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Chinese new year traditions essay
Chinese new year traditions essay
Chinese new year traditions essay
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The country of China celebrates The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, that takes place every year from the last few days of the twelfth lunar month midway into the first lunar month of the New Year (Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)). According the history, this time was named the Spring Festival because it derived from the words “god” and “ancestor worships” from the Shang dynasty, now however, this meaning has faded away and it is known as a time of unification, happiness, and hope. ("Spring Festival.") Out of the entire festival, the most important days of the festival are Spring Festival Eve, the first three days of the Lunar New Year, and the fifteenth and final day. Throughout this paper I will discuss the different …show more content…
There is dancing and celebration all around from day seven through the fifteenth day. Different activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, and temple fairs that have been going on since the beginning are often bigger and more celebrated on the final day. The last day is finished with a lantern festival. The lantern festival and the whole Spring Festival is scheduled so that the fifteenth day is on the day of a first full moon. This marks the return of spring and symbolizes the reunion of family ("China 's Lantern Festival."). On this night you can find parades of lion dances, dragon dances, and stilt walkers while enjoying eating tangyuan as fireworks go off overhead. Lion dances consists of two people in a lion suit. Ancient people believed that a lion is a symbol of bravery and strength, and thought it would drive away evil and protect people ("China 's Lantern Festival."). The lanterns are various shapes and sizes from traditional globes to fish and goats. These are everywhere including inside homes, businesses, and in the streets and parks. Some lanterns have riddles attached to them. If a child thinks they know the answer they may take the riddle to the owner and if they are right, get a prize ("China 's Lantern
There are little to no direct accounts of how individuals’ lives were a couple thousand years ago in Ancient China. With a wealth of information on the rise, decline, and fall of empires, Michael Loewe, a sinologist who specializes in oriental studies and theology, writes an imaginary story about a hero named Bing set around 70 BCE. Bing: From Farmer’s Son to Magistrate in Han China is Loewe’s fictional portrait of life during the Han Empire. It is by no means a comprehensive historical account of Han times, in fact, it was written with those readers who are not familiar with Chinese in mind, however through the life of Bing we can gage how the lives of laborers, those involved in military service, merchants, and government officials might
To begin with, understanding what was happening in China that caused these changes is key. One thing that changed was the opinions of the educated on cultural festivals. These festivals were to "exorcise evil and bring good fortune" (SMCD 112). But in later years, these festivals began to attract thousands of people and participation
Vietnamese festival for celebrating the lunar New Year. On the first day of the festival,
Cua, A. S. 2005. Human nature, ritual, and history studies in Xunzi and Chinese philosophy.
The men of the tribe then join in the preparations for the dance by construct sweat lodges, which are used in the ceremony. They also collect other necessities, which are needed for the dance. The first day before the Sun Dance is a very significant day. In the early morning hours a group of men “known for their eminence in their tribe were chosen to look for a (cottonwood) tree with a fork in the top” (“Dance”). Along with this select group went a chosen woman.
The origin of the festival of the Buddha’s birthday is traceable to China in the 4th century, and it is thought it was even celebrated before that in India. Elements from the different stories about the Buddha’s birth are found in the rites and ceremonies performed on the day of the festivities, usually the 8th day of the 4th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar. There are many local customs also celebrated in different Asian countries and regions, but the main celebrations are the same: there is a procession of some sort, offerings are made of fresh flowers and other natural things, and a statue of the Buddha as a baby is washed.
The celebration of a young man entering the adult life is also celebrated within Confucianism. Because the ancestors have such a large importance in Confucian traditions, this family ritual is seen as the presentation of the youth to his ancestors (Oxtoby and Segal 463). Often held for a young man between the ages of fifteen and twenty, this ‘capping’ c...
