The word "nian" in the seal script has a horizontal line on the word "person" below, which has become the "thousand" in the seal script. Therefore, the year character of seal script is the combination of "harmony" and "money".
The word "nian" in official script is simplified to "ten", and the middle vertical line of the word "he" is combined with the upper vertical line, and the word "he" becomes a horizontal line or dot, and some vertical lines on it are cancelled or deformed.
The font of "nian" in regular script has been further changed. The horizontal line above has become a left horizontal line, and the vertical line is no longer out. The two short horizontal lines (or points) in the middle become a point or a short vertical line.
The legend of "year"
It is said that Nian beast is big and small, more than ten feet long, and its eyes are like two bells, coming and going like the wind; It makes the sound of "Nian ~" when it barks, hence the name "Nian Beast". Over time, people gradually found that Nian beast was afraid of three things, namely, red, fire and loud noise.
So later, people will get together on New Year's Eve when the new year's animals arrive, stick red paper (later, they will gradually stick peach symbols or red couplets), hang red lanterns, set off firecrackers and so on, so as to drive away the new year's animals.
After the animals are driven away, people always say happily to each other, "It's been another year." Slowly, there is a saying of Chinese New Year, and there is a custom of Chinese New Year.