高一英语经典作文最新20篇

Guangzhou is the capital of guangdong. it is the biggest city in south china. and it is one of the most important cities in guangdong.

The population of guangzhou is more than 700 million. just like many cities， there are a lot of cars， buses and trucks. so the air in the city is not clean. guangzhou is a noisy and crowded city. but i like it best. because guangzhou is my home.

Water is very important to us. If you don’t have water for three days, you will die. We can use water for flowers, swimming, washing and many different things. We use it to cook, make electricity, and put out fires and so on. We use millions of liters of water every day.

Do you know how does the water come to your home? It travels through water pipes. Some are long and wide but some are short and narrow. Then the water travels through the water pipes to the reservoirs. Then it travels through the water pipes to the river and to the special factories that purify the water. When the water is purified, we can drink it. Please don’t leave garbage in the water on which we line, and keep the water clean.

Ah! Christmas morning! Children like to wake up early while its still dark and sneak into the living room to check the presents----find any with their name on it, shake them to guess whats inside, and then maybe theyll go back to bed and pretend they are still asleep when their parents come to wake them with a "Merry Christmas!"

But almost no one I know gets completely dressed or eats a regular breakfast first thing Christmas morning. They just put on a robe or wear their pajamas and go to see whats under the Christmas tree. Some Christian families have a tradition of reading the Bible story of Jesus birth. Maybe its to remind the children that Christmas is Jesus birthday.

Someone will begin to take the presents out from under the tree, see whose name is on the package, and then pass them around. Some families wait until all the presents have been given out before opening any of them, while others open each one as it comes to them. There are many "thank you" to the ones who gave the gifts, new clothes are tried on to see if they fit, and of course the most interesting toys will immediately be played with.

Usually among the Christmas gifts will be some especially delicious candy or cake or cookies which everyone tastes. These sweet things may be the only breakfast many people eat Christmas morning. After the gifts have been opened, the room will be tidied up except where the children are playing with their toys. Everyone will wash and get dressed for the day.

Some people may go to a Christmas morning church service around ten oclock if their church didnt have one on Christmas Eve. But most people will just watch TV. Well, most men will. The children may play outside or inside with their new toys, but the mothers will be in the kitchen preparing Christmas Dinner.

啊!圣诞节的早晨!孩子们喜欢早起,它仍然是黑暗和溜进客厅去检查礼物——找到任何与他们的名字,动摇他们猜里面有什么,然后他们可能会回到床上,假装他们是还在睡觉当他们的父母叫他们“圣诞快乐!”

但是我几乎没有人知道会完全打扮或吃普通的早餐圣诞节早晨的第一件事。他们只是穿上长袍或穿睡衣去看圣诞树下会有什么。一些基督教家庭的传统阅读圣经耶稣诞生的故事。也许是提醒孩子们,圣诞节是耶稣的生日。

有人会开始把礼物从树下,看到包装上是谁的名字,然后通过周围。一些家庭等到已经给所有的礼物之前打开其中任何一个,而其他人打开每一个涉及到他们。有很多“谢谢”的人给了礼物,新衣服试穿,看看是否合适,当然最有趣的玩具就会玩。

通常会在圣诞礼物一些特别美味的糖果、蛋糕或饼干,每个人的口味。这些甜食可能是唯一早餐很多人吃圣诞节的早晨。礼物被打开后,会整理房间除外孩子们玩他们的玩具。每个人都会洗干净,穿好衣服。

有些人可能会去一个圣诞节的早晨教堂服务大约10点钟如果他们的教会没有一个在圣诞前夜。但大多数人只会看电视。嗯,大多数人的意愿。孩子们可能会在外面玩或在他们的新玩具,但妈妈会在厨房里准备圣诞晚餐。

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge

things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest，in turn，to go and look at a

pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter，the second in the spring，the third in

summer，and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back，he called them together to describe

what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly，bent，and twisted. The second son

said no - it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed，he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so

sweet and looked so beautiful，it was the most graceful thing he had ever

seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them;he said it was ripe and drooping

with fruit，full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right，because they

had each seen but one season in the tree‘s life. He told them that you cannot

judge a tree，or a person，by only one season，and that the essence of who they are

- and the pleasure，joy，and love that come from that life - can only be measured

at the end，when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it‘s winter，you will miss the promise of your

spring，the beauty of your summer，fulfillment of your fall. Don’t let the pain of

one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

A pair of brothers received a letter which gave him a million pounds.

