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Dear Customers,
Please kindly be informed that we will take our Chinese Spring Festival Holiday, our company will be closed
from Feb. 6 to 13, 2008
And will be reopened on Feb. 14, 2008, during this period of time, we will try to check e-mails everyday, if anything urgent, you are welcome to contact:
Max Jiang
Sales Manager
Cell No.: 0086 13012829291
Email: market@kepsun.com |
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| Spring Festival Introduction: |
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The Spring Festival is the grandest festival for the Chinese. The Spring Festival is also called "Nian", but who knows the term, Nian, was once the name of a furious monster that lived on human beings in the ancient time. How the Festival has some relationship with the monster lies in a story about the origin and development of the Spring Festival.
The legend says, long ago, there was a monster called Nian. It was born to be very ugly and ferocious, which looked like either dragons or unicorns. On the first and the 15th of each lunar month, the monster would come down from the mountains to hunt people. So people were very much afraid of it and locked their doors early before sunset on the days of its coming.
There lived an old wise man in a village. He thought it was the panic in people that made the monster so bold and furious. Thus the old man asked people to organize together and to conquer the monster by means of beating drums and gongs, burning bamboo, and lighting fireworks in purpose of making large noises to threaten the hateful monster. When he told people about the idea, everybody agreed on it.
At a moonless and freezing cold night, the monster, Nian, appeared again. The moment it opened its mouth at people, burst out the frightening noises and fire made by people, and wherever the monster went, it was forced to back off by the terrible noises. The monster couldn't stop running until he fell down with exhaustion. Then people jumped up and killed the evil monster. Savage as the monster was, he lost in the end under the efforts from the cooperation of people.
Since then, people have kept the tradition by beating drums and gongs, and lighting fireworks at the coldest day in winter to drive the imagined monsters away and to celebrate the victory over it. Today, Nian refers to the New Year's day or the Spring Festival. People often say Guo Nian, which means 'live the festival.' Furthermore, Nian also means the year. For an example, the Chinese often greet each other by saying Xin Nian Hao, which means Happy New Year! Xin means new and Hao means good.
A Time for New Beginnings and Activity
The Chinese astrological calendar follows a twelve-year lunar cycle, with each year named after an animal. New Year 2008, which begins on February 7th, ushers in the Year of the Earth Rat. According to the Chinese astrological calendar, rat years are all about new beginnings and busy activity. It favors those who work hard at practical matters, as well as those involved in more spiritual activities. For those not involved in a relationship, it will be good for new romance. As with all New Years, it's a time for change and renewal, and a time to put aside the bad things of the previous year.
If you're the slightest bit superstitious you'll take the opportunity of another New Year celebration to do what you can to invite good luck into your life. I'm not Chinese, but I'll take all the lucky opportunities I can get! Entertaining family and friends is one good way to greet the New Year.
Here are some of the other Chinese traditions for welcoming the New Year and creating good fortune in the year ahead.
- Clean your home as thoroughly as possible during the days preceding the New Year to sweep away the bad luck of the year that's ending.
- DO NOT clean your home during the first few days of the New Year. You do not want to risk sweeping away the good luck of the New Year.
- Try to see as many of your family and friends as possible during the New Year celebration to spread good wishes for the coming year.
- Serve and eat as many as possible on the New Year. Some of these foods are whole fish, noodles and mandarin oranges. If you're not adventurous enough to cook Chinese food, most Chinese restaurants offer special New Year menus.
- Don't cry on that day or raise your voice to your children or you'll be setting a tone of discord for the coming year.
- Decorate your home in red, the Chinese color for good luck.
If you plan to host a Chinese New Year party, besides decorating with red, incorporate rats into your decor this year.
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