Chinese Spring Festival - Part 2 Event

1.      The remains of traditional customs

保留至今的传统习俗

(1)    Spring Cleaning

Before the new year, Chinese people clean their homes to get rid of the old, welcome the new, and drive away bad things. This expresses desire for a good future.

大扫除
在新年之前，中国人要进行大扫除，意在赶走旧的事物，迎接新的事物，把一切不好的事情都赶走。这一习俗表达了人们希望美好事物到来的愿望。

(2)    Hanging “Fu” and Spring Festival Couplets

During the festival, people stick rhyming couplets or “Fu” written on red paper on walls and doors. Spring Festival couplets can express people’s good wishes. “Fu” means happiness.

贴春联福字
春节到来的时候，人们会在墙上、门上贴写在红纸上的春联或者“福”字。春联可以表达人们的美好愿望，“福”的意思是幸福。这些习俗体现了人们对幸福美好生活的期盼。

(3)    For New Year’s Eve Dinner On New Year’s Eve, everyone returns to their family home.

Families get together and have a very rich, traditional banquet. This meal is called “New Year’s Eve dinner”.

年夜饭

在除夕（一年的最后一天的晚上），所有在外工作和学习的人都要回家，一家人团聚在一起吃一顿非常丰富的晚饭，这顿饭就叫“年夜饭”。

(4)    Sending Red Envelopes (Lucky Money)

During New Year, children will visit their elders, who will give the children lucky money in a red envelope. People believe this suppresses evil spirits, so children grow up healthily.

发红包（压岁钱）

在新年，小孩子会向长辈问好，长辈会把提前准备好的压岁钱送给孩子们。压岁钱一般被包在红色的纸中，人们相信这样可以压住邪祟，帮助孩子在新年健康成长。

(5)    New Year’s Day

On New Year’s Day, people rise early, wear new clothes, and go to congratulate others. Youngsters wish the elderly longevity. Then we wish relatives and friends a happy new year.

大年初一拜年

在新年的第一天，人们会早早起床，穿上新衣服出去向其他人恭贺新年。晚辈要先向长辈拜年，祝长辈健康长寿，而后大家出门拜访亲戚朋友，祝福亲友新年快乐、顺利。

2.Slowly disappearing traditions
逐渐消逝的传统习俗（张卓君，张枫茹整理）

(1)   Worshiping the Kitchen God

Each home’s kitchen god is celebrated at New Year when he reports to Heaven. A good report will bring blessings to the home, so offerings are presented to his statue.

拜灶王爷

灶王是每一家的保护神，传说灶王待在家中的灶房中，保护所在家人的平安。到了腊月二十三日，灶王要上天向玉帝报告所在家人的情况，如果灶王报告的是好事这家人新年就会幸福。人们为了让灶王多说好话，会在腊月二十三这天在灶王神像前参拜，供上糖瓜等食物，以求来年顺利。现在，很多人家里没有灶王神像了，慢慢也就不拜灶王爷了。

(2)   Staying up all night on New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve, people stay up until past midnight, waiting for the old year to pass and the new one to come. This symbolises a good start to the new year.

守岁

除夕，全家人吃过年夜饭之后，就坐在一起聊天，整夜不睡觉，等旧的一年过去，新的一年到来。这样做是象征人们把不好的一切赶走，新的一年就会顺利、幸福。现在，人们一般不一整夜都不睡觉了，许多人会等到十二点后新年到来，还有的人会早早上床睡觉。

(3)   Sacrifice to the God of Wealth

During the festival the god of wealth is worshipped with various offerings in different places, sometimes with food or fireworks! The god of wealth brings prosperity for the year ahead.

祭财神

过去，中国人要祭财神，北方人在正月初二，南方人在正月初五祭财神。财神是中国传说中掌管钱财的神明，传说财神可以帮助人们买卖顺利，发家致富。不同的地方祭财神的方法不同，有的要吃馄饨，有的会用猪、羊、鸡等动物祭祀，有的会燃放烟花爆竹。现在祭财神的人没有过去多了，不过一些商户仍然保留着这个习俗。