29 replies to this topic

[General_Zhaoyun]

I decide to post some info about some of the major traditional chinese festivals celebrated not just by chinese in China, but also by overseas chinese around the world.

Most of the info are compiled from internet sources such as:
http://www1.china.com.cn/ch-jieri/
http://www.geocities...l/festival.html
http://www.gio.gov.t...l_c/index_e.htm

The Major Traditional Chinese Festivals:

1. Chinese New Year ('Chun Jie' 春节) - 1st of January on Lunar Calendar

2. 1st Night Festival ('Yuan Xiao Jie' 元宵节) - 15th of January on Lunar Calendar

3. All Soul's day ('Qing Ming Jie" 清明节) - early spring (106th day after Winter solstice), 5th of April on Solar Calendar

4. Dragon Boat Festival ('Duan Wu Jie' 端午节) - 5th of May on Lunar Calendar

5. Cowhead and Weaving Maiden Festival ('Qi Xi Jie' 七夕节) - 7th of July on Lunar Calendar

6. Hungry Ghost Festival ('Zhong Yuan Jie' 中元节) - 15th of July on Lunar Calendar

7. Mooncake Festival ('Zhong Qiu Jie' 中秋节) - 15th of August on Lunar Calendar

8. Double Nine Festival ('Chong Yang Jie' 重阳节) - 9th of September on Lunar Calendar

9. Winter Solstice ('Dong Zhi' 冬至) - normally between 21st to 23rd of the solar (conventional) Calendar

[General_Zhaoyun]

Chinese New Year ('Chun Jie' 春节)

The chinese new year is the most important festivals celebrated by all chinese around the world. It's also called Lunar New Year or "Chun Jie" (Spring Festival) in chinese.
The celebration lasted for 15 days starting from 1st of January till 15th of January on the Lunar Calendar.

Chun Jie symbolises the beginning of the year, a signal to another fresh start in one's life. It also heralds fresh hopes for happiness and prosperity among mankind.
It is an important festival as it is a time to reaffirm family and kinship ties and grudges are set aside and resolved. Reunion dinners, visitations among relatives and friends and exchange gifts -- these Chun Jie activities serve to remind the Chinese of the central position the family occupies in the society.

ORIGIN

There are 2 versions as to the origin of Chun Jie, but both involves the conquest of a legendary beast Nian (年).

Version 1: The beast Nian (modern Chinese means "year") would come out from the mountains and prey on people on the eve of a new year. People are terrified. Then, an old man said that it feared loud noise and red colour. Hence, before its arrival on the eve, people would put up red paper on their doors and windows and when it comes, all would start to hit drums, pots, light fire crackers to scare the beast away. Indeed the plan worked and from then on, Nian did not appear anymore. Hence the beginning of red paper decorations, lighting of fire crackers and lion dance.

Version 2: Nian had a very big mouth and would swallow a great many people with just one bite. One day, an old man came and offered to subdue Nian. To Nian he said, "I hear say that you are very capable, but can you swallow the other beasts of prey on earth instead of people who are by no means of your worthy opponents?" So, swallow it did many of the beasts of prey on earth that also harassed people and their domestic animals from time to time. After that, the old man disappeared riding the beast Nian. He turned out to be an immortal. Now that Nian is gone and other beasts of prey are also scared into forests, people began to enjoy their peaceful life. Before the old man left, he told the people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again.


CELEBRATION

The climax lasts only about 2 - 3 days, including the eve. Days before Chun Jie, evey family would be busy cleaning the house, hoping to sweep away all ill-fortune in order to make way for incoming good luck. Doors and windwos would be decorated with paper cuts and couplets with verses such as "Gong Xi Fa Cai / 恭喜发财", "Wan Shi Ru Yi / 万事如意", "Long Ma Jing Shen /
龙马精神 ", etc..

Various types of food, fruits and flowers are offered to the ancestors for those practicing ancestral worship.

The chinese usually will have "Fa Gao /发糕 ", a kind of sweet rice pound cake but bot as soft. They have it just for the meaning of prosperity ("Fa") and rising high in position ("Gao"). Another kind of cake called "Nian Gao /年糕 " is also a must have during Chun Jie as it means "Nian Nian Bu Bu Gao Sheng / 年年步步高升 " (rise in position yearly).

Firecrackers are widely lit during the chinese new year, although in some countries such as Singapore, it was banned.

