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Legend of Nian Monster

The Legend of Nian Monster

Chinese people held the first New Year Festival more than 3,000 years ago. Farmers gave thanks for the harvest and prayed. They asked the gods for good crops in the coming year.

But there is a story behind all the celebration, below is the legend of how the Chinese New Year celebration began.

Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a monster called "Nian" ("year") that would come out to eat people and animals on the eve of every New Year. To avoid the monster's attack, people would flee to the depth of the mountains and call this day "Nian Guan" (meaning "the Pass of Nian"). On one New Year's Eve, there came an old beggar in Peach Blossom Village, where an old lady gave him some food and asked him to hide himself in the mountain to avoid the monster Nian. The old man promised that he could drive the monster away as long as he was put up for the night at the old lady's home. Being unable to persuade the old man into hiding in the mountain, the old lady went alone. In the middle of the night, the monster Nian dashed into the village. He trembled and cried when he saw the red paper on the door of the old lady's house, which was brightly lit. Just as the monster reached the entrance, there came blasting sounds that prevented him from moving any further. At that time, the old man, wearing a red robe, opened the door and the monster was scared away.

The following year, the villagers were ready for it. They set off firecrackers, lit all their lamps and decorated their houses in red, they paste red paper on the doors, wear red clothing, hang up red lanterns. They made loud music, play the gong and drums and they dance and burn the fireworks whenever Nian was about to arrive, to scared away the beast.This is how these customs came into being.




List of Gods : "Nian" - 306 records

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Name ▲▼Origin ▲▼Description ▲▼

"Maiph"
Argentina A supreme being, considered beneficent. The Pampean / Patagonians, Argentina
Goddess name
"Mami"
Mesopotamian / Sumerian / Babylonian - Akkadian Mother goddess. Identified in the Atrahasis texts and other creation legends and probably synonymous with NINHURSAG A. She was involved in the creation of mankind from clay and blood. The name almost certainly came into use because it is the first word that a child formulates. Also Mama; Mammitum....
Goddess name
"Mamitu"
Mesopotamian / Babylonian - Akkadian Goddess of oaths and treaties. One of the consorts of NERGAL and subsequently identified as a chthonic underworld deity. Also Mammetu....
God name
"Mandanu"
Mesopotamian / Babylonian - Akkadian God of Divine judgment. Known from the neo-Babylonian period....
God name
"Manmngal"
Mesopotamian / Sumerian / Babylonian - Akkadian Chthonic underworld god. A minor deity, the consort of birdU....
God name
"Meher"
Pre - Christian Armenian Sun god. Closely linked with the Persian model of MITHRA, he is the son of Aramazd who appears in the form of fire. In contrast to this imagery, his home is said to be in a cave and he takes the animal guise of a raven....
Goddess name
"Meiulis"
Pre - Christian Lithuanian moon god. Consort of the Sun goddess....
Goddess name
"Mejdejn"
Lithuanian Goddess of trees and Forests. Lithuanian
King name
"Melaneus"
Greek A son of Apollo, and king of the Dryopes, He was the father of Eurytus and a famous archer. According to a Messenian legend Melaneus came to Perieres who åśśigned to him a town as his habitation which he called Oechalia, after his wife's name. Greek
Goddess name
"Meng-Po-Niang"
China Goddess who stands at the Ninth Chinese Hell. Her magic potion was administered to each soul, so that they would forget their past lives. China
God name
"Mes Ai Du"
Mesopotamian / Sumerian / BabylonianAkkadian God. Probably an alternative title for the Sun god (see S AMAS )....
God name
"Mes Lam Taea"
Mesopotamian / Sumerian / Babylonian - Akkadian God of war. An aggressive aspect of the chthonic underworld god NERGAL. Often linked with the god LUGAL-IRRA....
King name
"Mezentius"
Greek A mythical king of the Tyrrhenians or Etruscans, at Caere or Agylla, and father of Lausus. When he was expelled by his subjects on account of his cruelty he took refuge with Turnus, king of the Rutulians, and åśśisted him in his war against Aeneas and the Trojans. Greek

"Mimallones"
Greek The Macedonian name of the Bacchantes, or, according to others, of Bacchic Amazons. Greek
Monster name
"Minotaurus"
Greek A monster with a human body and a bull's head, or, according to others, with the body of an ox and a human head, is said to have been the offspring of the intercourse of Pasiphae with the bull sent from the sea to Minos, who shut him up in the Cnossian labyrinth, and fed him with the bodies of the youths and maidens whom the Athenians at fixed times were obliged to send to Minos as tribute. The monster was slain by Theseus. Greek
Goddess name
"Mors"
Roman Minor god of death. Mors replaces the Greek THANATOS and, according to legend, is one of the twin sons of NYX, goddess of the night. He lives in part of the remote cave occupied by SOMNUS, god of sleep, beside the river Lethe. Ovid depicts him as a hideous and cadaverous figure dressed in a winding sheet and holding a scythe and hour glåśś. Known particularly through Lacedaemonian culture where twin statues of Mors and Somnus were placed side by side....
Goddess name
"Mulliltu"
Mesopotamian / Babylonian - Akkadian Goddess. The consort of ELLIL (ENLIL) and of ASSUR. She derives from the Sumerian goddess NINLIL....
God name
"Mummu"
Babylonian Vizier of primeval gods Apsu, the fresh water, and Tiamat, the salt water. An ancient Sumero-Babylonian craftsman-god, and personification of technical skill.
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