Chinese Spring Festival, also called Lunar New Year, has more than 4,000 years of history. Being one of the traditional Chinese festivals, it is the grandest and the most important festival for Chinese people. It is also the time for the whole families to get together, which is similar with Christmas Day to the westerners. Originating during the Shang Dynasty (about 17th - 11th century BC), Spring Festival, which celebrates family reunion, is full of rich and colorful activities, and hopes with the advent of spring and flowers blossoming. People from different regions and different ethnic groups celebrate it in their unique ways.
中國的春節，也被稱爲農曆新年，迄今已有四千多年的歷史。對於中國人來說，這是規模最大，最重要的傳統節日。就如同西方的聖誕節一樣，春節是一家團聚的日子。春節起源於商朝（公元前11-17世紀），爲了慶祝全家團圓和表達對春暖花開的期盼，節日期間會準備豐富多彩的活動。不同地區和不同少數民族人們會用自己獨特的方式慶祝這一傳統節日。
Festival Time
節日時長
It comes on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar and lasts for almost half of a month. But in folk custom, this traditional holiday lasts from the 23rd day of the twelfth month to the 15th day of the first month (Lantern Festival) in the lunar calendar. Among these days, the New Year’s Eve and the first day of the New Year is the peak time. The exact days are different in every year according to the lunar calendar.
春節從農曆新年第一天開始，幾乎要持續一整個月。但在民間傳統中，這一節日從臘月23日就開始了，直到正月十五（元宵節）。在這些天裏，除夕和春節第一天是最熱鬧的時候。根據農曆，每年除夕和春節所在的公曆日期都有所不同。
History
春節由來
It is said that the custom of Spring Festival started in when people offered sacrifice to ancestors in the last month of Chinese lunar calendar. At that time, people prepared the sacrifice by doing thorough cleaning, having bathes and so on. Later, people began to worship different deities as well on that day. It is the time that almost all the farm works were done and people have free time. The sacrificing time changed according to the farming schedule and was not fixed until the Han Dynasty (202BC-220AD). The customs of worshipping deities and ancestors remains even though the ceremonies are not as grand as before. It is also the time that spring is coming, so people held all kinds of ceremonies to welcome it.
據說，春節起初源於人們在農曆臘月祭祀先祖，在那期間，人們爲了祭祀會做大掃除，沐浴換衣等等。後來人們開始在那一天敬奉神明。春節期間正好各種農耕活動結束，人們有空餘時間。最開始的祭祀日期由於農耕活動並不固定，直到漢朝（公元前202年-公元220年）才固定下來。祭祀神明和先祖的傳統延續下來，但並不像以前那樣浩大。春節也是春天的開始，所以人們會舉辦各種儀式迎接春天的到來。
Legends
春節傳說
There are many legends about Spring Festival in Chinese culture. In folk culture, it is also called “guonian” (meaning “passing a year”). It is said that the “nian” (year) was a strong monster which was fierce and cruel and ate one kind of animal including human being a day. Human beings were scared about it and had to hide on the evening when the “nian” came out. Later, people found that “nian” was very scared about the red color and fireworks. So after that, people use red color and fireworks or firecrackers to drive away “nian”. As a result, the custom of using red color and setting off fireworks remains.
中國文化中有很多關於春節的傳說。在傳統文化中，春節亦被稱爲“過年”。傳說“年”是一種兇猛異常的怪物，每天都會吃一種動物（包括人）。人們非常懼怕他，當“年”夜間出來活動時，人們會找地方躲起來。後來，人們發現“年”非常害怕紅色和爆竹，於是，人們用紅色和鞭炮來驅趕“年”。久而久之，春節用大紅色和放鞭炮的習俗就保留了下來。
Festivities Schedule
春節活動
Preparing the New Year starts 7 days before the New Year’s Eve. According to Chinese lunar calendar, people start to clean the house on Dec. 24, butcher on Dec. 26th and so on. People have certain things to do on each day. These activities will end Jan. 15th of the lunar calendar.
新年的準備工作在除夕前的七天就開始了。根據中國農曆，人們從臘月二十四開始打掃屋子，二十六日殺豬宰羊等等。每一天都有不同的活動，所有這些活動將在正月十五結束。
Customs and Practices
傳統習俗
Every family does a thorough house cleaning and purchases enough food, including fish, meat, roasted nuts and seeds, all kinds of candies and fruits, etc, for the festival period. Also, new clothes must be bought, especially for children. Red scrolls with complementary poetic couplets, one line on each side of the gate, are pasted at every gate. The Chinese character 'Fu' is pasted on the center of the door and paper-cut pictures adorn windows.
