中国传统节日-Traditional-Chinese-festivals

TraditionalChinesefestivalsTherearemanytraditionalfestivalsinChina,thesefestivalsdatebacktoancientChinaandhavetheirownorigins.Boastingrichculturalmeaningandalonghistory,traditionalChinesefestivalscomposeanimportantandbrilliantpartofChineseculture.MosttraditionalfestivalstookshapeduringtheQinDynasty(221-206BC).InthemostprosperousTangDynasty(AD618-907),traditionalfestivalsliberatedthemselvesfromprimitivesacrifice,tabooandmysteryandbecamemoreentertaining.Fromthenon,festiveoccasionsturnedmorebriskandexcitingandmoreandmorefolkcustomsweredeveloped.ContentsChongyangFestivalLanternFestivalDragonBoatFestivalMid-AutumnFestival

QingmingFestivalQiXi(Doubleseven)Festival

ChineseNewYearChineseNewYearThefirstdayofayearinlunarcalendar,usuallybetweenlateJanandearlyFebfireworksdisplay,visitingandgreeting,Yangkedancing,lionanddragondancing,holdingtemplefairsandmanyothergreatfolklore-inspectionevents.DateActivitiesOfallthetraditionalChinesefestivals,thenewYearwasperhapsthemostelaborate,colorful,andimportant.ThiswasatimefortheChinesetocongratulateeachotherandthemselvesonhavingpassedthroughanotheryear,atimetofinishouttheold,andtowelcomeinthenewyear.Commonexpressionsheardatthistimeare:GUONIANtohavemadeitthroughtheoldyear,andBAINIANtocongratulatethenewyear.

LanternFestival15thofthefirstlunarmonthLanternsexpositions,gardenparties,fireworkdisplaysandfolkdances.DateActivitiesTheNewYearcelebrationsendedonthe15thoftheFirstMoonwiththeLanternFestival.Inthelegend,theJadeEmperorinHeavenwassoangeredatatownforkillinghisfavoritegoose,thathedecidedtodestroyitwithastormoffire.However,agood-heartedfairyheardofthisactofvengeance,andwarnedthepeopleofthetowntolightlanternsthroughoutthetownontheappointedday.Thetownsfolkdidastheyweretold,andfromtheHeavens,itlookedasifthevillagewasablaze.Satisfiedthathisgoosehadalreadybeenavenged,theJadeEmperordecidednottodestroythetown.Fromthatdayon,peoplecelebratedtheanniversaryoftheirdeliverancebycarriedlanternsofdifferentshapesandcolorsthroughthestreetsonthefirstfullmoonoftheyear,providingaspectacularbackdropforliondances,dragondances,andfireworks.Qingming

12thofthe3rdlunarmonth,usuallyaroundApril4thor5th.Cleaningancestors'gravesandholdingmemorialceremonies,springouting,andflyingkitesDateActivitiesThisisatimewheniceandsnowhasgoneandplantsarebeginningtogrowagain,andisatimeforrespecttoancestors.Thegravesofdeceasedrelativesaresweptandtended,thememoryofthedeadcherishedandofferingoffoodmaybemade.Toassistancestorsintheafterlife'BankofHell'moneyisburned,therebytransferringmoneytotheancestorstospendastheywill.QingMingisoftenmarkedbyanindulgenceoftheChinesepassionforkiteflying.DragonBoatFestival5thdayofthe5thlunarmonthDragonBoatracesandeatingZongZi(pyramidshapedricewrappedinreedorbambooleaves）DateActivitiesOriginallyareligiouspractice,itisnowpurelyrecreational.TheDragonBoatfestivalcelebratesthedeathofthepoetQuYuan,whodrownedhimselfinthe3rdCenturyBCasaprotestagainstacorruptgovernment.Thelegendsarethatthetownspeopleattemptedtorescuehimbybeatingdrumstoscarefishawayfromeatinghisbodyandthrewricedumplingsintotherivertotemptthefishawayfromtheirhero.QiXi(Doubleseven)Festival7thdayofthe7thlunarmonthlunarmonthInthepast,girlswouldconductaceremonytobegZhinuforwisdom,dexterityandasatisfyingmarriageinthefuture.DateActivitiesTheDoubleSeventhFestival,onthe7thdayofthe7thlunarmonth,isatraditionalfestivalfullofromance.ItoriginatedfromtheHanDynasty(206B.C.-220A.D.)QiXiistheChineseequivilantofthe"Valentine'sDay".Legendhasitthatlong,longago,therewasanhonestandkind-heartedorphanenamedNiuLang(Cowhand).HefellinlovewithZhiNu(WeaverMaid),afairy,alsothe7thdaughterofEmperorofHeaven.Theygotmarriedinsecretonearth.TheEmperorfoundthesky'snotthatbeautifulasbeforewithoutthe7thdaughterweavingcloudsandrainbows.Hewantedhisdaughter'sgrandmothertofindthemissingdaughterandtobringherback.Whilethe7thprincesswasflyingtotheHeavenwithhergrandmother,thecowboyworetheoxhide,tookhischildrenintwobamboobasketswithhiswife'soldfairyclothesandchasedafterhiswifeinthesky.Tostophim,thegrandmothermadeamilkywayintheskywithherhairpin,whichkeptthemseparatedonthetwoendsofthemilkyway.TheirloyaltyandlovetouchedmagpiesandmanyofthemgatheredandformedabridgeforthecoupletomeetintheeveningofQiXi(the7thdayofthe7thlunarmonth),whichisthedaytheEmperorallowedthemtomeetonceayear.Sadly,thistraditioninChinaisdying,asmoreyoungstersaremoreawareofValentine'sDay.Mid-AutumnFestival15thofthe8thlunarmonthenjoyingmoonlightandeatingmooncakes.DateActivitiesProbablythesecondmostimportantfestivalintheChinesecalendar,Zhongqiuhasancientorigins.Occurringonthe15thdayofthe17thlunarmonth(usuallysometimearoundtheendofSeptember/startofOctober)theMid-autumnfestivalcelebratesthemoon.Traditionallyatimeforpoetsandlovers,inChinesesymbolismthemoonsymbolizesunityandwholenessandisatimeforreunionoffamilies.Abundantmealsareeatenduringthefestivalandmooncakes,roundpastriesfilledwithnuts,driedfruits,preservedflowers,sesameand/ormarinatedbeeforbaconareeaten.Chongyang

The9thdayofthe9thlunarmonthEatDoubleNinthGao,moutain/hillclimbingDateActivitiesTraditionalChongyangFestival,orDoubleNinthFestivaltookplaceonthe9thdayofthe9thlunarmonth.ItusuallyfallsinOctoberinthewestermcalendar.Thecustomofascendingaheighttoavoidepidemicswaspasseddownfromlongtimeago.Therefore,theDoubleNinthFestivalisalsocalled"HeightAscendingFestival".EarlyintheWesternHanDynasty,about2,000yearsago,peopleusedtoclimbahighplatformoutsidethecapitalcityofChang'anontheoccasionoftheChongyangFestival.Formany,itwasthelastoutingoftheyearbeforetheonsetofwinter.Thecustomevolvedintoitspresentform,whenpeoplegoclimbingtogetsomeexerciseaswellasenjoytheautumnscenery.Theheightpeoplewillreachisusuallyamountainoratower.Ancientliteraryfigureshaveleftmanypoemsdepictingtheactivity.Eventoday,peoplestillswarmtofamousorlittleknownmountainsonthisday.Onthisday,peoplewilleatDouble