Traditional Chinese Festivals- Chinese New year

This is the Chinese version of New Year. This Chinese New Year is set at a different date each year. This festival is celebrated with fireworks,fire crackers and red decorations. A very long time ago there was a powerful and terrifying demon named Nian. ( Nian is year in Chinese). The monster Nian had a single horn, a large mouth , very sharp teeth and thick green scales. The monster Nian use to do anything it wanted, including killing and causing general destruction.

The powers of heaven grow annoyed with this destructive beast and locked it in a prison, some people say a mountain prison others contradict and claim a watery prison. Either way the beast was subdued. However an agreement was made so Nian didn’t starve to death. Heaven permitted  Nian to leave once every 12 months to feast.

Every year when Nian was released the consequence were fatal to us humans as a starving monster would consume a year’s worth of food in a night. Frightened villagers would give they livestock as a sacrifice to Nian as they hid in woods or caves, hoping that Nian wouldn't find them or destroy their house.

One day a beggar came to a village the day before Nian was going to be release. He had been travelling on the road for many years and wanted a bed for the night. The villagers warned him about the monster but he was intrigued by Nian and wanted to both sleep in a warm bed and see the monster.

The beggar took refuge inside one of the houses which so happened to have a piece of red cloth attached to the door. When Nian came to this village in search of food he found the beggar and attacked the house. When Nian charged the door it was struck by lighting. Slowing recovering, Nian circulated the village in search of food avoiding anything red.

Seeing this, the beggar found some red cloth, a red lantern and a large firecracker. He dressed himself in this red cloth and emerged from the house. Nian watched as this red thing came toward him. Seeing the red light of the lantern he thought this was the lightening about to attack him again. When the beggar threw the firecracker and the huge sound erupted around Nian, he fled in panic leaving the old beggar alone in the village.

After that day everyone knew how to protect themselves, so once every year, when Nian was released, people lit up their houses with red lanterns, paste red paper over their doors and let off firecrackers and firework all day and night. Evey though no one gets any sleep on that day, people congratulate themselves on avoiding the diaster of Nian and wish everyone good luck and happiness for the New Year that also begins and has started so well.