FOR YOUNG READERS: Getting Rid of a Monster

A cartoon Nian (from a Chinese website)

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children.

An old, old story tells of a monster named Nian (pronounced nyen, the Chinese word for "year") who came to a Chinese village every year to take away some of villagers. The people didn't know what to do! But than an old man came from far away and told them a secret: Nian was afraid of loud noises, and the color red!

So all the people put on red underwear. (Some Chinese people still do this at New Years.) This time, when Nian came, they lit firecrackers and showed him their underwear! Nian ran away, and the people did the same thing every year to make sure he stayed away.

You will still hear lots of firecrackers and see lots of red-colored things (but not underwear!) at New Year in China.

Some words to talk about:

• firecracker: something we light with a match to make a loud noise
• villagers: people who live in a village (a kind of small town)

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. What does Nian's name mean?
     A. year
     B. monster
     C. villager

2. What bad thing did Nian do every year?
     A. He lit firecrackers.
     B. He talked to an old man.
     C. He took away some people.

3. Who told the people how to chase Nian away?
     A. a villager
     B. an old man
     C. a monster

4. Choose the things that Nian is afraid of:
     A. monsters
     B. the color red
     C. loud noises

5. Some Chinese people still wear red underwear at New Years.
     A. True
     B. False

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Who (or what) do you think the old man was? Why?
2. Why do you think Nian is afraid of the color red?
3. Why do you think people today would still wear red underwear, even though we know it's a silly belief?