TheSpringFestival 　　TheSpringFestival,alsoknowasthelunarNewYear,isthegreatesttraditionalfestival.ItisusuallyatimebetweenlateJanuaryorearlyFebruary,whichmeansrestandrelaxationbetweenwinterandspringafterayear'stoil,andmeanscelebrationaswell.BeforetheSpringFestival,peoplecleantheirhouse,putredcoupletsontheirgates,andsetofffirecrackers,accordingtofairytale,fordrivingademon,namedNianaway.OntheeveoftheSpringFestival,aget-togetherbanquetisamust,andthemostpopularfoodisDumpling,whichissupposedtobringgoodfortune.Onthefirstdayofthenewyear,everybodywearsnewclothesandgreetsrelativesandfriendswithbowsandcongratulationswishingeachotherluckyduringthenewyear. 　　SpringFestival 　　TheNewMoononthefirstdayofthenewyear--thefullmoon15dayslater 　　ClickhereformorewordsabouttheSpringFestival 　　ChineseNewYearstartswiththeNewMoon（新月）onthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon（满月）15dayslater.The15thdayofthenewyeariscalledtheLanternFestival（元宵节）,whichiscelebratedatnightwithlanterndisplaysandchildrencarryinglanternsinaparade. 　　TheChinesecalendarisbasedonacombinationoflunarandsolarmovements.Thelunarcycle（月运周期）isabout29.5days.Inorderto"catchup"withthesolarcalendartheChineseinsertanextramonthonceeveryfewyears(sevenyearsoutofa19-yearcycle).Thisisthesameasaddinganextradayonleapyear（闰年）.Thisiswhy,accordingtothesolarcalendar,theChineseNewYearfallsonadifferentdateeachyear. 　　NewYear'sEveandNewYear'sDayarecelebratedasafamilyaffair,atimeofreunionandthanksgiving.ThecelebrationwastraditionallyhighlightedwithareligiousceremonygiveninhonorofHeavenandEarth（万物）,thegodsofthehouseholdandthefamilyancestors. 　　Thesacrificetotheancestors,themostvitalofalltherituals（仪式）,unitedthelivingmemberswiththosewhohadpassedaway.Departedrelativesarerememberedwithgreatrespectbecausetheywereresponsibleforlayingthefoundationsforthefortuneandgloryofthefamily. 　　ThepresenceoftheancestorsisacknowledgedonNewYear'sEvewithadinnerarrangedforthematthefamilybanquettable.Thespiritsoftheancestors,togetherwiththeliving,celebratetheonsetoftheNewYearasonegreatcommunity.Thecommunalfeastcalled"surroundingthestove"orweilu.Itsymbolizesfamilyunityandhonorsthepastandpresentgenerations. 　　TheOriginofChineseNewYear 　　TheChineseNewYearisnowpopularlyknownastheSpringFestivalbecauseitstartsfromtheBeginingofSpring(thefirstofthetwenty-fourtermsincoodinationwiththechangesofNature).Itsoriginistoooldtobetraced.Severalexplanationsarehangingaround.Allagree,however,thatthewordNian,whichinmodernChinesesolelymeans"year",wasoriginallythenameofamonsterbeastthatstartedtopreyonpeoplethenightbeforethebeginningofanewyear. 　　OnelegendgoesthatthebeastNianhadaverybigmouththatwouldswallowagreatmanypeoplewithonebite.Peoplewereveryscared.Oneday,anoldmancametotheirrescue,offeringtosubdueNian.ToNianhesaid,"Ihearsaythatyouareverycapable,butcanyouswallowtheotherbeastsofpreyonearthinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansofyourworthyopponents?"So,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearth