According to legend, in ancient China, there was a monster called “Nian”, with a head with long tentacles and fierceness. “Nian” has been living deep in the sea for many years, and every Chinese New Year’s Eve it is time to climb ashore and eat livestock to harm people’s lives. Therefore, every Chinese New Year’s Eve day, the people of the villages and villages help the old and the young to flee to the mountains to avoid the harm of the “Nian” beast.

This year Chinese New Year’s Eve, the people of Peach Blossom Village were helping the old man and the young to take refuge in the mountains, and an old man begging from outside the village saw him on crutches, a bag on his arm, a silver beard flowing, and his eyes were like a star. Some of the villagers sealed the windows and locked the doors, some packed their bags, some led the cattle and herded sheep, and people shouted horses everywhere, a scene of haste and panic. At this time, who still has the heart to take care of this begging old man. Only an old woman in the east of the village gave the old man some food and advised him to quickly go up the mountain to avoid the “Nian” beast, and the old man smiled and said, “If the mother-in-law lets me stay at home for one night, I will definitely take the Nian beast away.” The old woman looked at him in shock and saw that he had a childlike appearance, a strong spirit, and an extraordinary spirit. But she continued to persuade, begging the old man to laugh and say nothing. The mother-in-law had no choice but to leave her home and take refuge in the mountains. 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 at the east end of the village, the door was pasted with big red paper, and the candles in the house were bright. The “Nian” beast trembled and screamed strangely. “Nian” glared at her mother-in-law’s house for a moment, then screamed and pounced. When approaching the door, there was a sudden explosion sound of “banging and popping” in the courtyard, and “Nian” trembled and did not dare to move forward anymore. It turned out that “Nian” was most afraid of red, fire and explosion. At this time, the door of the mother-in-law’s house was wide open, and I saw an old man in a red robe in the courtyard laughing. “Nian” was horrified and fled. The next day was the first day of the first lunar month, and the people who had returned from the asylum were amazed to see that the village was safe and sound. At this time, the old woman suddenly realized, and hurriedly told the villagers about the promise of begging the old man. The villagers rushed to the old woman’s house together, only to see that the door of the mother-in-law’s house was pasted with red paper, a pile of unburned bamboo in the courtyard was still “snapping” and exploding, and several red candles in the house were still glowing…

In order to celebrate the auspicious coming, the ecstatic villagers changed into new clothes and hats, and went to the homes of relatives and friends to say hello. Word soon spread in the surrounding villages, and everyone knew how to drive away the Nian beast. Since then, every year Chinese New Year’s Eve, every household has posted red couplets and set off firecrackers; every household has a bright candle and waits for the age. Early in the morning of the first day of the first year, I also have to go to relatives and friends to say hello. This custom has spread more and more widely, and has become the most solemn traditional festival in Chinese folklore.