Long long ago, there's a monster called 'nian' appeared in China and horrified and ate people and animals. People asked the lion for threatening nian away. The lion beat it off. But a year later the nian did return for revenge. Then the people decided to help themselves, so they came to an idea that to frighten the hateful monster by means of beating drums and gongs, burning bamboo and lighting fireworks. So wherever the monster went, it was faced with the terrible noises until it fell down in exhaustion and was then killed.

People have been keeping the tradition by beating drums and gongs, lighting fireworks on the coldest day in winter to drive the imaginary monster away and to celebrate victory over since then. Chinese people often say "guo nian," which means "survive the nian."