What is the meaning of setting off firecrackers during the New Year?

The meaning of setting off firecrackers during the New Year is to hope that your career will be prosperous and your family will be healthy in the new year.

Setting off firecrackers during the Spring Festival expresses the working people’s good wishes to dispel evil, avoid disasters and pray for blessings. Setting off firecrackers is a traditional folk custom with a history of more than 2,000 years. It is said to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, implying a beautiful yearning for the new year.

On the eve of New Year’s Eve, every household will open the door, hoping that the God of Wealth will enter their home, and hope that they can make more money in the new year. Setting off firecrackers also means leaving all the bad things in the past, and the new year will be prosperous and better.

And when setting off firecrackers during the Chinese New Year, the lights at home are turned on all night. This is also a hope that no matter what difficulties we encounter in the new year, they can be easily solved.

The origin of setting off firecrackers during the New Year:

The setting off firecrackers during the New Year originated from a legend in the past. According to legend, in ancient times, there was a ferocious monster called "Nian" who would appear all year round. In the deep sea, at the turn of the new year and the old year, they come out to destroy crops, harm people and animals, and make the people complain incessantly.

Once it ran into the village to do evil again, and was scared away by the red clothes hanging in front of a house. When I arrived at another place, I was frightened by the light and ran away. So people understood that "Nian" was afraid of sound, red, and fire.

Every year at the end of the year, people stick red couplets on their doorsteps, set off firecrackers, hang red lanterns, burn firewood in the yard, and use kitchen knives to chop vegetables and meat to make noises. Gradually it evolved into everyone setting off firecrackers during the New Year.