It turned out that the brothers made a bet, bet if a poor, honest man fall from the sky received one million pounds, he will have what results?

Brother that he would starve to death because he could not prove the money was his own, someone else will be suspected, even banks will not allow him to save money.

Brother believes that he will very well, so they brothers will check for one million pounds lent the poor, and abroad spent thirty days.

I did not expect at this time, people who suddenly rich riches rare, hard to actually draw him from the free food, buy clothes, to free accommodation, one by one like a beggar, like to please him, and continue to improve his social position, until the outdoor addition to the king on top of Duke!

Not only that, he got a good wife and thirty thousand pounds of bank interest.Since then lived very, very happy life.

See here, I am so envious of the "lucky" the hero, but I want to: The reason why people please him, not because it was too much focus on money yet?

Worship of money is shameful, something for nothing we should not!

Money is not everything in the world there are many more important things than money.

Article on the "money is everything" "Money is omnipotent," the idea for a satire and expose the ugly face of capitalist society and the rule of darkness.

参考译文：

一对兄弟收到了一封信,给了他一百万英镑。

原来兄弟打赌,赌如果一个贫穷、诚实的人从天空坠落收到一百万英镑,他会有什么结果?

哥哥,他会饿死,因为他无法证明这些钱是他自己的,别人会怀疑,甚至银行不会允许他省钱。

哥哥认为他会很好,所以他们兄弟将一百万英镑的支票借给穷人,和国外花了三十天。

我没有想到在这个时候,突然间丰富的财富的人罕见,很难真正吸引他从免费食物,买衣服,到免费住宿,一个个像乞丐一样,喜欢取悦他,并不断提高他的社会地位,直到室外除了国王公爵之上!

不仅如此,他有一个好妻子和三万英镑的银行利息。自那以后生活非常幸福的生活。

看到这儿,我很羡慕“幸运”的主人公,但我想:为什么人们请他,不是因为它太注重钱了吗?

敬拜的钱是可耻的,不劳而获我们不应该!

钱不是万能的世界上有许多比金钱更重要的东西。

文章对“金钱就是一切”“金钱是万能的,“讽刺和揭露资本主义社会的丑恶嘴脸,和黑暗的统治。

When it comes to November 11, what’s on your mind? Well, as to the old

generations, it’s only an ordinary day; however, the young generations will

consider it as the Singles’ Day as well as the on-line shopping carnival. In

fact, on November 11th, 2013, Tmall and Taobao (the biggest Chinese online

shopping platform) has sold out more than 35 billion Yuan goods, this data has

astonished the media at home and abroad. Apparently, people have more interests

on cyber shopping than spend the night with their single friends. Some home

media even suggest that November 11th should be the Chinese on-line shopping

carnival.

In 2010, Jack Ma, the CEO of Tmall and Taobao, had coined the term “Double

Eleven”, aimed to encourage the single people to do something to celebrate their

own festival. Instead of dating lovers, people go on-line shopping to relive the

loneliness. According to the survey, China had 564 million Internet users at the

end of last year and 180 million single people. And the single people are the

main force of the China’s spending power. The debut was a great success. Then

“11.11” has an unusual meaning, which stands for on-line shopping carnival.

Comparing with the traditional shopping, the cyber shopping has more

distinguish features, which quite fit the young generations’ taste. People do

not need to go outside, just click their mouse, the goods will be home. The best

part is you can do it anywhere, anytime. All you need is a credit card. What we

can predict in the future is that on-line shopping is not going to fade away,

instead, it will boost like the mushrooms after spring rains.

The end of the year, on New Years eve is the reunion night, every

household is decorated, celebrate the end of a year of peace, a good start in

the New Year.

On New Years eve, every family is busy to stick couplets on the Spring

Festival, our family is no exception, and each year couplet still stick by me at

home.Actually this stick couplet learning also pretty big, when you last as long

as a look at this couplet you will know the family in the New Years hope and

plan, also know that in the past year what has happened to the family home

wedding, you look at the couplet is not god.

