Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars or, informally but more widely, lunisolar calendars. Lunar calendars follow the lunar phase while lunisolar calendars follow both the lunar phase and the time of the solar year. The event is celebrated by numerous cultures in various ways at diverse dates.
Emperor Gaozu of Han, given name Liu Bang (劉邦), courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emperor Gao, or Gaodi; "Gaozu of Han", derived from the Records of the Grand Historian, is the common way of referring to this sovereign even though he was not accorded the temple name Gaozu.
Chen Shou, courtesy name Chengzuo (承祚), was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer who lived during the Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty of China. Chen Shou is best known for his most celebrated work, the Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi), which records the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. Chen Shou wrote the Sanguozhi primarily in the form of biographies of notable persons of those eras. Today, Chen's Records of the Three Kingdoms is part of the Twenty-Four Histories canon of Chinese history.
The burning of books and burying of scholars, also known as burning the books and executing the ru scholars, refers to the purported burning of texts in 213 BCE and live burial of 460 Confucian scholars in 212 BCE by the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin dynasty. This was alleged to have destroyed philosophical treatises of the Hundred Schools of Thought, with the goal of strengthening the official Qin governing philosophy of Legalism.
Xu Rong was a military general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.
Luo Tong, courtesy name Gongxu, was an official serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China.
Lü Kai, courtesy name Jiping, was an official of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Tian Yu, courtesy name Guorang, was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.
Lord Mengchang, born Tian Wen, was an aristocrat and statesman of the Qi Kingdom of ancient China, one of the famed Four Lords of the Warring States period. He was a son of Tian Ying and grandson of King Wei of Qi. He succeeded to his father's fief in Xue. Lord Mengchang is well known for the size of his entourage. According to the Records of the Grand Historian, he had up to three thousand people in his retinue. Lord Mengchang would eventually become the Chancellor of Qi and of Wei.
Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, observances traditionally take place from Chinese New Year's Eve, the evening preceding the first day of the year, to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February.
Nuo opera or Nuo drama is one of China's most popular folk operas. Characterized by its special features such as ferocious masks, unique dresses and adornments, the strange language used in performance, and mysterious scenes, Nuo opera has been selected as one of the non-material cultural legacies of China. The opera is a religious performance intrinsic to the culture of Nuoism, a type of Chinese folk religion. The purpose of Nuo opera is to drive away devils, disease and evil influences, and also to petition for blessings from the gods. Singing and dancing are included in Nuo opera and performers wear costumes and masks.
Lu Ji (188–219), courtesy name Gongji, was a Chinese politician and scholar serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was also one of the 24 Filial Exemplars.
Yin Jiao, better known by his courtesy name Kaishan, titled Duke Jie of Xun, was a general and officer in Sui and Tang dynasties of China. Because of his remarkable contributions during the unification wars of Tang dynasty, Yin Kaishan was listed as one of 24 founding officials of the Tang dynasty honored on the Lingyan Pavilion.
Shan Xiongxin was a general, top warrior and peasant uprising leader during the transitional era between the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Wang Bodang was a general in Wagang Army which rebelled against the Sui dynasty. He is also a highly celebrated and praised figure in Chinese popular culture because of his bravery and loyalty.
Li Miao, courtesy name Hannan, was an official of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlord Liu Zhang and later Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty.
Huan Yi, courtesy name Shuxia was a Chinese military general and musician of the Jin dynasty (266–420). He was a very popular administrator among the people of Yuzhou, from his early days of Prefect of Huainan to Inspector of the province. He participated in the famous Battle of Fei River in 383, fighting alongside Xie Xuan as they repel Former Qin forces. Outside his military career, Huan Yi was most known for was his contribution in music. It is believed that he was the original composer of the popular guqin composition "Mei Hua Sannong (梅花三弄)" or "3 Variations on the Plum Blossom".
You Ziyuan was a minister and military general of Han-Zhao during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. He helped Liu Yao defeat a major rebellion in 320 when the non-Xiongnu tribes in the Guanzhong region rose up against him.
Huangfu Zhen, courtesy name Chuji, was a Chinese official of Former Yan during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. One of the few officials to serve four generations of Murong Hui's lineage, Zhen was an outlier of the group, as he was able to live long enough to see Yan's demise to Former Qin in 370. During the reign of Murong Wei, Zhen was a key ally to Murong Ke who warned him about Muyu Gen and aided him in defeating the rebel, Lü Hu. Zhen was also commended for being Yan's last few competent ministers during its final four years of existence as corruption under Murong Ping's regency led the state to its downfall.
