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在传统文化中，春节亦被称为“过年”。传说“年”是一种凶猛异常的怪物，每天都会吃一种动物（包括人）。人们非常惧怕他，当“年”夜间出来活动时，人们会找地方躲起来。后来，人们发现“年”非常害怕红色和爆竹，于是，人们用红色和鞭炮来驱赶“年”。久而久之，春节用大红色和放鞭炮的习俗就保留了下来。 In folk culture, celebrating the Lunar New Year is also called “guonian” (literally meaning “passing a year”). It is said that the “nian” (year) was a fierce and cruel monster, and every day, it ate one kind of animal including human beings. Human beings were naturally scared and had to hide on the evening when the “nian” came out. Later, people found that the monster was afraid of the red color and fireworks. So after that, people used the red color and fireworks or firecrackers to drive away “nian”. As a result, the custom has remained to this day.
春节是什么 What is Spring Festival？
The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. 春节，又叫农历新年，是中国民间最隆重、最热闹的一个节日，是举家欢庆团团圆圆的大好时节，就像西方的圣诞节一样。
The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. 春季是每年农历正月初一，通常比公历新年要晚一个月。它起源于殷商时期年头岁尾的民间祭祖活动。
Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. Most people will have a week off , thus, this time is known as golden week. 严格来讲，春节不只是一天的庆祝，而是从农历的12月底到新年的正月十五，不过最重要的几天当属除夕夜和新年头三天。春节是法定假日，大家一般都会放七天假，又叫做黄金周。
传统风俗 Spring Festival Traditions
1.Spring Cleaning 大扫除 “Dust”（尘）is homophonic with “chen”（陈）in Chinese, which means old and past. In this way, “sweeping the dust” before the Spring Festival means a thorough cleaning of houses to sweep away bad luck in the past year. Chinese People believe that in order to receive the new luck, you have to swipe the bad luck. All the cleaning has to be done before the end of New Year’s Eve, that’s what Chinese people always called “Ci Jiu Ying Xin”: saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new.
“Dust” 与“尘”是谐音（尘在汉语中的意思是旧的和过去的）。这样，“在春节前扫尘”是指彻底清洁房屋扫除过去闰年的厄运。勤劳勇敢的中国人民相信，只有把旧的坏运气赶走了，才能迎接美好新生活。所有的大扫除必须要在除夕夜之前完成，干干净净整整齐齐迎接新年，就是我们常说的辞旧迎新。
2.Paper Cut 贴窗花 After the thoroughly clean up, people will paste paper-cut decorations on the windows and doors. Paper-cuts, usually with auspicious patterns, give a happy and prosperous atmosphere of the Festival and express the good wishes of Chinese people looking forward to a good life. It is common for Chinese to paste the character “fu（福）”, big and small, on walls, doors and doorposts around the houses. “Fu（福）” shows people’s yearning toward a good life. Some people’s yearning toward a good life. Some people even invert the character “Fu（福）” to signify that blessing has arrived because “inverted” is a homonym for “arrive” in Chinese.
在大扫除之后，大家会在家中门窗上贴上窗花。通常带有吉祥图案的窗花，传递节日喜庆和执闹的气氛和表达中国人期待幸福生活的美好愿望。除了贴窗花，在墙上，门上和房子周围的门框上巾大小福字是中国人表达对美好生活渴望的普遍习俗。一些人甚至倒贴福字来表示福到了，因为在汉语中“倒”是“到”的谐音。
3.Spring Couplet 贴春联 “The Spring Couplet”, also called “couplet” and “a pair of antithetical phrases”, is a special form of literature in China. The Spring Couplet is composed of two antithetical sentences on both sides of the door and a horizontal scroll bearing an inscription, usually an auspicious phrase, above the gate. Whether the family is rich or poor, educated or ignorant, everyone must put on the Spring Couplet to symbolize the hopes for the coming new year.
