On the last night of the year, a monster comes out of the sea. The monster’s name is Nian. The monster is hungry! It goes to a village near the sea. It eats the animals in the village. The villagers hide in the mountains.Mrs. Chen is leaving the village.“Wait!” says an old man. “Where are you going?”“The monster Nian is coming!” says Mrs. Chen. “Everyone hides in the mountains. We wait for the new year. Come with me!”“I can scare the monster away,” says the man. “Can I stay at your house tonight?”“You may stay here,” says Mrs. Chen. But be careful!”“I will be fine,” says the man.He puts red paper on Mrs. Chen’s door. He lights lanterns. He makes the house very bright. He puts on a red coat. He waits for the monster.That night, Nian walks out of the sea. Nian is very hungry. It looksaround the dark village. It sees the red door of Mrs. Chen’s house. It sees the lanterns. The bright lights hurt Nian’s eyes. It roars loudly!The man hears the monster. He throws the door open. BANG!He shouts at the monster. He waves his arms in the air. Helights firecrackers. POP! POP! POP!The monster sees the man in the red coat. It hears the loud noises and it sees the fire. The monster is scared! The man shouts, “GO AWAY!” Nian turns and runs back to the sea.The people come back to the village. Their animals and houses are safe.They run to Mrs. Chen’s house.“Nian is gone,” says the man.“How did you do it?” asks Mrs. Chen.“It was easy,” says the man. “Nian is scared of fire. It oesn’t like the color red, and it doesn’t like loud noises.”Now, on the last day of the year, the villagers put up red paper and red lanterns. They light loud firecrackers. They have a party for the new year. They know Nian will never come back!
Grandpa is in the kitchen. He stirs a very big pot on the stove.Lily and Lu join him.“Yay!” Lily claps her hands. “Grandpa’s cooking! What is in the big pot?”“Is it soup?” asks Lu.“No,” says Grandpa.“Is it rice?” asks Lily.“There is rice in the pot,” says Grandpa. “But there are many other thingsin the pot, too.”“I know!” says Lily. “It’s porridge!”“That’s right!” says Grandpa. “It’s Laba porridge. We will eat it todayand celebrate sharing.”“It looks good,” says Lily. “Can I stir it?”“Sure!” says Grandpa.“Why do we eat this holiday porridge” asks Lu.“That’s a good question,” Grandpa says. “I will tell you the story. Longago, the Buddha was a monk. Like the others, he meditated. He meditated and forgot to eat!”“Wow!” says Lu. “I never forget to eat. What happened next?”“He meditated for a long time,” says Grandpa. “He didn’t eat at all. He didn’t even move. One day, a girl found him. He was very thin. He lookedsick. The girl tried to wake him. But he didn’t wake up.”Lu put his hand over his mouth. “Oh, no!”“What did she do?” asks Lily.“She went home,” says Grandpa.“She left him?” asks Lily.“Not quite,” says Grandpa. “When she got home, she looked in her rice pot. It was nearly empty. She found some red beans, fruit, and seeds.She put them all into the pot.”“Just like your pot!” says Lu.“That’s right,” says Grandpa. He helps Lu pour red beans in the pot. Lily stirs.“The girl took a bowl of food to the Buddha,” says Grandpa. “She helped him eat. She saved his life!”“Wow!” says Lily. “She gave him the first Laba porridge?”“Yes, Lily,” says Grandpa. “She shared her food. And now, we share it with our family every year.”“Is it ready?” asks Lu. “It smells great! Can we share it now?”“Yes!” says Grandpa. They sit at the table together.“Look at all the colors in my bowl!” says Lily.“It tastes great!” says Lu. “I like this holiday!”
