中国人有春节放鞭炮和烟花的习俗，这起源于一个神话故事。
Chinese have the custom of set off firecrackers and fireworks during CNY. This custom originates from mythology.
传说，很久以前，有一头叫“夕”的怪兽。一到冬天下大雪的时候，因为没有食物，就到村庄里攻击村民，吃掉他们的牲畜。
In the legend, a long time ago, there was a monster named ‘Xi’. When Xi cannot find food in winter due to snow, Xi would go to villages, attack villagers and eat their livestock.
村民都很怕夕，有的关紧门窗，有的躲到山里。
Villages were so afraid of Xi. Some of them tightly close the doors and windows, some of them hide in the mountains.
有一次，夕在村庄里撞倒了一个竹架子。架子落到火堆里燃烧起来，并发出“噼噼啪啪”的声音。
One time, Xi accidentally knock over a bamboo shelf in the village. The shelf fell into a fire and made loud noises.
出人意料的是，夕被吓了一跳，夹紧尾巴跑了。
Surprisingly, Xi was so afraid that it escaped as soon as possible.
村民尝试着去吓夕，发现夕害怕的有三种东西：红色、火光和响声。
Villagers started to try to scare off Xi. They found that Xi was afraid of three things: red, fire and noises.
于是人们把桃木板染上红漆，放到门口（具体见【小知识】春节习俗3 —— 贴春联）。
Therefore, they started to paint mahogany boards red and put outside their doors. (Refer to Paste Spring Festival Couplets.)
后来，人们发明了纸和火药，人们就开始用春联和鞭炮去吓夕。夕再也不敢到村庄里去了。
Then, people invented paper and explosives, so they started to scare off Xi with Couplets and firecrackers. Xi never returned to the village again.
这就是放鞭炮的习俗的由来，也是为什么农历新年的前一天被称作“除夕”。
That’s why Chinese set of firecrackers on CNY, and also why the day before CNY is called ‘Chu Xi’.
Keywords:
放鞭炮（fàngbiānpào）to light up firecrackers. 放（fàng）as a verb can mean to light up sth.
烟花（yānhuā）fireworks
神话（shénhuà）mythology, legend
怪兽（guàishòu）monster
村民（cūnmín）villagers
怕（pà）be afraid of
火堆（huǒduī）bonfire
出人意料（chūrényìliào）unexpectedly, out of a person’s expectation
红漆（hóngqī）red paint
火药（huǒyào）explosives
除夕（chúxī）the day before Chinese New Year. Literally, translate to getting rid of Xi