On this day the most happy or children, they cried to early adult years,

because after taking the year can fireworks.Fireworks, several children beside,

hopping, forget about the overjoyed when, even adults were infected with the

following.After the fireworks family around the table to eat the family reunion

dinner, the most interesting is to eat dumplings, and it can eat dumplings eat

money, who eat money the luck in the New Year will be the best, so everyone

scrambled to eat, who also rob to that rich of dumplings, but whether to eat or

not to eat, the atmosphere of rob to eat the dumpling is the most

unforgettable...

On New Years eve is the most unforgettable night!

It was the second day of our winter holiday. I felt good. I felt I’m free. I had a lot of time to do things I like. My parents are in Beijing. So I live alone but I don’t feel lonely. But I didn’t do something special. I stayed at home and watched TV.

Oh! I wrote an English daily composition. It was my homework. Today, I have slept for 14 hours. I thought I was very tired. It was time for dinner. I must go! I am very hungry.

一、~ the + ~ est +名词+(that)+主词+ have ever + seen(known/heard/had/read，etc)

~ the most +形容词+名词+(that)+主词+ have ever +

seen(known/heard/had/read，etc)

例句：

Helen is the most beautiful girl that I have ever seen. 海伦是我所看过最美丽的女孩。

Mr. Chang is the kindest teacher that I have ever had. 张老师是我曾经遇到最仁慈的教师。

二、Nothing is + ~~~ er than to + V Nothing is + more +形容词+ than to + V

例句：Nothing is more important than to receive education. 没有比接受教育更重要的事。

三、~~~ cannot emphasize the importance of ~~~ too much.(再怎么强调……的重要性也不为过。)

例句：We cannot emphasize the importance of protecting our eyes too much.

我们再怎么强调保护眼睛的重要性也不为过。

四、There is no denying that + S + V……(不可否认的……)

例句：There is no denying that the qualities of our living have gone from bad

to worse.

不可否认的，我们的生活品质已经每况愈下。

五、It is universally acknowledged that +句子~~(全世界都知道……)

例句：It is universally acknowledged that trees are indispensable to us.

全世界都知道树木对我们是不可或缺的。

六、There is no doubt that +句子~~(毫无疑问的……)

例句：There is no doubt that our educational system leaves something to be

desired.

毫无疑问的我们的教育制度令人不满意。

七、An advantage of ~~~ is that +句子(……的优点是……)

例句：An advantage of using the solar energy is that it wont

create(produce)any pollution.

使用太阳能的优点是它不会制造任何污染。

八、The reason why +句子~~~ is that +句子(……的原因是……)

例句：The reason why we have to grow trees is that they can provide us with

fresh air.

The reason why we have to grow trees is that they can supply fresh air for

us.

我们必须种树的原因是它们能供应我们新鲜的空气。

九、So +形容词+ be +主词+ that +句子(如此……以致于……)

例句：So precious is time that we cant afford to waste it.时间是如此珍贵，我们经不起浪费它。

十、Adj + as + Subject(主词)+ be，S + V~~~(虽然……)

例句：Rich as our country is， the qualities of our living are by no means

satisfactory. {by no means = in no way = on no account一点也不}

虽然我们的国家富有，我们的生活品质绝对令人不满意。

十一、The + ~er + S + V，~~~ the + ~er + S + V ~~~

The + more + Adj + S + V，~~~ the + more + Adj + S + V ~~~(愈……愈……)

例句：The harder you work，the more progress you make. 你愈努力，你愈进步。

The more books we read，the more learned we become. 我们书读愈多，我们愈有学问。

十二、By +Ving，~~ can ~~(借着……，……能够……

例句

By taking exercise，we can always stay healthy. 借着做运动，我们能够始终保持健康。

十三、~~~ enable + Object(受词)+ to + V(……使……能够……)

例句：Listening to music enable us to feel relaxed. 听音乐使我们能够感觉轻松。

十四、On no account can we + V ~~~(我们绝对不能……)

例句：On no account can we ignore the value of knowledge.

我们绝对不能忽略知识的价值。

十五、It is time + S +过去式(该是……的时候了)

例句：It is time the authorities concerned took proper steps to solve the

traffic problems.