To begin with, one of the major problems that hindered the Chinese family is customs and rituals. On the other hand, some of these family traditions allowed the family to flourish as a group. In the movie Raise the Red Lantern, many types of customs and rituals were shown. For example, according to the master’s tradition, lanterns are lit outside the house of which the master chooses to join for the night. Each night the wives wait to be honored with his presence, bowing in resignation when they aren’t chosen, often scheming to be noticed next time. The women soon begin to compete for the lanterns. They are jealous of one another and double cross one another. This brings out a darker side of the women capable of anything in order that their needs are met. This example shows a negative aspect. It is a humiliation of the neglected mistresses. The positive aspect may be the power of the wife who gets chosen. Her needs are being met and she gets to pick the meal for the night.
Peking Opera is said to be a live “encyclopedia of Chinese Culture” (Wertz). Because of this, and many other highly regarded qualities, China has made the Peking opera its “national opera” (Wertz). The Beijing Opera is such an important part of Chinese culture that “Beijing Opera Month” has been declared (Wertz).
The young boy’s wound is cared for and the celebration continues throughout the day. To end the day, an additional cutting is performed on an animal due to one cutting being bad luck. Hearing stories of this ceremony gives us a glimpse into the traditional way of the
All of this takes place during the fifteenth and final day of the Chinese New Year, called the Yuanxiao festival. However, it is more commonly called the lantern festival. Fireworks are lighted, and used to scare off the last of the evil spirits. Also, an red ornate lantern is made and floats to the heavens. The lanterns are lit with a brilliant fire to represent vitality and passion for the next year. they are then floated away to represent a new life. This process lifts the person’s soul to a higher plane of existence as well, and creates a new person for the new year. Of course the worship of the gods is still very important in this festival. The Jade emperor began to burn down cities but this festival dissuaded him. People offer prayers to him during this festival. The god of wisdom,Laozi, is very important as well, people write riddles on the paper lanterns as a fun way to honor him.This festival is also an important time to spend with family. During the festival a beautiful silver new moon is visible. This represents a new life and time with family. The last big feast with family takes place during this festival as well. Additionally, to embrace this new life, couples elope under the new moon, romantically watching the paper lanterns fly. After this the Chinese New Year is over, and they tear down all of the items that relate to the festival. Everyone returns to their ordinary lives, one year
Chinese people consume traditional Chinese dishes to increase the good luck of new year. Their traditional food includes Buddha's delight (a vegetarian dish), chicken, fish, Leek, Jau gok, Jiaozi (dumplings), Mandarin Oranges, Noodles, sweets and cakes.
In today’s modern world many individuals have adapted to the American culture, leaving their traditions and cultural beliefs aside. However, there are many traditions that in spite of the distance they are being celebrated here in the United States. For instance, Chinese New Year—a popular tradition celebrated in San Francisco, California, being the biggest celebration outside of China. From Shanghai to San Francisco this tradition is mainly about the food. Specific food eaten during this time has a meaning and significance for the years ahead. Chinese New Year foods are very symbolic and full of culture.
Peking Opera is said to be a live “encyclopedia of Chinese Culture” (Wertz). Because of this, and many other highly regarded qualities, China has made the Peking opera it’s “national opera” (Wertz). The Beijing Opera is such an important part of Chinese culture that “Beijing Opera Month” has been declared (Wertz).
Chinese New Year is the most widely celebrated tradition in Asia. The tradition is usually celebrated on the first day of the first month on the Chinese Lunar calendar. This tradition is rooted in centuries-old customs and is one of the most popular public holidays in China. Apart from China, this tradition is also celebrated in many Asian countries like Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. There are many values and rituals tied with this tradition. For example, people would wear red clothing, decorate the house with red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. According to legend, it is said that red can drive away bad luck, which is why the color red is highly emphasized. In myths, our ancestors would light bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would scare off evil spirits. This is why fireworks and firecrackers are set off during this special tradition. Other values and traditions during Chinese New Year dinner such as eating specific dishes during the New Years Eve Dinner, exchanging red envelopes, and cleaning the house. These traditions all emphasize one value: the importance of family reunion during Chinese New Year. Family reunion is essential because it is a time to interact with family and friends who often times do not live nearby. Family and relatives will plan their schedules around Chinese New Year dinner, instead of taking family for granted. Adults also teach children important tradition and lessons during Chinese New Year so that when they grow older, they would continue this tradition with their families.