December 23 of the Lunar Calendar (Little New Year)

　　臘月二十三——小年

　　Custom: Worshiping the Kitchen God

　　習(xí)俗：祭灶

　　As the legend goes, there is a kitchen god in each house who is responsible for the kitchen and oversees the conduct of the family. On this day, the kitchen god returns to Heaven to report the conducts of the family to the Emperor of Heaven. Therefore, worshipping the kitchen god aims to "please him." People put out some sweet and sticky foods, such as rice dumplings and malted sugar. In this way, the lips of the kitchen god will stuck together, and he cannot report any wrong doings of the family. Thus the family can lead an auspicious life.

　　民俗傳說中，每家都有一位灶神掌管飲食，也記錄一家人的言行。今天，灶神就要返回天庭匯報這一戶人一年的大小事，所以祭灶的主題就是“拉攏灶神”。在廚房內(nèi)擺放些甜而粘牙的如湯圓、麥芽糖等食物，灶神的嘴被粘住，就少匯報些壞事，才能天降吉祥。

　　December 24 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十四

　　Custom: Dusting

　　習(xí)俗：掃塵

　　After worshipping the kitchen god, people begin to thoroughly clean their houses to sweep away bad luck and welcome good luck. Dusting shows the good wish of putting away old things and welcoming a new life, making everything look fresh in the new year.

　　祭灶后，人們便開始大掃除，掃塵除災(zāi)，以迎祥納福。掃塵也是辭舊迎新，求的是萬象更新的新年新氣象。

　　December 25 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十五

　　Custom: Pasting Window Paper and Making Tofu

　　習(xí)俗：糊窗戶、磨豆腐

　　The times for pasting window paper are gone. Nowadays, the tradition is replaced by cleaning windows. Tofu is homophonic with "Toufu (first fortune of the year)", so it is considered as a good food which brings happiness. In order to prepare it for the Spring Festival, people should begin to grind beans and make tofu today.

　　紙糊窗戶的時代已經(jīng)過去，所以如今這習(xí)俗已經(jīng)被擦玻璃取代。而豆腐音同“頭福”，被視為能夠為新年帶來福氣的好食材，要為過年做準備，今天就要開始磨豆自制豆腐了。

　　December 26 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十六

　　Custom: Preparation of Meat and Shopping for the Spring Festival

　　習(xí)俗：割年肉、置年貨

　　When there was insufficient food in the past, the majority of ordinary people could enjoy a comparatively lavish feast only during the Spring Festival can be started on the day. Besides meat and fish, people also purchase cigarettes, wines, fruits, gifts and festive ornaments.

　　在物質(zhì)不豐富的年代，大多尋常人家要到年節(jié)期間才能吃得豐富一些。割年肉主要指準備春節(jié)的肉食，實際上也代表各種年貨可以從這一天開始置辦，除了魚、肉，還有煙酒瓜果以及禮品、裝飾等。

　　December 27 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十七

　　Custom: Bating and Going to the Market

　　習(xí)俗：洗浴、趕集

　　According to the traditional folk customs of the Han ethnic group, people should take a bath and do their washings to get rid of bad luck from the past year and welcome the new year. Besides the purpose of purchasing goods, people also go shopping to enjoy the exciting atmosphere of the Spring Festival in advance.

　　漢族傳統(tǒng)民俗中，在這天要洗澡、洗衣，以除去一年的晦氣，準備迎接來年的新春。趕集，除了擔負置辦年貨的任務(wù)，也能提前感受過年的熱鬧氣息。

　　December 28 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十八

　　Custom: Leaving Dough and Pasting Spring Couplets

　　習(xí)俗：發(fā)面、貼春聯(lián)

　　Besides meat and side dishes, people also prepare cooked wheaten food for the Spring Festival. People in north China mainly eat noodles. They leaven dough, steam buns or cook noodles during the Spring Festival. Today, people also paste spring couplets and pictures. With concise texts and festive patterns, people show their welcome for the Spring Festival. In addition, these activities indicate that the Spring Festival begins.

　　準備了肉食配菜后，也要準備主食。北方以面為主食，發(fā)好面，可以在春節(jié)期間蒸饅頭或者做面條等食物。這一天也是將春聯(lián)、年畫貼出來的日子。以簡潔的文字和喜慶的圖案迎接春節(jié)、抒發(fā)愿望，也意味著春節(jié)正式拉開帷幕。

　　December 29 of the Lunar Calendar

　　臘月二十九——小除夕

　　Custom: Paying Tribute to Ancestors

　　習(xí)俗：祭祖

　　Preparation for the Spring Festival should be completed today, the day before New Year's Eve. Worshipping ancestors is also a major event on this day, by which people express their gratitude and yearning for their ancestors during the important festival.

