Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to people in the West. The dates for this annual celebration are determined by the lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar, so the timing of the holiday varies from late January to early February.
To the ordinary Chinese, the festival actually begins on the eve of the lunar New Year's Day and ends on the fifth day of the first month of the lunar calendar. But the 15th of the first month, which normally is called the Lantern Festival, means the official end of the Spring Festival in many parts of the country.
Preparations for the New Year begin the last few days of the last moon, when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, hair cut and new clothes purchased. Houses are festooned with paper scrolls bearing auspicious antithetical couplet (as show on both side of the page) and in many homes, people burn incense at home and in the temples to pay respects to ancestors and ask the gods for good health in the coming months.
"Guo Nian," meaning "passing the year," is the common term among the Chinese people for celebrating the Spring Festival. It actually means greeting the new year. At midnight at the turn of the old and new year, people used to let off fire-crackers which serve to drive away the evil spirits and to greet the arrival of the new year. In an instant the whole city would be engulfed in the deafening noise of the firecrackers.
On New Year's Eve, all the members of families come together to feast. Jiaozi, a steamed dumpling as pictured below, is popular in the north, while southerners favor a sticky sweet glutinous rice pudding called nian gao.
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.
传说有一个叫“年”的怪兽，有一个大嘴，能一口吞下很多人。人们都很怕它。
The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers is to scare away Nian.
贴红纸和方鞭炮的习俗就是为了吓跑年。
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.
但是，现在人们大多忘记了为什么这么做的原因，只是觉得色彩和响声增加了过节的气氛。
According to the briefing, according to legend there is a Chinese ancient times called the "years" of the monster, the first long tentacles, unusually ferocious. "Year" for many years hiding the sea, only to climb up every New Year's Eve shore, devouring livestock harm human life. Therefore, every New Year's Eve that day, the village young people Walled villages fled to the mountains, to escape the "year" animal damage.
据介绍，相传中国古时候有一种叫“年”的怪兽，头长触角，凶猛异常。“年”长年深居海底，每到除夕才爬上岸，吞食牲畜伤害人命。因此，每到除夕这天，村村寨寨的人们扶老携幼逃往深山，以躲避“年”兽的伤害。
This Year's Eve, Peach Blossom Village, young people are the mountain refuge, from a village outside begging the elderly, saw hiscrutches, arm ride capsule bag, silver to be graceful, head if Lang stars. Some villagers sealed windows locked, and some to pack up and get some Thunbergia sheep, everywhere people shouting, scene of a panic rush. At this time, who determined to take care of the elderly people begging. Village head only an old lady to the elderly more food, and urged him to speed up the mountain to escape the "Year" beast, the old man smiled stroking beard: mother-in-law if I stay at home one night, I have the "year" removed the animal. Head scared the old lady look at, to see him mental healthy, bearing out of the ordinary. She is still continuing to persuade, begging people laugh instead of the phrase. Mother-in-law no option but to leave home and go up the mountain refuge.
这年除夕，桃花村的人们正扶老携幼上山避难，从村外来了个乞讨的老人，只见他手拄拐杖，臂搭袋囊，银须飘逸，目若朗星。乡亲们有的封窗锁门，有的收拾行装，有的牵牛赶羊，到处人喊马嘶，一片匆忙恐慌景象。这时，谁还有心关照这位乞讨的老人。只有村东头一位老婆婆给了老人些食物，并劝他快上山躲避“年” 兽，那老人捋髯笑道：婆婆若让我在家呆一夜，我一定把“年”兽撵走。老婆婆惊目细看，见他鹤发童颜、精神矍铄，气宇不凡。可她仍然继续劝说，乞讨老人笑而不语。婆婆无奈，只好撇下家，上山避难去了。
The middle of the night, "years" to break into the village of animals. It found that the village atmosphere, unlike in previous years: the first lady Village home, the door paste big red, brightly lit candles inside the house. "Year" all animalsa bang. "Year" towards mother-in-law home glower moment, then head over the pastforward. Almost at the entrance to the hospital from a sudden "bang flap" sound of bombing, "year" every tremble, and then move forward together a dare. In fact, "year" fear red flames and炸响. At this time, opening the door to let mother-in-law's house, wearing only a hospital Dahongpao elderly laughter. "Year" scaring the daylights out, embarrassed fled the spurt.
半夜时分，“年”兽闯进村。它发现村里气氛与往年不同：村东头老婆婆家，门贴大红纸，屋内烛火通明。“年”兽浑身一抖，怪叫了一声。“年”朝婆婆家怒视片刻，随即狂叫着扑过去。将近门口时，院内突然传来“砰砰啪啪”的炸响声，“年”浑身战栗，再不敢往前凑了。原来，“年”最怕红色、火光和炸响。这时，婆婆的家门大开，只见院内一位身披红袍的老人在哈哈大笑。“年”大惊失色，狼狈逃蹿了。
The next day is the first day, people who sought refuge back safe and sound very surprised to see the village. At this time, the old lady came before, and hastened to the villagers described the promise of the elderly begging. Together villagers over to the old lady, and mother-in-law saw the door close to the red paper, yard pile of bamboo is still unburned "flap"炸响inside several red candles also issued a Yu ... ... joyvillagers to celebrate the auspicious arrival of their new clothes to wear for a new hat, say hello to friends and relatives at home Daoxi. This matter quickly spread around the village, people are aware of the expulsion of "years" beast approach.
第二天是正月初一，避难回来的人们见村里安然无恙十分惊奇。这时，老婆婆才恍然大悟，赶忙向乡亲们述说了乞讨老人的许诺。乡亲们一齐拥向老婆婆家，只见婆婆家门上贴着红纸，院里一堆未燃尽的竹子仍在“啪啪”炸响，屋内几根红腊烛还发着余光……欣喜若狂的乡亲们为庆贺吉祥的来临，纷纷换新衣戴新帽，到亲友家道喜问好。这件事很快在周围村里传开了，人们都知道了驱赶“年”兽的办法。
Since then the annual New Year's Eve, families paste red couplets, set off firecrackers; household candles Tongming, Shou-more-year-old question. Early in the morning early to go pro-string Daoxi Friends say hello. This custom of the more mass the more widely and became the most solemn of Chinese folk traditional festivals.
从此每年除夕，家家贴红对联、燃放爆竹;户户烛火通明、守更待岁。初一一大早，还要走亲串友道喜问好。这风俗越传越广，成了中国民间最隆重的传统节日