The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back, becoming the busiest time for transportation systems of about half a month from the Spring Festival. Airports, railway stations and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees.
The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.
Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. The Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Many customs accompany the Spring Festival. Some are still followed today, but others have weakened.
On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge, a delicious kind of porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job's tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko.
The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. At this time, people offer sacrifice to the kitchen god. Now however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves.
After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year. This is called "Seeing the New Year in".
Store owners are busy then as everybody goes out to purchase necessities for the New Year. Materials not only include edible oil, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish and meat, but also fruit, candies and kinds of nuts. What's more, various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives, are all on the list of purchasing.
Before the New Year comes, the people completely clean the indoors and outdoors of their homes as well as their clothes, bedclothes and all their utensils.
Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.
春节是最重要的节日是中国人民和当所有家庭成员团聚在一起,就像西方的圣诞节。住远离家的所有人回去,变成最忙碌的时间大约一半的运输系统每月从春节。机场、火车站和长途公共汽车站挤满家返回者。
春节落在第一天的第一个太阴月,通常比一个月之后的起讫日期采用公历日期。它起源于商代(c。1600 BC-c。1100 BC)从人的祭祀神和祖先在过去一年的结束的开端,一个新的。
严格地说,春天节日开始每年在早期的第12个太阴月和将会持续直到那在第一个太阴月之中那在明年。他们,最重要的天是春天节日前夕和最初三天。中国政府现在规定,人有七天假对于中国的农历新年。】
许多关税陪伴春天节日。有些一直沿用到今天,有些已经失传了。
在国际会展中心8日子的第12个太阴月,许多家庭会熬腊八粥、美味的种粥由糯米、小米、种子的工作的眼泪,枣,莲子,豆子,龙眼和白果。
第23个日子的第12个太阴月叫做初步的前夕。就在这时,人们提议对厨房神牺牲。现在然而,大多数的家庭制造可口的食物享受他们自己。
在初步的前夕之后,人开始准备即将到来的新年。这就是所谓的“见到新年进入”。
商店老板们正在忙了当每个人都出去购买需要的新年。材料不但包括可食用的油、大米、面粉、鸡、鸭、鱼、肉,而且坚果的水果,糖果和类型。更重要的是,各种不同的装饰,新的衣服和鞋子的孩子和礼物给老年人,朋友和亲戚,在购买的目录上是全部。
春节到来之前,人们彻底清除室内和他们的家的户外和他们的衣服,床铺寝具和他们所有的器具。
然后人们开始装饰他们清理房间的气氛为特色的欢喜盛宴。所有的门嵌板将会贴春联,突出书法在红纸和黑色的个性。内容包括房主对美好未来的希望好运的新年。同时,图片门的神和财富的将会在前门上被寄来避邪,而且受欢迎的和平和丰富。
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