Chapter 148 The legend of the "year"

The Spring Festival is also called the lunar (lunar) year, commonly known as "New Year".It is the most solemn and lively ancient traditional festival in our country.The festive atmosphere will last for a month.Before the first day of the first lunar month, there are ceremonies such as offering sacrifices to stoves and ancestors; during the festival, there are ceremonies such as giving lucky money to children and paying New Year greetings to relatives and friends; the second half of the festival is the Lantern Festival, when the city is full of lanterns and the streets are full of tourists.After the Lantern Festival, the Spring Festival is over.

But why is it called "New Year" instead of another name?Especially on New Year's Eve, you have to stay up all night, which is called "staying up for the year". Why is it called "staying up for the year"? It is said that in ancient times, there was a ferocious monster that lived scattered in deep mountains and dense forests, and people called them "Nian". "Nian" has a ferocious appearance and a ferocious nature, from kowtowing worms to living people.Gradually, people grasped the activity law of "Nian". It turns out that it eats people every three hundred and sixty-five days, and the time to come and go is after dark. up.Therefore, the people called this terrible night "New Year's Pass" and came up with a whole set of ways to "Celebrate the New Year's Pass".

Every night on this day, every family prepares dinner in advance, turns off the fire and cleans the stove, seals the gate of the house, and hides in the house to eat "New Year's Eve dinner"-who knows if they will be able to eat tomorrow?Therefore, the New Year's Eve dinner is very rich. In addition to having the whole family eat together, it is also necessary to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and pray for their blessings before eating.Moreover, no one dared to sleep that night, they sat together and chatted to strengthen their courage. It was getting dark gradually, and "Nian" came out from the deep mountains and old forests, and saw that the doors of every house were closed, and there was no one on the street.At dawn, "Nian", who hadn't eaten anything all night, had to return sadly.People who survived the "Nian Guan" were overjoyed, bowed to each other when they met, congratulated each other, and rejoiced that they were not eaten by the Nian beast.

However, on the thirty night of one year, "Nian" suddenly rushed to a village in the south of the Yangtze River.A whole village was almost eaten up by the Nian Beast. Only a newlywed couple with red curtains and red clothes was safe and sound.There were also a few children who lit a bunch of bamboos in the yard and were playing. The fire was bright red, and the bamboos made a "popping" sound after burning.Since then, people know that the Nian beast is afraid of red, light, and noise. At the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, every household pastes red paper, wears red robes, hangs red lights, beats gongs and drums, and sets off firecrackers, so that the "Nian" will not dare to come again. up.