過年期間，每家每戶都會做大掃除，購買豐富的食物，包括魚肉堅果，水果糖果等。另外，春節必須買新衣服，尤其是給小孩子購買。門上貼上新對聯和福字，窗戶上還要貼上窗花。
Taboos
春節禁忌
The Spring Festival is a start for a new year, so it is regarded as the omen of a year. People have many taboos during this period. Many bad words related to “death”, “broken”, “killing”, “ghost” and “illness” or “sickness” are forbidden during conversations. In some places, there are more specific details. They consider it unlucky if the barrel of rice is empty, because they think they will have nothing to eat in the next year. Taking medicine is forbidden on this day, otherwise, people will have sick for the whole year and take medicine constantly.
春節是新的一年的開始，預示着一年的運氣，所以過年期間有很多禁忌，比如“死”“破”“殺”“鬼”“病”這類字眼是談話中要避免的。在某些地方還有一些特殊的禁忌，比如新年米缸空了不是好兆頭，因爲這預示着新的一年將沒東西吃，春節那天也不能吃藥，這會預示着新的一年疾病產生，醫藥不斷。
1. good luck, good health, hood cheer. i wish you a happy new year.——祝好運、健康、佳餚伴你度過一個快樂新年。
2. with best wishes for a happy new year!——祝新年快樂，並致以良好的祝福。
3. i hope you have a most happy and prosperous new year.——謹祝新年快樂幸福，大吉大利。
4. with the compliments of the season.——祝賀佳節。
5. may the season's joy fill you all the year round.——願節日的愉快伴你一生。
6. season's greetings and best wishes for the new year.——祝福您，新年快樂。
7. to wish you joy at this holy season. wishing every happiness will always be with you.——恭祝新年吉祥，幸福和歡樂與你同在。
8. may the joy and happiness around you today and always.——願快樂幸福永伴你左右。
9. please accept my sincere wishes for the new year. i hope you will continue to enjoy good health.——請接受我誠摯的新年祝福，順祝身體健康。
10. allow me to congratulate you on the arrival of the new year and to extend to you all my best wishes for your perfect health and lasting prosperity.——恭賀新禧，祝身體健康、事業發達。
11. best wishes for the holidays and happiness throughout the new year.——恭賀新禧，萬事如意。
12. with very best wishes for your happiness in the new year.——致以最良好的祝福，原你新年快樂幸福。
13. may the coming new year bring you joy, love and peace.——願新年爲你帶來快樂，友愛和寧靜。
14. wishing you happiness during the holidays and throughout the new year. ——祝節日快樂，新年幸福。
15. a happy new year to you.——恭賀新年。
16. season's greetings and sincere wishes for a bright and happy new year!——獻上節日的問候與祝福,願你擁有一個充滿生機和歡樂的新年。
17. i give you endless brand-new good wishes. please accept them as a new remembrance of our lasting friendship.——給你我無盡的新的祝福，讓它們成爲我們永恆友誼的新的紀念。
18. good luck and great success in the coming new year.——祝來年好運，並取得更大的成就。
1.I like the Chinese new year better than any other festival. This is a time especially for rest and joy. I need not study. I wear good clothes and eat good food. I have a good time from morning till night. I am as happy as a king.
我喜歡中國新年比喜歡其它任何節日更甚。這是一個專爲休息和歡樂的時間。我不需要讀書。我穿好衣服，吃好東西。我每天從早到晚日子過得輕鬆愉快。我和上帝一樣快樂。
r New Year , the most solemn of traditional Chinese folk festivals. First day of the first lunar month in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, known as the Moon, commonly known as "New Year" and "New Year." The long history of the Spring Festival, which originated in the Shang period the year draws to a close servicemen and the memorial activities. According to China's Lunar, the first day of the first lunar month yen ancient name, Yuan-chen, a copy, is Emperor, the New Year Day, which is commonly known as Day of the Republic. switch to the Gregorian calendar, the calendar on January 1 as New Year's Day, January 1st called the Lunar Spring Festival.
