The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, New Year, New Year, New Year, etc., is the most important, grandest and longest traditional festival in China. The Spring Festival has a long history, originating from the primitive beliefs and nature worship of early humans, and evolved from the first New Year's prayer sacrifice in ancient times. The Spring Festival originally originated from the wax festival, which is a ritual held in the cold winter month of wax moon, where people express gratitude for a good harvest and blessings for the coming year by offering sacrifices to gods and ancestors.
The origin of the Spring Festival is said to have begun in the ancient Yaoshun period. In the Yaoshun era, there was already a custom of the Spring Festival in China. At that time, people set the time of the first month of the year on the first month of the lunar calendar, which is now the Spring Festival. However, at that time, the name of the Spring Festival was different from that of modern times, and it was called "Shangri", "Yuan Ri" or "Zhengdan".
According to the "Historical Records", Emperor Shun in ancient times led his subordinates to worship heaven and earth after inheriting the position of the Son of Heaven. The origin legend of the Spring Festival also involves a monster named "Nian". According to legend, in ancient times, there was a monster called "Nian", with a long head and antennae, fierce and abnormal, living deep at the bottom of the sea all year round, climbing ashore every Chinese New Year's Eve, devouring livestock and harming human life. Therefore, on Chinese New Year's Eve, people in villages and villages help the old and the young flee to the mountains to escape the harm of the "Nian" beast. One year on Chinese New Year's Eve, an old man begging came from outside the village. The villagers were in a hurry and panicked, only an old woman in the east of the village gave the old man some food, and advised him to go up the mountain to avoid the "Nian" beast, the old man laughed and said: "If my mother-in-law lets me stay at home all night, I will definitely drive the 'Nian' beast away." The old woman continued to persuade, begging the old man to laugh and not say anything. In the middle of the night, the "Nian" beast broke into the village. It found that the atmosphere in the village was different from previous years: the old woman's house in the east of the village was pasted with big red paper, and the house was lit with candles. The beast shuddered and screamed. When approaching the door, there was a sudden explosion sound of "bang bang **" in the courtyard, and "Nian" trembled all over, and he didn't dare to move forward anymore. It turned out that "Nian" was most afraid of red, fire and explosions. At this time, the door of my mother-in-law's house was wide open, and I saw an old man in a red robe laughing in the courtyard. "Nian" was shocked and fled in embarrassment. The next day was the first day of the first lunar month, and the people who had returned from evacuation were surprised to see that the village was safe and sound. At this time, the old woman suddenly realized, and hurriedly told the villagers the promise of begging the old man. The news soon spread in the surrounding villages, and people knew how to drive away the Nian beast. Since then, every year on Chinese New Year's Eve, families have posted red couplets and set off firecrackers; Candles are lit up in every household, and the watch is waiting for the year. Early in the morning of the first day of the new year, I have to go to my relatives and friends to say hello. This custom has spread more and more widely, and has become the most solemn traditional festival among Chinese people.
In the pre-Qin period, it was believed that the importance of the head of the year (the beginning of the year is the beginning of the year, which is now the Spring Festival) was second only to the sacrifice of heaven and earth and ancestors. After the Han Dynasty, the customs of the Spring Festival gradually became colorful. During the Spring Festival, people will hold various celebrations, such as New Year's celebrations, New Year's greetings, firecrackers, Spring Festival couplets, lantern hanging, reunion dinners, dragon and lion dances, etc. These customs not only have profound historical origins, but also have strong local characteristics, reflecting the rich and colorful cultural traditions of the Chinese nation.
With the changes of the times, the customs of the Spring Festival are constantly developing and changing. In modern society, the celebration of the Spring Festival is more diversified, such as the Spring Festival Gala, grabbing red envelopes, tourism and vacation, etc. As the most solemn and lively traditional festival of the Chinese nation, the Spring Festival contains profound cultural connotations. The Spring Festival is also a national festival, which embodies the great unity of the Chinese nation. During the Spring Festival, no matter where people are, they will return to their hometowns to reunite with their families as much as possible, and this kind of attachment to family and cherishing family affection is one of the core cultural connotations of the Spring Festival. During the Spring Festival, people will follow ancient customs and traditions, such as sticking Spring Festival couplets, setting off firecrackers, dragon and lion dances, etc., which not only enrich people's cultural life, but also inherit the cultural genes of the Chinese nation.
At the same time, the Spring Festival is also a festival of blessings and auspiciousness. During the Chinese New Year, people pray for a safe, auspicious and happy new year. This cultural connotation of praying for blessings and blessings reflects the Chinese nation's love for life and vision for the future.
As the most important traditional festival in China, the Spring Festival not only carries people's yearning and wishes for a better life, but also an important part of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. After thousands of years of evolution, the celebration of the Spring Festival has been continuously enriched, but what has always remained unchanged is the meaning of reunion, harmony and happiness. Today, the Spring Festival has become an important symbol of Chinese culture, attracting the attention and participation of people from all over the world, and has become a global shared festival.