Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is approaching! Do you know what Chinese New Year is? Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often inaccurately called "Lunar New Year", because—as part of the lunisolar Chinese calendar—the date is partially determined based on lunar phase. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner. It is also the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This holiday is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations, such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien. Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people. One time, people saw that the Nien was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nien was afraid of the colour red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nien. From then on, Nien never came to the village again. The Nien was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien became Hongjun Laozu's mount.
Preparations for Chinese New Year has been made. My parents have put up decorative Chinese items like a small model dragon has been put at the entrance of my house. My parents have also put a piece of paper containing the word “fu”, which means wealth in the Chinese language, upside down on our door. By putting it upside down, it means that wealth come to us, as upside down and come is pronounced the same in the Chinese language. Also, we have put up a Chinese drawing of a rabbit as this is the year of the Rabbit. Other than these, other Chinese decorations are put up. If your race is Chinese, have you decorated your house? If not, quickly do so now!