On the chinese new year eve, many chinese families would get together for a steamboat reunion dinner. Some more traditional families might eat "jiao zi /饺子 " (dumplings boiled in broth). After dinner, the whole family will sit up for the night watching TV programmes, play cards / majung / board games. This practice is called "shou sui /守岁 ), meaning to delay the aging process for the more elderly family members.

Early next morning, children will greet their parents and recieve red packets
(Hong Bao /红包 ) During and several day following Neaw Year's day, people are visiting each other with a great deal of exchanging of gifts.


THINGS GENERALLY TO BE OBSERVED

1. After dinner on the eve, one is not supposed to sweep anything out of the house. If one has to sweep, sweep it in. This is done so that one's luck will not be swept away.

2. If one breaks anything such as a gladd or mug, one have to say (Sui Sui Ping An /岁岁平安 ) or (Hua Kai Fu gui /花开富贵 ) which means "peace every year" and prosperity after the arrival of flower blooms.

3. Bad, vulgar or unpleasant topics are to be discouraged.

4. Debts are to be settled before the arrival of the new year.

[General_Zhaoyun]

1st Night Festival ('Yuan Xiao Jie' 元宵节)

After the chinese new year, the next festival to be celebrated is the '1st Night Festival' or Yuanxiao Jie on the 15th of January Lunar Calendar. The 1st Night day also happens to be the night of 1st full moon in the beginning of the year. It is an extension of the chinese new year.

According to chinese tradition, the people had to light up various lanterns and enjoy the full month on this night. They can get together to talk and chat and enjoy both the various lanterns and the full month. In addition, there is also a practice of 'guessing lantern riddles'. During this night, the chinese can eat "Tang Yuan" (汤圆), which is a small dumbling placed in soups.


Origin and History

This custom and festival dated as far back to Western Han dynasty period 2000 years ago. The practice of enjoying the lanterns dated as far back to late eastern han dynasty. During that time, Emperor Han Min Di encouraged the development of buddhism. According to the buddhist custom, the 15th of May on Lunar calendar is the day for observing the buddhist relics. In order to practise this, he ordered that all lanterns to be lit up for the buddhist relics observance and this practice was passed down throughout many temples. Slowly, this custom became a folks tradition.

For more info: please check out

http://www1.china.co.../yuanxiao/1.htm

[General_Zhaoyun]

All Soul's day ('Qing Ming Jie" 清明节)

Qing Ming Jie is a period to remember, honour and pay respect to one's deceased ancestors and family members. It reinforces filial piety in the Chinese community by letting them make special effort to visit the grave, columbarium or temple to pay their respects.

Qing Ming literally meaning clear and bright, falls in early spring (106th day after the winter solstice). To be practical, this occasion is extended 10 days before and after the actual day. Among some dialect groups, one month is allocated.

ORIGIN

In 600 B.C. in Shanxi province, lived a man by the name of Jie Zi Dui. He saved his lord's life by serving him with a piece of flesh from his own leg. Later the lord became the ruler of a small principality, he invited Jie to follow him. However, Jie declined, preferring to lead a seculded life with his mother in the mountains.

The lord thought that maybe by burning the mountain could force Jie out. Hence he ordered his men to set fire. To his consternation, Jie remained there and was burnt to death. To commemorate Jie, the lord ordered all fires to be put out on Jie's death anniversary. Therfore began the "cold food feast" because no food could be cook since no fire could be lit.

The "cold food" festival takes place on the eve of Qing Ming and is considered part of the festival. However, Singaporeans do not practice putting out the fire.

OBSERVATION

1. Visiting the graveyard to clean up the gravesite which includes trimming and cleaning. Food and flowers are brought along to serve as offerings.

2. Due to the popularity of cremation, people are visiting the columbarium instead of the cemetary.

3. Many chinese also adopts the practice of placing ancestral tablets in temples. Hence to pay respects to ancestors also means visiting the temples.

4. For chinese who are neither Buddhist nor Taoists, it is suggested to observe a moment of silence as a mark of respect when visiting graves, cloumbarium or temples.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Dragon Boat Festival ('Duan Wu Jie' 端午节)

Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie) is a day to commemorate the Chinese patriot and poet, Qu Yuan (屈原). Falling on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, it is a day to remind oneself of one's duties and obligations to the nation. Other than eating rice dumplings and participating in dragon boat races, this occasion ought to be used to commemorate the national patriots and to emphasise on the importance of loyalty and commitment to the community.


