Why should firecrackers be set off on couplets and door paintings during the Spring Festival?

The origin of setting off firecrackers

According to legend, in ancient times, there was a fierce monster called Nian, which was in the deep sea all the year round, but at the turn of the new year and the old year, it came out to trample crops and hurt people and animals, and people complained bitterly. Once it went to the village to do evil again and was scared away by the red clothes hanging at the door. In another place, I was scared by the lights and ran around. So people have mastered the weakness of Nian's fear of sound, red and fire. At the end of each year, people will put up red couplets, set off firecrackers, hang red lights, burn wood for fire in the yard, and chop vegetables and meat with kitchen knives, making a noise. Therefore, everyone should set off firecrackers during the New Year.

The origin of couplets

Spring Festival couplets, also known as couplets and door couplets, are written in red paper and posted on the door, which has a festive and lively New Year atmosphere. Spring Festival couplets should be posted during the Spring Festival, which is related to the ancient "Fu Tao" for exorcism. The ancients had a limited level of science and technology, and thought that human diseases and disasters were caused by ghosts. In order to resist their intrusion during the Spring Festival, people hung mahogany boards with the function of warding off evil spirits at the door, and at the same time wrote down the names of the door god Shencha and Lei Yu respectively on the mahogany boards (some people drew their images). In this way, evil spirits will not dare to come to the door. These red wooden boards are called "peach symbols", which will be replaced by red paper in the future. When writing, they will become Spring Festival couplets. Now, although people already know that there are no ghosts to worship, they still keep the custom of posting Spring Festival couplets during the Spring Festival until today. It's just that the contents of the Spring Festival couplets are increasingly showing the concept of life in the new era.

The origin of door painting

It is said that there are two door gods posted on the gate, and all monsters will be afraid. In the folk, the door god is a symbol of justice and force. The ancients thought that people with strange looks often had magical temperament and extraordinary skills. They are honest and kind, and it is their nature and responsibility to catch ghosts and demons. Zhong Kui, a ghost catcher admired by people, is such a strange look. Therefore, the folk door gods are always glaring and ugly, holding all kinds of traditional weapons in their hands, ready to fight against ghosts who dare to come to the door. Because the doors of China's house are usually two opposite doors, the door gods are always paired. After the Tang Dynasty, besides Shen Tu and Lei Yu, people also called Qin and Weichi Gong, two military commanders in the Tang Dynasty, as gatekeepers. According to legend, Emperor Taizong was ill. When he heard a ghost calling outside, he was restless all night. So he asked the two generals to stand by with weapons in their hands, and there was no ghost harassment the next night. Later, Emperor Taizong had portraits of the two generals painted on the doors, and this custom began to spread widely among the people.