It is a cold night in the middle of winter. It is very cold in Harry's town. But Harry's house is warm. He reads in the kitchen. He learns about a Chinese doctor and his invention. The doctor was called Zhang Zhongjing.It was very cold in Dr. Zhang’s city. The people could not stay warm.Dr. Zhang saw many poor people. They had no hats. They could not cover their ears. Many people had red, sore ears. Dr. Zhang was kind.He wanted to help them.Dr. Zhang made something warm for the people to eat. He took a big pot of hot water. He cooked lamb and vegetables in the pot. Then he used flour to make dough. He made the dough into small circles. He put the lamb and vegetables inside. He folded the dough, and the circles looked like ears! He put the dough ears in the soup and cooked them.Dr. Zhang invented dumplings!The winter solstice came. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year. It has the longest, coldest night. Dr. Zhang took the big pot outside.He gave the dumplings to the people in the town. The people ate the dumplings, and they felt warm. Even their ears were warm! The people thanked Dr. Zhang. After the winter solstice, the days were longer. The weather was warmer. And the people had warm ears!Harry looks around the kitchen. He sees some flour. He has lamb and vegetables. He tries to make Dr. Zhang’s lamb dumplings. He makes a mess. The dumplings break. The soup tastes bad. Harry is upset. It is the winter solstice. His family will be home soon. He wants to eat dumplings.Harry looks in the freezer. He sees a bag of lamb dumplings. He cooks them quickly.Harry’s wife and children come home. They eat the dumplings together.The children love the dumplings.“Thank you for cooking!” says Harry’s wife, Penny.“I tried!” says Harry. He tells her about the bad dumplings. He says the soup was awful.Penny laughs. “It’s OK,” she says. “We are all together, and we have hot dumplings. It’s a great winter solstice!”
Li Mei loves Spring Festival. Every year, she watches the fireworks with her sister Lily. They watch the dragon dances. But Li Mei’s favorite thing about Spring Festival is the Red Envelope Hunt.The night before Chinese New Year, Li Mei’s father puts lucky money into a red envelope. He hides it in the house for Li Mei to find. Li Mei loves to hunt for the red envelope. It is so much fun!On New Year’s Day, Li Mei wakes up early. She is very excited. Where is her red envelope?Li Mei gets dressed. She puts on her favorite jeans and a red sweater.She looks in the closet. Where is her red envelope?She looks under the blanket. She looks under the pillow. Where is her red envelope?Li Mei looks in her desk. She looks behind the curtains. She looks under the bed. Where is her red envelope?Li Mei says hello to her pet bird. “Happy New Year!” she says. “Have you seen my red envelope?”Li Mei looks into Lily’s bedroom. “Happy New Year!” she says. “Have you seen my red envelope?”“Did you look under your pillow? That’s where I found mine!” Lily holds up her red envelope.Li Mei goes to the living room. She looks under the sofa. She looks on the coffee table. Where is her red envelope?Li Mei’s father is making breakfast in the kitchen. “Happy New Year, Mei Mei!” he says.“Happy New Year, Daddy!” says Li Mei. “Have you seen my red envelope?”“Of course I have!” he says. “Should I give you a clue?”“Yes, please!” says Li Mei. “I looked everywhere!”“Well, you might sit on it,” says Dad.“Oh!” says Li Mei. She looks on the chairs. She looks on the sofa. She looks on the beds. She even looks on the toilet! Where is her red envelope?Li Mei goes back to the kitchen. “I can’t find it!” she says. She sits down on a chair. Something feels strange. She stands up. Li Mei puts her hand into the back pocket of her jeans. She pulls out her red envelope!“Here it is!” she says.“I said you might sit on it!” says her father. “Happy New Year, Mei Mei!”
