thechinesenewyearisnowpopularlyknownasthespringfestivalbecauseitstartsfromthebeginingofspring(thefirstofthetwenty-fourtermsincoodinationwiththechangesofnature).itsoriginistoooldtobetraced.severalexplanationsarehangingaround.allagree,however,thatthewordnian,whichinmodernchinesesolelymeans"year",wasoriginallythenameofamonsterbeastthatstartedtopreyonpeoplethenightbeforethebeginningofanewyear.
onelegendgoesthatthebeastnianhadaverybigmouththatwouldswallowagreatmanypeoplewithonebite.peoplewereveryscared.oneday,anoldmancametotheirrescue,offeringtosubduenian.tonianhesaid,"ihearsaythatyouareverycapable,butcanyouswallowtheotherbeastsofpreyonearthinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansofyourworthyopponents?"so,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearththatalsoharrassedpeopleandtheirdomesticanimalsfromtimetotime.
afterthat,theoldmandisappearedridingthebeastnian.heturnedouttobeanimmortalgod.nowthatnianisgoneandotherbeastsofpreyarealsoscaredintoforests,peoplebegintoenjoytheirpeacefullife.beforetheoldmanleft,hehadtoldpeopletoputupredpaperdecorationsontheirwindowsanddoorsateachyear'sendtoscareawaynianincaseitsneakedbackagain,becauseredisthecolorthebeastfearedthemost.
fromthenon,thetraditionofobservingtheconquestofnianiscarriedonfromgenerationtogeneration.theterm"guonian",whichmaymean"survivethenian"becomestoday"celebratethe(new)year"astheword"guo"inchinesehavingboththemeaningof"pass-over"and"observe".thecustomofputtingupredpaperandfiringfire-crackerstoscareawaynianshouldithaveachancetorunlooseisstillaround.however,peopletodayhavelongforgottenwhytheyaredoingallthis,exceptthattheyfeelthecolorandthesoundaddtotheexcitementofthecelebration.