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2015 Spring Festival falls on February 19. The holiday in China starts from February 19 to 25, 2015. It is the Year of the Sheep according to Chinese zodiac. Welcome to China and explLegends ore the traditional folk customs of this grand feast!
Legends
There are many legends about SLegends pring Festival in Chinese culture. In folk culture, it is also Legends called "guoLegends nian" (meaning "passinLegends g a year"). It is sa id that the "nian" year was a strong monster which was fierce and cruel Legends and ate one kind of animal including human being a day. Human beings were scared about it and had to hide on the evening when the "nian" came out. Later, people found that "nian" was very scared about the red color and fireworks. So after that, people use red color and fireworks or firecrackers to drive away "nian". As a result, the custom of using red color and setting off fireworks remains.
There are many legends about SLegends pring Festival in Chinese culture. In folk culture, it is also Legends called "guoLegends nian" (meaning "passinLegends g a year"). It is sa id that the "nian" year was a strong monster which was fierce and cruel Legends and ate one kind of animal including human being a day. Human beings were scared about it and had to hide on the evening when the "nian" came out. Later, people found that "nian" was very scared about the red color and fireworks. So after that, people use red color and fireworks or firecrackers to drive away "nian". As a result, the custom of using red color and setting off fireworks remains.
Preparing the New Year starts 7 days before the New Year's Eve. According to Chinese lunar calendar, people start to clean the house on Dec. 24, butcher on Dec. 26th and so on. People have certain things to do on each day. These activities will end Jan. 15th of the lunar calendar.
Every family does a thorough house cleaning and purchases enough food, including fish, meat, roasted nuts and seeds, all kinds of candies and fruits, etc, for the festival period. Also, new clothes must be bought, especially for children. Red scrolls with complementary poetic couplets, one line on each side of the gate, are pasted at every gate. The Chinese character 'Fu' is pasted on the center of the door and paper-cut pictures adorn windows.
Festival Food
Food during this happy event has its characteristics, which is the representative of Chinese festival food culture. Dumplings and the reunion dinner are indispensable at this time. Cold and hot dishes are all served. Fish is always an important dish then, which expresses people's hope of having a wealthy year.
Anupamaa