A big, beautiful bird flies over a village in China. The bird belongs to the Jade Emperor. Three men in the village watch the bird. They want to catch it.The first man takes a knife. The second man takes a sword. The third man takes a bow. They chase the bird. The bird flies faster. The men run up a mountain. The bird flies higher. The first man throws his knife. The second man swings his sword. They both miss the bird. The third manshoots an arrow from his bow. It hits the bird! The bird falls down the mountain. The men can’t reach it. They walk back to the village.The Jade Emperor waits for his bird. Night comes, but the bird does not.The Jade Emperor is worried. He looks down from heaven and sees his bird, lying at the bottom of the mountain. The Jade Emperor is angry. He wants to punish the men. He calls his daughter, the princess.“I will burn the village!” he yells.“Yes, father,” says the princess. The princess goes to the village. She talks to the three men.“My father is angry,” she says. “He will destroy your village with fire!”The three men don’t know what to do. The people in the village are scared.The three men ask a wise woman for help. The wise woman thinks. She looks at the village. She looks up the mountain. She looks up at Heaven.“For three days, there must be fire in the village,” the wise woman says.“You must light lanterns. You must light fires. You must light firecrackers.The village must be full of fire and noise. The Jade Emperor will see the fire. He will think the village is destroyed.”The men thank the wise woman. They find red lanterns, firewood,and firecrackers. The fourteenth day of the first month of the year comes. The villagers light the lanterns. They light fires around their homes. They light the firecrackers. POP! POP! POP!For three days, the village is full of fire and noise. The Jade Emperor and the princess look down from heaven. They see the fire, and they hear the noise.“Thank you, daughter,” says the Jade Emperor. “You have destroyed the village!”The princess smiles at her father. She knows the three men and their village are safe.
Hi! My name is Jiakai. Today is a very important day.It’s Qingming Festival. Today we are going to visit the grave of my grandpa Yeh Yeh.Yesterday, we got everything ready. My mom, my grandma Ah Mah, and I folded some paper to make it look like gold money from ancient China. Meanwhile, my dad and my little sister made some of my Yeh Yeh’s favorite foods, like dumplings and pork char siu.Today we are all up early, getting ready to go to the cemetery where Yeh Yeh is buried. My job is to gather all the paper money that we are going to burn. Aha! After looking for almost fifteen minutes, I finally find a plastic bag in the kitchen that I can put the money in.We make sure we have everything before Mom, Dad, Ah Mah, my sister, and I all pack into the car.The drive to the cemetery is long, and I take a short nap. There’s a lot of traffic as we get closer to the cemetery. All the other families are also coming to pay respects to their ancestors. Dad parks the car. I’m the first one out. I run ahead, holding tightly to the paper money. I quickly find Yeh Yeh’s grave. By the time the rest of my family catches up, I’m already brushing leaves aside with my hands. The first step for Qingming Festival is to sweep the tomb. My mom hands mea broom and I continue to clean the grave. Soon, all the dirt is cleared away, and the area looks as good as new!Next, my dad brings out the food. He sets it in front of the tombstone as an offering to Yeh Yeh. Ah Mah pours out some rice wine in a cup and places it next to the food.Now comes the most important part! My dad takes out a big, old bowl. We put the paper money in the bowl and Dad lights it. As the money burns, the ash rises and goes to my Yeh Yeh. You always need money, even after life!After we burn all the paper money, we light some incense and leave it at the grave. We then take turns bowing three times in front of the tomb.“Why do we bow three times, Dad?” I ask.“Well, Jiakai, we bow three times to honor Yeh Yeh,” my dad replies.Afterward, we walk over to the entrance of the cemetery. There, we find a table full of food. Everybody in our community comes together every Qingming Festival to honor their ancestors and enjoy the day outside.That, of course, has to include food!Mom puts our food on the table for everyone to enjoy. I grab a plate and start piling food onto it. Everything looks so yummy! My sister and I eat together. Our tummies full, we join the other children and play.Soon, Mom tells us it’s time to leave. On the ride back, my dad and Ah Mah tell us some stories about Yeh Yeh. Dad says this is how we will always remember him, by telling stories.When we get home, I’m so tired from the long day that I go to bed without dinner. I fall asleep dreaming of Yeh Yeh, remembering the good times we had together.
Liu Kong is a young boy. He has a dog called Xiao Long. It means “small dragon.” Xiao Long is small, but she is smart and fierce.Kong’s mother and grandmother are at the kitchen table. They have a big bowl of rice and some long, green leaves.“Mom,” says Kong. “Can I watch the dragon boat races?”“First, help your grandmother to make the zongzi,” says Mom. “Then you can watch the races.”“OK,” says Kong. He sits at the table. Xiao Long sits under the table.Grandmother picks up a leaf. She puts some rice in the leaf. She puts some beans in the leaf. She ties the leaf with string. She is so fast! Kong tries to make a zongzi. He puts a little rice in the leaf. He drops a lot of rice on the table. Grandmother makes six zongzi. Kong makes one.Grandmother puts the zongzi in a big pot of water.“Now, we cook them for six hours,” says Grandmother. “Are you hungry now?”“Yes,” says Kong. “And I want to watch the races.”“Take this money,” says Mom. “You can buy zongzi at the lake.”“Thanks, Mom!” says Kong.Kong holds Xiao Long. He walks to the lake. There are a lot of dragon boats. Kong buys a zongzi from a woman at a stall. He tries to open it. It is very hot. He gets a lot of sticky rice on his hands. He tries to eat the zongzi, but Xiao Long takes it first. She jumps out of his arms!The drummers start drumming. The first race starts.Xiao Long jumps into the first boat! The boat is moving fast. The drumming is loud. Kong runs after the boat.“Long!” shouts Kong. People think he is cheering for the dragon boats.“Long, long, long!” they shout back.Xiao Long runs to the front of the boat. She jumps onto the dragon’s head.Kong runs faster. Xiao Long’s boat wins! She sees Kong and jumps. But she can’t jump far. She nearly falls into the lake. Kong tries to catch her.He nearly drops her! But his hands are still sticky with rice. They get stuck in Xiao Long’s fur. She is sticky, but she is dry. And she still has the zongzi!Kong is too tired to watch the races now. He walks home slowly. He holds Xiao Long tightly. He lets her eat the zongzi.“So, who won the race?” asks Mom.“The smallest, stickiest dragon!” says Kong.
A farmer and a weaver live on a small farm. They love each other very much. They have two young children and one old bull. The farmer takes care of the bull. The weaver makes beautiful clothes. She uses the colors that she sees in the sky.The weaver’s grandmother lives in the sky. She is the Queen Mother of the West. She has very strong magic. She doesn’t like the farmer. The queen looks for the weaver. She wants to take the weaver away.One day, the bull talks to the farmer. The farmer is very surprised. “I will die soon,” the bull says. “But I am a magic bull. Make me into a coat. The coat will let you fly!”Then the bull lies down and dies. The farmer makes the coat, but he has tears in his eyes.The farmer takes the magic coat and walks to his house. He sees his children crying.“What happened, children?” the farmer asks.“She … she took Mother!” his son says.“Up into the sky!” his daughter says.It was the Queen Mother, the farmer thinks. She took my wife!“Let’s find her!” the farmer shouts. He puts on the magic coat. He picks up his children. They start to fly. They chase the Queen Mother.The farmer flies higher. He sees his wife. They are very close. He tries to catch her, but the Queen Mother pulls her away.The Queen Mother uses her magic. The farmer sees a bright light.He covers his eyes. The Queen Mother makes a river of stars. The river divides the farmer and the weaver. They can’t cross it!The farmer and the weaver call to each other. The children cry for their mother. The Queen Mother listens. She does not want her granddaughter to be sad.It is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The river of stars is very narrow. The Queen Mother calls her birds. The birds make a bridge across the river. The farmer, the weaver, and their children walk onto the bridge. They meet in the middle. Every year, on this day, they are together again. Every year, on this day, people celebrate love.