该是有关当局采取适当的措施来解决交通问题的时候了。

My childhood was unforgettable. When I was five years old, I went to the kindergarten every day. I had a lot of good time with my little friends. My parents took good care of me. I didn’t need to care about food and clothes and any other things. I was very happy in those days. But one day, my mother told me that she wouldnt pick me up after school. I was afraid of going home alone, so I started to cry and I was angry with my mother. Although I insisted that she and my father should protect me safely, they still disagreed with me. They thought it was good for me to learn to be independent. The next day after class, I had to take a bus to go back home. I forgot to see the bus route when I got on. Therefore, when the bus was more and more far from my home, I felt anxious. Finally, I got the last stop, and then took the same bus back home. When I told my parents my story, they never thought it is a mistake, on the contrary, they thought it is a useful experience. From then on, I dont let them meet me after school any more.

导语：作为一名中学生，你对你现在的校园生活还满意吗?下面是yuwenmi小编为大家整理的优秀英语作文，欢迎阅读与借鉴，谢谢!

Hi! I am a girl. I’m fourteen years old. I come from a small village of Guangxi. I am a student of Class 1, Grade 2. My School life is very interesting. Class begins at 7:45a.m. I have five classes in the morning. In the afternoon, I often have two or three classes. We learn Chinese, English, math, history, biology, geography, politics, physics and so on. I learn them with great interest. I like P.E. best. Because having sports is good for us and build us up. And we’ll have a sport meet this term, I want to take part in the long jump.

I have lunch at school at about a quarter to twelve, because my home is a little far from the school. After school, I often play basketball with my classmates on the playground. Sometimes, I go to the school library. In my spare time, I often practice speaking English with my good friends on the lawn. Because Beijing will host the 2008 Olympic, English is very important. Speaking English will help me to make more foreign friends.

My teachers and classmates are very friendly to me. I like my school life very much. What about your school life? Can you tell me?

【参考译文】

嗨!我是姑娘我十四岁。我来自广西的一个小村庄。我是一名1年级2班的学生。我的学校生活很有趣。在7:45a开始上课。我上午有五节课。在下午，我经常有2个或三个班。我们学语文、英语、数学、历史、生物学、地理、政治、物理等。我很感兴趣。我最喜欢体育运动。因为有运动对我们有好处，把我们建立起来。这学期我们将有一个运动会，我想参加跳远比赛。

我在学校吃午饭大约四分之一到十二，因为我的家离学校有一点远。放学后，我经常和我的同学们在操场上打篮球。有时，我去学校图书馆。在我的业余时间，我经常练习说英语和我的好朋友在草坪上。因为北京将举办2008届奥运会，英语是非常重要的。说英语将帮助我结交更多的外国朋友。

我的老师和同学对我很友好。我非常喜欢我的学校生活。你的学校生活怎么样?你能告诉我吗?

Everybody has his or her interest， and interests differ widely from person

to person because of age， sex health and education. To some extent， interest

also reflects ones ability or wish. Interest plays an important part in our

daily life. As a middle school student interest is of great importance in study.

If you want to learn something well， you have to show interest in it， which is

quite possible. Once you have found your way into the subject， you may have also

found a world of curiosities.

In our times， interest may not only result in skill and knowledge but also

lead to great inventions and discoveries. To be a successful person in the world

one should develop ones interest.

When autumn comes, I feel so excited, because the sports meeting comes. I

like sports so much. When I was very small, my father took me to watch the

basketball match, in the long time, sports have become part of my life. When I

started to come to school, I join the basketball team, I had the great time to

practice with my friends. Though high school life is very busy and I have to

learn so many subjects, I still keep taking exercise everyday. Sports meeting

time is my favorite time in the semester. I can take part in many activities,

such as basketball and high jump. I am full of energy, I just want to enjoy the

moment of taking exercise. Sports meeting indeed brings students many energy and

make the students become active. They can also exercise their bodies.

It was cooler than yesterday. One of my father’s friends invited me to eat red bayberries. You must know it is unusual. Because we will climb the hill to eat red bayberries. There is no chance to eat red bayberries in the hill for the people who don’t live in Beijing.

On the hill, you can breathe the fresh air, you can listen birds singing and you can eat red bayberries. It was enjoyable. It is said there are wild pigs in the hill. What a beautiful natural.

Christmas is one of the most important celebrations of the year for the western countries. It falls on the twenty- fifth of December and has the same importance as Chinese New Year to people with English backgrounds. The celebration is for the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the son of God in Christianity. Now days Christmas is no longer only celebrated by the Christians, but by most people from all over the world.

