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Long ago, the world was not a safe place; monsters dominated the world. There
was one horrifying monster that came out on the same day each year to eat people.
This monster was named Nian, and the people marked the end of a year by his
visits to the human civilization. That is where the Chinese word for year came
from.

This monster was the most feared by the people because every time it came out,
whole villages would be destroyed at a time. So, every time the monster came,
people would huddle together in their homes and stay up all night, wanting not to
be eaten. This happened for many years until a wise man thought up a plan to scare
the monster away.

This man proposed that the people should light bamboo. The bamboo would crack
and make a lot of noise, possibly scaring the monster away. The villagers thought
this was a very good idea and started to light the bamboo. The noise was
tremendous. The monster was scared by the loud noise and ran back to its cave
without not eating any people.

The next morning, everyone was present. They were all elated. The people
congratulated each other for executing the plan effectively. So, from then on,
people stayed up late, lit firecrackers (to simulate the lighting of the bamboo), and
congratulated each other when the new year came.

ᓛਭએ೨㧘਎⇇਄ᴎ᦭৻୘቟ో⊛࿾ᣇ ;㦖ਥቿ਎⇇‫৻᦭ޕ‬㦖 [r
৻ᄤ㧘 ᐕลੱ⊛‫ޕ‬

ㅡ୘ⵍ๮ฬὑ㦖ᐕ㧘ੱ᳃ᮡ⹹⪺෰ᐕᐕᐩઁ⊛⸰໧ወੱ㘃ᢥ᣿‫ޕ‬ㅡዞᤚ੹ᐕ⊛ਛ࿡ሼᤚᓬາ⵰
⊛‫ޕ‬

ㅡ㦖ᤚᦨኂᔹㆣ೔ੱ᳃㧘࿃ὑ ᰴr 㧘ᢛ୘᧛⩑ዂⵍ㌟Მ৻ᰴ‫ޕ‬ᚲએ㧘 ᰴ㦖 㧘ੱ୞

ᦩᠼ
৻⿠㧘ઁ୞⊛ኅ࿦๺ᾯᄛ㧘ᗐਇⵍล᝽‫ޕ‬ㅡ⊔↢ᓛᄙᐕ㧘⋥೔৻୘⡨᣿⊛ੱᗐr৻
୘⸘ഋ㧘એྋ å 㦖ྋ《‫ޕ‬

êੱᑪ⼏㧘ੱ୞ᙥ⹥శ┻ሶ‫┻ޕ‬ዂᛂᠯ㧘૶ᓛᄙོ㖸㧘น⢻ྋ å 㦖ྋ《‫᧛ޕ‬᳃୞⹺ὑㅡᤚ৻୘
ᓛᅢ⊛ਥᗧ㧘㐿ᆎወశ✢⊛┻ሶ‫ོޕ‬㖸ᤚᏂᄢ⊛‫ޕ‬㦖ⵍྋᏂ㗀㧘《࿁ᵢⓣήਇᤚล቙⊛છ૗
ੱ‫ޕ‬

³ ᄤᣧ਄㧘ᄢኅㇺ
‫ઁޕ‬୞ㇺ⥝㜞㉻ὓ‫ੱޕ‬୞੕⋧␸⾐⹥⸘ഋ⊛᦭ᢁၫⴕ‫ޕ‬ᚲએ㧘ᓬ㇊ᤨ
⿠㧘ੱ୞ᾯᄛ㧘㤭Ά῜┻㧔ᮨᡆᾖ᣿┻㧕㧘ਗ⋧੕␸⾐ᣂᐕ⊛ᤨ୥ ‫ޕ‬