1.Anancientlegendtellsofafearsomecreatureknownas"Nian,"whichhadalong,sharphornonitsheadandresidedinthesea.OntheeveoftheNewYear,thecreaturewasbelievedtoemergefromthewaterandterrorizevillagesbypreyingonlivestock.Toprotectthemselves,peoplewouldtraditionallyfleetosaferareas.However,oneyear,anelderlymanwithwhitewhiskersandalerteyesappearedinthevillage.As"Nian"approachedonNewYear'sEve,thesuddencracklingoffireworksstartledthecreature.Theoldman,dressedinvibrantred,confronted"Nian,"causingittoretreatinfear,vowingnevertoreturntothevillage.ThislegendissaidtobetheoriginofNewYear'sEvecustoms,includingtheuseoffireworks,whichhavesincebecomeintegraltotheChineseNewYearcelebration,evolvinganddiversifyingoverthousandsofyears.2.Inancienttimes,amenacingcreaturereferredtoas"Nian"wasbelievedtoliveinthesea.Thismonsterboastedalong,pointedhornonitsheadandwasknownforitsfiercenature.OnthenightbeforetheNewYear,itwasthoughttocomeashoreandfeastonlivestock,posingathreattohumanlife.Asaresult,villagerswouldtraditionallyseekrefugeinthemountainstoescape"Nian's"wrath.However,oneyear,anelderlymanwithsilverwhiskersandpiercingeyesarrivedinthevillage.When"Nian"emergedonNewYear'sEve,readytowreakhavoc,thesuddenreportoffireworksgreetedit.Theoldman,cladinred,appearedbeforethecreature,causingittorecoilinterrorandretreatbacktothesea.Fromthatnightforward,"Nian"neveragaindaredtoapproachthevillage.ThislegendiscreditedwiththebirthofNewYear'sEvecustoms,suchastheuseoffireworks,whichhavegrownmoreelaborateandvibrantoverthecourseofmanycenturies.