Joyous Celebration Chinese New Year--Activities

    There are 2 theories about spring scrolls. The first says spring scrolls first appeared in the Five Dynasties (906-959 AD) in the form of peach charms. During the Five Dynasties, the kingdom of Su was destroyed by Jiao Guan Ying. Emperor Dai Zu of the Song Dynasty(960-128O AD)¡O

    A year before his kingdom was destroyed¡AKing Ho Zhu ordered the great scholar Xing Wu Xun to compose2 sentences of blessing on the peach board to greet the New Year during the New Year's Eve. However, the king did not like what the scholar wrote,and made 2 sentences of his own. This was the beginning of the writing of New Year's scrolls.

    The second saying has it that spring scroll first appeared during the Ming Dynasty(1468-1644 AD)¡OIt was said Emperor Tai Zhu founded the capital at Jin Lin,modern Nanjing. One New Year's Eve the Emperor suddenly ordered that all government officials and scholars who lived in Jin Lin must hang 2 spring scrolls at their front doors as a lucky symbol of the New Year. From that time, residents in Jin Lin used red paper to write the spring scrolls and pasted them on both sides of their front door. These scrolls were later known as door scrolls. The habit of pasting spring scrolls, gradually spread to other parts of China.

    Up to the present times, people of all occupations customarily paste on the doors and walls of their businesses red scrolls painted with auspicious messages related to their respective business line.

    For example¡Aa store selling wood might paste a pair of scrolls that say, 'Great fortune is found in wood facing the sun. A store selling groceries might have a pair, which says, 'Everything in the world and all plans should be made in spring.' A painting shop might have a pair of scrolls¡Awhich says, 'More colors are added to the painting of flowers and birds, but the old spirit is still there.' The scrolls used by a travel agency might say, Visiting famous scenic spots to entertain yourself, and seeing relics to broaden your knowledge.' The scrolls used by a tea shop might say,' Special flavor can be found in a dragon-well spring, where new sprouts can be found in Wu Yi Qun.'

    To follow changing trends, scrolls with new meanings are invented every year in addition to the old ones. For instance, there are,' New prospects can be seen when the country is reunified, ''Compatriots from all over the world enjoy a peaceful society,' 'Opening ones mind with the constitution,' 'People flock together to form a country and a harmonious Universe.'

    Regardless of how times change, the Chinese believe in Door Gods as everlasting. This is especially true the Chinese New Year holiday. In addition to scroll pasting, every household will try its best to have a picture with the picture of a Door God on the front of the door. This not only adds to the New Year festival atmosphere but also serves to ward off evil and ensures the safety and happiness of the entire family. This fully demonstrates the Chinese way of expressing gratitude and safeguarding the family¡D The Door God is one of the ancient gods believed in by the Chinese folk.

    The Door God is among the 5 ancient gods to be worshipped. Ancient people worship the Door God to show their gratitude, and pray for safety because it guarded the safety of everyone going in and out of the door. The Door God originated from the custom of worshipping the front door. It became personified during the Han Dynasty.

    The most popular Door Gods were Shan Chu, and Yu Lu, who specialized in catching evil ghosts and feeding them to tigers. During the Tang Dynasty (618-906AD) Generals Qing Shr Bao and Yu Shr Jing De and the mythological figure of Zhong Huei were added to the list of Door Gods, because they were said to be able to drive away ghosts.

    After a thousand years of changes, the variety of Door Gods has increased a great deal, with some originating from the academic field, while others are from the military. There are also male and female Door Gods, who are able to ward off evil and actively bring fortune and happiness to people.

    Because Door Gods have become more and more conventional, generation by generation, they not only have the function of safeguarding the house, but also, serve as a decorative item. This is why they are common themes in many folk art and New Years paintings.

    In addition to firecrackers, spring scrolls, and Door Gods, there are many special kinds of foods served during the New Year's festival. For example, there are New Year's cakes, which carry the meaning, 'Promotion, a break every year.' However, generally speaking, the wine and food served in ancient times greatly differed from those served today. For instance, ancient people would drink Tu Su and Jiao Bo liquor, and eat the five Xian dish of 5 kinds of meat, and Fu Yu and Chuei Guei medicine to try to ward off evil and seek good luck. However, these kinds of wine, food, and medicine are no longer served today. Because of rapid economic growth and an increase of public wealth, it is now quite common to enjoy a big feast all year round. Thus, in contrast to ancient times, the food and wine served during the New Year festival are now nothing unusual.

