SpringFestival

　　TheNewMoononthefirstdayofthenewyear--thefullmoon15dayslater

　　ClickhereformorewordsabouttheSpringFestival

　　ChineseNewYearstartswiththeNewMoon（新月）onthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon（满月）15dayslater.The15thdayofthenewyeariscalledtheLanternFestival（元宵节）,whichiscelebratedatnightwithlanterndisplaysandchildrencarryinglanternsinaparade.

　　TheChinesecalendarisbasedonacombinationoflunarandsolarmovements.Thelunarcycle（月运周期）isabout29.5days.Inorderto"catchup"withthesolarcalendartheChineseinsertanextramonthonceeveryfewyears(sevenyearsoutofa19-yearcycle).Thisisthesameasaddinganextradayonleapyear（闰年）.Thisiswhy,accordingtothesolarcalendar,theChineseNewYearfallsonadifferentdateeachyear.

　　NewYear'sEveandNewYear'sDayarecelebratedasafamilyaffair,atimeofreunionandthanksgiving.ThecelebrationwastraditionallyhighlightedwithareligiousceremonygiveninhonorofHeavenandEarth（万物）,thegodsofthehouseholdandthefamilyancestors.

　　Thesacrificetotheancestors,themostvitalofalltherituals（仪式）,unitedthelivingmemberswiththosewhohadpassedaway.Departedrelativesarerememberedwithgreatrespectbecausetheywereresponsibleforlayingthefoundationsforthefortuneandgloryofthefamily.

　　ThepresenceoftheancestorsisacknowledgedonNewYear'sEvewithadinnerarrangedforthematthefamilybanquettable.Thespiritsoftheancestors,togetherwiththeliving,celebratetheonsetoftheNewYearasonegreatcommunity.Thecommunalfeastcalled"surroundingthestove"orweilu.Itsymbolizesfamilyunityandhonorsthepastandpresentgenerations.

　　TheOriginofChineseNewYear

　　TheChineseNewYearisnowpopularlyknownastheSpringFestivalbecauseitstartsfromtheBeginingofSpring(thefirstofthetwenty-fourtermsincoodinationwiththechangesofNature).Itsoriginistoooldtobetraced.Severalexplanationsarehangingaround.Allagree,however,thatthewordNian,whichinmodernChinesesolelymeans"year",wasoriginallythenameofamonsterbeastthatstartedtopreyonpeoplethenightbeforethebeginningofanewyear.

　　OnelegendgoesthatthebeastNianhadaverybigmouththatwouldswallowagreatmanypeoplewithonebite.Peoplewereveryscared.Oneday,anoldmancametotheirrescue,offeringtosubdueNian.ToNianhesaid,"Ihearsaythatyouareverycapable,butcanyouswallowtheotherbeastsofpreyonearthinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansofyourworthyopponents?"So,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearththatalsoharrassedpeopleandtheirdomesticanimalsfromtimetotime.

　　Afterthat,theoldmandisappearedridingthebeastNian.Heturnedouttobeanimmortalgod.NowthatNianisgoneandotherbeastsofpreyarealsoscaredintoforests,peoplebegintoenjoytheirpeacefullife.Beforetheoldmanleft,hehadtoldpeopletoputupredpaperdecorationsontheirwindowsanddoorsateachyear'sendtoscareawayNianincaseitsneakedbackagain,becauseredisthecolorthebeastfearedthemost.

　　Fromthenon,thetraditionofobservingtheconquestofNianiscarriedonfromgenerationtogeneration.Theterm"GuoNian",whichmaymean"SurvivetheNian"becomestoday"Celebratethe(New)Year"astheword"guo"inChinesehavingboththemeaningof"pass-over"and"o