TraditionalHolidaysandFestivalsinChinaChineseSpringFestivalI.GeneralViewSpringfestivalalsocalledlunarNewYear,commonlyknownasGuo-nianorthebeginningofthelunarNewYear.ItisoneofthemostimportantholidaysinChina.TotheordinaryChinese,thefestivalactuallybeginsontheeveofthelunarNewYear'sDayandendsonthefifthdayofthefirstmonthofthelunarcalendar.ChristmasorChristmasDayisanannualholidaygenerallyobservedonDecember25tocommemoratethebirthofJesus,thecentralfigureofChristianity.TheholidaywasfirstsanctionedbytheRomanstateChurchintheearly-to-mid4thcentury,andremainsoneofthecentralfeastsintheChristianliturgicalyear.TheexactbirthdayofJesusisnotknown,andthedateforChristmasisthoughttohavebeenselectedtocoincidewitheitherthedateoftheRomanwintersolstice,oneofvariousancientwinterfestivals,orthedayexactlyninemonthsafterJesus’traditionalconceptiondate.II.TheSpringFestival1.LegendoftheNianThebeginningofthespringFestivalisassociatedwiththelegendoftheNianintheancienttime.OncetherewasaterriblebeastcalledNian.eachspring,onoraroundChineseNewYear,itcameoutoftheseatoattackpeople,especiallychildren.TheNianwassensitivetoloudnoisesandwasafraidofthecolorred.ThetraditionbeganwhenaNianattackedavillage.Aftertheattack,thevillagersdiscussedhowtomaketheNianleavethemalone.Eventuallytheycameupwithaplanwheredrums,platesandemptybowlswerehitandfirecrackerswerethrown,causingloudbangingsoundsthatwouldscareofftheNian.ThisreallyscaredtheNian,andsincethattime,theNiandidnotappearinthevillageagain.TheChineseLionDanceissaidtohaveoriginatedfromthelegendoftheNian.TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthantheGregoriancalendar.ItoriginatedintheShangdynasty(c.1600BCto1100BC)fromthepeople'ssacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.Strictlyspeaking,thespringfestivalstartseveryyearintheearlydaysofthe12thlunarmonthandwilllasttillthemid1stlunarmonthofthenextyear.Ofthem,themostimportantdaysarespringfestivaleveandthefirstthreedays.TheChinesegovernmentnowstipulatespeopleh