Spering Festival and Nian

Spering Festival And Nian

A long time ago there was a monster called Nian. It was very ugly and ferocious. The monster would come down from the mountains to hunt people. People were very afraid of it and locked themselves inside their houses before sunset on the days it would come.

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 the hope that the noises would frighten the hateful monster.

On a moonless and freezing cold night, the monster Nian appeared again. The moment it opened its mouth, the villagers burst out with their frightening noises and fire. Wherever the monster went, it was faced with the terrible noises.

The monster was forced around until it fell down in exhaustion and was then killed. Savage as the monster was, he lost in the end to the cooperation of the villagers.

Since then, people have kept the tradition by beating drums and gongs, and lighting fireworks on the coldest day in winter to drive the imaginary monster away and to celebrate victory over it. They also wear red clothes to scare the monster.

Today, "nian" refers to New Year's Day or the Spring Festival. People often say "guo nian," which means "survive the nian." Red has become the color of joy.