　　過年的準備工作將在除夕前一天的今天全部完成。除此之外，祭祖也是這天的重要活動，以在春節(jié)這最重要的節(jié)日表達感恩與思念。

　　December 30 of the Lunar Calendar

　　大年三十——除夕

　　December 30 of lunar calendar, also called "Chuxi" (New Year's Eve), is the last day of the year according to lunar calendar. It means saying goodbye to the last year and welcoming the new year. Chuxi is to Chinese people what Christmas Eve is to Westerners. And it's also the climax of the whole Spring Festival. There are many customs in every period of time on this special day and those customs have been well observed for thousands of years.

　　大年三十，中國農(nóng)歷的最后一天，又稱“除夕”——告別舊日，迎來新年。這一天對每一個中國人來說意義非凡，如同平安夜在圣誕假期中的重要地位一般，整個春節(jié)的高潮也在這一天到達頂峰。這一天中，每一個時間段都有約定俗成的講究，幾千年來，延續(xù)至今。

　　7:00-11:30

　　Preparing for the Reunion Dinner

　　團年飯準備

　　In the morning, every family begins killing chicken and fishes as well as cutting meat and vegetables to prepare for the Reunion Dinner.

　　清晨開始，各家各戶就忙著宰雞、剖魚、剁肉、切菜……為團年大餐做著最后的籌備工作。

　　11:30-11:50

　　Praying to Ancestors

　　拜敬祖先

　　Although different regions have different custom, many will pray to their ancestors before the dinner on this day. All the family members hosed by their patriarch offer incense and kowtow to the memorial tablets or the pictures of their ancestors, then they burn paper money and pray one by one. They also present the main dishes of the Reunion Dinner including pork as offerings to their respect to the ancestors.

　　雖各地都有不同的習(xí)俗，但大多會在今日正式的宴席前拜敬祖先。全家人在家長的主持下，對祖先的牌位、人像燒香叩拜，并逐一燒紙祈福。也會提前將宴席上的主菜如豬肉等作為貢品呈放，以示對先輩的尊敬。

　　12:00-18:00

　　Enjoying the Reunion Dinner & Giving Lucky Money

　　團年飯開席、發(fā)壓歲錢

　　The two wonderful meals at this day are called "Reunion Dinners", among which the New Year's Eve Dinner is much more important.

　　除夕日的兩頓大餐稱為“團年飯”，其中尤以晚餐“年夜飯”為重頭戲。

　　There are abundant dishes for the New Year's Eve Dinner. The dishes are of a wide variety and they all imply the meaning of good luck. Fore example, "fish" shares a similar pronunciation with "Yu" which stands for "abundance"; beetroot sounds like "Cai Tou" that means one can have good luck in the new year. Besides, there are chicken, duck, fish, pork and beef in the dinner, which symbolize a rich new year. While is Sichuan, every family has home-made sausage and cured meat as well as Chinese liquor.

　　年夜飯的餐桌上總是豐盛異常，菜色雖然五花八門，但宗旨都要有開福納吉的好寓意。如“魚”和“余”諧音，象征“年年有余”;“菜頭”與“菜頭”諧音，象征來年有好彩頭，雞鴨魚豬牛肉都備齊，則表明來年豐裕。在四川地區(qū)，還少不了自家釀制的香腸、臘肉，當然，還有白酒。

　　During dinner time, Chinese people do not just eat and drink although the food and drinks are very delicious. They also say some "best wishes" such as "I wish you good health and a long life", "may all go well with you", etc. to the elders, and then hope to get lucky money from those happy elders. It is said that the lucky money can drive out evil spirits because it shares the same pronunciation with "Sui" in Chinese (meaning evil spirits), thus children who get lucky money will be safe in the new year. Surely, receiving lucky money is the favorite "event" of every child during the Spring Festival.

　　熱鬧的年夜飯進行到中段，酒菜正酣，可別只顧著吃喝，晚輩們此時只須給長輩獻上幾句如“健康長壽”、“萬事如意”的吉祥話，就只等長輩樂呵呵發(fā)送壓歲錢了。相傳壓歲錢可以壓住邪祟，因為“歲”與“祟”諧音，得到壓歲錢的小輩就可以平平安安度過一歲。當然，這也是小輩們無可爭議最喜歡的過年“節(jié)目”。

　　20:00

　　Watching Spring Festival Gala

　　看春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會

　　Shown during the Chinese New Year's Eve, the Spring Festival Gala is a large variety show produced by China Central Television. Although it has been criticized for many times because of its outdated contents and forms, the Gala is still an important program for Chinese families to sit together, enjoy family love and share happiness in the Spring Festival.

　　春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會，是中國中央電視臺在每年除夕晚上舉辦的大型文藝晚會。如今雖然飽受形式內(nèi)容老套的詬病，但依然是大年夜一大家子圍坐在沙發(fā)上，感受親情、分享喜樂的重要過年項目。

　　23:00-24:00

　　Offering Incense and Praying

　　上香祈福

　　Near the midnight, the sound of the Gala has been already covered by the thunder of fireworks outside. At the moment, all the family members go to toll New Year bells and offer incense at 24:00 in a nearby temple. Every year, large temples in different regions hold grand Spring Ritual for Blessings on New Year's Eve. People put their palms together devoutly and pray for a wonderful new year at the crowded temple. Such activity will last to the end of the first day of the year.

