The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival,Chinese New Year,is the most important festival for all of us.All family members get together on New Year'Eve to have a big meal.At the same time,everyone celebrates to each other.At about 12 o'clock,some parents and children light crackers.The whole sky is lighted brightly.We may watch the fireworks excitedly.How busy it is!
On the first early moring of one year,many senior citizen get up early and they stick the reversed Fu or hang some couplets on the front door.Some house's windows are sticked on red paper cutlings.
The Chinese New Year lasts fifteen days.So during the fifteen days,we always visit our relatives from door to door.At that time,children are the happiest because they can get many red packets form their parents,grandparents,uncles,aunts and so on.The last day of the Chinese New Year is another festival.It names the Lantern Festival.
So the Chinese New Year comes to the endThere are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival.But one thing for sure is that it had something to do with religious worship.
One legend tells us that it was a time to worship Taiyi,the God of Heaven in ancient times.The belief was that the God of Heaven controlled the destiny of the human world.He had sixteen dragons at his beck and call and he decided when to inflict drought,storms,famine or pestilence（瘟疫）upon human beings.Beginning with Qinshihuang,the first emperor to unite the country,all subsequent emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year.The emperor would ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people.Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty directed special attention to this event.In 104 BC,he proclaimed it one of the most important celebrations and the ceremony would last throughout the night.
