Mythology:

Stories

Contributor: Alison Fong is a junior Honors College student majoring in history, international and global studies with a concentration in peace, human rights, and security, and Asian studies and minoring in East Asian history and politics. Originally born in Singapore before moving to Phoenix, Arizona in 2010, Alison is involved on campus as a member of the University of Arkansas Museum Student Advisory Council, an Honors College Ambassador, and a member of Sigma Iota Rho. After college, Alison desires to pursue a masters in global and Asian history and further her knowledge of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

A Lion Dance to welcome the New Year!

Once upon a time, there lived a monster at the bottom of the sea. It had a terrible visage: sharp teeth and extended canines in a perpetual grin, a long protruding horn atop its forehead, menacing body in the shape of a lion with the muscles of a sturdy ox, and two hypnotizing eyes perched on its massive head. This monster’s name was Nián (年), and once a year during the winter, it would rise from its habitat to terrorize and devour the crops, the animals, and the humans in the nearby village. The terrified villagers would flee to the mountains to escape the wrath of the monster.

One year, a beggar arrived at the village, seeking money and shelter for the day, but he realized that all the villagers were running away in a hurry. Nevertheless, an old woman agreed to shelter the beggar, and for her hospitality, the beggar swore to chase the monster away. The beggar decorated the doors of every home in red and hung firecrackers from the thresholds. At night, the monster marched into the village, intent on enjoying his annual feast, when it discovered the red papers plastered on the doors of every home. Frozen in fear, the creature roared terribly when it heard the loud pops of the firecrackers. The beggar revealed himself, dressed head to toe in vibrant red, laughing at the terrified creature, and the monster could only hurry away in fear.

The next morning, the villagers returned, expecting to see the destruction of their homes and crops. However, they were shocked to see that nothing had happened, and their homes and crops remained untouched. Soon, the old woman told the villagers of the beggar’s plot, and they realized that the monster, as huge and scary as it looked, was afraid of the color red and the loud noises.

The next year, the villagers did not flee like many times before. They created the likeness of the monster using bamboo, paper, and cloth and hid two brave men underneath the contraption. When the monster arrived near midnight on the eve of Chinese New Year, the two villagers paraded down the streets to the rhythmic thumping of drums, the cacophonous clashing of cymbals and gongs, and the loud crackle of firecrackers illuminating the streets. Terrified by the appearance of this other monster, Nián immediately scurried away while the villagers rejoiced, no longer fearful of the terrifying beast.

The myth of Nián explains both the origins of the famous lion dance and the tradition of wearing red clothing and lighting firecrackers or fireworks on Chinese New Year. The first mentions of Nián in written sources date back to the early 20^th century, thus its actual origins remain quite vague. Was it a part of traditional folklore or an oral tradition that was written down in the 20^th century?

Multiple versions of the same story exist. Some do not include the genius of the beggar, and some tell of the beast’s capture by an ancient Taoist monk named Hongjun Laozu, who tamed the monstrosity as its mount. Nevertheless, the practices that supposedly originated from this myth consistently appear in texts prior to the 20^th century sources. Nián was never a monster in the first place; the Chinese character for “Nián” literally means ‘year’, and it was in the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046 BC-256 BC) that the character was first designated to mark the year as a unit of time in the Erya records, the first surviving Chinese dictionary. Other attributes of the creature that appear in the legend, such as its fear of loud noises and bright lights, are common literary tropes that appear in other myths of creatures that were driven away by firecrackers.

A troupe performing a lion dance for Chinese New Year 2019 in Hong Kong. YouTube video by Asia Hot.

Regardless, stories like the myth of Nián and superstitions such as the practice of lighting firecrackers on Chinese New Year add to the richness of the celebration and the deep cultural connection to the Chinese identity. There are many more stories and myths that accompany the celebration of Chinese New Year, like the famous Zodiac race that gives us the twelve animal zodiacs. So, if you would like to read about more myths of Chinese New Year, this page shares several stories that explain the traditions of the new year in mystical and supernatural ways.

Some extra resources: 

• Top 10 Taboos: Taboos and mythology often mesh together, as legends can become the origins of such superstitious beliefs and customs. Check out this list of 10 taboos that you absolutely must not do during Chinese New Year! 

• Although we are still in the pandemic, we look to a better future when we can eventually return to normalcy. When we can congregate and celebrate with our friends and family safely again, keep an eye out for the Chinese New Year events in our own community! The Chinese Students and Scholars Association at the University of Arkansas holds a Chinese New Year celebration on campus, while the Chinese Association of Northwest Arkansas holds a larger one for the community in Springdale.  

Image Attributions:

•  Bob Jagendorf. “Chinese New Year NYC – Lion Dance Dance.” Flickr.