On the twenty- fourth of December everyone gets excited for it’s the day before Christmas which is called Christmas Eve. The children are usually sent to bed early and are warned that “Santa Claus will only come and give you a present if you be good.” The younger kids actually believe that Santa will come down the chimney on the sleigh that’s pulled by his reindeers. Food like short bread and beer are prepared for Santa when he comes, however most times parents just eat them. Some children put socks and sacks up for the holding of the presents (that their parents put in).

Rise and shine on Christmas morning! The children are always the first ones to wake up, some even do at four. Present wrappers everywhere! They look into their presents with a big smile on their face and oh dear….I hope no one’s disappointed. I feel sorry for anyone that got pink underwear. Children play while dinner is prepared by the adults. The Christmas dinner are usually eaten together by relatives. The tradition of Christmas pudding and roosters are usually eaten with deserts afterwards. The rest of the day is usually games and fun before the good days all come to an end.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

The future technology unimaginable, go, mobile phone is very convenient.

I developed a kind of the latest model of mobile phones, and rubber difference would like, the test, you can take it in hand, tried to cheat, and when the supervisor came over, you can immediately said: "this is the difference in rubber." In the paper, and then moved on, the supervisor, and continue to cheat, very convenient.

Kind of function with this phone is can be changed into human form, when you are happy, he will share it with you, when you are sad, he will share with you, when you are sad, he will give you, when you worry, he will give you happiness, has a very strong voice systems, languages, and identify system.

This phone is better than a computer, with convenient. On the Internet, the network is a computer 100 times, and with carry, where go to, to play games also better than the computer manipulation, and acoustic control, the appearance of mobile phones also can change, but also is the size of rubber is poor, if you want to make it big, you can unlock the function of size, as well as great.

This is developed by my mobile phone, convenient, and easy to understand.

未来的科技不可想象，千变万化，手机也是很方便的。

我研制了一种最新型的手机，和橡皮差很想，考试的时候，可以把它拿在手里，使劲的作弊，，当监考老师走过来的时候，你可以马上说：“这是橡皮差。”然后装作在差卷子，监考老师走后，又继续的作弊，很方便的。

这款手机还有种功能，就是可以变成人形，当你快乐时，他会和你一起分享，当你伤心时，他会和你分担，当你忧愁时，他会给你解闷，当你烦恼时，他会给你快乐，拥有很强大的语音系统、语言系统与分辨系统。

这块手机比电脑更好，跟方便。上网时，网速是电脑的100倍，而且随声携带，走到哪里带到哪里，玩起游戏来也比电脑好操纵，而且还是声控的，手机的外形也可以变化，但也只有橡皮差大小，如果想让它变大，就可以开启大小功能，和金箍棒一样。

这就是我研制的手机，方便、易懂。

导语：随着生活水平的提高，人们在吃得饱穿得暖的基础上会加强生命的锻炼，也就是延缓衰老，保持年轻，下面是yuwenmi小编为大家整理的相关优秀英语作文，欢迎阅读与借鉴，谢谢!

Today, as the development of the medical, people can slow down their aging. As for the celebrities, they use the developed technology to keep young, seeing their unchangeable faces in the screen for so many years, the audience also want to imitate the celebrity, they believe that by using the developed technology, they can keep young all the time. While in my opinion, the way to keep young is to hold a young heart, some people look young outside, but in their hearts, they are old enough and refuse to keep pace with the time. While for another group, even they have wrinkles, they are curious about all the things and are willing to change. My grandpa is old, but he knows all the fashionable things, sometimes I have to ask him for the new things. The young heart is the way to keep young forever.

【参考译文】

今天，随着医疗的发展，人们能够延缓衰老。对于名人来讲，他们使用高科技来保持年轻，看到他们常年在屏幕上保持不变的容颜，观众也想要模仿名人，他们相信通过使用高科技就能一直保持年轻。然而在我看来，保持年轻的方法就是拥有一颗年轻的心，一些人表面看起来年轻，但是在他们的心里，他们足够的老，并且拒绝去与时俱进。对于另外一些人来讲，虽然他们有皱纹，但是他们对一切都保持好奇，并且愿意去改变。我的爷爷年纪大，但是他对一切时尚的东西都了如指掌，有时候我不得不问他关于新的事物。年轻的心是永葆青春的方法。

我从小就有许多梦想：当老师，当钢琴家，当CEO……但没有一个能伴我度过整个童年。可当我第一次翻开环游世界80天时，我的心中燃烧起一个愿望：像主人公与路路通一样环游世界。

I have many dreams: when the teacher, as a pianist, when CEO...... But none have sustained me throughout childhood. When I first open around the world in 80 days, my heart has a wish: around the world as the protagonist and passepartout.

