Nian (年獸)
Alternative Names (異名):
年獸(traditional Chinese), 年兽(simplified Chinese), nián shòu(pinyin), Nian
In Chinese mythology, Nian (traditional Chinese: 年獸; simplified Chinese: 年兽; pinyin: nián shòu) is a beast that comes in spring. The Chinese word for year is based on the arrival of this beast. A phrase for celebrating Chinese New Year, guo nian (traditional Chinese: 過年; simplified Chinese: 过年; pinyin: guò nián) means the passing of the beast. It is believed that it lives under the sea. It came to attack people at the same time of the year. The Chinese tradition of decorating in red, burning firecrackers, and the lion dance with loud drums and gongs was to scare the beast away.
Nian (Beast)
The Nian would come to China and eat up people it saw, but in some stories, an immortal was said to have made use of Nian's powers (eating up venomous snakes and killing wild beasts like tigers and lions) before taming it (by flashing his red undergarment to scare Nian, who feared the colour red). Since then, people put up red spring couplets to prevent Nian from coming back.
During Chinese New Year, there are two kinds of lion dances. The northern lion Rui Shi (traditional Chinese: 瑞獅; simplified Chinese: 瑞狮; pinyin: ruì shī) has long hair, floppy ears and a round head without horns. Their name is translated as lions, but they definitely are not the same as African lions. The northern lions fit the description of a Fu Dog. The southern lions, mainly Cantonese, have a single horn at the top center of their heads. The Cantonese lions fit the description of a Nian, but they are not the same as the northern lions. Some legends said the Cantonese lion dance is a reenactment of how Bu Dai tamed the Nian.
See also
Imperial guardian lion (獅, also known as a Fu Dogs) for the use of the lion image stylized statuary at entrances to important places. Note that Nian (horned) and the guardian lion (hornless) are different creatures.
Pixiu similar beast but with wings.
Qilin combining elements of fish, lion, deer, and ox.
Luduan (甪端) another beast with a single horn.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Chinese words and phrases
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