“Luxury， large， level up" New Year"s morning meeting

It is said that there is a monster with a long single-horned head， and a month like a blood basin， people call it "Nian". It will spring from the mountains at the last night of the twelfth month in the lunar calendar to hunt for food and bite people. The ancients can only prepare some meat on the outside， and then shut the door down to stay at home. Until the first day of the lunar year， Nian will leave with satisfaction after getting stuffed， and the people open to meet， and congratulate each other. This is the origin of giving New Year's greetings. How did the ancients in various dynasties give New Year's greetings？ Let's get a sight.

Early Han Dynasty followed the lunar calendar of Qin Dynasty and took the tenth month as the first month of a year. At the dawn of the first day of the first month of the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Liu Bang of Han Dynasty， colored flags and ceremonial items were already displayed in newly built Changle Palace to prepare for the upcoming New Year's morning meeting！ Looking out from Changle Palace， you would see all the officials arranged based on their grades and entering the door of the Palace in turn under the guidance of the protocol officer， after which surrounded by attendants， Emperor Liu Bang entered Changle Palace to accept the pilgrimage of the officials. Liu Bang was a commoner， so he could not help exclaiming "I finally know today the dignity of being an emperor" after seeing the New Year's morning meeting of such a grand scale. Do not blame that Liu Bang was green and inexperienced， it was because that the number of participants was really too big， which was approximately 1，000 people， including a lot of people coming from all over the country. Later in the reign of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty， the first month of the lunar year is the first month of a year， and the custom of New Year's morning meeting was handed down.

It was not surprising to have different races

What was the New Year's morning meeting like when it was evolved to Song Dynasty？ Let's go into Daqing Palace in Song Dynasty to feel about it！ When you enter Daqing Palace， the main hall of the imperial palace in Northern Song Dynasty， and also a place to hold grand ceremonies， you will see four armored and martial "Hall Stabilization Generals" are standing at the four corners of the Hall. The most worshipful emperor of Song Dynasty would enter the Hall eventually after the arrival of all civil and military officials and envoys of minorities. Today was the annual New Year's morning meeting. The emperor sat on high throne with a mountain-like crown on head and red robe on body， solemn and respectful， and others pilgrimaged with the sound as loud as a thunder.

Do not look at the emperor simply， have a look at the envoys of minorities in fancy dress. Liao's envoy wore gold crown on head， which had long and sharp back edge， and was like a large lotus leaf， wore purple narrow robe in body， and tied with a gold diexie （an ornament） on the belt， which made an impression.

It was not surprising to have different races

Coming to Qing Dynasty， you would find that the New Year's morning meeting would be more magnificent and hankered ostentation very much. At the New Year's morning meeting， not only court music would be played， but also the ceremonial weaponry would be paved from the emperor's audience hall to the outside of Meridian Gate， in addition， colored flags were set on both sides from the South Gate to the North Gate in Beijing， which was not inferior than the Olympics opening ceremony！ Ministers， envoy of all minorities and countries got up early to prepare for the New Year's morning meeting， and gathered in front of the emperor's audience hall along the roads decorated with colored flags and ceremonial weaponry. When the emperor came， everyone made grand kowtow based on their grades. After completing the series of actions， you were probably unable to stand even if you had better physical strength， but you would be able to replenish energy right now.

The emperor of Qing Dynasty announced to give a high-grade state banquet in the emperor's audience hall as soon as the New Year's morning meeting ended. There were 200 tables， hundreds of sheep， hundreds of bottles of wine， and about one thousand people in each banquet. Although the banquet was good， there were also a lot of rules. The banquet table for the emperor， of course， was set in front of the throne in the emperor's audience hall， while the tables for the officials and the vassal states should be set inside and outside the emperor's audience hall， or the steps in front of the emperor's audience hall strictly based on the grades. Positions of the officials immediately emerged at this time.