New Year’s Day customs

When China first started celebrating New Year’s Day, the customs and habits of the celebration were of course similar to the Spring Festival, or a smaller version of the Spring Festival. Although some traditional celebration methods are followed: setting off firecrackers, killing three lives, worshiping ghosts and gods, paying homage to ancestors, etc., they do not occupy a very important position in people's minds. In modern times, New Year's Day celebration customs have become simpler. Nowadays, activities organized by groups are more common, such as New Year's parties, hanging slogans celebrating New Year's Day, or holding group activities.

The preservation of traditional Chinese celebration methods lies among the people, especially in rural areas. Every New Year's Day, every household will set off firecrackers, kill chickens and geese, and worship the gods of various places, then the family will reunite and have a meal together. As for a more serious way of celebrating, I haven’t seen it yet.

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Extended information:

New Year's Day, commonly known as "New Year" in most countries in the world, is the first day of the new year in the Gregorian calendar. Yuan means "first"; Dan means "day"; "New Year's Day" means "first day". The word "New Year's Day" first appeared in "Book of Jin", but its meaning has been used for more than 4,000 years.

In ancient China, the first days of the twelfth lunar month and October were used as New Year's Day. From Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, it was January 1 of the lunar calendar. From 1912 to the Republic of China, it was January 1 of the Gregorian calendar. In 1949, the People's Republic of China *The Republic of China also uses January 1st of the Gregorian calendar as New Year's Day, so New Year's Day is also called the "Gregorian Year" in China.

Legend has it that more than 4,000 years ago, during the heyday of Yao and Shun in ancient times, Emperor Yao worked diligently on the people and did many good things for the people. He did not pass the throne of "Emperor" to his son, but to Shun, who had both moral character and ability. Yao said to Shun: "You must pass on the throne well from now on, so that you can rest in peace after my death." Later, Shun passed the throne to Yu, who had done great work in controlling floods. Yu also loved the people and did things for the people just like Shun. He has done many good deeds and is very loved by others. Later, people regarded the day when Emperor Shun offered sacrifices to heaven and earth and the late Emperor Yao as the beginning of the year after Yao's death, and the first day of the first lunar month was called "New Year's Day" or "Yuanzheng". This was the ancient New Year's Day.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-New Year's Day