Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:57 am Post subject: Chinese New Year 2008, Four Things You Should Know!
The Date of Chinese New Year 2008
Chinese New Year 2008 is the date of Feb 7th, 2008
The Greetings of Chinese New Year 2008
At Chinese New Year, just saying Happy New Year to your Chinese friends is not enough, you should share the following good wishes:
新年快乐!xīn nián kuài lè Happy New Year!
过年好! ɡuò nián hǎo Happy New Year!
恭喜发财!ɡōnɡ xǐ fā cái I wish You Great Prosperity!
鼠年吉祥! shǔ nián jí xián Good Luck in the Year of the Rat!
Learn More Chinese Greetings from live professional Chinese Teachers in China, Apply a free Chinese lesson now!
The Traditions of Chinese New Year 2008
年(nian 2)monster and 守(shou 2)岁(sui 4)
It is said that there was a monster called 年(nian 2)in ancient time of China. The年(nian 2) monster was huge-sized and with antenna coming out of his head. Usually, it lived at the deep bottom of ocean, but in the New Year’s Eve, it comes out to devour the livestock and people living in the villages. However, after many years and many losses people discovered that the年(nian 2)monster was afraid of the color red, bright lights and slam-bang noises. So on the New Year’s Eve (called 除(chu 2)夕(xi 1)in China), Chinese people put couplets written on red paper up on their gate, hung red lanterns across gate beams, set off fireworks and stayed up all night, which was called 守(shou 2)岁(sui 4) in China and people still follow this tradition today. The 守(shou 2)岁(sui 4) tradition shares the deep lingering feelings from the passing year and a nice longing for the coming new year.
If you are living in China or going to spend the New Year 2008 with your Chinese friends, you can experience Chinese New Year yourself.
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