The first day of the first lunar month is Spring Festival, the beginning of a new year for China.

农历正月初一是春节，对中国人来说是新一年的开始。

Spring Festival is China’s biggest extravaganza and a day for family reunion.

春节是中国最盛大的节日，也是家庭团聚的日子。

Being around family members at the turn of the year is a vital ritual for the Chinese people.

在新旧交替的时刻陪伴在家人身边，是中国人至关重要的仪式感。

Many of those living away from their hometowns return home during Spring Festival, which gives rise to what’s called “the largest annual human migration in the world”, also known as the “Spring Festival travel rush”.

身处异乡的人们集中在春节期间返乡，形成了一年一度“全球最大规模的人口迁徙”，也就是“春运”。

The Spring Festival celebration is a continuous process, starting from the 23rd or 24th of the 12th lunar month.

春节是一个持续的庆祝过程，从农历十二月二十三或二十四的小年起，就算春节的开始了。

People often worship the Kitchen God, clean their houses, do their shopping and put up Spring Festival couplets（blessing words posted on door frames） until New Year’s Eve on the lunar calendar.

人们会开始祭灶神、大扫除、买年货、贴春联等一直忙碌到农历十二月三十的除夕。

These customs can be traced back to a Chinese legend.

这个习俗来源于中国神话传说。

It is said that in ancient times, there was a monster named Nian, who would come out and harm the world by the end of each lunar year.

相传在远古时代，有一种怪兽叫“年”，每逢新旧岁之交，便出来危害人间。

People then took measures to send the monster away, such as putting up red couplets as Nian detested the color red, and setting off fireworks and firecrackers at their doors to scare it away.

人们随后采取措施把怪兽赶走，比如贴红联，因为“年”讨厌红色，并在门口燃烟花、放鞭炮，以吓走年。

In addition to staying up late on New Year’s Eve, having a New Year’s Eve dinner and watching the Spring Festival Gala are two important customs of Spring Festival.

除守岁以外，吃年夜饭和看春晚也是中国人在春节的两项重要习俗。

New Year’s Eve dinner are manifested in different ways in different parts of China.

年夜饭有不同讲究。

Those in South China must have a dish of fish, because “fish” in Chinese sounds similar to the character for “prosperity” symbolizing an abundant and comfortable life.

南方的年夜饭必有一道鱼，因为鱼在汉语中寓意“年年有余”的富足生活。

Those in North China often eat dumplings, which symbolize “reunion” and “fortune”.

而北方则吃饺子，有“喜庆团圆”和“吉祥如意”的寓意。

The Spring Festival Gala is a variety TV program broadcast annually to celebrate the lunar New Year.

春节联欢晚会，是每年除夕夜晚为庆祝农历新年举办的综艺性文艺晚会。

The gala attracts the largest audience of any entertainment show in the world, and runs for more than four hours, making it the longest TV show in the world.

春晚吸引了世界上最多的观众，节目时长超过4个小时，是世界上最长的电视节目。

It is often hailed as a cultural feast for Chinese people on New Year’s Eve.

它是中国人的文化年夜饭。

There is also a custom of of giving and receiving red envelopes, or hongbao.

春节还有发红包的习俗。

Traditionally, adults placed money into red envelopes and gave them to the children to wish them peace and good luck in the coming year.

长辈把钱放进红色信封里，把它们送给孩子们，祝愿他们在新的一年里平安、好运。

Nowadays, with the popularization of mobile payment in China, it is a trend to send red envelopes digitally.

如今中国移动支付的普及使手机发红包成为潮流。

The internet can deliver New Year’s wishes to each and every loved one, even if they are thousands of miles away.

便捷的网络能将人们的新年祝福第一时间传递给每一位亲友，即使他们远在千里之外。

The joyous atmosphere of Chinese New Year will linger until the first full moon of the first lunar month.

跨年之后，新年的欢乐气氛要一直持续到正月第一个月圆。

Then the Lantern Festival is celebrated, which is bound to be another busy day.

到了元宵节，又将是一个热闹非凡的日子。 作者：读书有三到我先到 https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv21059285/?spm_id_from=333.999.0.0 出处：bilibili