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Follow the legend of Chinese New Year and learn why people wear red, light firecrackers and bang drums on this special day.

Once upon a time, in China (Öйú Zh¨­ng Gu¨®), there was a fierce monster called Nian ( Äê ±·¾±¨¢²Ô) with long, sharp teeth and giant claws.

At the end of the lunar year, Nian would go to the villages to hunt for food (ʳÎï sh¨ª w¨´).

Nian liked to eat (³Ô ³¦³ó¨©) anything he could lay his claws on, and with each visit Nian ruined people¡¯s homes and crops.

The people feared Nian and would hide in the mountains (ɽ ²õ³ó¨¡²Ô) at the end of the lunar year.

They would not return to the village until Nian left.

One day, an old man with grey (»ÒÉ«µÄ hu¨© s¨¨ de) hair and a long, white ( °×É«µÄ b¨¢i s¨¨ de) beard came down from the mountains.

He told them Nian was afraid of three things:

• loud noises
• the colour red (ºìÉ« h¨®ng s¨¨)
• fire (»ð ³ó³Ü¨¯)

On Nian's next visit, they banged drums, wore the colour red (ºìÉ« h¨®ng s¨¨) and lit firecrackers ( ÑÌ»¨ y¨¡n hu¨¡) to scare Nian away.

The monster never came back.

People do this each year to celebrate Nian's defeat.

The last day of the lunar year is called Chinese New Year¡¯s Eve (³ýϦ Ch¨² X¨©).

The first day of the new lunar year is called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (´º½Ú Ch¨±n Ji¨¦).

Key Mandarin words

Did you know?

In the legend of the Chinese New Year the monster is called Nian (Äê ±·¾±¨¢²Ô).

In Mandarin, Äê ²Ô¾±¨¢²Ô also means 'year'.