“春联”或“对联”对立在中国是一种特殊的文学形式。春联是由贴在门口两侧两组对仗的句子组成，在门上面的横批通常是一个吉祥的短语。不论是大富大贵还是贫困潦倒，学富五车还是乡野村夫，每家每户都要在新年时门前贴春联，以寄托对新年的美好祝愿。
4.Family Reunion Dinner 年夜团圆饭 The Spring Festival is a time for the Chinese to have family reunion, on Chinese New Year’s Eve (Chu Xi), the whole family must sit at the table to eat the New Year’s Supper together. This meal is usually made from scratch with the entire family working together, and this meal is usually the most sumptuous meal of the year. In the New Year’s Supper, it is essential that some dishes contain the family wishes for the New Year.
春节是一个合家团圆的日子，在除夕夜，全家都合家团圆一起共享除夕大餐。这顿饭通常是全家总动员，每个人都要参与，也通常是一年之中最丰盛美味的一餐。在年夜饭中，有一些美好象征意义的美食是必备的
年糕，or the New Year’s Cake, is very common in Southern China, it Is made of sticky rice. In Chinese, niangao sounds like “getting higher year by year”. In Chinese people’s mind, the higher you are, the more prosperous your business is. 年糕在中文的发音里意味着年年高升。因此中国人总认为，如果一个人地位较高，其财富就越多。
饺子，or the stuffed Dumpling, is a very common Northern Chinese Dish, Chinese dumplings look like silver ingots. Legend has it that the more dumplings you eat during New Year celebration, the more money you can make in the New Year. Ehen making these dumplings, coins and pennies are usually put into selected few, those lucky family members that happen to eat those special dumplings are believed to have special good fortune in the upcoming year.
饺子的开关酷似一个元宝，并且在传统观念里认为饺子吃得越多，那么来年钱就挣得越多。在做饺子的时候，人们喜欢在一些饺子里放上硬币，吃到硬币的幸运儿就意味着来年会有特殊的好运。
5.Firecrackers 放鞭炮 Lighting Firecrackers used to be one of the most important customs in the Spring Festival celebration. However, concerning the danger and the negative noises that lighting firecrackers may bring, the government has banned this practice in many major cities. But people in small towns and rural areas still hold to this traditional celebration. Right as the clock strike 12 o’ clock midnight of New Year’s Eve, cities and towns are lit up with the glitter from fireworks, and the sound can be deafening.
放鞭炮曾是春节庆祝活动中最重要的习俗之一。然而，担心燃放鞭炮可能会带来危险和烦人的噪音，政府已在许多大城市下令禁止燃放鞭炮。但在小城镇和地区的人们仍然坚持这种传统的庆祝活动。除夕夜一旦撞响午夜12点钟，城市和乡镇都被烟花的闪闪光芒映亮，鞭炮声震耳欲聋。
6.Red Packet/ Lucky Money 红包/压岁钱
Children love Spring Festival because they can receive red packet! A red packet is simply a red envelope with lucky money in it, which symbolizes luck and wealth. In traditional Chinese cultural, red is considered a lucky color, red packet is believed to ward off evial spirits and to bring good fortune to the receiver. Traditionally, older generations give the red packet to the younger generation. Nowadays, this practice extends to close friends, neighbors, and even some companies give away year- end bonus in the red packets. 孩子们最爱过春节，因为春节有红包！红包就是在一个红包的小红包里装上压岁钱，寓意为幸运和财富。在中国传统文化中，红色是幸运色，大家相信红包能帮人赶走霉运， 带来幸福富贵。在过去，都是长辈给晚辈红包，但是现在这个概念已经扩大到朋友之音，有些公司也会把年终奖金放到红包里面发放。
春节从农历新年第一天开始，几乎要持续半个月。但在民间传统中，这一节日从腊月23日就开始了，一直到正月十五（元宵节）。 It comes on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for almost half of a month. But in folk custom, this traditional holiday lasts from the 23rd day of the twelfth month to the 15th day of the first month (The Lantern Festival) on the lunar calendar.
• 大年三十（除夕夜）：团圆饭 December 30th (lunar calendar), New Year's Eve ：Family Reunion Dinner
就除夕夜而言，无论身在何处，也不管路途多么遥远，人们都会设法赶回家，所以除夕夜的盛大晚餐也叫做“团圆饭”。每个家庭的团圆饭都是一年中精心准备的最华丽和隆重的家宴。女主人在餐桌上摆满精心准备的食物，全家人围坐一起分享美味佳肴，然后一起乐融融地包饺子。午夜12点，每个家庭都会放鞭炮，辞旧迎新。 On New Year's Eve, people who work far away will manage to come home, regardless of long-distance travel, so the "Grand Dinner on New Year's Eve" is also called "Family Reunion Dinner". Every family will make the dinner the most sumptuous and ceremonious one in the year. Hostesses will fetch out prepared food and all family members will sit together and make dumplings in harmony. At twelve o'clock, every family will shoot off firecrackers to greet new days and send off old ones.
