臘月二十三：送竈上天
人們在小年這一天祭拜竈神，焚燒竈神的畫像，意味著(zhe)送竈神上天，禀報(bào)這家人在過去一年的德行。接著(zhe)人們會在竈旁貼上新的畫像，意味著(zhe)再把竈神接回來。
臘月二十四：掃舍去塵
臘月二十五：推磨做豆腐
臘月二十六：殺豬割年肉
The folk saying goes: "butcher a pig and get some meat to prepare for the New Year feast" on the 26th day of the 12th month in the Lunar calendar.
中國(guó)有一句俗語：“殺豬割年肉 。”農曆臘(là)月二十六正是殺豬割年肉的日子。
In the old days, many people could not afford meat and they saved the best for the New Year feast. People's livelihoods have improved greatly and meat is now a very common dish in daily diet, but the Chinese still prefer having meat during festival season.
舊時許多人買不起肉，所以就把一年中最好的東西留到新年團圓飯吃。如今人們的生活質量得到瞭(le)極大的改善 ，一日三餐裏肉食已經再常見不過，但春節期間人們仍然鍾愛(ài)肉食。
臘月二十七：宰雞趕集
People kill chickens and go to market to buy provisions for the Spring Festival on the 27th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. With the approach of the Lunar New Year, Chinese people prepare ingredients and food they need for the New Year feast. Chicken is an indispensible dish.
臘月二十七是人們動手殺雞、上市場(chǎng)打年貨的日子 。農曆新年即将到來，中國人開始準備(bèi)新年團圓飯所需的食材，而雞肉是必不可少的一道菜。
臘月二十八：題寫桃符
After people have cleaned the house and started preparing food, they begin decorating their homes creating an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity on the 28th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar. Decorations include spring couplets, New Year pictures, posters of door gods and paper-cuts.
掃舍除塵、採(cǎi)購食材之後，人們開始於(yú)臘月二十八日裝飾房舍，營造喜氣洋洋的節日氛圍。各色裝飾品包括春聯、年畫、門神貼畫和剪紙 。
臘月二十九：上供請祖
On the 29th day of the 12th lunar month people visit the graves of their ancestors to honor their memory. It is said Spring Festival originated in the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the start of a new one.
臘月二十九，人們動身掃墓，拜祭祖先 。據說春節始於(yú)商朝（公元前1600年至公元前1100年），那時人們在辭(cí)舊迎新之際祭祀神靈和祖先 。
大年三十：除夕守歲
Chinese people are supposed to stay up the whole night on the 30th day of the 12th month in the Lunar Calendar
臘(là)月三十，人們(men)熬夜守歲。
In Chinese mythology, a monster called nian would come out to harm people on New Year's Eve, so people get together, staying up and chatting, hoping for a peaceful passage of time. The custom of staying up (Chinese: shou tai sui) symbolizes the warding off of all diseases and disasters and wishing good luck in the New Year.
中國神話裏，一頭叫“年”的妖怪會在新年的前一夜跑出來傷害人類，因此人們聚在一起，守歲聊天，祈禱能平安度過這一晚。因此 ，中國人将新年前夕熬夜的習俗稱(chēng)爲“守太歲”，意味著(zhe)遠離疾病災禍，祈禱新年好運。
Chinese people attach great importance to the Spring Festival Eve, when all family members eat dinner together.
中國(guó)人十分重視除夕（即新年前一夜），彼時阖家團圓 ，共享團圓年夜飯(fàn) 。
大年初一：金雞報曉
The first day of Chinese New Year, also known as the "day of chicken", officially begins at midnight.
午夜零點(diǎn)時分，人們正式跨入新年第一天，也叫“金雞報(bào)曉”。
It is traditional to light firecrackers and make as much of a din as possible to chase off the evil monster nian.
傳(chuán)統習俗是 ，人們會燃放鞭炮，盡可能制造大的喧鬧聲趕走邪惡(è)的妖怪“年”。
Most importantly the oldest and most senior members are visited with the visits strengthening family kinship.
最重要的習俗是，人們會拜訪家中最年長(zhǎng)的長(zhǎng)輩(bèi)，以加強家人之間的親情。
Senior members of the family hand out red envelopes containing cash (Chinese: ya sui qian), a form of blessing and to suppress aging and the challenges of the coming year, to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers.
