One winter, four thousand years ago, a monster called 'Nian' (nee-UHN) attacked a Chinese village
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One winter, four thousand years ago, a monster called 'Nian' (nee-UHN) attacked a Chinese village.
At first, everyone was afraid.
Then, they discovered that Nian feared loud noises, the color red, and bright lights. To keep Nian away, the people painted the doors of their houses red. They built fires and set off firecrackers until the beast ran away from the village.
The word 'nián' (年) means 'year' in Chinese.
The Chinese New Year - The Year of the Rat - officially begins today, January 25th.