• 正月初一：拜年 January 1st (lunar calendar)：Paying a New Year's vist
除夕过后就是正月初一，人们都会外出拜年。这一天人们忙得不亦乐乎，彼此表达美好的祝福。据说，正月初一这天人们不能扔东西，这样他们就可以把财富留在自个的家里，来年就会福星高照，幸福满满。 Following the New Year's Eve is the first day of the Spring Festival, a day for paying a New Year's vist, during which people will be busy in giving best wishes to one another. It is said that people shouldn't dump things on the first day of the new year, so that they would be able to keep whatever worth of fortune they will be in possession of in the next year.
• 正月初二：已婚妇女回门，给狗狗吃好 Second day：Birthday of Dog
人们常说在祭祀之后，财神爷正月初二这天要上天。为了向神表达敬意，人们这天要吃馄饨，这是一种形状类似银锭的食物。 People say that after being offered sacrifices, Tsai Shen, the God of Wealth, leaves for heaven on the second day of the lunar New Year. In honour of the deity, people will eat wonton, resembling the shape of an ingot.
传统上，已婚妇女要回娘家（回门儿），拜见亲生父母。第二天，中国人还要拜祖先和众神。由于这天是狗的生日，所以宠物和流浪狗都会有好吃的。 Traditionally married women will visit and pay respect to their birth parents. On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. Since the day is characterized by the birthday of the dogs, pets and strays will be fed well.
• 正月初三：扫墓，不上门拜访别人 Third day, Birthday of Pig
过去三年间，家里有至亲过世的人是不能登门拜访别人的，这样可以表示敬意。人们在正月初三这天会去扫墓。有些人就说这天登门拜访别人是不吉利的，因为人们认为妖精这天会四处漫游，因此待在户外会倒霉的。 Families who had an immediate relative deceased in the past 3 years will not go house-visiting as a form of respect to the dead. The third day of the New Year is allocated to grave-visiting instead. Some people conclude it is inauspicious to do any house visiting at all, as it is believed that evil spirits roam the earth this day and hence it would be bad luck to be outdoors.
• 正月初五（破五）：拜财神爷 Fifth day, Birthday of Ox/Cattle：Welcoming the God of Wealth
人们认为这天是财神爷的生日，所以要拜财神。早上燃放爆竹，迎接财神的到来。商家在这一天又开始营业。人们认为这天扫地不会再算是不吉利了。在北方，人们通常在这天吃饺子，同时会去拜访朋友和同学。 The day is regarded as the birthday of the God of Wealth and hence respect is paid to the god. In the morning, firecrackers are exploded as a sign of welcoming the God of Wealth. All businesses will be reopened on that day. Sweeping the floor is not considered bad luck anymore. In northern China, people usually eat Jiǎozi (dumplings) on that day. Friends and classmates will be visited.
• 正月初七（人日） Seventh day, Birthday of Men
农历正月初七这天叫做“人日”，传说女娲初创世，在造出了鸡狗猪牛马等动物后，于第七天造出了人，所以这一天是人类的生日。同时，人们也将这一天叫做“人胜节”、“人七日”、“人庆节”及“人口日”。 The seventh day of the first lunar month is named renri (人日), literally meaning Human Day. It is considered to be the birthday of ordinary, or common men. The day is also called Day of Men or Men Day.
• 正月十五（元宵节）：吃元宵，赏花灯 Fifteenth day, The Lantern Festival
元宵节，也叫做“上元节”，人们在农历正月十五这天庆祝这个节日。这是一年中出现的第一个满月，象征着春天来临。元宵节也被认为是春节的最后一天，同时这天也是家人团圆的好日子。 The Lantern Festival, also called Yuanxiao Festival, is celebrated on January 15th of the lunar calendar. It is the first full moon night in the Chinese lunar year, symbolizing the coming back of the spring. The Lantern Festival may be regarded as the last day of the Spring Festival period. It is a good day for family get-togethers.