而家中的長輩(bèi)會給晚輩(bèi)（主要是兒童和青少年）紅包（中國人稱之壓歲錢），代表著(zhe)對晚輩(bèi)的祝福 ，也是祈禱自己在來年身體康健、萬事如意。
大年初二 ：金吠報春
On the second day, married daughters usually go back to their own family to visit parents, relatives and close friends. Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
初二，出嫁的女兒(ér)會回娘家給父母、親人和密友拜年 。舊時，女兒(ér)出嫁後拜訪娘家父母的機會並(bìng)不多 。
Some believe the second day is also the birthday of all dogs and remember them with special treats.
還(hái)有一些人認爲初二是所有犬類的生日 ，因此要給(gěi)它們好吃的以示慶祝。
大年初三：肥豬拱門
On the third day, an old saying goes: "A fat pig at the door", meaning the arrival of good luck and happiness.
初三，有一句俗語“肥豬拱門”，預示著(zhe)好運和幸福的到來(lái) 。
Traditionally, the third day is known as "Chigou's Day". Chigou literally means "red dog", an epithet of "the God of Blazing Wrath", and it is considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting.
初三還有一個傳(chuán)統俗稱(chēng)是“赤狗日”。赤狗的意思是紅色的狗，是熛怒之神的綽号 ，因此人們認爲這一天不宜接客或出訪。
Folklore says the 3rd day is also "rat marriage day" (Chinese: lao shu qu qin), so people often go to bed earlier to give rats time for their wedding.
民間還傳(chuán)說初三是老鼠娶親日，所以人們晚上會早早上床歇息，騰出時間給(gěi)老鼠們成親。
大年初四：三羊開泰
The old saying "three rams bring bliss" is connected with the fourth day, which says that by making a good beginning a happy end comes.
初四則和俗語“三羊開泰”有關(guān)，意思是歲首吉利就預示著(zhe)歲末幸福。
According to folklore, it is also the day to welcome back the Kitchen God. On this day, the Kitchen God would check the household and therefore people should not leave home.
民間還傳(chuán)說這一日是迎回竈神的日子 。這一天竈神會清點(diǎn)每家的人數 ，所以切忌外出離家。
大年初五：艮牛耕春
The fifth day is also called the "day of cow". According to Chinese folklore, the first seven days of the 1st lunar month are respectively called "day of chicken", "day of dog", "day of pig", "day of sheep", "day of cow", "day of horse" and "day of man". When creating all living beings on earth, Nu Wa, a goddess in Chinese mythology, created the six creatures before human beings.
初五也被稱(chēng)爲“牛日”。民間傳說正月頭七天分别是“雞日”、“犬日”、“豬日”、“羊日”、“牛日”、“馬日”和“人日”。中國傳統神話中的女神女娲在創造凡間生物時就是遵循瞭(le)這個順序，在創造人類之前先創造瞭(le)這六種生物。
The fifth day is also the God of Fortune's birthday and people will celebrate this day with a large banquet. This day is also commonly known as the Festival of Po Wu, literally breaking five. According to custom, it is believed that many New Year taboos can be broken on this day.
初五還是财神的生日，人們會舉辦(bàn)盛宴以示慶祝。這天也被稱(chēng)爲“破五日”，字面意思是打破數字五。根據習俗 ，許多新年禁忌過此日皆可破。
On the sixth day, people make wishes for "ma dao cheng gong", win success immediately upon arrival.
初六 ，人們祈禱(dǎo)“馬到成功”，意思是成功馬上就會(huì)到來 。
According to tradition, families usually send away the Ghost of Poverty on this day. To send away him, Chinese people will usually throw away their ragged clothes, rubbish and other dirty things.
各家各戶在初六有送“窮鬼”的傳(chuán)統。人們會扔掉破爛的衣服 、垃圾和其他髒東(dōng)西 ，預示送走窮鬼。
By doing this Chinese people wish to send away poverty and welcome the beautiful days and good luck in the New Year.
這個(gè)習俗寓意趕(gǎn)走貧窮 ，新的一年迎來好日子和好運氣。
大年初七：人壽年豐
The seventh day is commonly referred as the "day of man", and in most parts of China people will eat noodles as they symbolize longevity in Chinese culture.
