Chinese Festivals

ChineseFestivalsChineseFestivals元旦春节元宵节清明节端午节重阳节七夕中秋节国庆NewYear’sDaySpringFestivalLanternFestivalTomb-sweepingDayDragonBoatFestivalDoubleNinthFestivalDoubleSeventhFestival/ChineseValentine’sDayMid-autumnFestivalNationalDaySpringFestival•Whenisit?•TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthantheGregoriancalendar.Theorigin•Itsoriginistoooldtobetraced.Severalexplanationsarehangingaround.Allagree,however,thatthewordNian,whichinmodernChinesesolelymeansyear,wasoriginallythenameofamonsterbeastthatstartedtopreyonpeoplethenightbeforethebeginningofanewyear.•OnelegendgoesthatthebeastNianhadaverybigmouththatwouldswallowagreatmanypeoplewithonebite.Peoplewereveryscared.Oneday,anoldmancametotheirrescue,offeringtosubdueNian.ToNianhesaid,Ihearsaythatyouareverycapable,butcanyouswallowtheotherbeastsofpreyonearthinsteadofpeoplewhoarebynomeansofyourworthyopponents?So,itdidswallowmanyofthebeastsofpreyonearththatalsoharrassedpeopleandtheirdomesticanimalsfromtimetotime.•Afterthat,theoldmandisappearedridingthebeastNian.Heturnedouttobeanimmortalgod.NowthatNianisgoneandotherbeastsofpreyarealsoscaredintoforests,peoplebegintoenjoytheirpeacefullife.Beforetheoldmanleft,hehadtoldpeopletoputupredpaperdecorationsontheirwindowsanddoorsateachyear'sendtoscareawayNianincaseitsneakedbackagain,becauseredisthecolorthebeastfearedthemost.•Fromthenon,thetraditionofobservingtheconquestofNianiscarriedonfromgenerationtogeneration.ThetermGuoNian,whichmaymeanSurvivetheNianbecomestodayCelebratethe(New)YearasthewordguoinChinesehavingboththemeaningofpass-overandobserve.Thecustomofputtingupredpaperandfiringfire-crackerstoscareawayNianshouldithaveachancetorunlooseisstillaround.However,peopletodayhavelongforgottenwhytheyaredoingallthis,exceptthattheyfeelthecolorandthesoundaddtotheexcitementofthecelebration.•TheSpringFestivalisthemostimportantfestivalfortheChinesepeopleandiswhenallfamilymembersgettogether,justlikeChristmasintheWest.Allpeoplelivingawayfromhomegoback,becomingthebusiesttimefortransportationsystemsofabouthalfamonthfromtheSpringFestival.Airports,railwaystationsandlong-distancebusstationsarecrowdedwithhomereturnees.PreparationsfortheNewYearfestival•PreparationsfortheNewYearfestivalstartduringthelastfewdaysofthelastmoon.Housesarethoroughlycleaned,debtsrepaid,haircutandnewclothesbought.Doorsaredecoratedwithverticalscrollsofcharactersonredpaperwhosetextsseekgoodluckandpraisenature,thispracticestemmingfromthehangingofpeach-woodcharmstokeepawayghostsandevilspirits.Inmanyhomesincenseisburned,andalsointhetemplesasamarkofrespecttoancestors.Inaddition,symbolicflowersandfruitswereusedtodecoratethehouse,andcolorfulnewyearpictures(NIANHUA)wereplacedonthewalls(formoredescriptionsofthesymbolismoftheflowersandfruits.LanternFestival•Whenisit?•为什么称之为元宵节呢？•The15thdayofthe1stlunarmonthistheChineseLanternFestivalbecausethefirstlunarmonthiscalledyuan-monthandintheancienttimespeoplecallednightXiao.The15thdayisthefirstnighttoseeafullmoon.SothedayisalsocalledYuanXiaoFestivalinChina.Thecustoms•AccordingtotheChinesetradition,attheverybeginningofanewyear,whenthereisabrightfullmoonhanginginthesky,thereshouldbethousandsofcolorfullanternshungoutforpeopletoappreciate.Atthistime,peoplewilltrytosolvethepuzzlesonthelanternsandeatyuanxiao(glutinousriceball)andgetalltheirfamiliesunitedinthejoyfulatmosphere.Thecustoms•Yuanxiao•Besidesentertainmentandbeautifullanterns,anotherimportantpartoftheLanternFestival,orYuanxiaoFestivaliseatingsmalldumplingballsmadeofglutinousriceflour.WecalltheseballsYuanXiaoorTangYuan.Obviously,theygetthenamefromthefestivalitself.•ThefillingsinsidethedumplingsorYuanXiaoareeithersweetorsalty.Sweetfillingsaremadeofsugar,Walnuts（胡桃）,sesame,osmanthusflowers（桂花）,rosepetals,sweetenedtangerinepeel,beanpaste,orjujubepaste（枣泥）.Asingleingredientoranycombinationcanbeusedasthefilling.Thesaltyvarietyisfilledwithmincedmeat,vegetablesoramixture.TombSweepingDay•Whenisit?•TombSweepingDayisatraditionalChineseFestivalonthe104thdayafterthewintersolstice,usuallyoccurringaroundApril5oftheGregoriancalendar.Theorigin•ItissaidthattheQingmingFestivaloriginallycommemoratealoyalmanlivingintheSpringandAutumnPeriod(770-476BC),namedJieZitui(介子推).Oneday,Jie’wsslord(晋文公重耳，春秋五霸之一)wasforcedtogointoexilebecauseofsomepoliticalreasons.Onthewayofexilehewasstarving.Jiecutapieceofmeatfromhisownlegtosavehislord.Thatisafamousstoryof“geguchongji”(割股充饥)inChinesehistory.Nineteenyearslaterhislordcamebacktohiscountrytobecameaking,andforgotJieZitui.ButafteralongperiodHislordsuddenlythoughtofJie,andhewasashamedofforgettinganddecidedtorewardhim.•WhileJielivedasolitarylifeinamountainwithhismothermanyyears.TheLordvisitedthemountaininordertofindJie,butjierefusedtomeethislord.Intheend,thelordorderedtofirethewholemountaintomaketheJiegooutofmountain.ButafterfireThelordfoundthatJiewasdeadwithhismother.InordertocommemorateJie,thelordorderedthatthedayJiewasdeadwasHanshiFestival(寒食节）-onthedaypeopleonlyeatcoldfood,noboilingandcookinginordertocommemorateJie.Thesecondyear,whenthelordwenttothemounta