【正文】
e, and this is the arrival of new year(yuandan). at this moment, people begin the celebration with fireworks. vegetarian and sweet foods will then be placed are the altar for offerings, and incense be burned to wele the deities. in the ancient times, it was believed that haishi connected the two years and thus was called kaisui. at the same night, some families will follow the instruction in tongshu and place preparing altar in the direction of the “fortune deity” during the “fortune time” to receive the deity. if the direction of the “fortune deity” is at the “ill position”, people will choose to receive “happy deity” or “noble deity” instead. 2. there is an apparent difference in the custom of food taking on yuandan between the chinese in the northern and souther