This year of 2017 the first day of the spring festival in China is on January 28. This spring festival is similar to the festival of Christian's Christmas day, Muslims Eid, and Hindus Durga puja. This spring festival is a big event for Chinese people as it is the lengthiest and largest festival in a year. They also call it as the "New year celebration." This year is named the "Rooster Year."
By tradition, the spring festival starts on the 23rd day of last month and continues to the 15th day of the first month of a lunar year. The last day of the last month and the first day of the first month of a lunar year are the most important days of the spring festival.
Historically, the culture of spring festival of China is dated more than four thousand years. At that time, the festival didn't have the name "Spring Festival." The villagers of China called the festival as "Nian" at 1000 B.C. "Nian." means year, but that time it meant the year of the good crop. If the harvest was good, then the year called "Guo Nian."
There is a mythology about Nian. Nian was a giant beast, and it looked like a fierce tiger with horns. It lived in the deep sea. Nian came out only once in a year on the night of last day in last month of a year. Then it devoured whatever living thing it can find. For that reason, the villagers hid inside the jungle at that day.
After some years passed with the fear of Nian, then a monk came to the village at that day. The villagers warned him of Nian, but he laughed hysterically. He told them he would get rid of the beast with his magic. After the end of the sunset, night appeared, and Nian came to that village. Nian found no one in that village except a house which had a bright red light. When Nian tried to enter that room, the monk started fireworks and burning candles. The intense sound of fireworks and bright red color of lighting made hurt to Nian’s head, eyes, and ear. At the heated moment, the monk came out with a red robe with giant red candles. Nian got shocked and fled instant. The monk laughed at seeing Nian feeling for life. After that day Nian didn't come to that village again.
To celebrate the spring festival, the villagers and city dwellers prepare for various activities. The farmers clean their houses and color it with bright red colors and ribbons. They make sweets, cakes for their guests and families. Cultural organizations organize many functions to celebrate this festival at city centers. Parks and auditoriums start filling with people.
As China is one of the largest countries on earth, its prime festival celebrated with various cultural activities. Citizens of China buys one-third of their total goods in a year in this festival. Friends and family of the Chinese people from all over the world come to celebrate together with fun and joy. In South China, 10-12 dishes prepared at this time. The must have dish in this festival is Tofu, is made with yogurt and fish. In North China, the Chao Chi dish is a must have dish. Chio Chi dish is prepared by every member of a family in the evening. It is made with flour, fish, and meat.
Chinese people don't sleep at night of last month in a year. They sing, dance and make fun. In the morning of the first day of the Spring Festival of the lunar year, the guests are welcomed by everyone dressed in new clothes, or go home New Year's greetings to relatives and friends. Everyone exchanges New Year's greetings with each other that day with tea, nuts and sweet taste of their stories. The colorful spring festival program has local opera and film programs, tiger dance, lantern-lit drive, fairs, various types of welfare programs throughout the exciting atmosphere of the festival. However, most people look forward to the first day of spring to spent the night together in a unique TV program to enjoy. The special event is organized by the CCTV, China's most famous stars, as well as the foreign artists that took part. It has events of dance, music, funny plays, acrobatic shows, etc.
During the spring festival, the entrance of the house is set up with a two-foot verse, and the walls of the new year festoons, and a variety of Chinese lanterns hanging on the front door of the house before the Spring Festival, or one of the practice. Before the Spring Festival, a large wall painting and a two-foot verse are found, the picture of the life of the citizens happy, beautiful flowers and the social scene is very popular. Spring Lantern Festival to watch a demonstration, Chinese traditional art of Chinese lanterns, some of them, such as the size of the rabbit, some like goats, some of the popular television cartoon character shapes.
Some of the rituals have been changed with the change in the age of the Spring Festival. But the Spring Festival, the Chinese people's life, and thinking have not changed yet. However, the history of China's most famous festival the spring festival is not too long. In fact, the history of China's Spring Festival is about 102 years. Before the celebration of the New Year according to the Lunar calendar, it was not called the spring festival. According to the Gregorian calendar, at the first day of January 1912, the government announced the beginning of a year. But the Chinese people don't accept it as the first day of a year. Then the state minister made a proposal. From that time the lunar calendar begins.
China's government has taken measures for the protection of the Spring Festival culture. Just three days before the Spring Festival holiday, as there were in 2000 the holiday was extended for seven days. All the family members now have adequate time to rejoice. On the other hand, students in educational institutions are getting more holidays due to the long winter.
Most of the Chinese people don't believe in religion. However, they perform several rituals for the betterment of the dead one's soul. They pray to their gods with burning incense and lighting candles. They offer foods with chopsticks to the gods during this time. In the last day of a year, every house is lit whole night with candles and incense. They make dumplings and offer to the souls of their family members who died. The dumplings don't have oil and meat as the gods don't like that to eat. At the beginning of the very first day, the neighbors visit each other’s house with fruits, especially oranges and then greet with each other.
After long 15 days, the festival ends in moonlit night. The last day of this festival is called as lantern festival. The primary objective of the festival is not only to expresses the joy of the arrival of the new year, but also the purpose of mutual understanding and cooperation between people, love and respect and hope for better future for all.
Story courtesy: Wikipedia
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