A story in Mandarin: Chinese New Year

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 (中国Zhōng Guó), there was a fierce monster called Nian ( 年Nián) with long, sharp teeth and giant claws.

At the end of the lunar year, Nian would go to the villages to hunt for food (食物shí wù).

Nian liked to eat (吃chī) 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 (山shān) at the end of the lunar year.

They would not return to the village until Nian left.

One day, an old man with grey (灰色的huī sè de) hair and a long, white ( 白色的bái sè de) beard came down from the mountains.

He told them Nian was afraid of three things:

• loud noises
• the colour red (红色hóng sè)
• fire (火huǒ)

On Nian's next visit, they banged drums, wore the colour red (红色hóng sè) and lit firecrackers ( 烟花yān huā) 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 (除夕Chú Xī).

The first day of the new lunar year is called Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (春节Chūn Jié).

Key Mandarin words

Did you know?

In the legend of the Chinese New Year the monster is called Nian (年Nián).

In Mandarin, 年nián also means 'year'.