Today is the 2nd day of the Year of the Tiger!
Many Chinese companies will have at least 1 week holiday to celebrate this most important period which is called Spring Festival.
There is another way of expression about Spring Festival, it is “Guo Nian”.
Literally, Guo means “drive away”, Nian is the name of a monster.
Guo Nian means “drive away the monster Nian”.
According to the legend, the monster "Nian" lived in the sea.
But every Lunar New Year's Eve, it would climb ashore, devour livestock and hurt people…
Therefore, every Lunar New Year's Eve, people would hide away in deep mountains to avoid the monster “Nian”.
On one New Year's Eve, a begging old man came to the village.
He said: “I can drive Nian away!”
Not a soul believed him and everyone hid in the mountains.
Then, in the evening, "Nian" came…The old man lit red lanterns and candles in the whole house and made the sound of “Cracking”. “Nian”ran away in fright…and never came back.
It turns out that “Nian" is afraid of the color red, fire and explosions.
That is why during “Guo Nian” Chinese wear red clothes, and set off firecrackers.
However, not everyone wears red these days, and it is not even allowed to set off firecrackers in the cities anymore.
“Guo Nian” has turned into a family reunion festival, similar to Christmas in Europe.
By the way, if you meet someone Chinese these days…. Please make sure to wish that person “Gong Xi Fa Cai!” (Which means “good fortune!”)
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