The legend of the Chinese New Year is a story of a man-eating beast named Nian.
Nian lived deep with in the sea for the entire year, but, on every Chinese New Year eve, he would come ashore. Since he devoured livestock and humans, people fled to the mountains to escape harm.
One year, an elderly man appeared in the village on the Eve of the New Year and stayed saying he would chase the beast away. The villagers did not believe him, they tried to convince him to flee with them, but he refused.
When Nian emerged to wreak his usual havoc, the man set off firecrackers, lit bright lanterns and waved red banners that frightened Nian and caused him to flee. Expecting the worst, the villagers returned and found their village intact and safe. The elderly man was not there, but they found the remains of the three items he used to scare Nian away and decided that he must have freed them from the beast.
From that day on, the villagers set off firecrackers, lit lanterns and waved red banners to await the New Year, and the festival became known as the "Passing of Nian." "Nian" is the Chinese word that means "year," and this is how the legend was born.
Along with the story of Nian, every Chinese New Year is associated with a specific animal, either the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Depending on the year in which you were born, Chinese astrology has it that you will display characteristics of these animals.
