The Nian Beast, also known as "Nian," is a ferocious beast in Chinese folk mythology. Legend has it that in ancient times, a cruel monster would invade villages and eat people every Chinese New Year's Eve, giving rise to the name Nian Beast. Later, people discovered that the Nian Beast had three fears: loud noises, the color red, and firelight. Consequently, every household began setting off firecrackers, posting red couplets, and lighting lamps to scare away the Nian Beast each year, and these practices gradually became customs associated with the Chinese New Year. Today, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, every household still hangs red couplets and sets off firecrackers; homes are brightly lit, and people stay up through the night to welcome the new year. On the morning of the first day of the Chinese New Year, people visit relatives and friends to exchange greetings and well-wishes. 

(Overview image source: The Nian Beast from the book Goodnight Myths for Children: Chinese Mythology (Illustrated Pinyin Edition) by Yi Wei)

Legend

Legend has it that in ancient China, there was a monster called "Nian" with long horns growing from its head, razor-sharp teeth, and a menacing glare in its eyes. It was extraordinarily fierce. "Nian" lived deep in the sea all year-round, only coming ashore on Chinese New Year's Eve to devour livestock and claim human lives. Therefore, every Chinese New Year's Eve, villagers would take their families and flee into the mountains to seek refuge.

One Chinese New Year's Eve, as the people of Peach Blossom Village were helping the elderly and children flee into the mountains, an old beggar arrived from outside the village. Some villagers were boarding up windows and locking doors, others were hurriedly packing their belongings, and some were leading oxen and herding sheep, creating a scene of frantic chaos. At that moment, almost no one had the presence of mind to care about the old beggar. Only an elderly woman living at the eastern edge of the village gave him some food and urged him to go up the mountain to avoid the "Nian" beast. The old man stroked his beard with a smile, and said, "If you allow me to stay in your home for the night, I will surely drive the ‘Nian’ beast away."The old woman looked at him in astonishment and saw that he had snow-white hair yet a youthful, rosy complexion, and an air of quiet distinction. Still, she continued to persuade him to leave, but the old beggar only smiled and said nothing. Left with no choice, the old woman abandoned her home and went up the mountain to seek refuge.

At midnight, "Nian" stormed into the village. It quickly sensed that the atmosphere was different from previous years. At the old woman's house on the eastern edge of the village, the door was covered with bright red paper, and the interior glowed with candlelight. The "Nian" beast shuddered violently and let out a piercing shriek. It glared angrily at the old woman's house for a moment, then lunged forward with a savage roar. But as it neared the door, the courtyard suddenly erupted with loud cracking explosions. "Nian" trembled from head to toe and dared not move any closer. It turned out that "Nian" feared the color red, firelight, and loud explosive noises. Just then, the old woman's door swung open, revealing an old man clad in a red robe, standing in the courtyard and laughing heartily. Nian turned pale with terror and fled in a wretched scramble.

The next day was the first day of the Chinese New Year. When the villagers returned from the mountains, they were astonished to find the village safe and unharmed. Only then did the old woman suddenly realise the truth. She hurriedly told the villagers about the old beggar's promise. The villagers gathered and went together to the old woman's home. There, they saw bright red paper pasted on her door. In the courtyard, a pile of half-burned bamboo still crackled with sharp popping sounds, and inside the house, several red candles continued to glow faintly…To celebrate the arrival of good fortune, the villagers changed into new clothes and donned new hats, then visited relatives and friends to exchange greetings and congratulations. This incident quickly spread to surrounding villages, and people everywhere learned how to drive away the "Nian" beast.