The Chinese Year is celebrated on the first day of the first lunar month and lasts for 15 days. The Chinese New Year is the major Chinese holiday and is also celebrated throughout Asia, not only in China. There are two cycles that coincide with the Chinese New Year the twelve-year animal zodiac and the ten-year heavenly stems.
The first Chinese New Year was a celebration due to the banishment of a horrid beast, Nian (translation - Year). Nian would arrive at villages on the first day of the New Year and eat all off the food and people, especially children, as it could. Villagers would leave out food hoping to make it full before it could eat anyone. It was soon discovered that red frightened Nian and red lanterns would be hung out. Soon Nian was scared off for good. This myth is considered the reason for the Chinese New Year celebrations. Traditionally the Chinese New Year uses red lanterns and firecrackers to celebrate.
The most travel in Asia occurs around the Chinese New year as this is a time to visit friends and relative. The day before the New Year the house will be thoroughly cleaned to get rid of last years bad luck and usher in the next year's good luck. Often time's individuals will wear new clothes to symbolize a new start.
The first day of the New Year is when families visit the most senior members of their family as well as pray to the deities of heaven and earth. No cooing is done as the use of knives and fire can bring in bad luck. On the second day and married daughters will visit her birth parents. Traditionally she was not able to visit them much so this ensured some time with her parents.
The third and fourth day are prone to arguments so no traveling is done. Traveling stops also to respect those loved ones that may have died over the past few years. The fifth day celebrated the Chinese god of wealth by eating dumplings, a symbol of wealth.
Everyone turns a year older on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year as it is the common man's birthday. The Jade Emperor of Heaven's birthday is on the ninth day and offerings of sugarcane are made. The last day entails the lanterns and candles will be lit to guide spirits back home.