Source: chinaculture.org

01-17-2008 17:11

The name of the Spring Festival in Chinese is 'guo nian'. 'Guo' means pass, and 'nian' means year. The origins of 'Guo Nian' can be traced back thousands of years.

Nian is a unit of time separating years according to the Chinese lunar calendar, a traditional calendar that can be traced back to the Xia Dynasty, which is why the calendar is sometimes called Xia Li. The calendar is based on exact astronomical observations of positions of the sun and moon and in accordance with changes in nature, and reveals the proper time for planting and harvesting.

Nian also means a good harvest. The character resembled a mature crop in oracle bone inscriptions, and meant crop-harvesting. In the ancient times the palace where the emperor asked for the crops to be harvested was called Qi Nian Palace.

Nian also means festival. The Nian Festival was formed in the Han Dynasty, and was fixed on the first day of the first month of the lunar year. People expressed their thankfulness to the deities and their ancestors by offering food and wine. It is believed that the deities and ancestors would be pleased by the sacrifice and would continue to protect the family in the coming year.

The celebration always lasts nearly a month, and is full of blessings and happiness.

 

Editor:Liu Fang