The 15-day New Year celebration is truly is unlike any holiday celebrated in the world, both in terms of longevity and widespread significance. Rooted in mythology, the holiday’s Chinese name, Chūn Jié, actually literally translates to the Spring Festival, as it marks the beginning of the season on the traditional Chinese calendar. As the story goes, a vicious lion-dragon-ox beast known as the Nian would emerge from the mountains (or sea depending on region) on the first day of the New Year (Spring) and devour livestock, crops and its favorite morsel, children. People would set out food in hopes of sating the monster’s appetite and protecting themselves, until one year the beast was frightened away by a child in red. As word spread that the Nian feared the color red, traditions of putting out red lanterns and coils, shooting red fireworks and wearing decorative red clothing began.
