the sea or in the mountains.The character "nian" means "year" in Chinese. The earliest written sources that refer to the "nian" as a creature date to 1933. Once every year at the beginning of Chinese New Year, the Nian comes out of its hiding place to feed, mostly on men and animals. During winter, since food is sparse, he would go to the village and eat the crops and sometimes the villagers, mostly children. 

There are several accounts as to how it looked, such as the way some sources cited that how it looked, such as the way some sources cited that it resembles a flat-face lion with a dog's body and prominent incisor. Other authors described it as larger than an elephant with two long horns and many sharp teeth.

The weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, fire, and fear of the color red. Then the tradition grow when New Year was approaching, the villagers would wear red clothes, hang red lanterns, and red spring scrolls on windows and doors and used firecrackers and drums to frighten away the Nian.  Those activities have then been developed to celebrating the Chinese New Year today. 

In those communities that celebrate Chinese New Year for 15 days, the fourth day is when corporate "spring dinners" kick off and business returns to normal. Other areas that have a longer Chinese New Year holiday will celebrate and welcome the gods that were previously sent on this day.

Fifth day

This day is the god of Wealth's birthday. In northern China, people eat jiaozi, or dumplings, on the morning of powu (Chinese: 破五). It is also common in China that on the 5th day people will shoot off firecrackers to get Guan Yu's attention, thus ensuring his favor and good fortune for the new year.