ORIGIN

During the tumultous period of the Warring States (战国时代), there lived a wise and learned man called Qu Yuan (340 - 278 B.C.). He served in various official capacities in the Chu Kingdom. Evil court official, being antagonised by Qu Yuan's ability and reforms, influenced the weak-minded emperor to dismiss and exile him.

During the next 20 years following his exile, Qu Yuan travelled extensively and composed verses on what he saw and thought. With the progressive occupation of Chu land by the Qin Kingdom, Qu Yuan was totally disheartened. Finally, being overwhelmed by misery, Qu Yuan clasped a stone to his chest and plunged into the Mi Luo River (in Hunan province) on the fifth day of the fifth month.

Upon hearing Qu Yuan's suicide, the fishermen set sail to look for his body, hence began the tradition of holding dragon boat competitions. However, Qu Yuan's body could not be found and people started throwing rice into the river to feed Qu Yuan. Later the local fishermen were told in a dream that the fishes and other sea creatures got the rice instead of Qu Yuan. Therefore, the next time they threw rice into the river, they first stuffed it into bamboo sections to prevent the fish from eating. This custom is later evolved into the present day version: rice wrapped in bamboo leaves stuffed with meat, beans, salted egg yolks, mushrooms, etc..


OBSERVATION

People will start making and exchange dumplings among relatives and friends as early as one week before the actual day. For those who practice ancestral worship, they would set aside some dumplings to be offered to their ancestors.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Cowhead and Weaving Maiden Festival ('Qi Xi Jie' 七夕节)

Celebrated on the 7th night of the seventh lunar month, Qi Xi Jie is one of the more romantic Chinese festivals. This is also called "Qi Qiao Jie" (乞巧节) or "Nu Er Jie" (女儿节) in chinese. This is considered the chinese's valentine's day. It commemorates the annual reunion of the cowherd (Niu Lang /牛郎 ) and the weaving Maiden (Zhi Nu /织女 ). It is a time to emphasise the joy and beauty of love; it is also an occasion to reiterate and demonstrate appreciation and care for one's beloved.


ORIGIN

Version 1: Niu Lang and Zhi Nu were both faries living on opposite sides of the Milky Way ("Silver River" in Chinese). The Jade Emperor of Heaven (玉皇大帝) felt sorry for the two faries and hence arranged for their marriage. The couple became enthralled with each other after their marriage that they neglected their work. The Jade Emperor was annoyed and decreed that henceforth, the couple could only meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh month.

Version 2: Zhi Nu was the 7th daughter of the Jade Emperor. One day while visiting earth, she met and fell in love with Niu Lang. After their marriage, Zhi Nu's absence was discovered by her mother, the Jade Emperess (皇母娘娘) and Zhi Nu was ordered to return to Heaven. The Jade Emperess took pity on the couple and she thus allowed them to meet once a year. So, on the seventh night of the seventh moon, mapies would form a bridge for the fairy wife to meet her mortal husband.


OBSERVATION

Celebration is declining in recent years. In the 50's and 60's, many Chinatown streets turned into fairyland of lights as different "Qi Jie Hui" (Seven Sisters' Association /七姐会 , comprising of mainly single females) competed with each other to put up the most beautiful "shrines" to Niu Lang and Zhi Nu.

The "shrines" were mainly made of paper and fresh fruits, flowers and cosmetics were offered. Also, devotees took pains to make miniature clothes, shoes, and artifacts from paper and embroidery for display.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Hungry Ghost Festival ('Zhong Yuan Jie' 中元节)

Just as the west has Halloween for ghost and ghouls, so does the chinese have a holiday to fete the departed spirits of the underworld. Ghost festival, a popular occasion celebrated throughout China on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month. Historically, families offer sacrifices of then ewly harvested grain to depart ancestors on this day, which also coincides with the Buddhist Ullambana (Deliverance) Festival and the Taoist Ghost Festival. Since each of these traditions in some way honors the spirits of the departed, the seventh lunar month has come to be known as "Ghost Month", celebrated at a time when the "Goof Brethens" (ghosts from the underworld) come back to earth to feast on the victual offered by the living. Over time, the Ullambana Festival and Ghost Festival have melted together to become the present day "Zhong Yuan Pu Du (中元普渡)" (Mid-origin Passage to Universal Salvation).