　　臨近午夜，電視機里的聲音早已被窗外震耳的炮竹聲蓋過，人們便扶老攜幼全家出動，到附近的寺廟撞新年鐘、上子時(零點)香。每年除夕夜，各地大型的寺廟都將舉行盛大的新春祈福法會，在人頭竄動的寺廟中，人們虔誠地雙手合十，祈愿來年的美好。這樣的活動也將跨過零點，持續(xù)大年初一整日。

　　January 1 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初一

　　Custom: New-Year Visits and Collecting Fortune

　　習(xí)俗：拜年聚財

　　Visiting relatives is still considered a major event on the first day of the first Lunar month. Also, it is the birthday of "broom", so it is taboo to use broom or take out trash, otherwise, you might sweep away good fortunes and suffer financial losses.

　　延續(xù)自大年夜，拜年依然是大年初一的重要活動。另外由于這天是“掃把星”的生日，正月初一要注意不能動用掃帚，也不要丟垃圾，否則就會掃走運氣、破財。

　　January 2 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初二

　　Custom: Married Daughters Return to Parents' Home

　　習(xí)俗：回娘家

　　Married daughters visit their parents with their husbands on this day, so this day is also called "welcome son-in-law day". The couple must bring some gifts and red envelopes along with them, and give them to children from the wife's side of the family. They have to return husband's family before dinner.

　　出嫁的女兒回娘家，要與丈夫同行，所以也稱“迎婿日”。這一天，回娘家的女兒必須攜帶一些禮品和紅包，分給娘家的小孩，并且在娘家吃午飯，但要在晚飯前趕回婆家。

　　January 3 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初三

　　Custom: Staying at Home

　　習(xí)俗：忌出門

　　According to custom, people should not pay visits to others on the third day of the first lunar month as it is very likely to quarrel with others on this day. However, this has already become obsolete. It is a rare opportunity for people to get reunited during the Spring Festival, so less and less people follow this tradition.

　　按照習(xí)俗，人們在初三通常不會外出拜年，傳說這天容易與人發(fā)生爭執(zhí)。不過這個習(xí)俗早已過時，現(xiàn)在人們難得春節(jié)團聚，對此已經(jīng)淡化許多。

　　January 4 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初四

　　Custom: Worshiping the God of Wealth

　　習(xí)俗：祭財神

　　It is the day for worshipping the God of Wealth. In the past, if an employee was not invited to worship the God of Wealth with the boss, he/she had to resign according to the unwritten rule.

　　今天是及財神的日子，過去，老板想將某人“炒魷魚”，這天就不請他來拜神，對方也就心知肚明，自己收拾走人。

　　January 5 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初五

　　Custom: Breaking Five

　　習(xí)俗：破五

　　It is the day to "drive away five ghosts of poverty" (Poverty in intelligence, knowledge, literacy, fate, and friendship). People light firecrackers in the morning form inside to outside of their houses to scare away all the "ghosts".

　　俗稱破五，要“趕走五窮”，包括“智窮、學(xué)窮、文窮、命窮、交窮(結(jié)交“損友”)”。舊時人們在清晨放鞭炮，邊放邊往門外走，傳說如此便可將一切不吉利的東西都轟出門外。

　　January 6 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月初六

　　Custom: Opening for Business

　　習(xí)俗：宜開業(yè)

　　After lighting firecrackers, shops reopen for business on this day. It is said that boys of the age of 12 are the most welcomed as the number of "12" us double "6", which means "everything will go well smoothly".

　　商戶可選擇在這天開張營業(yè)，而且要大放鞭炮。另外傳說這一天最受歡迎的是當年滿12歲的男孩，因為12是6的二倍，這叫“六六大順”。

　　January 15 of the Lunar Calendar

　　正月十五

　　Custom: Dumplings and Lighting Sky Lanterns

　　習(xí)俗：吃元宵、放天燈

　　As the first full moon night in the new year, the fifteenth day is also called Lantern Festival, named after the long-time tradition of appreciating lanterns. One should not miss Yuanxiao, glutinous rice dumplings, often stuffed with white sugar, rose petals, sesames and so on. The stuffing and round shape symbolize sweet life and reunion. Lantern Festival draws the curtain of the entire Chinese New Year celebration.

　　作為新年第一個月圓之夜，正月十五又稱“上元節(jié)”，因歷代這一節(jié)日有觀燈習(xí)俗。故又稱燈節(jié)。元宵節(jié)必吃的美食即元宵——湯圓，以白糖、玫瑰、芝麻等為餡，用糯米粉包成圓形，有甜甜蜜蜜、團圓美滿之意。過完元宵節(jié)，春節(jié)正式落下帷幕。