Comparison-between-Christmas-and-Spring-Festival.docx

Comparison between Christmas and Spring FestivalMajor: English Education Class: 4 No.: 110201117Name:钟文静SpringFestivalandChristmasareboththemostimportantfestivalsfortheChinesepeopleandwesternpeople.Becauseofthedifferentculture,therearedifferentwaystocelebrate.Whatisthedifference?SoIchosethistopictostudy. Time.TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthantheGregoriancalendar.Strictlyspeaking,theSpringFestivalstartseveryyearintheearlydaysofthe12thlunarmonthandwilllasttillthemid1stlunarmonthofthenextyear.Ofthem,themostimportantdaysareSpringFestivalEveandthefirstthreedays.TheChinesegovernmentnowstipulatespeoplehavesevendaysofffortheChineseLunarNewYear.TheSpringFestivalthencomestoanendwhentheLanternFestivalisfinishedChristmasDayisonDecember25.Peopleusuallyhavetwoweeksforthisholiday,beginningshortlybeforeChristmasandendingsoonafterNewYears.whichcelebratesthebirthofJesusChrist,thefounderoftheChristianreligion.Itisareligiousfestival.TherearespecialChristmasservicesinChristianchurchesallovertheworldHowever,comparedwiththeChristmas,SpringFestivalhasnothingtodowiththereligionasmostfestivaldoes,butisderivefromseveraloldfolkloresorlegendsofancientChina ThefestivalisthemostsolemnholidayinChina.Therearemanytalesaboutitsorigin.OneofthemostuniversallyacceptedstatementsisthatitbeginsintheeraofYunShun,whenShunenthronedandprayedtothegodwithhissubjects.InSpringFestival,peoplereturnfromallaroundtheworldtocelebrateitwiththeirfamily.TheChinesepeoplelovetostickcoupletstocelebratethecomingofanewyear.IntheNewYearsEve,everybigfamilygetstogethertomakedumplings,thenhavereuniondinner,inwhichpeoplesittogetherandreflectloveandrespecttoeachother.Furthermore,peoplevisittheirrelativesduringthespringfestival,conveysloveandgreetingstothem.TheChineseSpringFestivalisanexpressionofhappiness.Itisfullofkindheartednessandfilialduty.Notonlydoesitenhancetheloveamongpeople,butalsobringspeopleabrandnewfeelingofadvancebravelyandcontinuousimprovemHistory.SpringFestivaloriginatedintheShangDynasty(c.1600BCc.1100BC)fromthepeoplessacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.AlthoughnooneknowsexactlywhenJesuswasborn.ChristiansthroughouttheworldcelebrateHisbirthdayonDecember25.ThisdatewasselectedinthefourthcenturysothatChristmaswouldreplacethepagancelebrationofthewintersolstice.Ancientpeoplesbelievedthatdaylighthoursbegantolengthenwhenthesungodstartedhisjourneybacktoearth.TheycelebratedthebeginningofhisjourneyonDecember25.Homedecorating.InChina,beforetheNewYearcomes,peoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheircleanroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.AllthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithSpringFestivalcouplets,highlightingChinesecalligraphywithblackcharactersonredpaper.ThecontentvariesfromhouseownerswishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckfortheNewYear.Also,picturesofthegodofdoorsandwealthwillbepostedonfrontdoorstowardoffevilspiritsandwelcomepeaceandabundance.TheChinesecharacterfu(meaningblessingorhappiness)isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastednormallyorupsidedown,forinChinesethereversedfuishomophonicwithfucomes,bothbeingpronouncedasfudaole.Whatsmore,twobigredlanternscanberaisedonbothsidesofthefrontdoor.RedpapercuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycoloredNewYearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningsmaybeputonthewall.Westernpeopledecoratetheirhomewithevergreens.Thewintercustomofdecoratinghomesandchurcheswithevergreensbeganinancienttimes.Branchesoffirorsprucewerethoughttobringgoodluckandguaranteethereturnofspring.TheearlyGermansbelieved,forexample,thatinwinterevilspiritskilledtheplantsandtreesandcausedgreenleavesandflowerstodisappear.Theyfeltthatbringingevergreensintotheirhomeswouldprotectthemfromthespiritofdeath.Germansofthesixteenthcenturyprobablyoriginatedthecustomofdecoratingtrees.Inthenineteenthcentury,theideaspreadthroughoutEuropeandtheUnitedstates.Now,atChristmastimedecoratedtreesstandinabouttwothirdsofAmericanhomes.ThemodernAmericantreeisusuallycoveredwithcoloredballsandstringsofcoloredlights.ThestarontoprepresentsthestarintheeastwhichguidedthethreeWiseMentoBethlehem.Inancienttimes,abranchofmistletoewashungoverdoorwaysforgoodluck.Todaythecustomcontinues,butnowitisforfun.Amanmaykissanygirlhecatchesstandingunderthemistletoe.ThepoinsettiaplantisanotherfamiliarChristmasdecoration.Itsstar-shapedredleavesareanidealsymboloftheholiday.ThisplantisnativetoCentralAmericaandMexico.InthenineteenthcenturyitwasadaptedtocultivationintheUnitedStatesbyDr.PoinsettofSouthCarolina.ItisadistinctlymodernandAmericanChristmastradition.Celebrating.InChina,Allpeoplelivingawayfromhomegoback,becomingthebusiesttimefortransportationsystemsofabouthalfamonthfromtheSpringFestival.Airports,railwaystationsandlong-distancebusstationsarecrowdedwithhomereturnees.PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymemberseatdinnertogether.Afterthedinner,thewholefamilywillsittogether,chattingandwatchingTV.Inrecentyears,theSpringFestivalpartybroadcastonChinaCentralTelevisionStation(CCTV)isessentialentertainmentfortheChinesebothathomeandabroad.Accordingtocustom,eachfamilywillstayuptoseetheNewYearin.ThefirstfivedaysaftertheSpringFestivalareagoodtimeforrelatives,friends,andclassmatesaswellascolleaguestoexchangegreetings,giftsandchatleisurely.Inwestern,manyfamiliesgoawayfortheholidays,perhapstoskiinColoradoortoswimandsunbatheinFlorida.Thosewhostayhomehavefun,too.Therearenumerouspartiestocelebratethefestival.AlthoughAmericansenjoythecommercialgaietyofChristmas,themostbeautifulandmeaningfulaspectsoftheholidayoccurathomeandinchurch.ManyfamiliesgotochurchonChristmasEveandChristmasmorning.Afterservices,theygatheraroundthetreeandopentheirgifts.ThentheysitdowntoenjoyatraditionalChristmasdinner.Festivalfood.InChina,onthespringfestivaleve,themealismoreluxuriousthanusual.Dishessuchaschicken,fishandbeancurdcannotbeexcluded,forinChinese,theirpronunciations,respectivelyji,yuanddoufu,meanauspiciousness,abundanceandrichness.PeopleinnorthernChinawilleatjiaozi,ordumplings,forbreakfast,astheythinkjiaoziinsoundmeansbiddingfarewelltotheoldandusheringinthenew.Also,theshapeofthedumplingislikegoldingotfromancientChina.Sopeopleeatthemandwishformoneyandtreasure.SouthernChineseeatniangao(NewYearcakemadeofglutinousriceflour)onthisoccasion,becauseasahomophone,niangaomeanshigherandhigher,oneyearafteranother.Christmasfoodisspecial:peppermintflavoredredandwhitestripedcanesofsugar,brightcoloredhardsweets,chocolatebonbons,creamyhomemadefudgeandclustersofchocolate-coveredraisins,walnutsorpecans,etc.AsforChristmasdinner,traditionallyhaveturkeyorham,sweetpotatoes,vegetables,andcranberrysauce.Fordessert,thereisusuallyfruitcake,plumpudding,ormincepie.Thepuddingisdarkbrown,richandfruity,sometimeswithafewsilvercoinshiddeninit.Thepiesaresmallandround,containingamixtureofdriedfruitsandsuet.Gifts.WakinguponNewYear,everybodydressesup.Firsttheyextendgreetingstotheirparents.TheneachchildwillgetmoneyasaNewYeargift,wrappedupinredpaper.ThefirstChristmasgiftswerethosethatthethreeWiseMenbroughttotheinfantJesus.ThecustomofgivinggiftstofamilymembersandclosefriendsisextremelypopularintheUnitedStatestoday.BothchildandadultsgetChristmaspresents,althoughchildrenusuallygetmanymore.AsinGreatBritain,Americanchildrenhangstockingsbythefireplace,hopingthatSantawillfillthemwithcandyandtoys.Specialcustoms.Burningfireworkswasoncethe