The Spring Festival, as one of the representatives of traditional Chinese festivals, is one of the most important festivals in Chinese culture. It is not just a simple festival, but also a cultural symbol that has been passed down by the Chinese nation for thousands of years.
The celebrations of the Spring Festival include a wealth of customs and cultural activities, including the reunion dinner of the New Year's Eve dinner, the welcoming atmosphere of pasting Spring Festival couplets, and the traditions of setting off firecrackers to drive away evil spirits and giving red envelopes to convey blessings. Behind these activities, it not only reflects the importance of family and kinship of the Chinese people, but also the good wishes and expectations for the new year.
The celebration time of the Spring Festival depends on the changes in the lunar calendar, usually between January or February each year. Its origin can be traced back thousands of years and has undergone a long historical development. Today, the Spring Festival has become a festival celebrated by Chinese people all over the world.
In this article, we will explore the origin, myths and legends, and traditional customs of the Spring Festival in depth, and further understand the importance and value of the Spring Festival in Chinese society and culture.
The Origin Of The Spring Festival:
The earliest form of the Spring Festival is closely related to the "New Year's Day Festival". In ancient China, people prayed for a good harvest and good weather in the new year by offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, ancestors and gods. This kind of sacrificial activity gradually evolved into a folk festival, among which the most important one was the sacrifice to "Nian".
Myths And Legends Of The Spring Festival:
In early myths and legends, the Spring Festival was closely related to the story of the "Nian Beast". According to the legend, the Nian Beast would appear in the village every New Year's Eve and harass the people. People drove away the Nian Beast by setting off cannons and pasting red Spring Festival couplets, which meant expelling evil spirits and welcoming the New Year. This legend gradually formed some important customs in the Spring Festival celebration, such as setting off firecrackers and pasting Spring Festival couplets.
“Chunyun”(Spring Festival Travel Rush)
The "chunyun" during the Spring Festival is one of the largest population migration phenomena in the world. According to statistics, during the Spring Festival every year, a large number of migrant workers and migrant workers will return to their hometowns by rail, road, aviation and other means of transportation to visit relatives and reunite.
Traditional Customs And Cultural Activities Of The Spring Festival:
Posting Spring Festival couplets: Spring Festival couplets are an indispensable traditional decoration during the Spring Festival. Spring Festival couplets are usually composed of red paper and black characters, and the content is mostly auspicious blessings and words expressing wishes. People will post Spring Festival couplets before New Year's Eve, which means bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, exorcising evil spirits and bringing good fortune. Spring Festival couplets not only decorate the door of the house, but also add a strong festive atmosphere to the Spring Festival.
Sweeping the dust: Before the Spring Festival, every household will conduct a thorough "big cleaning", commonly known as "sweeping the dust". Sweeping the dust is not only to keep the family clean and tidy, but also has the symbolic meaning of "getting rid of the old and welcoming the new". Removing the accumulated dust means getting rid of the bad luck of the old year and welcoming the good luck of the new year. It is traditionally believed that sweeping the dust can sweep away all the bad luck and bring good luck in the new year.
New Year's Eve dinner: The New Year's Eve dinner on New Year's Eve is one of the most representative traditions of the Spring Festival. Every household will carefully prepare a sumptuous dinner, and the whole family will gather together to enjoy this meal that symbolizes reunion and harmony. The dishes of the New Year's Eve dinner are very particular, and the meaning of the ingredients is particular. For example, fish represents "abundance every year", chicken represents "good luck", dumplings represent "wealth and good luck", and glutinous rice balls symbolize "reunion". New Year's Eve dinner is not only a simple dinner, but also a bond of communication and affection between family members.
Staying up all night: "Staying up all night" on New Year's Eve is also an important custom. Elders usually stay up all night with their children at night, waiting for the arrival of the new year. Staying up all night symbolizes driving away the bad luck of the old year and welcoming the good luck of the new year. Children will be excited to accompany their parents, and elders will also give red envelopes, symbolizing "lucky money", praying for the healthy growth, safety and happiness of their children.
The first day of the Spring Festival, that is, the first day of the first lunar month, is one of the most lively moments of the Spring Festival. New Year's greetings are an important tradition of the Spring Festival, which aims to express blessings to relatives, elders and friends.
New Year's greetings: During the Spring Festival, people will visit relatives and friends and send blessings to each other. Elders usually give red envelopes to younger generations, and the red envelopes contain coins, which symbolize "lucky money", implying the blessing of children's health, safety and academic progress in the new year. When paying New Year's greetings, people often use blessings such as "Congratulations on making a fortune", "Happy New Year", "Good health", etc. to convey their wishes.
Setting off firecrackers: Setting off firecrackers is one of the important activities during the Spring Festival, especially on New Year's Eve. Setting off firecrackers and fireworks is not only for celebration, but also has the profound meaning of exorcising evil spirits, warding off evil, and welcoming the New Year. Nowadays, although some cities restrict the setting off of firecrackers for environmental reasons, this custom is still preserved in many places and has become an important symbol of the Spring Festival.
Lucky money: The red envelope contains "lucky money", which is usually cash given by elders to younger generations, implying that they wish their children peace, health, and growth in the new year. In modern society, especially among young people, red envelopes are not limited to cash, but often virtual red envelopes are sent through "red envelope software", which adds fun and interactivity.
Ancestor worship: The ancestor worship ceremony during the Spring Festival is an important part of Chinese traditional culture. Many families will hold ancestor worship ceremonies on New Year's Eve or the first day of the new year. Ancestor worship activities usually include placing offerings, burning incense, kowtowing and other rituals, the purpose of which is to express the remembrance and respect for the ancestors, and at the same time pray for the ancestors to bless the family harmony and the prosperity of the career. Foods offered to ancestors usually include fruits, cakes, and drinks, which family members will enjoy together after the sacrifice.
Dragon and lion dances: Dragon and lion dances are traditional folk celebrations during the Spring Festival, especially in the south and southeast coastal areas. Dragon dances symbolize exorcism and good fortune, while lion dances represent good luck and bring good fortune. Dragon and lion dance teams usually consist of dozens of people, and with the rhythm of drums and music, they show a strong festive atmosphere.
Opera and folk performances: During the Spring Festival, traditional operas, acrobatics, folk art and other folk performances are often held in temple fairs, streets and squares across the country. These performances not only entertain the public, but also become an important way to showcase local community culture.
Best Wishes:
The Spring Festival is coming soon, I wish you all a happy new year in advance! Foreign friends are also welcome to visit China and experience China's lively Spring Festival!
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