February 26, 2007

Hi Lauren,

I am so glad you wrote back so quickly. Email is the most convenient way for me to talk to you and anytime is O.K. I will reply to you as soon as possible. Now I will tell you a legend about the Spring Festival, what you call Chinese New Year. Because we are now celebrating this holidays.


Long long ago there was a beast called Nian (means Year). At the end of the year, he would come out to eat people. People were very frightened of Nian. One day a old man told people that the beast was afraid of firecrackers and red color. When the end of year approached, people would set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts on their windows and doors to drive the beast Nian away. So now we still set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts although we know the beast doesn’t exist.

On the eve of Chinese New Year, every family gets together to celebrate it. We make dumplings and a big dinner while watching the Spring Festival on TV. Sometimes we put one coin in the dumplings. If someone finds the coin in his dumplings while eating, he will have a good fortune in the coming year. On the Eve, people will stay up late until the next year comes. As soon as 12 o’clock comes, people go outside to set off firecrackers. That is the busiest time of the celebrations. During that time, children are happy because they will receive some money from his or her parents and relatives. That money called Yasui Qian (means not let children become older).

This festival lasts 15 days. On the last day, family will also get together to eat Tangyuan. Yuan means round. In China, people think that round means gathering. So we have these with the hope that every member of the family can get together. On that day, the moon will be round. And we also buy lanterns with which go outside that night. Sometimes we will guess the puzzles on the lanterns. It is very much like your Thanksgiving Festival.

There are also some pictures of the Spring Festival. Are you interested in it? I am looking forward to seeing your pictures. Any of yours is OK. You can also send all of them to me if you can. Next time I will tell you something about the most famous of Chinese traditional legend or something of Chinese dance. I hope you will like it.

Best wishes,
Tingting