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The origin of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year customs when it is difficult from the elegant, but is generally believed that originated in China during the first end of the year the Shang ritual, ancestor worship activities (December Festival); legendary Yao and Shun, when there as early as the Spring Festival custom. The first month in lunar calendar is the beginning of the year, while the first month in early or mid-, most of the case is just the beginning of spring (a small number of cases beginning of spring is the end of the twelfth lunar month in the lunar calendar). Festival time for sure and agriculture, crafts to affect; Oracle and Clementi in the year the word has a millet sprays mature image. Of the last day of the Lunar year (months greatly 30, on a small 29), called “New Year’s Eve,” New Year’s Eve family reunion dinner to eat (Chinese year of the last meal), dinner in future we have made New Year’s money and boil Nianye (Shou Sui) customs, said the Lunar New Year last year from the defensive to the last day of the first day of next year.

In the history of different dynasties, the time is not the same as the Spring Festival. Xia substituting January for the first year; to December as the Sui Shou Shang, Zhou Dynasty to the Sui Shou in November, with October as the Sui Shou Qin. Western Han Dynasty, the Han Dynasty emperor declared the implementation of Taichu calendar, it is clear that in January started this Suishou to them as traditional Chinese lunar calendar New Year.

Chinese New Year in the Gregorian calendar January 21 to February 20 swim between. Beginning of spring is usually in the February 4 or February 5.