But before the old man left, he told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Sian in case it sneaked back again. Red is the color the beast fears most. From then on, the tradition of observing the conquest of Sian has continued. The custom of putting up red paper, exploding firecrackers, and making more noise with gongs and drums to scare away Sian is still carried on. Some elements are unique to the Chinese New Year parade.
Children perform ribbon dances, carry delicate tissue lanterns, and perform martial arts.
One of the most popular appearances is that of comical lions, thought to bring good luck to businesses. People often offer the lions gifts of lettuce, oranges, or money to ensure luck for the New Year. The most celebrated moment of the parade is the appearance of the dragon. Dragons are closely associated with royalty and are found on emperor's clothing. According to legend, when a crown prince was born, a dragon would appear in the skies.