It is said that nian head of large and small, ten feet in length and eye if two, mobility, like "year ~" sound, so named nian. A long period of time, people gradually find nian is afraid of three things, namely, red, light, and great noise, and later the people in the New Year's eve nien gather together, when I was coming up red paper (later gradually changed to post the red couplets peach wood charms against evil or), hang red lanterns, fireworks and so on, the goal is to drive away nian. When the beast is out, people will always be happy to each other: "through annual again." Slowly, there will be a New Year's day, also appear the Chinese New Year customs。

据说年兽头大身小，身长十数尺，眼若铜铃，来去如风，嗷叫时发出“年~”的声音，故名年兽。

时日一久，人们渐渐发现年兽害怕三样东西，即红色、火光和巨大的响声，于是后来的人们在除夕年兽将要到来的时候就会聚到一起，帖红纸(后来逐渐改为贴桃符或贴红对联)，挂红灯笼，放鞭炮等等，目的就是为了赶走年兽。

当年兽被赶走以后，人们总是会高兴的互道：“又熬过一个年了。”慢慢的就有了过年的说法，也由此出现过年的习俗了。