BEIJING, Jan. 16 -- The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. In the old days, people offered sacrifice to the kitchen god at this time. Now, however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves.
After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year. This is called "Seeing the New Year in."

    Store owners are busy then as everyone goes out to purchase necessities for the New Year. Materials not only include edible oil, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish and meat, but also fruit, candies and kinds of nuts. What's more, various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives, are all on the shopping list.

    Before the New Year comes, people do thorough cleaning of their homes and yards as well as their clothes, bedclothes and all their utensils.

    Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be pasted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.

    The Chinese character "fu" (meaning blessing or happiness) is a must. The character put on paper can be pasted normally or upside down, for in Chinese the "reversed fu" is homophonic with "fu comes," both pronounced as "fudaole." Moreover, a big red lantern can be hung on each side of the front door. Red paper-cuttings can be pasted on window glass and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall.

    People attach great importance to Spring Festival Eve. Family members eat a nice family banquet together, more luxurious than usual. Dishes such as chicken, fish and bean curd cannot be excluded, for in Chinese, their pronunciations, "ji", "yu" and "doufu", mean auspiciousness, abundance and richness. Following the meal, the whole family will sit together, chatting and watching TV. The Spring Festival gala sponsored by China Central Television Station (CCTV) is an essential entertainment while family members staying up to see the New Year in.

    The burning of long strings of firecrackers accompanies the Eve of the New Year. People in the old days thought the spluttering sound could help drive away evil spirits. Most adults and children do not touch their bed the whole night, busy at all kinds of activities welcoming the New Year.

    (Agencies)