The Contrast of Main Traditional Festivals in China and in America1

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1、 The Contrast of Main Traditional Festival in China and in America中美主要传统节日对比The Contrast of Main Traditional Festivals in China and in AmericaAbstract: Every nation has its own culture. On the soil of culture, there grows its traditional festival. Traditional festivals are a very important part of c

2、ulture. Different culture has different traditional festivals. This article analyses the origin and the meaning of traditional festivals in China and in the United States. When we are celebrating Chinese and western festivals, we can find out some differences between them, such as Tanabata Festival

3、and Valentines Day，Spring Festival and Christmas. First of all, they are distinctly different in their origins. Second, they are apparently different in their customs. Third, they are different in their symbols. This paper focuses on the differences of some important festivals in China and in Americ

4、a.Key words: traditional festivals; background; customs; symbols摘 要：每个国家都有他自己的文化。传统节日是在文化中孕育出来的。传统节日是文化的重要一部分。不同的文化有着不同的传统节日。这篇文章分析中美传统节日起源意义等。当 我们庆祝中美节日的时候，我们可以找出他们的不同,像七夕和情人节,春节和圣诞节。首先，由传统节日起源看中美文化差异。其次，从节日习俗看中美文化差异。最后，从节日象征看中美文化差异。所以这篇文章将从以上几方面比较与分析中美主要传统节日文化的不同。关键词：传统节日；背景；习俗；象征ContentsI. Introd

5、uction.1II. Background of Traditional Festivals in China and in AmericaA. Tanabata Festival and Valentines Day.1B. The contrast between Tanabata Festival and Valentines Day.3C. Spring Festival and Christmas.4D. The contrast between Spring Festival and Christmas.5III. Customs of Traditional Festivals

6、 in China and in AmericaA. Tanabata Festival and Valentines Day.5B. Spring Festival and Christmas.6C. The contrast between Spring Festival and Christmas.8IV. Symbols of Traditional Festivals in China and in AmericaA. Tanabata Festival.8B. Valentines Day.8C. Spring Festival .9D. Christmas.10V. Conclu

7、sion.10Works Cited.11I. IntroductionWith a long period of accumulation, traditional festivals imply a profound cultural background. Most of the festivals are closely related to peoples lives, expressed the nations history and culture. Traditional festivals are the very important part of culture. Dif

8、ferent cultures have different traditional festival. With the development of the economy, we know lots of western festivals. China and United States have their own traditional festivals. As we know, the traditional festivals in China and in United States are growing in their own cultural systems. Th

9、ey have different characters and abundant contents. The first difference between China and Western is the way of naming the festivals. By observing the names of the festivals, we can easily find out differences. Chinese festivals were mostly named after the season, while most of western festivals we

10、re mostly named after the religious figures or events. As we know, China is a traditional agricultural country. Since weather and season play an important role in agriculture. Chinese festivals Spring Festival named after seasons, it was easy and helpful for the farmer to remember. Another differenc

11、e is that western festivals are based on solar calendar, which is world-wide-used; but Chinese traditional festivals are based on lunar calendar, which is used only in China. For this reason, it is hard for people from other countries to follow us. Besides, western culture shows great respect to hum

12、an rights and pays special attention to individual development. II. Background of Traditional Festivals in China and in AmericaA. Tanabata Festival: Tanabata Festival is a glorious, colorful, and romantic festival. It is also called Chinese Valentines Day. It is said that Tanabata Festival is origin

13、ated from the cowherd and the weaving maid (Liu 27). The weaving maid went against the rules of her parents. She got married with the cowherd. The Queen brought the weaving maid back to middle of the forehead by force. The Queen used a golden hairpin to row the Milky Way to separate them. From then

14、on the cowherd and the weaving maid were broken up; they could only look attentively at each other and cry. Their loyal and steadfast love moves the magpie; thousands of magpies fly there in July 7th every year to build a bridge to help them meet. Afterwards, people always look at the sky, look for

15、the cowherd and the weaving maid and pray for their love. According to Chinese and Foreign Festivals Grand View record, Tanabata Festival is a Chinese traditional festival for the Han nationality. It is in early July on 7th on lunar calendar. It is also called Qiqiao Festival, Double Star Festival,

16、Womens Festival. The custom rises in the Han Dynasty and it originates from the Cowherd and the Weaving meets across the Milky Way in the July 7 night. It is said that if the Milky Way gloomy night, the harvest will be reduced; if the Milky Way clear, and then people will have a bumper grain harvest

17、. So in some place people would be organized and consolidated 青苗会 to prayer bumper grain harvest.B. Valentines Day:Legend 1: There are various opinions as to the origin of Valentines Day. Some experts say that it originated from St.Valentine, a Roman who was killed for refusing to give up Christiani

18、ty and he died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries (Geng 159). Legend also states that St.Valentine left a farewell note for the jailers daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it “From Your Valentine”.Legend 2: The History of Saint Valentines Day s

19、tarted in the time of Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honor Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as Goddesses of marriage and women. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. The lives of young girls a