In China, Ghost festival is passed by slaughtering a pig and sheep, which together with a prodigious table of wine and meat is offered to one's ancestors and ghosts from the underworld.

The chinese believes that the dead becomes ghosts roaming between Heaven and earth. Spirits without descendants to care for them are prayed to during ghost festival so that they may also enjoy warmth of life among the living. This custom, an extension of the traditional chinese ethic of 'universal love', has been woven together from the didactic legend "Mulien Saving his Mother From Hades", giving Ghost festival positival significance as a time for remembering the importance of filial piety.

Today, Ghost Festival is more modest than in the past both in grandeur and scale as the government encourages more frugal forms of prayers in folks cutoms.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Mooncake Festival ('Zhong Qiu Jie' 中秋节)

The mooncake festival (Zhong Qiu Jie) falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is an occasion for family members to get together over mooncakes, fruits and fine tea and have "moon appreciation" (赏月) sessions. With its association with mooncakes and lanterns, Zhong Qiu Jie is also called Mooncake Festival or Lantern Festival other then Mid-Autumn Festival.


ORIGIN

It probably began as a harvest festival where Chinese agrarian communities celebrate and rejoice over their harvest.

The legend of Chang-E (常娥) and Hou Yi (后翼) goes like this: the earth once had ten suns circling it, each taking its turn to bring light and warmth to earth. However, one day all ten suns appeared together. The heat was so scorching and unbearable. A strong archer named Hou Yi came out and succeeded in shooting down nine suns. He was later made the emperor but after that he became a tyrant.

He wanted the elixir of life so that he can continue to rule forever. In order to save the people from his tyranny, his wife Chang-E stole the elixir and comsumed it herself. She then floated to the moon taking along her pet rabbit with her. Hence started the legend of the lady in the moon with her Jade Rabbit.

Zhong Qiu Jie was given new meaning during the 14th century when Zhu Yuan Zhang (朱元章) plotted against the Yuan dynasty started by the Mongolians. The rebels hid their messages in the mooncakes. Zhu eventually succeeded in overthrowing the Mongolian rule and became the first emperor of the Ming dynasty. Although Han rule was taken over by the Manchus in the 17th century (Qing dynasty), Zhong Qiu Jie continues to be a commemoration of the overthrow of the Mongolians by Han people.

CELEBRATION

Zhong Qiu Jie is quite extensively celebrated in China. Mooncakes and lanterns are put up for sale as early as a month before the festival.

People buy mooncakes not only for personal consumption, but also as offerings to ancestors and gifts to senior relatives. The pomelo fruit is another of the popular gift to go along with the mooncakes. The Cantonese name for pomelo is "yow" which has the same meaning as "have".

Children are happy because they have mooncakes and pomelo to eat and also have lanterns to play with. For the adults, they take part in lantern-making competitions and exhibitions. Traditional games such as "deng mi" (lantern puzzle / 猜灯迷) whereby verses of puzzles are hung on lanterns for people to solve.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Double Nine Festival ('Chong Yang Jie' 重阳节)

The double nine festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. According to Chinese custom (I-Ching), "nine" is a number belonging to the positive principle "yang (阳)" thus the day is also known as Chong Yang or "Double Yang" Festival. The ancient chinese regarded this day as an auspicious day and thus began to celebrate it.

The day is traditionally celebrated by activities including hill-climbing, drinking chrysanthemum wine, hanging dogwood sprays, and other customs handed down from the Han dynasty story of Huan Ching and Fei Chang-fang, and were all originally practiced to avoid disaster and danger. Taking advantage of the high, cool fall winds of the season, the people on Taiwan have enriched the holiday with kite-flying, a custom which has become immensely popular on the island over the years.

In Chinese, the word "nine" is homophonous with the word for "long time," and accordingly this number has come to represent longevity. Thus, in 1966, the Ministry of Interior designated Double Ninth Day as Senior Citizen's Day in the ROC, and the week beginning on this holiday is observed as Senior Citizen's Week. Since then, Double Ninth Day has gradually lost its original purpose, becoming today a time of expressing gratitude to the elderly for their hard work and continuing the Chinese tradition of revering the old.

