Chinese legend has it that an old man used loud noises and red objects to scare off a beast called Nian. This story of guo nian (meaning “new year”) explains why Chinese hang red decorations ...

talk to Chinese neighbors or classmates about their traditions, and learn about the mythical beast, Nian. I love going to the library to check out picture books on topics we want to learn about.

Chinese mythology suggests the origins of New Year are concerned with a battle against a monster called Nian (meaning ‘year’ in Chinese). Nian would arrive on the first day of the New Year to ...