    According to the traditional way of celebrating the New Year, housewives were extremely busy beginning on the 8th day of last month. They had to do the cleaning, shopping, making of new clothes, and preparation of New Year's cakes, which left them, exhausted. However, during New Year's Day, they could relax, because, according to tradition, they were not supposed to cook, go with their husbands to visit other people, sweep the floors, or sew, which sharply reduced their work.

    In fact, there are many taboos, which are supposed to be observed during the New Year's festival. For example, in order to prevent them from accidentally discarding the wealth, people are not supposed to dispose of garbage. They are not supposed to hang their clothes outside their houses. And when they break something, they must immediately say, 'Many peaceful returns. During News Year's Day, they cannot use knives, or any objects that are white, and they cannot serve congee; otherwise, they will often encounter strong winds and heavy rains when they go outside during the coming year. In Taiwan, there are also other taboos about sleeping at noon and speaking unlucky words. Farms with men, who slept at noon, would be destroyed, and for women who sleep at this time, their kitchens and stoves would collapse .Also, if the contents of some dumplings burst out during cooking, they would say the burst-out dumplings are smiling. All these taboos only have one purpose, which is to avoid all evil, and to Seek happiness.

    During New Year's Day, housewives are supposed to take time off, and husbands are thus left to do all the work. Before dawn, they must light firecrackers and then offer raw meat and sacrificial items to worship Heaven, Earth and the Kitchen God, their ancestors, the surrounding gods, and the New Year.

    The surrounding gods are the god of Happiness, the god of Nobility, the god of Fortune, and the god of Luck. In general, most people like to worship the god of Fortune and then the god of Happiness. It is worth mentioning that worship of the surrounding gods must always be performed outdoors. These gods must be worshipped according to the instructions given in the lunar calendar book. According to this book, the worshipper must walk between several dozen and one hundred steps from his door, before worshipping the gods with incense and firecrackers.

    The saying, 'Worshipping the gods and then people,' means that in addition to worshipping the gods, Chinese people should also visit their friends and relatives on New Year's Day. The relatives to be visited include those from the father's side, the mother's side, and the wife's side. In addition, friends you hold grudges against can be visited on this day to reduce hostility. The visiting must be done in the morning. After noon, no visiting should be done. In many places, the master of the family goes out before dawn.

    A new custom appeared after the Sung Dynasty. If a person could not visit his friends and relatives personally, he could send his servants to send Tse or greeting cards to them. Tse was a kind of small card about 2-3 inches in size with a greeting written on it. The written words were called Pian Tse. Some say these Tse were the origin of New Year's greeting cards.

    After New Year's Day, married women in Taiwan must return to their parents' home on the 2nd day of the New Year. On this day, people have another important activity, that is, to greet and welcome the Fortune God. The Fortune God is usually referred to as Guan Go, or Bi Gan.

    The 3rd day of the New Year is called Xiao Nian Cao, or Poor Ghost Day. On this day, people will discard their garbage, but they are also supposed to offer some incense, burn paper money and light firecrackers. But the usual way to send off Poor Ghost is not by disposing of garbage, but by cooking glutinous food, throwing away worn-out clothes, and worshipping out in the lane.

    The 5th day of the New Year is known as Kai Xiao Zheng when people go to work. The spring rice, New Year's cakes, and tangerines, offered to god can be taken away on this day. Rich families have their Kai Xiao Zheng after the 15th day of the New Year.

    However, in modern times, most people start work on the 5th day, and are enthusiastic to do their Qiang Lu Tou, or robbing of the god, on this day. Legend has it that the 5th day is the birthday of the Wu Lu, five roads god. People get up very earfy on this day to worship this god and rob his fortune. This god is popular because people believe that he is the transformation of money. This again, proves that Chinese people are very practical and realistice. In 'modern society, many companies call their employees together to perform the 'rob the god' ritual. They can rob the god and formally exchange New Year's greetings at the same time.