According to legend, in ancient China, there was a monster called "Year" with a long tentacles and sharp teeth; it was fierce and fierce."Year" has lived deep under the sea for many years, and climbed ashore every New Year's Eve, consuming food to kill people.Therefore, on the day of New Year's Eve, the people in the villages and villages help the old and flee to the mountains to avoid the "year" damage.
相传,中国古时候有一种叫“年”的怪兽,头长触角,尖牙利齿;目露凶光,凶猛异常。“年”长年深居海底,每到除夕才爬上岸,吞食牲畜伤害人命。因此,每到除夕这天,村村寨寨的人们扶老携幼逃往深山,以躲避“年”的伤害。
清代段玉裁『说文解字注』
谷孰也。尔雅曰。夏曰岁。商曰祀。周曰年。唐虞曰载。年者,取禾一孰也。从禾。千声。奴顚切。古音在十二部。春秋传曰。大有年。宣十六年经文。谷梁传曰。五谷皆孰为有年。五谷皆大孰为大有年。
可见,年本义为丰收时节,与怪兽毫不相干。年兽又称年这一说,毫无根据和道理。“过年”,这一中华民族最重要的习俗,从最初的诞生的本意来说就是庆祝、喜悦。而绝不是什么“吃人”、“打怪兽”、“消除恐惧”。关于爆竹习俗,目前可考据的最早明文记载于南北朝梁宗懔《荆楚岁时记》,“正月一日,鸡鸣而起,先于庭前爆竹,以避山臊恶鬼。”。在中国文化传统中,“爆竹”却有事天地鬼神之意。但此处绝无有关驱赶怪兽的记载。不知何时,爆竹被杜撰成了驱赶“年兽”这一怪物的武器。
春联习俗,起源于桃符。《后汉书·礼仪志》所载,桃符长六寸,宽三寸,桃木板上书降鬼大神“神荼”、“郁垒”的名字。“正月一日,造桃符着户,名仙木,百鬼所畏。”。《宋史·蜀世家》载:后蜀主孟昶令学士辛寅逊题桃木板,“以其非工,自命笔题云:‘新年纳余庆,嘉节号长春’,这便是中国的第一副春联。春联的起源也有敬鬼神之意。但跟怪兽也无关。(来源:年兽-百度百科)
"Year" legend
There is a legend of ancient China, Hou called "years" of the monster, the first long sharp corners, ferocious, was "long secluded sea beast, every New Year's Eve, shore to devour livestock harm human life, so every New Year's Eve, the village village Village People, young and old, fled to the mountains to escape the "year" of harm.
New Year's Eve went to a year, folks are busy packing things like in previous years to prepare to flee to the mountains, this time a white-haired head Village elderly, white-haired old lady said to the one just let him spend the night at her home, he will be able to "year" beast driven away. People do not believe, or persuade the old lady up the hill to avoid the good, but the old man to leave a record, everyone advised him to see live, they have to go up the mountain to escape.
When the "year" beast ready to break into the village as rampant as in previous years, when suddenly came the sound of firecrackers, "year" trembling animal had diarrhea and could not scrape together forward original "year" red beast fear, fire and exploding. At this time a large wide open, I saw one wearing a red robe of the old hospital laugh, "was the" beast alarmed, fled helter-skelter.
The next day, when people from the mountains back to the village, we found the village safe and sound, this suddenly realized that the white-haired old man is to help you out "the annual" Beast of the gods, it also found a white-haired old man expulsion "in the" beast of the three magic wand. Since then, the annual New Year's Eve, every family has posted red couplets, firecrackers, household lights, keep more to be old. This customs have spread, it becomes the most ceremonious traditional Chinese folk festival "New Year."
Now, the Spring Festival is the festival of our people, it is a symbol of unity, prosperity, people entrusted with the hope the new year.