Traditional customs for Spring Festival

李星玥

December 23 of Chinese Lunar Calendar (Little New Year)
腊月二十三——小年

Custom: Worshiping the Kitchen God
习俗：祭灶

As the legend goes, there is a kitchen god in each house who is responsible for the kitchen and oversees the conduct of the family. On this day, the kitchen god returns to Heaven to report the conducts of the family to the Emperor of Heaven. Therefore, worshipping the kitchen god aims to "please him." People put out some sweet and sticky foods, such as rice dumplings and malted sugar. In this way, the lips of the kitchen god will stuck together, and he cannot report any wrong doings of the family. Thus the family can lead an auspicious life.
民俗传说中，每家都有一位灶神掌管饮食，也记录一家人的言行。每年的腊月二十三，灶神要返回天庭汇报每家每户一年的大小事，所以祭灶的主题就是“拉拢灶神”。在厨房内摆放些又甜又粘牙的食物，如汤圆、麦芽糖，这样灶神的嘴被这些好吃的粘住后，就能少汇报些坏事，各家才能天降吉祥。

December 24 of Chinese Lunar Calendar
腊月二十四

Custom: Dusting
习俗：扫尘

After worshipping the kitchen god, people begin to thoroughly clean their houses to sweep away bad luck and welcome good luck. Dusting shows the good wish of putting away old things and welcoming a new life, making everything look fresh in the new year.
祭灶后，人们便开始大扫除，扫尘除灾，以迎祥纳福。扫尘亦有辞旧迎新之意，求的是万象更新的新年新气象。

December 25 of Chinese Lunar Calendar
腊月二十五

Custom: Pasting Window Paper and Making Tofu
习俗：糊窗户、磨豆腐

The times for pasting window paper are gone. Nowadays, the tradition is replaced by cleaning windows. Tofu is homophonic with "Toufu (first fortune of the year)", so it is considered as a good food which brings happiness.
纸糊窗户的时代已经过去了，所以如今的习俗已经被擦玻璃取代。而豆腐音同“头福”，被视为能够为新年带来福气的好食材。

李星玥

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李星玥

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李星玥

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李星玥

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