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Chinese New Year and its protective customs
Red paper, firecrackers, door guardians and a sweeping taboo, all aimed at keeping bad luck out of the new year.
About Chinese New Year and its protective customs
The new year starts with the first new moon after midwinter, and the days before and after are full of protective acts. According to a widely told story, the monster Nian was driven away by loud noise and the colour red, which is why households hang red couplets, wear red and set off firecrackers at midnight. Paper images of door gods are pasted on doors to guard the threshold, and many families avoid sweeping on the first day for fear of sweeping fortune out, or washing hair or using knives. Children receive red envelopes of money, believed to carry blessing and to ward off the spirit of old age. Firecracker bans in many cities have pushed some families toward recorded sound or quieter ways of keeping the custom.
Also part of it, and being written: Chinese New Year (The festival and its fifteen days.), Nian (The monster of the origin story.), Menshen (The door gods pasted on doors.), Firecracker (The noise used against evil.).
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Chinese New Year" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family, and are described as belief and practice. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.