春节习俗SpringFestivalTraditions

　　TheSpringFestivalisthemostimportantfestivalfortheChinesepeopleandiswhenallfamilymembersgettogether,justlikeChristmasintheWest.Allpeoplelivingawayfromhomegoback,becomingthebusiesttimefortransportationsystemsofabouthalfamonthfromtheSpringFestival.Airports,railwaystationsandlong-distancebusstationsarecrowdedwithhomereturnees.

　　TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthantheGregoriancalendar.ItoriginatedintheShangDynasty(c.1600BC-c.1100BC)fromthepeople'ssacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.

　　Strictlyspeaking,theSpringFestivalstartseveryyearintheearlydaysofthe12thlunarmonthandwilllasttillthemid1stlunarmonthofthenextyear.Ofthem,themostimportantdaysareSpringFestivalEveandthefirstthreedays.TheChinesegovernmentnowstipulatespeoplehavesevendaysofffortheChineseLunarNewYear.

　　ManycustomsaccompanytheSpringFestival.Somearestillfollowedtoday,butothershaveweakened.

　　Onthe8thdayofthe12thlunarmonth,manyfamiliesmakelabaporridge,adeliciouskindofporridgemadewithglutinousrice,millet,seedsofJob'stears,jujubeberries,lotusseeds,beans,longanandgingko.

　　The23rddayofthe12thlunarmonthiscalledPreliminaryEve.Atthistime,peopleoffersacrificetothekitchengod.Nowhowever,mostfamiliesmakedeliciousfoodtoenjoythemselves.

　　AfterthePreliminaryEve,peoplebeginpreparingforthecomingNewYear.Thisiscalled"SeeingtheNewYearin".

　　StoreownersarebusythenaseverybodygoesouttopurchasenecessitiesfortheNewYear.Materialsnotonlyincludeedibleoil,rice,flour,chicken,duck,fishandmeat,butalsofruit,candiesandkindsofnuts.What'smore,variousdecorations,newclothesandshoesforthechildrenaswellasgiftsfortheelderly,friendsandrelatives,areallonthelistofpurchasing.

　　BeforetheNewYearcomes,thepeoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.

　　Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheircleanroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.AllthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithSpringFestivalcouplets,highlightingChinesecalligraphywithblackcharactersonredpaper.Thecontentvariesfromhouseowners'wishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckfortheNewYear.Also,picturesofthegodofdoorsandwealthwillbepostedonfrontdoorstowardoffevilspiritsandwelcomepeaceandabundance.

　　TheChinesecharacter"fu"(meaningblessingorhappiness)isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastednormallyorupsidedown,forinChinesethe"reversedfu"ishomophonicwith"fucomes",bothbeingpronouncedas"fudaole."What'smore,twobigredlanternscanberaisedonbothsidesofthefrontdoor.Redpaper-cuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycoloredNewYearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningsmaybeputonthewall.

　　PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymemberseatdinnertogether.Themealismoreluxuriousthanusual.Dishessuchaschicken,fishandbeancurdcannotbeexcluded,forinChinese,theirpronunciations,respectively"ji","yu"and"doufu,"meanauspiciousness,abundanceandrichness.Afterthed