20、nd boys were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and then placed into jars. Every young man would draw a girls name from the jar and would then be partner

21、s for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children could last an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.Legend 3: Under the rule of Emperor Claudius Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. Claudius wa

22、s having a difficult time in getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that Roman men did not want to leave their families or loves. As a result, Claudius cancelled all engagements and marriages in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome in the days o

23、f Claudius . He and Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. Valentine suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270.C. The differences between Tanabata Festival and V

24、alentines Day:For one thing is straightforward, and concealed the difference. Valentines Day is open, warm, bareness. If they love someone, they would say “I love you” clearly; in contrast, Chinas “Tanabata Festival” has also meant to express love together, showing “I love you”, but it is not only a

25、 meaning, but also uses the metaphor of idiomatic expressions of the ancients. Therefore it is difficult for young people to understand. For another is the difference between material and spirit. “Valentines Day” highlighted the word of “Lovers”; performance is the fiery passions, natural revelation

26、. Especially in modern times, “The Lover” is not only refers to the word lover, companion, husband and wife, the contents of a full and extensive. On the contrary, Chinas “Tanabata Festival”, reflects the parting together, and the puppy loves miss, love knot, the content is poetry, painting, gifts,

27、look at the sky, to hope that find their love.The last one is love things and the keepsake. “Valentines Day” pays attention to the objects. It becomes popular, such as roses, chocolates, cakes, clothing, and precious jewelry and so on, lovers give them as a presents. Contrary to Valentines Day, Chin

28、as “Tanabata Festival” is relatively dim. People also send gifts on Tanabata Festival. But that is an expression of affection for keepsake.D. Spring Festival: It signs that the old year finishes and New Year is coming. People will say good-bye to cold and drab winter, and welcome abundant spring. On

29、 the eve of spring festival, follow the twelfth month of the lunar year; everyone is busy with preparing goods. Everyone is nervous and happy. Its important, because there is only one year on three thousands days. Therefore, spring festival is the beginning of a new year, it is indicated a good luck

30、. The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people. At that time, all family members will get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people who live far away from home will go back. So before half a month from Spring Festival, it becomes the busiest time for transpor

31、tation systems. Airports, railway station and long-distance bus stations are crowded with home returnees. The Spring Festival falls on the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-c.1100BC) from the peoples sacrifice to gods and

32、 ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first

33、three days. The Chinese government now stipulates people to have seven day off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.E. Christmas: Christmas is an annual holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus. The date of the celebration is traditional, and is not considered to be Jesus actual birthday (Xiao 146). C

34、hristmas is for love. It was this love for which Jesus came to this world and sacrificed his life. About 2000 years ago God sent an angel to find a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter. The angel told Mary that by Gods power, she would conceive and bear a son. When Joseph knew t

35、hat she was pregnant, an angel instructed him to marry her. Because of a census, Joseph took her to Bethlehem to register. While there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She laid him in a manger because there was no room at the inn. All of shepherds visited Jesus in Bethlehem. At the earliest, Roman Catholi

36、cs celebrate Christmas in order to remember the day of birth of Jesus Christ in December 25th. But slowly, non-Catholics began to celebrate as well. As far as the United States goes, the celebration of Christmas is comparatively of recent origin. In the first half of the 19th century the Sunday scho

37、ols in America held Christmas celebrations. And the celebration of Christmas in America owes its origin to these schools. Alabama was the first states to recognize Christmas on the law in 1836. By 1893 all the states and territories had made similar acknowledgements.F. The differences between Spring

38、 Festival and Christmas: Spring Festival is a traditional festival in China. Its also a very important festival in China; the world has now become an important Chinese holiday. Erenow the Spring Festival, all the Chinese people prepare to clean the dust, to paste New Year couplets, to prepare a New

39、Years Eve, to eat dinner, to set off firecrackers. Most of these activities are the purpose of worshiping ancestors, praying for a good harvest for the main content. Christmas is the literal meaning of the celebration of Christ, a Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus. This day in histo

40、ry handover date replacement, since the birth of Jesus formerly known as BC, after the birth of Jesus known as the AD. Nativity of Jesus, to the world, it is the most important “good news” because it is their choice of God came to earth; every person, no matter how impure and unclean, or how much si

41、n he has committed, he just needs to confess to God that he is sinful and believes in Jesus Christ, and the blood shed by Jesus can cleanse all his sin. And he is pardoned and accepted by God, receiving eternal life. These activities form are basically the same as the Spring Festival, but the conten

42、ts are essentially different. The Spring Festival in China mainly stern from seasons and lunar periods, which are closely related to agriculture. Christmas in western countries generally stern from religion, and its relative events. So that is influenced with religious features. III. Customs of Trad

43、itional Festivals in China and in AmericaA. Tanabata Festival: In July 7th in the lunar calendar of China, it is called “Tanabata Festival”; it is a glorious, colorful, and romantic festival. On that day, people can show their love to their beloved persons without hesitation. People will send gifts