春節是中國民間最隆重的傳統節日。在夏曆正月初一，又叫陰曆年，俗稱“過年”、“新年”。春節的歷史很悠久，它起源於殷商時期年頭歲尾的祭神祭祖活動。按照我國農曆，正月 初一古稱元日、元辰、元正、元朔、元旦等，俗稱年初一，到了民國時期，改用公曆，公曆的一月一日稱爲元旦，把農曆的一月一日叫春節。
ng festival is ng Festival is on the traditional Chinese le used to call it "the Lunar New Year" always starts between january the first and february the twentieth.
Shortly before the festival ,Chinese people are busy shopping . They buy vegetables,fish,meat and new clothes and many other clean the houses and decorate them.
春節到了,春節是中國的傳統節日,人們習慣上成作農曆年.這個節日總是在每年的一月初到二月中旬之間.
春節前的一段日子,中國人早早地開始買年貨.他們買蔬菜.魚和肉.新衣服和種種其他的東西.他們打掃房屋,把自己的家佈置一新.
Chinese New Year is a festival whose Chinese are most history of the Chinese New Year is very za front stick in an on the face the New Year's Day of the implied meaning of the yellow word in red paper in top send message by word and the god of wealth resembles with hang deep red lantern etc.. The Chinese New Year is a close relatives the festival of the family not far a long distance in child that leave the house returns to the family rounds to sit together a dumpling, use the dumpling symbol family beginning of January is on thering is fiesta cooking stove etc. rites before;In the stanza make New Year's visit the child New Year's Money, friend etc.
春節是漢族最重要的節日。春節的歷史很悠久。節前就在門臉上貼上紅紙黃字的寓意的新年寄語及財神像和掛大紅燈籠等. 春節是個親人團聚的節日。離家的孩子不遠千里回到家裏。家人圍坐在一起包餃子,用餃子象徵團聚。正月初一前有祭竈等儀式；節中有給兒童壓歲錢、親朋好友拜年等.
Spring Festival
春節
The Spring Festival is very important to Chinese people. In the past，people could not often have meat，rice or other delicious food. They could only eat these during the Spring festival. So every year they hoped that the Spring Festival would come soon. Now， although people‘s life is much better，and we can eat the delicious foods everyday. People still like the festival. Because most people can have a long holiday，and we are free to go on a trip or visit our friends or have parties with our family. In the evenings，we can have a big meal in the restaurant or stay at home with family and watch the TV programs.
春節對中國人來說非常重要。在過去，人們往往沒有肉，大米或其他美味的食物吃。他們通常只能在春節吃到這些。所以每年他們都希望春節可以快點來。現在，雖然人們的生活好多了，我們每天都可以吃美味的食物。人們仍然喜歡的春節。因爲大多數人可以有一個很長的假期，我們可以自由地去旅行或拜訪我們的朋友或與我們的家人聚會。晚上，我們可以在餐廳大吃一頓，或與家人留在家裏看電視節目。
I like the Spring Festival very much. How wonderful the Spring Festival is！
我非常喜歡春節。春節是多麼的美妙啊！
Just like the Christmas Eve to western people, for Chinese, the Spring Festival eve is also a meaningful night, full of happiness and expection for the coming up new year.
With the brilliant fireworks light the sky, the prelude of the festival is matter how long and how tough it is, the Chinese people trudged long way to back home for the reunion of the family in the eve. It has been lasting for many years, the Spring Festival Gala on the TV show is the repertoire, entire family is enjoying the delicious and abundant dinner and foods and watching the show together.
For Chinese, every terrible memory and unhappiness will be stopped at this night, and a splendid next year will also begin at here. Their wishes become the blare of the crackers and colorful flash of the firework into the air and spread generations, the Spring Festival Eve is considred as a new start for the future, a wonderful conclusion for passed a year, and night when everybody is able to open their mind. From .
With the dramatic increasing economy, people have less time to stay with the family. But in this eve, it could be a payback,a compensation, or a opportunity to everybody who wants to share the enjoyment with his or her family. The relaxing conversation and jokes are around the rooms with the warm atmosphere in the chill winter night.
There are a lot of traditions of the eve inherited for generations. But, now more and more new fashions introduced into this eve and even replaced the old traditions. More and more people are glad to have the dinner in the restaurants instead of cooking and having at home. However, no matter what it is, a harmouious and peaceful night is the favorite of everybody here.