Every major holiday in Taiwan is characterized by special dishes with traditional meaning, and Double Nine Day is no exception to this rule. Double Nine Cakes are eaten to symbolize luck and the "ascendance of all things" since "cake" is homophonous with "high" in Chinese.

Through the ages, Double Nine Day has evolved into a rich and varied occasion, with hill climbing and kite flying activities to strengthen the body, soul and heart; and Senior Citizens' Day to invigorate the traditional Chinese values of filial piety and caring for the elderly. The occasion is thus a time both of good spirit and deep traditional significance.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Winter Solstice ('Dong Zhi' 冬至)

Dong Zhi is the thanksgiving of the Chinese calendar. "Dong Zhi" literally means "arrival of winter". Coinciding with the winter solstice, it is an occasion for the family to get together to celebrate the good year they have had. Tang Yuan (汤圆) is cooked and eaten to symbolise unity and harmony within the family. Dong Zhi occurs 6 weeks before Chinese New Year and would normally fall between 21st Dec and 23rd Dec.


ORIGIN

Winter solstice signifies the beginning of winter. The sun is at the Tropic of Capricorn and this results in the longest night of the year for those living in the northern hemisphere. The festival began as a farmer's festival to celebrate year-end harvest.

CELEBRATION

Dong Zhi is a time for family reunion. Tang Yuan, sweet soup of glutinuous rice flour balls, is indispensible during this festival. "Yuan" (literally meaning "round") signifies "yuan man" (complete / 圆满 ) and Tang Yuan means "tuan yuan" (family reunion / 团圆 ). Eating Tang Yuan is symbolic of family unity and family prosperity.

For good luck, families prefer to have some pink tang yuan to mix with the white ones.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Below is a comment from Kongmun (based on a report he sent to me)

Hello all, I am also a Dragon Boat paddler and have been interested in its
history. IIRC Quyuan wanted to help the people as the Chu Emperor had fallen
into vice and corruption. Quyuan advised the Emperor on how to use his postion
and power to help his people but the Emperor rejected Quyuan's advice and
banished him from the kingdom. Quyuan began roaming the countryside writing
poems of virtue and power and became a local hero. The Chu Kingdom was attacked
by outside forces and was in danger of falling. The news got to Quyuan who felt
helpless and choose to end his life. He took a large stone and jumped into the
river and drowned. When the people heard of this they were heart broken and
brought their boats out to the river and dropped dumplings into the river so the
spirit of Quyuan would not go hungery. The sprirt of Quyuan appeared to one of
the fisherman and told him that the dumplings were being taken by a giant dragon
who lived in the river so to protect the dumplings a!
nd fool the dragon they needed to wrap the dumplings in silk and tie them with
different colored cords. In this way the spirit of Quyuan would not go hungery.

[General_Zhaoyun]

Qing Ming Jie is usually during April or May.

[tongyan]

Winter Solstice ('Dong Zhi' 冬至)

Dong Zhi is the thanksgiving of the Chinese calendar.  "Dong Zhi" literally means "arrival of winter".  Coinciding with the winter solstice, it is an occasion for the family to get together to celebrate the good year they have had.  Tang Yuan (汤圆) is cooked and eaten to symbolise unity and harmony within the family.  Dong Zhi occurs 6 weeks before Chinese New Year and would normally fall between 21st Dec and 23rd Dec.


ORIGIN

Winter solstice signifies the beginning of winter.  The sun is at the Tropic of Capricorn and this results in the longest night of the year for those living in the northern hemisphere.  The festival began as a farmer's festival to celebrate year-end harvest.

CELEBRATION

Dong Zhi is a time for family reunion.  Tang Yuan, sweet soup of glutinuous rice flour balls, is indispensible during this festival.  "Yuan" (literally meaning "round") signifies "yuan man" (complete / 圆满 ) and Tang Yuan means "tuan yuan" (family reunion / 团圆 ).  Eating Tang Yuan is symbolic of family unity and family prosperity.

For good luck, families prefer to have some pink tang yuan to mix with the white ones.

For the Cantonese, there is a saying 冬大過年 'dong da guo nian' (Winter Solstice is greater than New Years) I think the people of past generations placed more importance on Winter Solstice than on New Years because of the mainly agricultural lifestyle of most Chinese. Has anybody else ever heard of this saying or does it exist in other dialects?

[nguoiVietchanhtong]

hey, the Vietnamese people have these festivals also. What's going on here?