Chinese New YearThe Chinese Passover?

新年

Wikipedia• According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New

Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nien(Chinese: 年 ; pinyin: nián). Nien would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people.

• One time, people saw that the Nien was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nien was afraid of the colour red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nien. From then on, Nien never came to the village again. The Nien was eventually captured by hong jun lao zu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien became hong jun lao zu's mount.

Legends of Chinese New Year

• The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a continually evolving series of colorful legends and traditions.

• One of the most famous legends is that of Nien 年 , an extremely cruel and ferocious beast, which the Chinese believe, eats people on New Year's Eve. To keep Nien away, red-paper couplets are pasted on doors, torches are lit, and firecrackers are set off throughout the night, because Nien is said to fear the color red, the light of fire, and loud noises.

• Early the next morning, as feelings of triumph and renewal fill the air at successfully keeping Nien away for another year, the most popular greeting heard is kung-hsi 恭喜 , or "congratulations.“

Current Thinking

Jewish Passover

Chinese New Year Code

1. The Event

• For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:12

2. Red

3. Home Coming Dinner

Home Coming Dinner

• On lunar New Year's Eve, family members who are no longer living at home make a special effort to return home for reunion and share in a sumptuous meal. At that time, family members hand out "lucky money" in red envelopes to elders and children and stay up all night to welcome the New Year. Chinese people have long believed that staying awake all night on New Year's Eve would help their parents to live a longer life. Thus, lights are kept on the entire night--not just to drive away Nien, as in ancient times, but also as an excuse to make the most of the family get-together.

Passover Meal

• Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Exodus 12:8

• And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. Exodus 12:22

4. Spring Cleaning & New Clothes

Spring Cleaning & New Clothes

• Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus 12:15

• The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. Exodus 12:35

5. Ang Pow

Ang Pow

• The Chinese give money inside red envelopes which are decorated with lucky symbols or Chinese characters. These are known as 'Lai Si' or 'Hung Bao'.

• The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. Exodus 12:35

6. Nien Gao

Manna

• The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. Exodus 16:31

• Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its colour like the colour of bdellium. Numbers 11:7

Manna

Manna & Nian Gao

7. Spring Couplets

Spring Couplets

Exodus

• You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deut. 6:9

8. Taboos

Sabbath

• On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat--that only may be prepared by you. Exodus 12:16

Origins of Chinese

Creation Myth

Big Bang & Genesis

In the a beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Fu Xi ( 伏羲 ) & Nüwa ( 女媧 )

Ancient Chinese Artefacts Ancient Greek Artefacts

Nüwa & Serpent

Nüwa & Flood

Chinese Pyramids

Chinese Urim and Thummim?

Chinese Language

福船榮

Eight persons in a vehicle

One family with God in a garden

Fire covering over tree

Pass Nien

向過 Directed away from

enclosure

Direction, Guide

大禍 Disaster

過年

Origins of Chinese

Legendary Figures

三皇五帝

Chinese Exodus?

• Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: "Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!" Numbers 11:4-6

Remember Chinese Passover

• This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Exodus 12:14

過 年

Thank You