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ABriefComparisonofChineseandWesternFestivalsI.IntroductionFestivalisdefinedasaspecialoccasiononwhichpeoplemaygivethanksforaharvest,commemorateanhonoredpersonorevent,payrespecttothedead,orcelebrateaculture.Festival,asaculturalphenomenon,comesintobeingduringthecourseofhumandevelopmentandhistoricalevolution.Thisuniqueculturalphenomenonembodieshumancognitionandattentiontothenaturalenvironmentsandperipheralsurroundings.Asweknow,adiversemultitudeoffestivalsareenjoyedworldwide.Althoughthedifferentregions,nations,religionsandculturesbringaboutmultifariousfestivals,andthemeansofcelebrationvaryfromoneplacetoanother,mostofpeoplebearcommonfeelingsforthefestivals,thatisprayingforhappinessandhealth,fulfillingthegoodwill,andshowingtheloveoflife.Thefestivalcelebrationalsoexpressespeople’sreminiscentmoodfortraditionsandconveytheiraspirationtopursuethedreams.Festivalisconsideredas“acarrierofculture”,oranembodimentofthepatternsofbehaviorandthinkingthatpeoplelearn,createandshare.Throughthisuniqueandspecificphenomenon,itismoreconvenientanddirectfortheresearchertoprobeintothedeeperlayerofhumanculture.Moreover,66Asweknow,itisimpossibleforustomakeresearchonallaspectsoffestivalcustomssincecultureitselfisaverycomplicatedphenomenon.Thus,Ijustchoosesomerepresentativeandwell-knownfestivals---SpringFestival&ChristmasDaytomakeabriefcomparison.II.ComparisonofSpringFestival&ChristmasDay1.OriginoftheHolidaysInChina,SpringFestivalisthefirstandforemostonethatshouldbementioned.SpringFestivalisalsoknownastheChineseNewYear.SpringFestivalstartswiththenewmoononthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon15dayslater.SothetimingoftheholidayvariesfromlateJanuarytoearlyFebruary.TheSpringfestivalcelebratestheearthcomingbacktolife,andthestartofploughingandsowing.Inthepast,feudalrulersofdynastiesplacedgreatimportanceonthisoccasion,andceremoniestousherintheseasonwereperformed.Thefirstdayoflunaryearscalled“nianchuyi”(thefirstdayofnian).Thereisfolkloreaboutthemonstercalled“nian”.Infact,thefestivalstemsfromtheagriculturalproduction.Chinaisanagriculturalcountryandourancestorshaveknownhowtocropinthefieldsandformedafarmingindustrythousandsofyearsago.Afteraccumulatingexperienceduringthelong-timecultivation,theancientpeoplefindoutthattheproperseedsplantinginspringtimeleadstoagoodharvestinautumn.Later,afamoussayingcomesintobeing“thewholeyear’sworkdependsonagoodstartinginspring(一年之际在于春)”.Therefore,thespringtimebecomestheprimetimefortheChinese.BecausetheChineseregardspringtimeasastartofthewholeyear,nowondertheChineseplacesomuchemphasisonthespringtime,andSpringFestivalistreatedassuchanimportantfestival.Meanwhile,thisfestivalmirrorstheChinese’attitudestotherelationshipbetweennatureandhuman---keepingharmony.Indailylifeandwork,peoplefindacertainruleinnature;followingit,peoplesettheproductionscheduletohelpplantinareasonableway.Innature,peoplemakedevelopmentandenjoylife.ChristmastothewesternsiscomparedasSpringFestivaltoChinese.ItisonDecember25theveryyearandusuallylastsforaweek,untilanewyear.ChristmasoriginatedfromEurope.HowChristmascomesintobeingmustdatebackto1A.D.whenJesuscameintoworld.ThenameChristmasisshortfor“Christ’sMass”.AMassisakindofchurchservice.ChristmasisthefeastofthenativityofJesus,ison25th,Decembereveryyear.ItisthedaywecelebrateasthebirthdayofJesus.InBible,thereisavividdescriptionofthestoryaboutJesusbirth:inacityofGalilee,thevirgin’snamewasMarywasbetrothedtoJoseph.Beforetheycametighter,shewasfoundwithachildoftheHolySpirit.WhileJosephherhusbandwantedtoputherawaysecretly,Gabriel,anangeloftheLordappearedtohiminadreamandtoldhimnotbeafraidtotakeMaryaswife.AndMarywouldbringforthason,andheshouldcallhim,Jesus,forhewouldsavehispeoplefromtheirsins.Finally,onDecember25th,Marybroughtforthherfirstbornson---Jesus.2.PreparationfortheHolidaysPreparationsfortheNewYearfestivalstartduringthelastfewdaysofthelastmoon.Housesarethoroughlycleaned,debtsrepaid,haircutandnewclothesbought.Doorsaredecoratedwithverticalscrollsofcharactersonredpaperwhosetextsseekgoodluckandpraisenature,thispracticestemmingfromthehangingofpeach-woodcharmstokeepawayghostsandevilspirits.Inmanyhomesincenseisburned,andalsointhetemplesasamarkofrespecttoancestors.Inaddition,symbolicflowersandfruitswereusedtodecoratethehouse,andcolorfulnewyearpictures(NIANHUA)wereplacedonthewalls(formoredescriptionsofthesymbolismoftheflowersandfruits.PreparationforChristmasstartsinearlyDecemberwhendecorationsareputup,includingdoorwreaths,artificialtreesandnativityscenes.AcommontraditionisthatofdecoratingandblessingtheirChristmastree.OftentheSundaybeforeChristmasissetasideforthistask.Decorationsincludecoloredlights(whichreplaceanearlierera''scandles),balls(originallyreflectingthecandlelightinadazzlingway),tinsel(resemblingtheglitteringiciclesfoundonfirtreesincolderlands),chrismons(woodenorfoamsymbolsormonogramsforChrist),andontop,astar.TherootsoftheuseoftreesanddecorationsaredefinitelyinEurope''spre-Christianreligions,butthesymbolsweretransformedbytheearlymissionariesinordertoexpresssomeaspectofChrist''slife.Sometimes,themeaningwasm