BILINGUAL VIDEO丨9 things you may not know about Spring Festival, Episode I
双语视频丨涨知识！春节不一YOUNG①
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The Spring Festival is around the corner. Here are 9 things you may not know about the Spring Festival.
龙年春节即将到来，9个春节“冷知识”，你知道几个？一起来看。
Spring Festival was not "Spring Festival"
春节从前不叫“春节”
In ancient China, the first day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar was not the Spring Festival, but the New Year's Day. After the Revolution of 1911, the Gregorian calendar is widely used in China. Since then, the first day of the first month on the Gregorian calendar has become the New Year's Day, while the first day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar the Spring Festival.
正月初一在古代不叫春节，而叫元旦。辛亥革命后采用公历记年，遂称公历1月1日为元旦，农历正月初一为春节。
Yasuiqian was not "money"
压岁钱原来其实不是“钱”
Legend has it that in ancient times, a devil named Sui came out to harm people every Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve. Yasuiqian was not "money" at all, but usually referred to five ancient coins issued by five Chinese emperors. These coins are usually considered to have the functions of exorcising evil spirits in folktales. So, yasuiqian was used to suppress evil spirits. Ya means "suppress" in English. Over the years, yasuiqian has become today's lucky money wrapped in red envelops and given to children for good fortune during the Chinese Lunar New Year.
传说古时候有一种专门在除夕夜里出来害人的小妖，名字叫“祟”，压岁钱其实不是“钱”，而是五帝钱，是一种辟邪品。压“祟”钱就是专门用来吓走这个妖精的。又因为“祟”的音同“岁”，就演变成了今日的压岁钱。
Earliest firecrackers were bamboos
最早的爆竹真的是竹子
The earliest reliable records of firecrackers can be traced back to the Liang Dynasty (502-557). At that time, firecrackers were burning bamboos. The crackling of burning bamboos is similar to today's firecrackers. So, the earliest firecrackers were actually bamboos.
关于爆竹的最早可靠记载见于南朝梁代宗懔《荆楚岁时记》。当时的爆竹是把竹子放在火里烧，因竹子焚烧发出“噼噼叭叭”的响声，故称“爆竹”。（编译/赵汉青 出镜/杨佳欣 审校/陈行洁）