Introduction 　　Yuandanisthefirstdayofthelunarcalendar.Itisthedaywhentheearthhascircledthesunforoneroundandisbeginninganothercircling.Itrepresentsanewbeginningwhenpeoplesendofftheolddaysandwelcomethenewones.Asthefirstdayoftheyear,Yuandanhasbeenconsideredtobethemostimportantfestivalsincetheancienttimes. 　　Customs 　　1.Kaisui(beginningoftheyear):AccordingtotheChinesetraditionalcustom,startingfromhaishi(9p.m.to11p.m.)ofthelasteveningofthetwelfthlunarmonth,eachfamilymustprepareofferingstodeitiesatthealtar.Atthesametime,theytoopreparefoodfortheNewYearday:Thewholefamilywillthenstayawaketogethertoattendtotheyear(calledshousui).Afterhaishi,zishi(11p.m.to1a.m.)willcome,andthisisthearrivalofNewYear(Yuandan).Atthismoment,peoplebeginthecelebrationwithfireworks.Vegetarianandsweetfoodswillthenbeplacedarethealtarforofferings,andincensebeburnedtowelcomethedeities.Intheancienttimes,itwasbelievedthathaishiconnectedthetwoyearsandthuswascalledkaisui. 　　Atthesamenight,somefamilieswillfollowtheinstructioninTongshuandplacepreparingaltarinthedirectionofthe"fortunedeity"duringthe"fortunetime"toreceivethedeity.Ifthedirectionofthe"fortunedeity"isatthe"illposition",peoplewillchoosetoreceive"happydeity"or"nobledeity"instead. 　　2.ThereisanapparentdifferenceinthecustomoffoodtakingonYuandanbetweentheChineseinthenorthernandsouthernregions.ThenorthernChinesehasthehabitoftakingjiaozi(dumplingmadeofflourwithvegetableandmeatwrappedinside).Somepeoplemayputasweetoracoininsidejiaozi,hopingtohaveasweetyearaftertastingthesweetandawealthyyearaftertastingthecoin.ontheotherhand,thesouthernChinesehavethetabooforkillingonYuandan.Therefore,theydonottakemeatinteemorningofYuandan,soastoavoidbloodshedormutualslaughter.Inordertoevademisfortune,theyhavethefirstmealofthisdaywithoutmeat.Instead,theytakevegetarianfoodforthesakeofvirtue. 　　3.WhatisspecialduringtheNewYearisthatparentsorelderswilldistributeredpackets(angpaooryasuiqian)tothechildren.Peopleintheancienttimesweremoreparticularingivingawaytheredpackets:thedistributiontookplaceontheeveofNewYearsothatthekidscouldsuppressthepastyearandentertheNewYear.Yasuihasthemeaningofovercomingtheunpredictablefuture.Representingthewishesforthehealthypsychologicalgrowthofthechildren,yasuiqiansymbolisestheelders'hopetoseetheirchildrenovercomealltheunpredictableelementsbroughtbythe"year". 　　4.ThereisanextraordinarynumberoftaboosonYuandan.Eachplacehasitsowncustomsoftaboo.Here,wewillmentiononlyafewcommontaboosinFujianProvince,GuangdongProvinceandSoutheastAsia: 　　Inthepast,peoplecommonlybelievedthatfortunewashiddeninthehouse.So,wsweepingoffloormustbedoneinthedirectionmovinginwards,andtherewasnoclearanceofrubbishatnight.ParticularlyontheNewTearday,inordertokeepfortunefromflowingout,therewasnosweeping.Somefamilieskeptthistaboountilthefifthoreventhefifteenthday.Ifanythingwasbroken,thepieceswerewrappedupinordernottoletthefortuneslipawayandweredisposedonlythefifthday. 　　Yuandan(inmoreseriousfamilies,thepe