Spring Festival in Beijing (Excerpt)

Starting from Laba, the stores increased the number of goods sold on the streets. Stalls selling Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures, honey offerings, daffodils, and so on only appeared during this season. These stalls that were busy with the New Year made the children's hearts beat particularly fast. In the alley, there were more and more shouts than usual. Some of them only appeared in the twelfth lunar month, such as those selling books, pine branches, wheat, rice cakes, and so on.
When there was an emperor, the school children would not go to school on the 19th of the twelfth lunar month and would take a month off. When the children were preparing for the new year, the first thing they did was to buy some mixed vegetables. It was made from a variety of dried fruits (peanuts, dates, hazelnuts, chestnuts, etc.) mixed with candied fruit. The ordinary ones were skinned, and the high-grade ones were skinless. For example, the ordinary ones were skinned hazelnuts, and the high-grade ones were stuffed with hazelnuts. The children liked to eat these bits and pieces. Even if they didn't have dumplings to eat, they had to buy mixed food. Their second priority was to buy firecrackers, especially for the boys. Perhaps the third thing was to buy toys-kites, diabolos, harmonicas, etc. -and New Year paintings.
The children were busy, and the adults were nervous. They had to prepare everything for the new year. They also had to make new shoes and clothes for the children, so that they would have a new look at the new year.
After the twenty-third day, everyone became even busier. The new year would arrive in the blink of an eye. Before New Year's Eve, every family must stick the Spring Festival couplets and clean the house. They had to prepare enough meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, and rice cakes to last at least a week. According to their old habits, most shops would close for five days and only open on the sixth day of the first month. If he didn't prepare food for the next few days, it wouldn't be easy to replenish it at the last minute. Also, in the old society, the old mother theory emphasized that everything that should be cut out should be cut out on New Year's Eve, so as to avoid using knives from the first to the fifth day of the first month. It was unlucky to use knives and scissors. It was superstitious, but it also showed that we were peace-loving people. We didn't even want to move the kitchen knife at the beginning of the year.
New Year's Eve was really lively. Every family rushed to cook New Year's dishes, and the fragrance of wine and meat was everywhere. Men and women of all ages wore new clothes. Red couplets were pasted outside the door, and all kinds of New Year paintings were pasted inside the house. All the houses were lit up all night without interruption, and the sound of cannons was incessant day and night. Those who worked outside, unless they had no other choice, would definitely rush home to have a reunion dinner and worship their ancestors. That night, other than the very young children, no one slept. Everyone had to stay up for the New Year.
1. The author of the article said that children should do three things in preparation for the new year. What were the three things? What preparations do you need to make for the new year?
2. The Spring Festival, commonly known as the New Year, was the most grand and lively traditional festival in China. What customs do you know about Chinese New Year? Please tell me.
In the above passage, which customs do you think are positive and healthy, and which customs are superstitious and backward?

Answer 1

The Spring Festival in Beijing was one of the most important traditional festivals in China and an important part of Chinese traditional culture. It is usually celebrated on the first day of the first lunar month and lasts for 15 days. The following are some of the highlights of the Spring Festival in Beijing:

Before the Spring Festival, people would carry out a series of celebrations, such as keeping watch on New Year's Eve, setting off firecrackers, sticking couplets, sticking window flowers, etc. On New Year's Eve, families would gather together to have a reunion dinner and watch the Spring Festival Gala to wish the new year peace, health, and happiness.

On the first day of the first lunar month, people would pay New Year greetings, admire lanterns, and guess lantern riddles. People would line up in Tian 'an Men Square to enjoy the gorgeous lanterns and performances. In the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and other famous scenic spots, tourists would also be crowded with people to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

In addition, there were a series of traditional customs during the Spring Festival in Beijing, such as eating New Year's Eve dinner, worshipping ancestors and gods, enjoying lanterns, dancing dragons and lions, and setting off firecrackers. These customs embodied the essence of Chinese traditional culture, making people feel the strong festive atmosphere and unique charm.

The Spring Festival in Beijing is an important part of Chinese traditional culture. It not only has a strong history and cultural heritage, but also has a unique charm and attraction, attracting more and more people to experience and understand.