Animals of the Chinese New Year and Animals of the Chinese Zodiac

and that he would swallow a great many people with every bite.

One day an old man came to the rescue of the people, he said to Nian, “I hear that you are a very capable beast, but do you think that you could swallow the other beasts of prey instead of people, who are not worthy opponents?” So Nian started to swallow he other beast which were harassing the people anyway. After that the man disappeared riding Nian, it turns out that the man was really an immortal god.

The old man told the people to put up red decorations on their windows and doors at each year’s end to scare away Nian in case he came back. Nian lived in fear of the color red. The people celebrate the New Year by putting up red paper and lighting fire- crackers to scare away Nian. They say the words “Guo Nian” which mean both, “Survive the Nian” and “Celebrate the year.” The word “guo” in Chinese means both observe, and pass-over.

Another tradition of the Chinese people is to wear bright costumes to attract the god of the universe who is supposed to come back at the beginning of the New Year.

On New Year’s Day the people all dress in new clothes and spend the day with their families. They exchange gifts; some of these gifts are gifts of money wrapped in red and gold paper. This money is to be spent throughout the holiday. Food is kept warm all day for visiting family. The tradition is to eat dumpling soup; whoever bites into the dumpling with the surprise in it is supposed to have good luck throughout the year.

The second day of the New Year is for visiting family. Money trees are put out as a sign of prosperity.

The third day of the festival is marked with fire-crackers and the Dragon Dance. This is also the day for the beginning of the Lion Dance, which lasts through the fifth day.

The fourth day is a day for people, even strangers to drop in and visit wherever they like.

The fifth day of the New Year is for visiting family who are far away, a day of travel and reunion. On this day all of the shops re-open and the people can cook again.

The Lantern Festival begins about ten days later, with the first full moon of the New Year, this