Chinese Festivals

Similar Chinese Festivals to

Western Ones

Part I

• Spring Festival —— Christmas

• Qi Xi (the night of sevens) ——

Valentine’s Day

• The Ghost Day —— Halloween

• Mid-autumn Day —— Thanks-

giving Day

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Spring Festival Qi Xi ( the Night of Sevens)

Chinese Ghost Day Mid-autumn Day

Chinese New Year &Spring Festival

(from 1st to 15th of the first lunor month in Chinese

calendar )

•It is the most important of the traditional Chinese

holidays. It is sometimes called the Lunar New Year,

especially by people outside China. Chinese New Year's

Eve is known as Chúxī. Chu literally means "pass" and

xi means "Eve".

•Preparations for the New Year start a few days before the

Eve when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid,

hair cut and new clothes purchased. Besides, incenses are

burnt at home to pay respects to ancestors and to get good

wishes from the gods for good health and wealth in the

coming year.

• What do Chinese wrap inside dumplings?

• On Spring Festival we Chinese eat one kind of special food for next year’s abundant life. What is it?

• On which day do Chinese stay up until early morning, Spring Festival Eve, Spring Festival Day or the First Day after Spring Festival?

Q&A:

新 年 好

xin nian hao

(Happy New Year)

发 财

fa cai

(Be prosperous and wealthy)

Qi Xi & "The Night of Sevens”

(7th of the 7th month on the

Chinese calendar)

It is called Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Young girls traditionally demonstrate their

domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this

day and make wishes for a good husband.

Q&A:• What do we put in He Bao?

• By tradition, how do Chinese young lovers celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day?

我 爱 你

wo ai ni

(I Love You)

The Ghost Day

(the 15th night of the seventh lunar month)

In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the

seventh month in the lunar calendar is called

Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is

regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts

and spirits, including those of the deceased

ancestors, come out from the lower realm.

During the Qingming Festival the living

descendants pay homage to their ancestors and

on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living.

On the fifteenth day the three realms of Heaven, Hell and the realm of the living are open

and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the

sufferings of the deceased. Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where

traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their

deaths.

Let’s watch a video clip of

a Chinese ghost story.

见 鬼

jian gui

(oh, my …)

The Mid-Autumn Festival (the 15th day of the eighth lunar month)

Also known as the Moon Festival, it is a popular celebration of

abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3,000 years.

This is the ideal time, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, for farmers to celebrate

the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, Chinese

family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and

eat moon cakes and fruits together.

The traditional food of this festival is

the mooncake, of which there are many

different varieties. Typical mooncakes

are round or rectangular pastries,

measuring about 10 cm in diameter

and 4-5 cm thick. Mooncakes are rich,

heavy, and dense compared with most

Western cakes and pastries. They are

usually eaten in small wedges

accompanied by Chinese tea.

Q&A:

• In what way is Mid-autumn Day similar to

Thanks-giving Day?

• Why do we put moon-cakes and fruit out on

the windowsill for a while before eating?

水調歌頭

明月几时有 把酒问青天不知天上宫 今夕是何年我欲乘风归去 唯恐琼楼玉宇高处不胜寒 起舞弄清影何似在人间转朱阁 低绮户 照无眠不应有恨 何事长向别时圆人有悲欢离合 月有阴晴圆缺此事古难全 单愿人长久 千里共婵娟

How long will the full moon appear?

Wine cup in hand, I ask the sky.I do not know what time of year’Twould be tonight in the palace on high.Riding the wind, there I would fly,Yet I’m afraid the crystalline palace would beToo high and cold for me.I rise and dance, with my shadow I play.On high as on earth, would it be as gay?

The moon goes round the mansions redThrough gauze-draped windows soft to shedHer light upon the sleepless bed.Against man she should have no spite.Why then when people part, is she oft full and bright?Men have sorrow and joy; they part or meet again;The moon is bright or dim and she may wax or wane.There has been nothing perfect since the olden days.So let us wish that man will live long as he can!Though miles apart, we’ll share the beauty she displays.

Unique Chinese Festivals

Part II

Water Splashing Festival

 Recognized as the grandest traditional festival of the Yi ethnic minority, the Torch Festival is full of rich and colorful activities.  Bull and sheep fighting, horse racing, singing competition, beauty contest, and  wrestling etc. are held on the second day allowing everyone to compete and play to their heart content. The climax comes in the evening of the third day, large bonfires are lit while people sit, sing, and dance around them the whole night. In the eyes of the Yi, the torch symbolizes happiness and chasteness and brings good luck to the people. Because the festival is of such a frantic and ardent atmosphere, people from other countries refer to it as ’the Carnival with Chinese Characteristics’.

Torch Festival of Yi - the most ceremonious minority dance

Torch Festivals