44、to each other. Girls pray for their love secretly. People also regard “Tanabata Festival” as Chinese “Valentines Day.” In the evening, people watch Legend of Loves鹊桥meet, or in the fruits eavesdropping under the framework when the two meet in heaven. B. Valentines Day: For instance, on Saint Valenti

45、nes Day, people send roses or chocolates to their beloved persons. Entertainment is another important part. On festivals, there are a lot of parties and carnivals held by different community (Wang 8). They may go out to the street and dance crazily with strangers. This also reflects that westerners

46、are more open-minded. St. Valentines Day is now a day for sweethearts. It is the day that you show your friend or lovers your care. People can send candies to the one they think is special. Or they can send roses. Most people send “valentines” a greeting card named after the notes that St. Valentine

47、 sent from the jail. Valentines can be sentimental, romantic and heartfelt. They can be funny and friendly. If the sender is shy, valentines can be anonymous. Americans of all ages love to send and receive valentines. Handmade valentines created by cutting hearts out of colored paper, show that a lo

48、t of thought was put into making them personally. Valentines can be heart-shaped. In elementary schools children make valentines cards for their classmates and put them in a large decorated box, similar to a mailbox. On February 14, the teacher opens the box and distributes the valentines to each st

49、udent. After the students read their valentines they have a small party with refreshments.C. Spring Festival: Many customs accompany the Spring Festival. Some are still followed today, but others have weakened. On Spring Festival, people have New Years Cake hoping that family members will get promot

50、ion in the coming year, have New Year s Eve Meal wishing the whole family can unite every year. The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. At this time, people offer sacrifice to the kitchen god. Most families make delicious food to enjoy them. After the Preliminary Eve, people

51、begin to prepare for the coming New Year. This is called “Greeting the New Year”. Store owners are busy then as everybody goes out to buy necessities for the New Year. Materials not only include edible oil, rice, flour, chicken, duck, fish, and meat, but also fruit, candies and kinds of nuts. Whats

52、more, various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, are all on the list of purchasing. Before in New Year comes, the people completely clean the indoors and outdoors of their homes as well as their clothes. People attach great importance to Spring Fest

53、ival Eve. At that time, all family members eat dinner together. The meal is more hearty than usual. Dishes cant lack that chicken, fish and bean curd, for in Chinese, their pronunciations respectively “ji”, “yu”, and “doufu”, mean auspiciousness, abundance and richness. After the dinner, the whole f

54、amily will sit together, chatting and watching TV.In recent years, the Spring Festival party broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) is essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad. According to custom, each family will stay up to watch TV.Waking up on New Year, everybody dre

55、ssed up. First they extend greeting to their parents. Then each child will get money as a New Year gift, wrapped up in red paper. People in northern China will eat jiaozi, or dumplings, for breakfast, as they think “jiaozi” in sound means “saying goodbye to the old and greeting the new”. Also, the s

56、hape of the dumping is like gold ingot from ancient China. So people eat them and wish for money and wealth. Southern Chinese eat niangao, because of the pronunciation, niangao means “higher and higher, one year after another.” The first five days after the Spring Festival are a good time for relati

57、ves, friends, and classmates as well as colleagues to exchange greetings, gifts and chat leisurely. The most typical custom on the Spring Festival is burning fireworks. People thought the sound could help drive away evil spirits. The lively atmosphere no only fills every household, but permeates to

58、streets and lanes. A series of activities such as lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs will be held for days. The Spring Festival then comes to an end when the Lantern Festival is finished.D. Christmas: Christmas is one most exciting western festival. During Chris

59、tmas season, people send Christmas cards and presents to relatives and friends. People place a wreath on the front door, and display a lighted candle in the window as signs of welcome, and decorate the Christmas tree in the living room, under which presents are found. On Christmas Eve, people sing c

60、arols and families gather together to have a feast with turkey as the main dish. For children, Christmas is the most pleasant time. As the legend goes, Santa Clause drives a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer, climbs chimneys and stuffs stockings with presents. Santa Clause has the North Pole workshop

61、where toys are made and a huge book in which Santa Clause records the good and bad deeds of all children. And children could write letters to Santa. The celebration of Boxing Day, which takes place on December 26, is a part of the holiday season unique to Great Britain. Traditionally, it is on this

62、day that the alms box at every English church is opened and the contents are distributed to the door. Also, this is the day that servants traditionally got the day off to celebrate with their families. It became traditional for working people to break open their tip boxes on this day. E. The differe

63、nce between Spring Festival and Christmas: From the customs to see the differences, the customs of traditional Chinese festivals regard eat and drink as the theme, but the western countries regard play as the theme. Spring Festival is the most important traditional festivals in China. In addition to

64、 New Year greeting, there are New Years scrolls, firecrackers and other practices; the New Years Eve family dinner is also an important custom. In dinner, “糖瓜” “团圆饭” “dumplings” are absolutely necessary.Christmas is the most important festival for westerners. Westerners are the pursuit of life for the purpose of health and happiness, in addition to the diet, they believe that they are born of original sin, they must believe in God, and then participate in religious services and constant repentance. Thus, they become purify