western traditionl festival vs. Chinese festival

ChineseTraditionalFestivalvs.WesternTraditionalFestivalPresenter:张丽静June,2010ContentsImportanttraditionalfestivalsbothinChinaandwesterncountriesCommongroundoftraditionalChineseandwesternfestivalsDifferencesoftraditionalChineseandwesternfestivalsConclusionImportanttraditionalfestivalsChineseonesSpringFestivalTombsweepingDayGhostFestivalDragonBoatFestivalQixiLovers’DayMid-autumnDayNewYear’sDayWesternonesChristmasDayAllSaints’Day(Halloween)EasterValentine’sDayThanksgivingDayNewYear’sDaySpringFestivalvs.ChristmasDaySpringFestivalthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonthoriginatedintheShangDynasty(c.1600BC-c.1100BC)fromthepeople'ssacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.ChristmasDayDecember25tocommemoratethebirthofJesus,thecentralfigureofChristianity.ThedateisnotknowntobetheactualbirthdateofJesus.TombsweepingDay&GhostFestivalvs.AllSaints’Day(Halloween)Tomb-sweepingDayandGhostFestivalCelebratedtwoweeksafterthevernalequinox,Itfollowsthesolarcalendar--typicallyfallingonApril4,5,or6.ItsChinesenameQingMingliterallymeansClearBrightness,hintingatitsimportanceasacelebrationofSpring.Similartothespringfestivalsofothercultures,TombSweepingDaycelebratestherebirthofnature春分AllSaints’Day(Halloween)AllSaints‘Day(intheCatholicChurchofficiallytheSolemnityofAllSaintsandalsocalledAllHallowsorHallowmas),oftenshortenedtoAllSaints,isasolemnitycelebratedon1NovemberinWesternChristianity,andonthefirstSundayafterPentecost(圣灵降临节)inEasternChristianity,inhonourofallthesaints,knownandunknown.HalloweenisanannualholidaycelebratedonOctober31.IthasrootsintheCelticfestivalofSamhainandtheChristianholydayofAllSaints,butistodaylargelyasecularcelebration.QixiLovers’Dayvs.Valentine’sDayQixiLovers’DayThestoryofthecowherdandtheweavergirlYounggirlstraditionallydemonstratetheirdomesticartsonthisdayandmakewishesforagoodhusband.Itisalsoknownbythefollowingnames:TheFestivaltoPleadforSkills(乞巧节)TheSeventhSister‘sBirthday(七姐诞)TheNightofSkills(巧夕)Valentine’sDayanannualcommemorationheldonFebruary14，celebratingloveandaffectionbetweenintimatecompanions.ThedayisnamedafteroneormoreearlyChristianmartyrsnamedValentineandwasestablishedbyPopeGelasiusIin500AD.公元496年，罗马教皇格莱西亚斯（gelasius）将2月14日以圣瓦伦丁的名字命名，以纪念恋人们的守护神。Mid-autumnDayvs.ThanksgivingDayMid-autumnDayapopularharvestfestivalcelebratedbypeopleintheChineseinfluenced,orSinitic（中国的）world,datingbackover3,000yearstomoonworshipinChina'sShangDynasty.ItwasfirstcalledZhongqiuJie(literallyMid-AutumnFestival)intheZhouDynasty.ItisalsocelebratedbytheVietnamese,Koreans,andJapaneseindifferentforms.ThanksgivingDayThanksgivingDayisaharvestfestivalcelebratedprimarilyintheUnitedStatesandCanada.ItiscelebratedonthefourthThursdayinNovemberintheUSwhileoccursonthesecondMondayinOctoberinCanada.Traditionally,ThanksgivingisassociatedwithgivingthankstoGodfortheharvestandexpressinggratitude.Whilehistoricallyreligiousinorigin,Thanksgivingisnowprimarilyidentifiedasasecularholiday.CommongroundoftraditionalChineseandwesternfestivalsInperspectiveofthefunctionsofthefestivalsInperspectiveoftheoriginsofthefestivalsSimilaritiesinthefunctionsofthefestivalsTheyearningandpursuitforahappyandblisslifeThecontinuityofthetraditionalvirtueandtherespecttothedeadpeopleTheDesireforeternalloveTheadmirationofhistoricalherosTheoccasionsforfamilyreunionSimilaritiesintheoriginsofthefestivalsCelebrationofcustomsCelebrationofharvestOutofreligionDifferencesoftraditionalChineseandwesternfestivalsDifferencesinperspectiveofformsDifferenceinperspectiveofinnermeaningDifferencesinperspectiveofformsDifferentperiodicityChineseones—basedonthelunarcalendarWesternones—basedonthesolarcalendarDifferenttypeoffestivalChineseones—moreintegratedfestivalsWesternones—morefestivalswithonlyonefunctionDifferentinfluentialareaDifferenceinperspectiveofinnermeaningDifferentbackgroundoftraditionalfestivalcultureDifferentcontentsoffestivalcultureDifferentvalueorientationDifferentnationalculturementalityDifferentbackgroundTraditionalChinesefestivalcultureunderthebackgroundoffarmingculture.TraditionalwesternfestivalcultureunderthebackgroundofChristianity.DifferentcontentsTraditionalChinesefestivalculturefeaturedbyfoodandwine.Traditionalwesternfestivalculturefeaturedbyentertainment.DifferentvalueorientationTraditionalChinesefestivalculturefeaturedbycollectivism.Chinesetraditionalfestivalsattachmoreimportancetogroupactivityandthepassingdownofethicsandvirtues.Traditionalwesternfestivalculturefeaturedbyindividualism.Westerntraditionalfestivalslaygreatemphasisontheexpressionofpersonalemotionsandtheindividualpsychologicalfeelings.DifferentnationalculturementalityComedy-orientedtraditionalChinesefestivalculture.TraditionalChinesefestivalculturepursuitthehappyendingandharmonyTragedy-orientedtraditionalwesternfestivalculture.AncientGreekculturearetragic-consciousChristianculturearesinconsciousConclusionBasedonthepreviousanalysisandcomparison,wecanlearnthatChinaandwesterncountrieshavetwodifferentsetsofculturalsystemswhichoriginatefromd