When is off-year? How did it come into being? What's the custom?

Different places have different concepts and dates of "off-year" In the north of China, it is the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, while in the south of China, it is the 24th of the twelfth lunar month. In Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, the 24th of the twelfth lunar month and the night before New Year's Eve are all called off-year. In Nanjing, the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month is called off-year. In some areas of Yunnan, the date of off-year is the 16th day of the first month, and in some areas of southwest and north China it is New Year's Eve.

Off-year is usually considered as the beginning of a busy year, which means that people begin to prepare new year's goods, sweep dust and offer sacrifices to stoves. And prepare for a clean and beautiful year, expressing people's good wishes to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Because of different local customs, it is called "off-year".

During the off-year period, the main folk activities include sweeping dust and offering sacrifices to stoves. The traditional off-year (dust-sweeping day) is the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month. In most parts of the south, the ancient tradition of celebrating the New Year on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month is still maintained.