春节起源于什么朝代英语（The Origin of Chinese Spring Festival）

The Origin of Chinese Spring Festival

The Early History of Spring Festival

As an important traditional Chinese holiday, Spring Festival has a history of more than 4,000 years, dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC). During the primitive society, people marked the change of seasons with celebrations and rituals. With the invention of the lunar calendar, Spring Festival became a fixed festival on the first day of the first lunar month, and its customs and traditions were gradually formed and enriched.

The Mythology behind Spring Festival

The Chinese New Year is also associated with many myths and legends. Among them, there is the famous story of the monster Nian, who was afraid of the color red and loud noises, so people would decorate their houses with red couplets, lanterns and set off firecrackers to scare the monster away. Another legend relates to the Kitchen God, who would go to heaven each year to report the family's behavior to the Emperor of Heaven. In order to ensure a good report, families would offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month.

The Modern Significance of Spring Festival

Today, Spring Festival remains the most important family holiday in China. It is a time for family reunion, good food, exchanging gifts and visiting friends. The celebrations usually last for 15 days, culminating in the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. However, with the rise of globalization, young people are increasingly attracted to Western-style celebrations, such as Christmas and Valentine's Day, and the traditional customs and rituals are facing the challenge of fading away. Nevertheless, as a symbol of Chinese culture and tradition, Spring Festival will always hold a special place in the hearts of the Chinese people.