过年的来历
Spring Festival is the most important holiday for Chinese people. Excitement and happiness are palpable this time of the year， and they reach the peak on lunar new year‘s eve.
春节对于中国人来说是最重要的节日。在每年的春节都让人兴高采烈，尤其是大年三十那晚，更是达到了高潮。
Though the 15-day period， which starts with the first day of the lunar new year and ends on the 15th day (known as Lantern Festival)， is relatively long， it is the busiest time of the year for Chinese people. The arrangements they have to make for family reunions， buying necessities and preparing food keeps them busy throughout the holiday. Many of them travel back home and meet friends over dinner and drinks. The celebrations include decorating the house and setting off fireworks.
春节历时15天，也就从大年初一开始，到元月十五元宵节结束。这段比较长的时间是中国人最忙的时候。他们为家庭聚会作安排，采购年货，准备丰盛的食物，以至于整个春节假期都忙忙碌碌的。许多人在春季期间都要回老家过年，跟朋友碰碰头，聚个餐。庆祝春节也包括大扫除和放烟火。
But we are talking about a tradition that seems to be fading.
但是我们现在要谈的是越来越淡的年味。
Spring Festival， as it is celebrated today， has undergone many changes， thanks to the country‘s economic development and globalization.
现在的春节已经因为我国经济的发展和全球化的影响而改变了很多。
Yet no Spring Festival is complete without food. People could not get good food whenever they desired in earlier times， something that does not apply to society today. More often than not， people faced the risk of famine. The best time for people to celebrate was when food was available in plenty， and that was possible in spring， or the beginning of the lunar new year. That was the main reason why Spring Festival acquired such great importance among Chinese people.
但是没有哪个春节是完全离得开“吃”的。从前，不论人们提前多久想要买年货，总是不能如愿，而现在早已今非昔比。过去常常还要闹饥荒。人们的庆祝时间就是他们能得到食物丰盛的时候，也就是春天或是元月初的那段时间。那也是为什么春节对于中国人如此重要的主要原因。
But three decades of economic growth has ensured that people in China， except for those who are still poor， can enjoy a good meal whenever they want. Such has been the change in people‘s fortune that some have to be treated for obesity and other health problems associated with excessive eating.
但是三十年来的经济发展已经让中国人，除了那些仍然穷苦的人以外，随时都能享受美食。这得益于人民财富的增长，但是后者也导致一些人吃得太多而受到肥胖威胁和健康问题。
In recent times， many people have started praying for a career promotion or more money instead of invoking God or the Buddha for a healthy and long life and the welfare of their family. But the number of such people is decreasing now， which shows that people are becoming more reasonable.
最近几年，许多人开始祈祷事业高升，财源滚滚，而不是求神拜佛，他们身体健康，长命百岁，家庭美满。但是这样的人数现在正在减少，说明人们开始变得更加理性。
年的传说
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.
中国人庆祝中国传统新年已经有3000多年的历史了，农民感谢上苍赐予好的收成，同时祷告来年有好的收成。但是关于庆祝新年的背后，有一个故事，下面就是关于庆祝新年的传说。
But there is a story behind all the celebration, below is the legend of how the Chinese New Year celebration began.
据传，有一个食人野兽叫“年”，有一张能一口吃掉好几个人的血盆大口。这个怪物在山上找不到吃的的时候，就会下山到附近村庄，攻击和吃掉所有能吃的动物，包括人。村民们整个冬天都在恐惧中度过。
According to legend, there was a man-eating wild monster "Nian" with an extremely large mouth, capable of swallowing several people in a single bite. This beast appeared in a country village, towards the end of winter when there was nothing to eat it would visit the villages and attack and eat whatever it could. The villagers would live in terror over the winter.
据传说，有一个人吃的野生怪物“年”一个非常大的口，吞咽几个人在一个单一的叮咬。此兽出现在乡村，对冬季结束时，有没有吃的，它会到村里去，什么能吃就吃什么，所以整个冬天村民都生活在恐惧之中。
The next year it returned and the same thing happened. The monster seemed too strong to be defeated. So all the villagers would take their old and young deep into the mountains to hide from Nian.
来年冬天，怪兽如期而至，同样的悲剧再次发生，怪兽之强壮非常人能够击倒，所以所有村民都携带全家老小到深山躲藏，以避免成为“年”的食物
One day, a wise old man passed through the village and told an old woman, "I will teach you how to scare Nian away!"
有一天，一个充满智慧的老人经过村庄，告诉一个老妇人：“我叫你怎么把年吓跑”。
That evening when Nian arrived at the village, he saw that all the houses were dark except the house in which an old woman lived. Nian approached the house, licking his lips in anticipation. Suddenly, the deafening noise of firecrackers sounded endlessly.
当天晚上，当年踏进村子时，它见村里所有的屋子没有灯光，除了那个老夫人家亮着灯。年靠房子，舔着嘴唇，期待着自己的晚餐。突然，震耳欲聋的鞭炮声在耳边响个不停。
The monster was startled and jumped. Suddenly he realized that the house was covered in red paper. This scared him even more and it ran off into the mountains. When the villagers returned they saw that the old woman was unharmed! People later learned that "nian" was afraid of loud noises and the color red, The villagers came together and agreed that when it was time for Nian's annual visit towards the end of winter they would start a fire in front of every door and not go to sleep but rather make noise.
“年”被鞭炮声吓得跳起来，突然发现那个房子外面贴着红纸，这个把怪兽吓得落荒而逃，村民回到村庄发现老妇人毫发无伤。后来，村民知道了这个叫“年”的怪兽害怕噪声和红色，于是村里的村名都赞同，在“年”下一次“光顾”村庄的时候，家家户户都在门前点起火，守岁然后制造“动静”。
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.
第二年，村名们都做足了准备，他们准备好了鞭炮，点燃了所有的灯，把房子装饰橙红色，在门上贴红纸，穿红色的衣服，手里拎着红灯笼。她们敲锣打鼓大声弹唱，跳舞，走到哪里鞭炮就点到哪里。
Nian had not come down the mountain to cause any trouble thereafter.
年从此以后再没敢到这个村里惹麻烦了
This eventually become a tradition of China and leads to the celebration for another year of safe life. Chinese people celebrate in remembrance of this legend and still continues till today!
这就成了中国的一个传统，庆祝一年的平安，中国人以此传说庆祝新年，直到今天。