Editing Nian (section)

==Modern legends==
Once every year at the beginning of Chinese New Year, the ''nian'' would come out of its hiding place to feed, mostly on people and animals. During the winter, when food was scarce, it would raid villages, eating the crops and sometimes the villagers themselves - particularly their children. Several accounts describe its appearance, with some claiming that it resembles a flat-faced lion with the body of a dog and prominent incisors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2014/01/31/it-lurks/|title=It Lurks|last=Flake|first=Ben|date=2014-01-31|website=The Paris Review|language=en|access-date=2018-08-23}}</ref> Other authors described it as larger than an elephant with two long horns and many sharp teeth.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Magic Lotus Lantern and Other Tales from the Han Chinese|last=Yuan|first=Haiwang|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|year=2006|isbn=1591582946|location=Westport, CT|pages=168}}</ref> The weaknesses of the ''nian'' are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, fire, and a fear of the color red.

Some local legends attribute the [[Lion dance|Chinese lion dance]] ({{lang|zh-hant|舞獅}}) to the ''nian''. The tradition has its origins in a story of a ''nian's'' attack on a village. After the attack, the villagers discussed how to make the ''nian'' leave them in peace. Since it was discovered that the beast was afraid of the color red, people put red lanterns and spring scrolls on their windows and doors.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Tagtaginep - My Dream of Opportunity|last=Espiritu|first=Roddy|publisher=Xlibris Corporation|year=2013|isbn=9781479751051|location=Bloomington, IN|pages=82}}</ref> They would also leave food at their doorstep in a bid to divert it from eating humans. Other sources say that an old man who came to visit actually informed the villagers of the ''nian'''s weaknesses.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-04-06|title=Episode 9: Myth of Year|url=https://chinesemythologypodcast.com/2018/04/06/episode-myth-of-year/|access-date=2022-02-07|website=Chinese Mythology Podcast|language=en}}</ref>

The traditions of firecrackers, red lanterns, and red robes found in many lion dance portrayals originate from the villagers' practice of hitting drums, plates, and empty bowls, wearing red robes, and throwing [[firecrackers]], causing loud banging sounds to intimidate the ''nian''. According to this same myth, it was captured by [[Hongjun Laozu]], an ancient [[Taoism|Taoist]] monk, and became his mount.