Saturday, 28 January 2017

The Story Behind Chinese New Year. (The Nian).

Finally it is the year of the 10th animal in the zodiac, Rooster. It is the 4714th Chinese Year. Chinese calendar indicates this year as a Red Fire Rooster.

We are celebrating Chinese New Year every year but only few of us know the story or legend behind celebrating the New Year.

Therefore, Miss I will tell the beautiful story.  Once upon a time, a monster named Nian stayed deep inside the sea and on New Year’s eve (Chinese Calendar), it appears and eat the people and livestock. Even kids had gone missing.

The villagers lived in fear. An old man appeared and said “All of you can defeat Nian if you wanted to because there are many of you.”

The villagers still hiding and not dare to fight Nian. The old man himself found out Nian is scared of red. He wears red clothing, put up red lanterns, paste red papers on the door and burning bamboo to make loud noise. Nian ran away and didn’t harm the villagers.

The old man left. The villagers keep doing the same thing until today to avoid Nian.


What a beautiful story that resembles good against evil. Nian represents evil, thus every year we need to overcome fear and sadness for a better year. 

Gong Xi Fa Chai 
(HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR).


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