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Since I'm spending the Spring Festival alone, I can't let it be too lonely. So, I had an idea and decided to start a live broadcast to welcome the New Year with my friends online. This way, I can not only feel the lively atmosphere, but also share this special moment with everyone.

Since I've decided to live stream, today's broadcast will naturally be longer. I plan to film all the preparations for the Chinese New Year so that netizens can also feel the strong festive atmosphere.

First, of course, is to go to the market and buy groceries. After all, this is New Year's Eve dinner, so the dishes must be rich and varied. However, considering the possibility of leftovers, the portions can be slightly smaller, otherwise, the cold dishes alone will last for several days.

Every Spring Festival, my family's must-have dishes include sweet and sour fish, shrimp, dried beef, yam, and more—more than ten varieties! Of course, there's also one essential, traditional dish. My dad always cooks this for Spring Festival. He always says that traditional dishes mean constant enjoyment, symbolizing a better life in the coming year. I used to have no interest in this dish, but today, it's my turn to make it!

The recipe for this dish is quite simple. You just need to clean the leaves of the hemp leaf greens and the green garlic, put them in the pot and cook them without cutting them.

After compiling my menu, I happily boarded my hovercar, ready to head to the market to stock up on ingredients. The scenery whizzed by as the car moved smoothly, but I had no time to admire it. I eagerly opened my Bilin account and started today's livestream.

"Welcome everyone to Sui Sui's live broadcast room!" I greeted the audience enthusiastically. "Today, I'm going to show you how to prepare a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. Now, let's start with buying groceries!"

As soon as the words fell, a large number of comments immediately appeared on the screen.

"What is New Year's Eve dinner?"

"Sui Sui, you haven't done a live broadcast for a long time!"

"Sui Sui, I miss you so much!"

Looking at these messages filled with care and hope, a warm feeling welled up in my heart. It turns out that everyone still cares about me. It feels so good to be thought of.

I smiled and replied, "New Year's Eve dinner is a special dinner we eat every year on the Lunar New Year's Eve. This meal is of great significance to flower growers, as it represents reunion and happiness."

Then, I gave a detailed introduction to the origins of the Spring Festival and the traditional customs of the New Year's Eve dinner. The audience listened with great interest, and from time to time asked questions or expressed their opinions in the comments.

The Spring Festival, one of China's oldest and most culturally rich traditional festivals, traces its origins back to primitive beliefs, nature worship, and the evolution of the calendar in ancient times. This festival, a fusion of agricultural civilization, sacrificial rituals, and folklore, carries the legacy of thousands of years of history.

The origins of the Spring Festival lie at the heart of agriculture and the calendar. In ancient times, agriculture was the foundation of the nation. Our ancestors observed the movements of the celestial bodies to create a calendar, dividing the year into four seasons that repeat over and over again. The lunar calendar (also known as the Xia calendar) is based on the cycle of the moon, with the first day of the first lunar month (the day of the new moon) being considered a symbol of renewal.

The prototype of the Spring Festival dates back to the Xia and Shang dynasties, when people considered the beginning of the year a significant occasion for offering sacrifices. During the Shang dynasty, the New Year's Day was called "New Year's Day," and rituals were held on this day to worship gods and ancestors, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests for the coming year. During the Zhou dynasty, this ritual evolved into the "La Festival," where people offered captured game to the gods as a token of gratitude for the past year's bountiful harvest.

Formulation and development:

Established in the Han Dynasty: During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the Taichu Calendar was promulgated, officially establishing the first day of the first lunar month as the beginning of the year and calling it "New Year's Day." On this day, the imperial court held a grand ceremony to celebrate the New Year, while the people engaged in various activities to exorcise evil spirits and usher in good fortune, welcoming the new year.

Evolution during the Tang and Song Dynasties: Over time, during the Tang and Song dynasties, Spring Festival customs gradually enriched and evolved. Customs like setting off firecrackers and hanging peach charms became popular. These activities not only added to the festive atmosphere but also expanded the Spring Festival from a courtly ritual into a national celebration. Furthermore, the Spring Festival incorporated sacrificial traditions from the Taoist Sanyuan Festival (Tianla Day), further enriching its cultural significance.

Name Correction in the Republic of China: In 1914, the Republic of China government changed the Lunar New Year's Day to "Spring Festival" to distinguish it from the Gregorian New Year. This name has been used to this day and has become one of China's most important traditional festivals.

Cultural Symbols: Legends and Customs

The legend of the Nian beast (found in ancient texts such as the Jingchu Sui Shi Ji) imbued the Spring Festival with a sense of exorcism: the ancients believed that a monster called the Nian beast would appear on New Year's Eve each year, bringing disaster to the people. To ward off the Nian beast, people would use the color red, blazes, and firecrackers to scare it away. This legend gradually evolved into customs such as hanging Spring Festival couplets and staying up late, becoming an integral part of the Spring Festival.

Rituals such as offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God and sweeping the house, originating from the "Five Sacrifices" tradition of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, reflect the ancient people's reverence for natural spirits. These rituals, performed during the Spring Festival, not only carry on traditional culture but also serve as a way for people to pray for peace and happiness in the coming year.

As one of the most important traditional festivals of the Chinese nation, the Spring Festival carries a deeper cultural significance that goes far beyond superficial joy and celebration. At its core, the Spring Festival is a time-based vehicle for the Chinese philosophy of "harmony between man and nature." This philosophy emphasizes the harmonious unity of man and nature, arguing that human behavior and social order should align with the laws of nature.

During the Spring Festival, people mark the end of the old year and the beginning of the new through a series of rituals, such as thorough cleaning, hanging Spring Festival couplets, and setting off firecrackers. These ceremonies not only reflect the past year and express hope for the new, but also demonstrate respect for and compliance with the cycles of nature. In this way, people reconstruct the natural cycle and the human order, achieving harmony between the development of human society and the changes of nature.

The Spring Festival also boasts many important customs, such as family reunions and ancestral worship and prayers. These practices reinforce patriarchal ethics and collective memory, becoming the spiritual bond that binds East Asian cultures together. During this special time, regardless of where people are, they strive to return home to reunite with their loved ones and celebrate this important festival together. This tradition of family reunions not only reflects the importance of kinship but also the profound importance that the Chinese place on family and clan.

Ancestor worship and prayers are also an integral part of the Spring Festival. People visit their ancestors' tombs or ancestral halls, offering sacrifices and praying for their blessings and protection. This reverence and gratitude for ancestors reflects the Chinese people's respect for and commitment to traditional culture.

It's worth noting that the contemporary Spring Festival has been inscribed on the United Nations Intangible Cultural Heritage List, fully demonstrating its global influence and significance. Spring Festival celebrations are not only widespread throughout China but also transcend regional and ethnic boundaries, with people in many countries and regions celebrating the festival in various ways. This cross-regional and cross-ethnic celebration demonstrates the immense inclusiveness and vitality of traditional Chinese culture. It is not only a treasure of the Chinese nation but also a shared cultural heritage of all humanity.