Spring Festival Customs — The third day of the Chinese New Year

The third day of the Spring Festival isalsocalled the “Red dog day”. It derives from the Chinese fable stories. The Red Dog istheevil god,itwill bring ill luckas people run across it. By staying at home, people can avoid quarreling with others. The custom passesfrom generation to generation, and it finally formed as a tradition in many parts of China. Since mostpeople are engaged in the preparation of the Spring Festival before the New Year’s Eve, they prefer to have a good rest and sleepearlyon the third day of the Chinese New Year, by this means, people can get relax both mentally and physically.

On the contrary, People visit their relatives and friends on the third day of the Spring Festivalin Tongcheng of Anhui Province. They don’t go outside on the first and second day of the New Year. When peopledrop in on their relatives, they would bring rice cakes as gifts, and their relativeswill give rice cakes in return. Thisis the special custom in Tongcheng. The rice cakes symbolize people’s work and life will be better and better in the new year.

In some areasof China, Guzi’s （Gu zi is the Chinese name for grains）birthday is celebrated on the third day of the Spring Festival. People are not supposedto eat rice on this day.