TheSpringFestival

　　TheSpringFestival,alsoknowasthelunarNewYear,isthegreatesttraditionalfestival.ItisusuallyatimebetweenlateJanuaryorearlyFebruary,whichmeansrestandrelaxationbetweenwinterandspringafterayear'stoil,andmeanscelebrationaswell.BeforetheSpringFestival,peoplecleantheirhouse,putredcoupletsontheirgates,andsetofffirecrackers,accordingtofairytale,fordrivingademon,namedNianaway.OntheeveoftheSpringFestival,aget-togetherbanquetisamust,andthemostpopularfoodisDumpling,whichissupposedtobringgoodfortune.Onthefirstdayofthenewyear,everybodywearsnewclothesandgreetsrelativesandfriendswithbowsandcongratulationswishingeachotherluckyduringthenewyear.

　　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,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearth