Happy Chinese New Happy Chinese New Year !Year !

How many things do you know about Chinese New Year?How many things do you know about Chinese New Year?

The Origin of Chinese New YearThe Origin of Chinese New Year

In terms of theIn terms of the Chinese calendar: Chinese calendar:

The Chinese New Year The Chinese New Year is nowis now popularly known aspopularly known as the Spring the Spring Festival Festival because it starts frombecause it starts from the the beginning of Spring. beginning of Spring.

All agree that the word “All agree that the word “NianNian”, which ”, which in modern Chinese solely meansin modern Chinese solely means ““yearyear”, was originally the name of a ”, was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the on people the night before the beginning of a new year. beginning of a new year.

LegendLegend

• One legend goes that the beastOne legend goes that the beast NianNian had had a very big mouth that would swallow a a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite. People great many people with one bite. People were very scared. One day, an old man were very scared. One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subduecame to their rescue, offering to subdue NianNian. .

LegendLegend

• To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are To Nian he said, “I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow worthy opponents?” So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harassed people and their domestic also harassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.animals from time to time.

LegendLegend

• After that, the old man disappeared After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian. He turned out to riding the beast Nian. He turned out to be an immortal god. Now that Nian is be an immortal god. Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life. enjoy their peaceful life.

LegendLegend

• Before the old man left, he had told Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each on their windows and doors at each year’s end to scare away year’s end to scare away NianNian in case it in case it sneaked back again, because sneaked back again, because red red is the is the color the beast feared the most.color the beast feared the most.

LegendLegend

• From then on, the tradition of observing From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation. The term “generation to generation. The term “Guo Guo NianNian”, which may mean “Survive the ”, which may mean “Survive the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the Nian” becomes today “Celebrate the (New) Year” as the word “guo”in Chinese (New) Year” as the word “guo”in Chinese having both the meaning of “pass-over” having both the meaning of “pass-over” and “observe”. and “observe”.

• The custom of putting up The custom of putting up red paperred paper and and firing firing fire-crackersfire-crackers is to scare away Nian. is to scare away Nian.

• However, people today have long However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the sound add to the excitement of the celebration. celebration.

Traditions of Chinese New YearTraditions of Chinese New Year

• Days before the New Year:Days before the New Year:• Every family is busy giving its house a Every family is busy giving its house a

thorough cleaning, hoping to sweep thorough cleaning, hoping to sweep away all the ill-fortune there may have away all the ill-fortune there may have been in the family to make way for the been in the family to make way for the wishful in-coming good luck. wishful in-coming good luck.

Traditions of Chinese New YearTraditions of Chinese New Year• People also give their doors and window-People also give their doors and window-

panes a new paint, usually in panes a new paint, usually in red colorred color. . They decorate the doors and windows They decorate the doors and windows withwith paper-cuts paper-cuts and and coupletscouplets with the very with the very popular theme of 'popular theme of 'happinesshappiness', '', 'wealthwealth', ', ''longevitylongevity' and ' and 'satisfactory marriage with 'satisfactory marriage with more childrenmore children'. Paintings of the same '. Paintings of the same theme are put up in the house on top of the theme are put up in the house on top of the newly mounted wall paper. newly mounted wall paper.

Traditions of Chinese New YearTraditions of Chinese New Year

paper-cuts:paper-cuts: couplets:couplets:

The Eve of the New YearThe Eve of the New Year

• Supper is a feast, with all Supper is a feast, with all members coming together. members coming together. One of the most popular One of the most popular courses iscourses is jiaozi jiaozi, , dumplings boiled in water. dumplings boiled in water. ‘‘jiaozijiaozi' in Chinese literally ' in Chinese literally means a long-lost good means a long-lost good wish for a family. wish for a family.

The Eve of the New YearThe Eve of the New Year

The Eve of the New YearThe Eve of the New Year

• After dinner, it is time for the whole After dinner, it is time for the whole family to sit up for the night while family to sit up for the night while having fun playing cards or board having fun playing cards or board games or watching TV programs games or watching TV programs dedicated to the occasion. dedicated to the occasion.

Very early the next morningVery early the next morning

Children greet their parents and Children greet their parents and receive their presents in terms receive their presents in terms of of cash wrapped up in red paper cash wrapped up in red paper packagespackages from them. Then, the from them. Then, the families start out to say families start out to say greetings from door to door, greetings from door to door, first their relatives and then first their relatives and then their neighbors. The air is their neighbors. The air is permeated with warmth and permeated with warmth and friendliness. friendliness.

Several days following the New Year's daySeveral days following the New Year's day

People are visiting each People are visiting each other,with a great deal of other,with a great deal of exchange of gifts. The New exchange of gifts. The New Year atmosphere is brought Year atmosphere is brought to an anti-climax fifteen days to an anti-climax fifteen days away where the Festival of away where the Festival of Lanterns Lanterns sets in. sets in.

Lantern festival: the end of New Year celebrationsLantern festival: the end of New Year celebrations

The fifteenth day of the new year is celebrated as The fifteenth day of the new year is celebrated as Yuánxiāo jiéYuánxiāo jié ((元宵节元宵节 ))Rice dumplingsRice dumplings ，， sweet sweet glutinous rice ball brewed in a soup, ball brewed in a soup, is eaten this day. is eaten this day. Candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward Candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward spirits home. spirits home. This day is celebrated as the This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, , and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns. and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns. This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities. festivities.

mămă

Greetings for Chinese New YearGreetings for Chinese New Year

On Chinese New Year, you can hear all kinds of greetings On Chinese New Year, you can hear all kinds of greetings for Chinese New Year, such as “for Chinese New Year, such as “ 新年好新年好 (xīnnián hăo)(xīnnián hăo) Happy New YearHappy New Year!” and “!” and “ 新年快乐新年快乐 (xīnnián kuàilè)(xīnnián kuàilè) Happy Happy New YearNew Year!” There are other common greetings such as “!” There are other common greetings such as “ 恭恭喜发财喜发财 (gōngx fācái)ǐ(gōngx fācái)ǐ ,” which means “ ,” which means “Wish You Great Wish You Great ProsperityProsperity!” and “!” and “ 马年吉祥马年吉祥 (m(măănián jíxiáng),"nián jíxiáng)," which which means "means "Good Luck in the Year of the HorseGood Luck in the Year of the Horse!," for the !," for the upcoming Year of the upcoming Year of the horsehorse has become very popular. And has become very popular. And now, text messages are a popular way for people to greet now, text messages are a popular way for people to greet each other. each other. Text message greetingsText message greetings for Chinese New Year for Chinese New Year are usually used by many people.are usually used by many people.

Greetings for Chinese New YearGreetings for Chinese New Year

新年好新年好 (xīnnián hăo)(xīnnián hăo) Good Luck in the Year of the HorseGood Luck in the Year of the Horse

恭喜发财恭喜发财 (gōngx fācái) ǐ(gōngx fācái) ǐ Happy New Year Happy New Year

马年吉祥马年吉祥 (m(măănián jíxiáng) nián jíxiáng) Wish You Great ProsperityWish You Great Prosperity

Best wishes for the year of horseBest wishes for the year of horse

Let’s draw a cute horseLet’s draw a cute horse