人们当初和动物们开了一个会，最先到会的动物们就可以进入十二生肖。而身为猫最好的朋友，老鼠却没有把猫叫醒去开会。因此，它们之间的战争一直持续到今天。

What do people do?

那人们在新年都干啥呢？

Eat, eat again, and then eat some more!As the old Chinese saying goes: food is everything.吃、接着吃、再吃更多东西！就跟一句中国古话说的那样：食物即一切。（沪江小编：这算是哪门子“中国古话”！？）

The tradition is to have different main courses everyday from the 1st day of the New Year to the 15th day of the New Year, from Jiao Zi(dumplings), noodles, spring rolls, sticky rice cakes, and Tang Yuan(stuffed rice balls).Besides culinary satisfaction, each food has a meaning as well: for instance, Jiao Zi looks like gold, implying a wealthy year ahead.传统就是，从新年第一天开始直到正月十五，每天都要吃不同的主菜。从饺子、面条、春卷、年糕到汤圆。除了祭好五脏庙以外，每一种食物也有含义：比如饺子看起来就像金元宝，这意味来年的丰衣足食。

Besides eating, young people visit older family members and kids are blessed with a red pack of “lucky” money.And then, people gather and eat again(!), leading to a lot of advertisements about fitness right after the Chinese New Year holiday.除了吃以外，年轻人要去拜会家里的老人家，而小盆友们就有大把压岁钱拿。跟着，人们又聚在一起吃，所以节后中国就会出现很多减肥广告……（沪江小编：写这东西的老外看就知道被骗了。这是哪家的规矩……不过没事，大家随机应变、等见了老外把真正的中国习俗告诉他们吧。）

Happy Chinese New year！!

第五篇：关于春节的英文介绍

关于春节的英文介绍

Spring Festival 1The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is ○when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West.All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival.Airports, railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.(春节是中国人民最重要的节日，所有家庭成员聚在一起，在西方圣诞节一样。所有远离家乡的人都要回家，成为了为期半个月左右的运输系统最繁忙的时间——春运。机场，火车站和长途巴士站都挤满了回家的人。)

○2The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar.It originated in the Shang Dynasty(c.1600 BC-c.1100 BC)from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.（春节落在正月的第一天，往往比公历晚一个月。它起源于商朝（西元1600 BC-C。公元前1100年）从人民祭祀神灵和祖先，在旧的一年结束和一个新的开始。）

○3Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid-1st lunar month of the next year.Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days.The Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.（严格地说，春节是指从腊月初开始一直到第二年中旬的一个月。其中，最重要的日子是除夕和一年的前三天。现在中国政府规定，人民在中国农历新年有七天的休假。）

○4Many customs accompany the Spring Festival.Some are still followed today, but others have weakened.（春节的时候有不少传统习俗。有的人至今还在保持，不过有的人已经慢慢淡化了这种习俗。）

○5On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge, a delicious kind of porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job's tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko.（腊月的第8天，许多家庭做腊八粥，糯米，小米，薏苡种子，红枣浆果，莲子，豆类，龙眼，银杏制成美味的粥样。）

○6The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve（小年）.At this time, people offer sacrifice to the kitchen god.Now however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves.（腊月23日，被称为小年。在这个时候，人们祭祀灶神。但是现在，大多数家庭做出美味的食物来过节。）

○7After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year.This is called “Seeing the New Year in”.（过了小年之后，人们开始为新年做准备。

这被称为“看得见的新年”。）

○8Store owners are busy then as everybody goes out to purchase necessities for the New Year.Materials not only include edible oil, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish and meat, but also fruit, candies and kinds of nuts.What's more, various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives, are all on the list of purchasing.（商店老板都那么忙，因为每个人都出去购买生活必需品新年。材料不仅包括食用油，大米，面粉，鸡，鸭，鱼，肉，而且水果，糖果和各种坚果。更重要的是，各种装饰，新衣服和鞋的儿童以及老人的礼物，朋友和亲戚，所有的采购清单。）

○9Before the New Year comes, the people completely clean the indoors and outdoors of their homes as well as their clothes, bedclothes and all their utensils.（在新的一年到来之际，人们彻底清理自己的家里以及他们的衣服，被褥和他们所有的器具的室内和室外。）

○10Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity.All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper.The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year.Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.（然后人们开始装饰洁净室，洋溢着一种欢乐和喜庆的气氛。人们将所有的门板贴上春联，在红纸上写上对联。内容多是憧憬一个光明的未来，表达人们新年交好运的意愿。此外，门神和财神的照片也将被张贴在前门，分别用来辟邪和招财招福。）

○11The Chinese character “fu”(meaning blessing or happiness)is a must.The character put on paper can be pasted normally or upside down, for in Chinese the “reversed fu” is homophonic with “fu comes”, both being pronounced as “fudaole.” What's more, two big red lanterns can be raised on both sides of the front door.Red paper-cuttings can be seen on window glass and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall.（中国汉字“福”（意为祝福或幸福）是必须的。通常放在纸上的字符可以被粘贴或上下颠倒，中国的“倒福”谐音“福到”，既突出福到了。更重要的是，两个大的红灯笼，可以提高前门两侧。在窗户玻璃上，可以看到红色的窗花，还有可以贴在在墙壁上的鲜艳的年画，表的这吉祥的寓意。）

○12People attach great importance to Spring Festival Eve.At that time, all family members eat dinner together.The meal is more luxurious than usual.Dishes such as chicken, fish and bean curd cannot be excluded, for in Chinese, their pronunciations, respectively “ji”, “yu” and “doufu,” mean auspiciousness, abundance and richness.After the dinner, the whole family will sit together, chatting and watching TV.In recent years, the Spring Festival party broadcast on China Central Television Station(CCTV)is essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad.2

According to custom, each family will stay up to see the New Year in.（人民高度重视除夕。那个时候，所有家庭成员一起吃年夜饭。这顿饭是比平时更加丰盛。菜，比如鸡，鱼和豆腐不能被排除在外，在中国，他们的发音，“鸡，“鱼”和“豆腐”，意味着吉祥，富裕和福气。晚饭后，全家人会坐在一起，聊天，看电视。近年来，中国中央电视台（CCTV）播出的春节联欢晚会是海内外中华儿女的重要娱乐节目。按照习俗，每个家庭都会守夜，迎接新的一年的到来）

○13Waking up on New Year, everybody dresses up.First they extend greetings to their parents.Then each child will get money as a New Year gift, wrapped up in red paper.People in northern China will eat jiaozi, or dumplings, for breakfast, as they think “jiaozi” in sound means “bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new”.Also, the shape of the dumpling is like gold ingot from ancient China.So people eat them and wish for money and treasure.（初一大家起来之后，都打扮好。首先，他们给他们的父母拜年。然后每个孩子都会收到在红包，里边是压岁钱。在中国北方的人，会吃饺子，因为他们认为“饺子”的声音意味着“辞旧迎新”。此外，饺子的形状就像是从中国古代的金元宝。所以，人吃了他们，并期盼财富。）

○14Southern Chinese eat niangao(New Year cake made of glutinous rice flour)on this occasion, because as a homophone, niangao means “higher and higher, one year after another.” The first five days after the Spring Festival are a good time for relatives, friends, and classmates as well as colleagues to exchange greetings, gifts and chat leisurely.（中国南方吃年糕（糯米粉）新年蛋糕，在此之际，因为作为一个同音字，年糕意味着“年年高升。”初五是一个走亲访友的好日子，互致问候，互送礼品，并悠闲地聊天。）

○15Burning fireworks was once the most typical custom on the Spring Festival.People thought the spluttering sound could help drive away evil spirits.However, such an activity was completely or partially forbidden in big cities once the government took security, noise and pollution factors into consideration.As a replacement, some buy tapes with firecracker sounds to listen to, some break little balloons to get the sound too, while others buy firecracker handicrafts to hang in the living room.（放爆竹曾经是最典型的春节的习俗。人们认为爆竹声可以帮助驱赶邪灵。然而，这样的活动在大城市是被完全或部分禁止的，政府考虑到了安全，噪音和污染等因素。作为替代，一些人买磁带放着听，有的人扎破小气球来制造类似声音，而其他人则买爆竹工艺品挂在客厅。）

○16The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but permeates to streets and lanes.A series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days.The Spring Festival then comes to an end when the Lantern Festival is finished.（热闹的气氛，不仅充满了每家每户，也蔓延到了到大街小巷。这些天将举行一系列活动，如舞狮，舞龙灯，灯会和庙会。春节后到元宵节结束时结束。）

○17China has 56 ethnic groups.Minorities celebrate their Spring Festival almost the 3

same day as the Han people, and they have different customs.（中国有56个民族。少数民族和汉族的春节几乎同一天，他们有不同的习俗。）

春节风俗

New Year celebrations is a grand event of China.New Year festivitieslasts for one month in China.Chinese New Year is also called Springfestival.It begins from the middle of the last month of the year andends up in the first month of the new year.These last day celebrationsin China is called Lantern Festival。

History of Chinese New Year

追溯历史：名叫“年”的怪兽

ChineseNew Year has a very interesting and unique history.According to theChinese legends, there was a giant beast Nian who used to swallowhumans in a single bite.Relief from the horrifying beast came onlywhen people realized that Nian was scared of red color and loud noises.They started bursting crackersand used red color to scare the beast.Since then, this day was namedas GuNian meaning “Pass over the Nian”.Chinese considered the day an auspicious one as it brought new life for them and celebrated it as a New Year。

Chinese New Year Dates

农历新年，年年不同（生肖）

Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year.Chinese calendar is a combination of solar and lunar calendar.Chinese New Year falls on second new moon after the winter solstice(冬至).Chinese calendar has a 12 year cycle and each year is named afteranimal.Chinese believe that every person resembles an animal and thisreflects their traits.Year 2006 was the Year of the Dog.People born on this date are said to be very loyal and trustworthy。

Chinese New Year Celebrations

新年找乐，日日不同

Lot of excitement can be seen in the last 15 days of New Year celebrations.Every day has a special importance to it.Chinese ritualize and celebrate each day in a customary manner.Given below are the line wise celebrations of the New Year in China:

年初一：祭拜天地

Day1: People began their day by offering prayers and welcome the gods ofheaven and earth.Most of the people stay away from meat to ensurehealthy living。

年初二：狗狗过生日

Day 2:Successively, prayers are offer to their ancestors and other gods.Chinese are strict care-taker of dogs and feed them well.This is dayis considered to be the birthday of all dogs。

初三初四：走亲访友，媳妇回娘家

Day3 and 4: These are very important days for the families to keep uptheir relations.It calls for every son-in-law to pay respect to theirparents-in-law。

年初五：“破五”祭财神

Day5: According to the traditions, nobody visits friends and relativeshouses as it 4

would bring bad omen.They stay back home to worship theGod of wealth.The day is called Po Woo。

年初六：百无禁忌，出门活动筋骨

Day6: On this day, people freely meet their near and dear ones and evenvisit nearby temples to pray for their well being and high spirits。

年初七：吃面条，祝长寿

Day 7: This is Chinese farmers' day.They display their backbreaking

produce.They also prepare a drink from seven different types ofvegetables.On this day, everybody eats noodles which is a symbol oflong life and fish representing success。

年初八：凌晨拜天公

Day8: It's an other day to be celebrated with the family and friends.Theyalso offer midnight prayers to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven。

年初九：玉皇大帝登场

Day 9: Prayers are offered to Jade Emperor。

初十、十一、十二、十三：大吃大喝，最后记得回归清淡

Days 10 to 13: From 10 to 12, people celebrate the days by having sumptuous dinner with the loved ones and the 13th day is left for a very light dinner to cleanse the system。

年十四：准备闹元宵

Day 14: People start preparing for the celebration of Lantern Festival to be held on next day。

年十五：吃元宵看灯火

Day 15: Since it is the first night to see full moon, people hang out colorful lanterns, eat glutinous rice balls and enjoy the day with their family.5