In the heyday of Yao and Shun in ancient times more than 4,000 years ago, when Yao was in power, he worked diligently for the people and did a lot of good things for the people, which was very popular among the people. However, because his son was incompetent, he did not pass on the leader of the "tribal alliance" to his son, but to Shun, who had both moral and talent.

Yao said to Shun, "You must pass on the throne in the future, and you can rest assured when I die." Later, Shun passed the throne to Yu, who had made great contributions to the flood control. Yu also loved the people and did a lot of good things for the people like Shun, and was very popular. Later, after Yao's death, people regarded the day when Shun Di offered sacrifices to heaven and earth and the first emperor Yao as the beginning of the year, and called the first day of the first lunar month "New Year's Day" or "Yuanzheng". It is said that this is the origin of the ancient "New Year's Day".

On New Year's Day, the imperial dynasties held ceremonies to celebrate and pray for sacrifices, such as offering sacrifices to the gods and ancestors, writing couplets on doors, writing blessings and dancing dragon lanterns. The folk also gradually formed entertainment and celebration activities such as offering sacrifices to the gods and buddhas, offering sacrifices to ancestors, posting couplets, setting off firecrackers, observing the New Year, eating reunion dinners and numerous "social fires".

From long-term observation, the ancient Egyptians found that the time of the Nile flooding was regular, so they recorded this time on bamboo poles every time, from which they learned that the time between the two floods was about 365 days apart. At the same time, they also found that when the rising tide of the Nile came near Cairo today, it happened that the sun and Sirius rose from the horizon at the same time.