我常常这样幻想：清晨我踏着晨光开始了我的环球之旅。经过长途跋涉，首先，我来到了“世界第一高峰”——珠穆朗玛峰。站在白雪皑皑的山峰，让人有一种腾云驾雾的感觉。接着，我又去了非洲的埃及，哪里的金字塔，尼罗河和狮身人面像……至今历历在目。我和一些著名的科学家一起进入了胡夫金字塔，去探究里面贯穿古今的奥秘，成为第一个走出金字塔的幸存者。我又去了尼罗河，这条贯穿埃及的母亲河，今日一见，果然名不虚传，令人啧啧赞叹!然后，我就去了浪漫之都——法国巴黎。品尝了美味的松露，细腻的鹅肝，甜美的鱼子酱这三大美食。卢浮宫，凡尔赛宫陈列的一件件人类智慧的结晶更是令人流连忘返……不到一年，五湖四海便都留下了我的脚印!

I often think: in the morning on the morning I started my journey. After a long journey, first of all, I came to the highest peak in the world "-- Mount Qomolangma. Standing in the snow capped peaks, let a person have a kind of feeling of the clouds. Then, I went to Africa to Egypt, where the Nile River and Sphinx in Pyramid...... Still be visible before the eyes. I and some famous scientists in the Pyramid of Khufu, to explore the mysteries of the inside through the ancient and modern, to become the first survivors out of Pyramid. I went to the river, which runs through the mother river of Egypt, as it is today, was a well deserved reputation, admiration! Then, I went to the romantic city - Paris. Taste the taste of truffles, foie gras and delicate, sweet caviar these three food. Le Louvre Museum, Palace of Versailles displayed a crystallization of human wisdom is even more impressive...... Less than a year, all over the world would have left my footprints!

我真想环游世界呀!

I really want to travel around the world!

It`s one of the traditional Festivals of Chinese.And it `s a day in honour

to Quyuan,who is one of the greatest poet in China.Qingming is also one of the

24seasonal division points in China.It is may 5th on April in every year.On that

day,people will free of work or school that in memory of their ancestors.Besides

parents will take their children to the countryside,where they may have a

picinc.As the festival is in spring,It`s warm and comfortable,families often go

to parks to fly the kites.

This is the Qingming Festival,I hope you can come here next year during

Qingming Festival.

My little cousin is only ten, but he knows more than any students in his grade.

He likes computer games and he is crazy about music. When he is free, he always listens to music. He likes many kinds of music, like country music, pop music, jazz and classical music.

He hates noise, when it is very noisy, he will be very angry and shout until people become quiet. So of course, he doesn’t like public places.

One day, I went shopping with him. On our way we saw a beggar. He thought the beggar was a drunk, and he wanted to tell him not to drink too much wine. But I told him that he was a beggar, he is very poor. To my surprise, he came in front of the beggar and gave him $5. Isn’t he kind?

He is like his father. They are both very kind and friendly, and a little funny. They both have big eyes and little mouth.

Although he is ten, his room is full of toy planes and toy buses.

This is my little cousin. Is he lovely?

[有关高一的英语作文

The Lunar New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from the Begining of Spring . Its origin is too old to be traced. Several explanations are hanging around. All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means year , was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.

One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite. People were very scared. One day, an old man came to their rescue, offering to subdue Nian. To Nian he said, I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents? So, it did swallow many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harassed people and their domestic animals from time to time.

After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian. He turned out to be an immortal god. Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people begin to enjoy their peaceful life. Before the old man left, he had told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year s end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again, because red is the color the beast feared the most.

From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Nian is carried on from generation to generation. The term Guo Nian , which may mean Survive the Nian becomes today Celebrate the Year as the word guo in Chinese having both the meaning of pass-over and observe . The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers to scare away Nian should it have a chance to run loose is still around. However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebratio