There are many mentions of "year" in the Book of Songs, including "The Book of Songs, Song of Zhou, Feng Nian", "The Book of Songs, Feng Feng, July" and so on. Among them, "The Book of Songs, Song of Zhou, and the Harvest Year" is an ode sung in ancient times to celebrate the celebration of a good year. The poem begins with a good harvest, with a great harvest of grain, and a tall barn full of grain. In the eyes of the ancients, the hard-won harvest is not only the result of people's efforts, but also the blessing of the ancestors and the gift of God, so the second half of the poem is to thank the ancestors and thank God. It is best to sacrifice with the fruits of the harvest, because the harvest is abundant, and the various ceremonies are prepared very well, so it is hoped that the gods will bless everyone.
There is also a description of the "year" in the Book of Songs, Feng Feng, July", in which "the dome suffocates the rats, stuffs them into the household, asks my wife and son, and says that in order to change the year, enter this room", which refers to the time when the New Year is approaching, people remove garbage, smoke and drive away mice, close the windows with mud, and avoid the cold north wind, in preparation for the New Year. "Peeling dates in August, harvesting rice in October, for this spring wine, to Jiemei longevity", it means that people use the harvest of grains to make fragrant wine, meaning to bless people with health and longevity.
Shangshu: It is a compilation of ancient historical documents and some works that trace ancient deeds, among which the "Yao Dian" records the deeds of Yao leading the ministers to sacrifice heaven and earth during the Spring Festival.
There is an expression in the Book of Shangshu Yaodian that "the year is three hundred and sixty-six days, and the year is four o'clock in the leap month", and the "year" here is the "year". The meaning of this phrase is that there are 366 days in a year, and leap months are used to adjust the seasons so that the calendar corresponds to actual astronomical phenomena.
In addition, the "Hongfan" chapter in the "Shangshu" also mentions the "five eras", including the year, month, day, stars, and calendar, where the "year" refers to the year. These records reflect the importance that the ancients attached to time and the calendar, as well as the knowledge and calculation of years.
Nian In classical Chinese literature, "year" has a variety of meanings, and here are some common examples:
Time unit: "Year" is the unit of measurement of time, such as "year", "ten years", etc.
Age: "Year" can also indicate the age of a person, such as "the flowers are similar every year, but the people are different every year" (Liu Xiyi, "Generations of Sorrowful Pulsatilla").
Harvest and maturity: "Year" can also mean harvest and maturity, such as "the fragrance of rice flowers says a good year, listen to the sound of frogs" (Xin Qiji, "Xijiang Moon, Night Walking in the Yellow Sand Road").
Festivals and celebrations: In some traditional festivals, "Nian" also has a special meaning, such as the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year), which is one of the most important traditional festivals in China, representing reunion, festivity, and blessings.
These are just some of the meanings of "nian" in classical Chinese literature, and the specific meaning may vary depending on the context and work.
Finally, I wish Jia Chen a happy year! All the best!