Chang’e dances from sun to sun as she crosses the sky. She waves at her husband, Hou Yi. The suns are like stepping stones. But there are too many suns. They burn the earth!Hou Yi shoots his arrows at nine suns. They fall from the sky.Only one sun remains. People begin life again. Rice grows. Fish swim.Jade Emperor is mad. He misses the nine suns. Hou Yi and Chang’e are in trouble! Jade Emperor says they must live short, human lives.Chang’e does not want a human life. She misses the sky. She stops dancing.Hou Yi loves his wife. He wants her to be happy. He asks the Queen of Heaven for help.The Queen gives Hou Yi a bottle. “Drink this together,” she says. “Then both of you can live forever!”Hou Yi carries the bottle with two hands. “Don’t drop it!” he tells himself.It is a long walk. He gets home tired. He shows Chang’e the bottle.“Let’s open it!” Chang’e says.“My love,” Hou Yi says, “I need a nap.” He lies down.Chang’e says, “Let’s drink it now! We can be together forever!”Hou Yi is too tired. He goes to sleep.Chang’e can’t wait. She sips. She can’t stop. She drinks it all!Chang’e is tossed into the air like a dancer. “Oh, no! Hou Yi!” she cries.The drink makes her rise up to heaven. Chang’e spins through the open doorway. “Hou Yi!” She reaches for a treetop. She twirls into the sky, leaves in her hands.Hou Yi wakes up. He runs outside. “Chang’e!”She rises. How can she stop herself? Chang’e wraps her arms around the moon. It is cold in her arms, not warm like her husband. But at last she stops rising. “Hou Yi!” she cries.Husband and wife reach for each other. But they cannot bridge the sky.They are apart, forever. They love each other, forever.Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of love. Families look forward to the festival all year. Faraway loved ones get together at last. Nothing can keep them apart. They love each other, forever.
Hi! My name is Huan Jing. I am a fierce warrior. I also know magic and spells. My job is to protect humanity. This is the story of the time I defeated a monster named Disaster.A long time ago, I had a very wise teacher named Fei zhang Fang. I called him Master Fei. He knew a ton about magic, and I learned so much from him. Every day I would go to him, begging to be taught something new.One day, Master Fei had a vision. He told me that a monster named Disaster was coming on the ninth day of the ninth month. It was going to destroy the village if we didn’t do anything.“Huan Jing,” Master Fei said, “you will have to fight Disaster.”“Me?” I asked, surprised. I had never fought a monster by myself before!“Master, what if I am not strong enough? The village will be destroyed!Why can’t you fight it?”Master Fei replied, “I believe in you. I know you can do it. You are strong enough. I have been teaching you every day for many years, haven’t I?You are ready. I’m getting too old to fight monsters. So, it has to be you.”I sighed. Master was right. He had been teaching me many things for a long time. “Okay, Master,” I said. “What do I do?”“Take these,” he replied. He gave me a bottle of wine. The wine was made from flowers called chrysanthemums. He also gave me a bag of leaves. They were from a plant that is used for medicine. “The villagers must drink the wine and hold the leaves. Disaster hates the smell. This will give you a chance to defeat him!”I went to every house in the village. I told everyone to climb up the mountain. They needed to get to a high place to escape Disaster. Then, I gave them some wine to drink and some leaves to hold.We all waited on the mountain. Suddenly, we heard a rumble in the distance. It was Disaster! He came into the village and began to tear apart the buildings. But nobody was there! Disaster looked around, confused. That’s when he saw us on the mountain!The moment he saw us, his mouth opened wide. The loudest roar I have ever heard came booming out. ROAARRR!! But then he stopped and sniffed. He could smell the wine and the leaves. He made a disgusted face, and he froze where he was, stunned.“WHAT IS THAT SMELL?!” he roared.That was my chance! I ran at him as fast as I could. As I ran, my legs started to feel like they were floating. Huh? Oh! Of course! Master Fei was helping me with his magic! I floated up to Disaster, and I hit him with my sword three times. Disaster fell over, dead!The villagers saw that I had won. They were overjoyed. The village was now safe! “Huan Jing! Huan Jing! Huan Jing!” they cheered.So, that’s my story. I’m so proud that I defeated Disaster. People still celebrate that day every year. On the ninth day of the ninth month, people climb mountains. They also drink chrysanthemum wine. All to celebrate the day Disaster lost and the people were saved.