由来一：神化传说

　　1.TheOriginofChineseNewYear

　　http://www.p2p365.com/english/english001.asp? id=4962

　　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"observe".Thecustomofputtingupredpaperandfiringfire-crackerstoscareawayNianshouldithaveachancetorunlooseisstillaround.However,peopletodayhavelongforgottenwhytheyaredoingallthis,exceptthattheyfeelthecolorandthesoundaddtotheexcitementofthecelebration.

　　2.ChineseNewYear

　　http://www.newton.mec.edu/Angier/DimSum/china__dim_sum__spring_fes.html

　　Itsoriginisancient,butmanybelievethewordNian,whichmeans"year",wasthenameofabeastthatpreyedonpeopleontheeveofanewyear.

　　Inonelegend,thebeast,Nian,hadthepowertoswallowupallthepeopleinavillageinonebigbite.VillagepeoplewereveryscaredofNian.

　　Oneday,anoldmancametothevillagers'rescue,offeringtosubdueNian.TheoldmanaskedNian,"Iknowyoucanswallowpeople,butcanyouswallowotherbeastsofpreyinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansyourworthyopponents?"

　　Nianacceptedtheoldman'schallengeandswallowedthebeaststhathadharassedthevillagersandtheirfarmanimalsforyears.

　　Attheendofthelegend,theoldmandisappearedridingoffonNian.Inthislegend,theoldmanturnedouttobeanimmortalgod.

　　Intheend,Nianisgoneandtheotherbeastsofpreyarescaredintohidingintheforests.Thevillagerscanonceagainenjoytheirpeacefullife.

　　Thelegendgoesontosaybeforetheoldmanleft,hetoldthevillagerstoputredpaperdecorationsontheirwindowsanddoorsateachyear'sendinordertokeepNianaway.ItisbelievedNianisafraidofthecolorred.

　　ThetraditionofobservingtheconquestofNianiscarriedonfromgenerationtogeneration.Theterm"Guo