Chinese New Year

Chun jie, or Xing Nian, is known as Chinese New Year. This is the most important festival in the lunar calendar. It symbolises the beginning of a new year, and a fresh start in one's life. It also gives fresh hopes for happiness and prosperity. This is also a time to bring the family together and set aside or resolve grudges. There will be reunion dinners, visits among relatives, friends and exchanging of gifts. These serve to remind the Chinese of the central position the family occupies in the society. Traditionally, Chun Jie is celebrated over a period of 15 days starting from the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar. 

Origin

Here are just 2 versions to the origin of Chun Jie, but they are similar in the fact that both involves the conquest of a legendary best Nian(year).

Version One

One the eve of every new year, Nian would come out from the mountains and prey on the terrified people. A wise old man then said it feared loud noise and the colour red. Hence, before Nian's arrival, people put up red paper on doors and windows and when Nian comes, all would hit gongs, pots and light fire crackers to scare it away. According to plan, Nian did not come again.

Version Two

Nian has a very big mouth and would swallow many people with just a bite. An old man offered to subdue Nian. He told Nian that he head Nian was very capable, but he was unsure of Nian being able to swallow other beasts of prey instead of the people.To prove that he can, Nian swallowed the beasts that harassed people and their domestic animals. The old man then disappeared riding on the beast Nian. He was actually an immortal. Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests. People enjoyed their peaceful life and they never forgot the old man told them to put up red paper decorations on windows and doors at each year's end so as to scare Nian away in case it sneaked back again.

Interesting Facts

The nice parts of Chun Jie only lasts about 2 - 3 days, including the eve. Days before Chun Jie, families would be busy cleaning up their houses, sweeping away all ill-fortune to make way for incoming good luck. Doors and windows would be decorated with paper cuts and couplets with verses such as "Gong Xi Fa Cai" and "Wan Shi Ru Yi " for good luck. Some people offer various types of food, fruits and flowers to their ancestors. Chinese usually have "Fa Gao", a sweet rice pound cake but but hard. They have it because "Fa" means prosperity and "Gao" rising high in position. Another cake "Nian Gao" is important too as it means "Nian Nian Bu Bu Gao Sheng" (having a yearly rise in position). Firecrackers used to be lit. However, the Malaysian Government banned firecrackers because it was dangerous and made a lot of noise. This dampened the celebrative atmosphere a bit but it was a must action because fires break out and numerous people got hurt or blinded by the firecrackers. Malaysian families would get together for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve.

Some might have steamboat while the more traditional families might eat "jiao zi " (dumplings). At night, the whole family will stay up late watching TV programmes, play cards or mahjong or board games etc.. This is called "shou sui", meaning delaying the aging process for the more elderly family members. Early next morning, the children will greet their parents and recieve red packets, which contains money inside. During the several days following New Year's day, people visit each other and exchange gifts. Adults are supposed to give red packets to any child or unmarried person they see.

Rules

These rules are a little superstitious but are followed by many Chinese families. After dinner on the eve, no sweeping out is allowed. If you have anything to sweep, sweep it in, your luck will not be swept away. If anyone breaks anything such as a mug, they have to say "Hua Kai Fu Gui" which means being prosperous after the arrival of flower blooms. Bad, vulgar topics are discouraged. Debts have to be settled before the arrival of the new year, or else you will be owing debts for the rest of the year.