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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Drama / Human Interest
- Subject: Culture / Heritage / Lifestyles
- Published: 09/08/2017
The Origin of 'Nien' (Chinese New Year's origin)
Born 1973, M, from Ontario, CanadaSome say that the origin for the word “year” in Chinese goes back to ancient times in China, to a creature known as “Nien”. You often hear Chinese people wish each other a good “Nien” (good year) during Chinese New Year, the festive period starting near the end of January to the middle of February.
The length of the Chinese New Year festivity may last from a few days to about two weeks. In my father's old village, located in the northern part of China, the Chinese New Year celebration would last up to one month. The Chinese New Year is often celebrated during the coldest time of the winter season. It is around this time that the mysterious and ferocious creature known as “Nien” would make its appearance.
No one knows for sure what Nien is or was. Many stories have been told to countless people in their childhood for countless generations. The one story that strikes me most is the one told by my father to me, which is the one I will tell you now.
In the olden days of myth and legend, it was said that a creature inhabited a place between Heaven and Earth. This creature would frequent the Earth around the time of the Chinese New Year, during the coldest time of Winter. People worked hard during the year and hoped for the Fall to be plentiful in order to survive the upcoming cold months of Winter. Staying at home and surviving the wintertime meant everything. In honesty, it was more about surviving the “Nien”. Staying out of sight from this creature during the Winter meant everything.
It was during this very cold time of Winter that “Nien” would lurk around looking for its next prey. Those who have fallen victim to the creature have disappeared without a trace; those who have gone to seek it have never returned and never lived to tell about it. What was known for sure was that this seemingly evil creature only went after individuals who were alone out in the open wilderness. Some say that it was not evil at all and was, in fact, a righteous heavenly creature that devoured only the bad
and the wretched; others say that it was simply a heartless creature that consumed everything and anything that came along its path.
Whatever creature or being “Nien” may have been, people would come out of their homes at the end of the coldest Winter period, shaking hands and congratulating each other for surviving yet another “Nien” – surviving yet another year with luck and good fortune.
Keep your doors shut and your food shelves fully stocked for this Winter.
“Nien” may be prowling around the corner and waiting. If you survive, you ought to be congratulated, as Chinese people have done for thousands of years and for years to come.
The Origin of 'Nien' (Chinese New Year's origin)(Tomasito)
Some say that the origin for the word “year” in Chinese goes back to ancient times in China, to a creature known as “Nien”. You often hear Chinese people wish each other a good “Nien” (good year) during Chinese New Year, the festive period starting near the end of January to the middle of February.
The length of the Chinese New Year festivity may last from a few days to about two weeks. In my father's old village, located in the northern part of China, the Chinese New Year celebration would last up to one month. The Chinese New Year is often celebrated during the coldest time of the winter season. It is around this time that the mysterious and ferocious creature known as “Nien” would make its appearance.
No one knows for sure what Nien is or was. Many stories have been told to countless people in their childhood for countless generations. The one story that strikes me most is the one told by my father to me, which is the one I will tell you now.
In the olden days of myth and legend, it was said that a creature inhabited a place between Heaven and Earth. This creature would frequent the Earth around the time of the Chinese New Year, during the coldest time of Winter. People worked hard during the year and hoped for the Fall to be plentiful in order to survive the upcoming cold months of Winter. Staying at home and surviving the wintertime meant everything. In honesty, it was more about surviving the “Nien”. Staying out of sight from this creature during the Winter meant everything.
It was during this very cold time of Winter that “Nien” would lurk around looking for its next prey. Those who have fallen victim to the creature have disappeared without a trace; those who have gone to seek it have never returned and never lived to tell about it. What was known for sure was that this seemingly evil creature only went after individuals who were alone out in the open wilderness. Some say that it was not evil at all and was, in fact, a righteous heavenly creature that devoured only the bad
and the wretched; others say that it was simply a heartless creature that consumed everything and anything that came along its path.
Whatever creature or being “Nien” may have been, people would come out of their homes at the end of the coldest Winter period, shaking hands and congratulating each other for surviving yet another “Nien” – surviving yet another year with luck and good fortune.
Keep your doors shut and your food shelves fully stocked for this Winter.
“Nien” may be prowling around the corner and waiting. If you survive, you ought to be congratulated, as Chinese people have done for thousands of years and for years to come.
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Lillian Kazmierczak
12/27/2022Thatbwas a very interesting take onn the Chinese New Year, very imformative!
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