Long ago, in Ancient China there lived the monster Nian. He was a fearsome beast, with the face of a lion and the body of a dragon and the tusks of an elephant and the claws of a tiger and the teeth of a wolf. Large and powerful he lived in the mountains above Taohua - Peach Blossom Village. For many years he would feast upon wayward travelers wandering too far off the mountain pass or animals that were left untethered to roam. In summers he would dance across the mountain peaks, his scales and fur glinting off of the sun and blinding the villagers below. In summers, he was happy, for there were plenty of wandering travelers and roaming goats. But in winter, when people gathered in their homes far from the road, he went hungry. And when Nian was hungry, he went hunting.
Each winter, on the new moon, in the depths of snow and wind and darkness and under the silence of the stars, Nian would steal into Taohua and devour livestock and children from their beds. There was no stoping his hunt through the village and so every year they gathered their belongings and their children and they escaped into the mountain, hiding among rocks while the wind carried away their cries into the night as the monster took his fill.
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One year, on the eve of the new moon, as the villagers hurried to pack and leave before Nian began his hunt, an old beggar walked into the village carrying a small bag and a walking stick. Everywhere, villagers ran about and no one seemed to notice the small man.
"Please? Anyone, could you spare some food to eat and fire to share? I have been walking a long while and I wish to rest if only for a few moments," he said to one man with a child on his hip as he was passing by.
"I have no time for you old man, I must hurry and pack for my family. Nian will be on the hunt and steal my children away from me. Go! Run and save yourself while you can!" The man shouted at the old beggar and continued on his way.
"Please? May I share your hearth for but a moment? I have journeyed far and wish to rest my feet," the old beggar asked a young woman passing by leading a herd of small white goats.
"I have no time for you old man, I must hurry and gather my goats to save them from Nian! Run and take yourself out of here or the monster will eat you too!" she cried amongst the bleating of her goats, and she was gone before the old beggar could ask anything else.
"If it is food and shelter you need, come this way. You may share my dinner with me." An old woman stepped out from a small covered porch and gestured the old beggar inside. There, she fed him and watered him and told him the story of Nian and his winter hunts for children.
At the end of the tale, after his bowl was licked clean and his cup emptied, the old beggar smiled and looked up at the old woman. "I thank you for sharing your meal with me. In return, I will rid the village of this monster Nian for you."
The old lady could do nothing but smile ruefully at him. "Hundreds have tried and all have failed, ending as food for his belly. It is impossible. Save yourself and run to the mountains until the snow melts. You are not safe here."
But the old man would not listen, smiling silently in reply. And so she left him behind, fleeing instead with the rest of the villagers.
Taohua was quiet and dark now; all of the houses lay empty, bits of clothing and straw strewn about in the villager's haste to escape. None were left but the old beggar and the stars overhead. He walked to the center of the square and opened his bag, still smiling to himself.
At the stroke of midnight, the monster Nian descended from the sky like an inferno. Tearing through Taohua he searched for delicious morsels of children and livestock to feast upon. But upon entering the village square, he immediately halted. For a blaze of red greeted him and blinded his eyes. Red paper was pasted across all of the doors around the square and candles were lit in the windows. Afraid of the bright color, Nian turned away, only to be deafened by the sounds of firecrackers among his feet. Each snap and pop cracked against his ears, frightening him. Now, almost blind and deaf, the monster tried to escape the bright and loud madness. But before he could, he was blocked by the old beggar. But now the old beggar was dressed head to foot in red and he carried brightly lit candles in his hands and he was laughing as he danced before the cowering beast to the rhythm of the firecrackers.
Terrified and defeated, the monster Nian fled into the night and away from the brightness and the noise that rose from Taohua. Blind and deafened, he could not hunt for children or goats and so he went away still hungry.
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The next morning, when the villagers returned to Taohua, they expected destruction and chaos left behind by the monster. Instead they found everything the way it was before. However, there were some curious additions. Each house bore a bright red banner above their door, and each window held the melted remains of candle sticks, and strewn across the streets were the remains of hundreds of firecrackers. Nobody knew what to make of this strange miracle. Nobody that is, until the old woman remembered what the old beggar had told her the night before.
"Everyone! He has defeated the great monster Nian! Look! See the red banners? And the candles and the firecrackers? Nian was afraid!" the old woman cried out to the rest of the villagers.
And so it was they learned that the monster was afraid of bright lights and loud noises and the color red. Each year, on the eve of the new moon, the people of Taohua would spread out banners of red across the square and light firecrackers, dancing and singing to the light of candles and the stars above. And every year, when Nian came to hunt, he was scared away from the brightness and the noise that rose from the village, never to hurt their children ever again.
The End
新年快樂! Gong hei fat choy! Happy New Year!
The Chinese celebrate their new year according to the lunar calendar, which normally falls around the end of January to the beginning of February. This year, the lunar new year is Feb 5 and it will be the year of the pig (to all of you born in 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971 and backward every 12 years, lucky you!). I've been celebrating Chinese New Year all my life and honestly, this is the first year I've looked up the story behind it. Normally I just enjoy the food and the lai see (lucky red envelopes with money inside), but this year I've also enjoyed learning about the legend of the monster Nian and the customs that come with it. I found a source here and here for the story, but feel free to explore some more Chinese legends! Enjoy the new year!
:) Kathryn