根据中国民俗，元宵节夜里，人们点着漂亮的灯笼到户外赏月、燃放烟花、猜灯谜、吃元宵，共同欢庆元宵节。 According to the folk custom of China, people on that night will light up fancy lanterns and go out to appreciate the moon, set off fireworks, guess riddles written on lanterns, and eat rice glue balls to celebrate the festival.
新禁年忌
Dos
• Wish everyone you meet a happy New Year by saying “gong xi fa cai”, which translates to “Have a happy and prosperous New Year!” 对每一个你遇到的人道一声“恭喜发财”，翻译成英文就是“在新的一年里拥有幸福繁荣的生活”。
• Wear articles of red clothing because red symbolizes luck. 穿红色布料做成的饰品，因为红色昭示着幸运；
• Eat vegetarian food because it’s not good to see blood. 吃素食，因为见血是不吉利的。
• Buy new trousers because the Chinese word for trousers is “fu”, (Chinese homonym for wealth) . 买新裤子（衣服）,因为汉语里裤子就是“服”,（在汉语里与财富的“富”谐音）。
• Children should stay up as late as possible on New Year’s Eve for it is believed that the later they stay up, the longer their parents will live. 孩子应该在除夕之夜尽可能晚睡，因为据说他们睡的越晚，他们的父母越长寿。（熊孩子该高兴了~）
• Visit family (especially those older than yourself) and friends to pass on your wishes on good fortune for the New Year. (plus kids and single people will receive lai-see lucky red packets full of money. 拜访亲戚朋友（尤其是比你年长的），传递你对他们来年幸福的美好祝愿（另外孩子和单身的人将会得到装满钱的幸运红包，称为“来喜”。）
• Give two lai see to each child. Because happiness comes in two’s, do not just give one. This is your way of passing good luck to the next generation. Business owners also give lai see to employees and associates. 给每个孩子两份“来喜”（应该指钱是偶数的），因为好事成双，不要只给一份，这是你把祝愿传递给下一代的方法，企业主也要给员工和同事红包。
Dont's
• Don’t wear white or black clothing, since they are the traditional colours of mourning. 不要穿白色或黑色服装,因为这是传统意义上丧事的颜色。
• Don’t buy new shoes for the first month of the New Year, because the sound of shoe in Chinese is ‘hai’. “Hai” is similar to the sound of sighing, which Chinese believe is not a good way to start the year. 不要在新年的第一个月买新鞋，因为在汉语里鞋的发音是“孩”（好像是四川地区的发音）, 它与叹息“唉”相近，中国人认为这不是新年伊始的好兆头。
• Don’t wash your hair for the first three days of the New Year, because the Chinese word for hair is a homonym for the Chinese word for wealth. Therefore, Chinese believe it isn’t a good thing to ‘wash away your wealth’ right at the start of the New Year. 在新年的前三天里不要洗头，因为汉语里“头发”的“发”和“发财”的“发”同音.因此，中国认为在新年伊始把财富给冲走可不是好兆头。
• Floors may not be swept and garbage may not be disposed of on the first day of the New Year for fear of casting riches out the door. 在新年第一天,不拖地，不扔垃圾，因为怕把’财’给送走了。
• Don’t swear or quarrel. 不要诅咒发誓，也不要吵架。
• Don’t break any dishes, otherwise you may incur more misfortune for the New Year. In the event of breaking a dish, quickly say “Peace for all time”, and the bad luck will be warded away. 不要打破碗碟，否则在来年你可能会遭遇不幸，一旦打破了，要马上说“岁岁平安”，这样坏运气就会被赶走了。
• Don’t greet people who are in mourning. 不要向服丧期的人们问候（主要指不要说喜庆的话吧?）
• Don’t drop your chopsticks. 不要让筷子掉地上。
• Don’t say the number “four” (Chinese homonym for death) or mention death. 不要说数字“四”（汉语里和“死”谐音）或者提到死。
• Don’t borrow or lend money. 不要借钱也不要借给别人钱. |
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