初七是“人日”，中國(guó)各地人民都會吃面條，因爲面條在中國(guó)文化裏寓意長(zhǎng)壽。
大年初八 ：放生祈福
The eighth day is believed to be the birthday of millet, an important crop in ancient China.
初八被認爲是中國(guó)古代一種重要糧(liáng)食——谷的生日。
According to folk proverbs, if this day is bright and clear the year will be a harvest year; however, if this day is cloudy or even rainy, the year will suffer from poor harvest.
根據民間俗語，這一天如果晴朗明亮就預示著(zhe)大豐(fēng)收，而如果多雲甚至下雨就預示著(zhe)今年會歉收。
Meanwhile, people also set free captive animals on this day, with a blessing for all living beings to flourish in the New Year.
此外，這一天人們還(hái)會放生動(dòng)物，祝福新的一年裏所有生物都繁榮興旺，生生不息。
大年初九：玉皇天誕
The ninth day is called Ti Kong Dan, or the birthday of the Jade Emperor. There will be grand ceremonies in Taoist temples on this day, and ordinary families also offer sacrifices to the Jade Emperor.
初九被稱(chēng)爲“天公誕”，即玉帝的生日。這一天，道家寺廟會舉辦(bàn)華麗隆重的慶典，尋常人家也會祭祀玉帝。
大年初十：祭石感恩
The 10th day is believed to be the birthday of the God of Stone which played a very important role in the agricultural society of ancient China.
初十被認爲是石頭神的生日，在古代中國(guó)的農業社會(huì)占有非常重要的地位。
On this day, people are forbidden to move any stone, including stone rollers, stone mills and herb grinders, and should not cut into a mountain for rock or build a house with rocks, otherwise bad things will happen to the crops.
這一天切忌移動(dòng)石頭，包括石碾、石磨 、研磨器具等等，也不能開山採(cǎi)石或用岩石建房子，否則這年莊稼就會遭殃。
People also burn incense and candles for the stones and offer pancake to the God of Stone.
人們還會焚香、點(diǎn)蠟燭以供奉石頭，向石頭神上貢烤餅(bǐng)。
正月十一：祭奉紫姑
People make offerings to Zi Gu, the guardian angel for weak women, on the 11th day.
正月十一，人們供奉紫姑，紫姑是可憐(lián)女子的守護(hù)神。
This day is also for Yuefu (fathers-in-law) to entertain Nuxu (sons-in-law).
這一天也是嶽(yuè)父宴請(qǐng)子婿的日子。
In many areas, after this day, people will start preparing for the upcoming Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day of the 1st month.
許多地方在這天之後會開始準備(bèi)即将到來的燈(dēng)節——正月十五。
正月十二：搭建燈棚
Families buy lanterns and build a lantern shack on the 12th day.
家家戶戶會買燈(dēng)籠，然後在正月十二建一個(gè)燈(dēng)籠棚。
正月十三：竈下點燈
On the 13th day, preparations for Lantern Festival continue.
正月十四：娘娘誕辰
The 14th day is the birthday of the Goddess of Linshui, who is believed to protect women from dying in childbirth. People make offerings to the goddess on this day.
正月十四是臨水娘娘的生日，臨水娘娘是拯救難産(chǎn)婦(fù)女的神仙。人們在這一天供奉臨水娘娘。
正月十五：夜照田蠶
The 15th day of the 1st lunar month is commonly celebrated as Yuan Xiao Jie, or Lantern Festival. The festivities of the Chinese New Year reach a climax on this day.
正月十五一般被稱(chēng)爲元宵節或者燈節，中國新年慶祝活動在這一天達(dá)到頂峰。
Since early morning, dragon and lion dancers parade on streets crowded with people. In the evening families go out together to enjoy the full moon and appreciate colorful lanterns and also solve lantern riddles.
一大早，街上就擠滿瞭(le)人群，觀看舞龍舞獅。晚上，全家人會一同外出享受滿月，欣賞缤紛多彩的燈(dēng)籠，一起猜燈(dēng)謎。
Chinese people also eat yuan xiao, a traditional food made of glutinous rice flour which symbolizes family togetherness and reunion.
人們還(hái)會吃一種由糯米做成的傳(chuán)統美食——元宵，寓意阖家團圓。
This day officially marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations.
這一天往往爲中國新年慶祝活動(dòng)劃上句點(diǎn)。
