Busy with the Little New Year, bidding farewell to the old,

Wipe windows, sweep floors, clean the stove hearth.

Send the Kitchen God up to heaven,

Speak many good words to welcome good fortune.

 

Little New Year – Auspiciousness

The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month

is the traditional Festival of the Kitchen God

and also the Little New Year in northern China.

 

There is an old saying about the Little New Year:

"Officials celebrate on the 23rd, common people on the 24th, and boat dwellers on the 25th."

That means officials hold the festival on the 23rd of the 12th month,

ordinary families on the 24th,

and river folk on the 25th.

Most people in the south celebrate on the 24th.

No matter which day they celebrate,

the wish to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new is the same.

 

Little New Year is the prelude to the Spring Festival.

If the Spring Festival is China's carnival,

then Little New Year is the excitement and busyness on the eve of that carnival.

"Offering to the Kitchen God" – reviewing the gains and losses of the past year.

"Sweeping dust" – cleaning away the dust accumulated in the home.

"Busy with the New Year" – awaiting the coming of the new spring.

 

Offering to the Kitchen God

Legend says that on the 23rd and 24th of the 12th month,

the Kitchen God goes up to heaven to report on people's good and evil deeds,

and returns on the 30th day.

Thus, the custom of offering to the Kitchen God on Little New Year arose among the people.

People place malt candies and other sweets before the image of the Kitchen God,

so that he will speak kindly of them before the Jade Emperor,

praying for a safe and smooth new year.

Sweeping Dust

Sweeping dust means cleaning for the new year.

It is called "sweeping the house" in the north,

and "dusting" in the south.

Every household carefully cleans the house,

removing dust,

with windows bright and rooms tidy to welcome the new year.

 

"Dust" sounds like "old".

Therefore, sweeping dust also means

sweeping away all that is old and stale –

both the accumulated grime of the courtyard

and the unhappiness experienced in the past year.

 

Busy with the New Year

As recorded in Dreams of Splendor of the Eastern Capital:

As the New Year approaches, markets print and sell door gods,

and sell malt candy and other goods in preparation for New Year's Eve.

 

The New Year season is the beginning of preparing holiday goods –

making rice cakes, making malt candy, going to the market to buy New Year prints,

and stocking up on chicken, duck, fish, meat, goose – everything.

It is a busyness that never stops,

and also a joy that never stops.

An old lady leans on her cane,

hobbling to the door of the house to wait.

Travelers far from home

shuttle through the bustling crowds,

dragging their suitcases

that rumble and roar across the ground,

their backs loaded with gifts.

 

Because by that time,

the traveler will cross the threshold, and expectations will be fulfilled.

Because by that time,

the Mandarin spoken all year long

will be replaced by a native dialect,

and homesickness will finally fall to the ground.

Because by that time,

eating, drinking, playing, and sleeping,

meeting old friends,

happiness will be the leisurely good days.

 

Because by that time,

the happy family reunion will be right before their eyes.

 

A new year begins a new journey,

Welcome spring and send happiness.

 

Qingdao Colourful Machinery Co., Ltd. wishes you:

Good fortune on Little New Year, and health and peace year after year!