Festivals- What are some of the Ancient Chinese festivals and traditonal foods?
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Festivals are one of the most important aspects of the Chinese religion. Some of the most famous festivals include of the spring festival, lantern festival, dragon boat festival, mid-autumn festival, winter solstice festival, double seventh festival and the ninth double festival.
The Spring Festival - from the 1/1 -
The spring festival is the most important Chinese festival. The spring festival is held on the 1/1 (first day of the new lunar year) and is when you celebrate family reunion which is full of fun and exotic activities and the celebration of the spring blossom advent. The festival originated in the Shang dynasty when people would sacrifice to the God's and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. On the 8/1 (eighth day of the first lunar month) families make laba porrige which is made of rice, millet, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko. The 23/1 (the twenty third day of the first lunar month) is a day called "preliminary eve". At this time people sacrifice to the kitchen God's before "seeing the new year in", new year celebrations.
When it reaches new years day store owners and families decorate their houses and windows with various decorations, bathe and clean bedrooms, linen, clothes and utensils. They decorate to rejoice the festivity and families put pictures of God's to scare off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance. When Chinese wake up on new years children receive money wrapped in red paper decorative paper as a gift for new years. Their breakfast consists of dumplings as it is a symbol of the farewell to the old year and ushering of the new. They also believe that it scares of evil spirits from their new year celebrations.
The Spring Festival - from the 1/1 -
The spring festival is the most important Chinese festival. The spring festival is held on the 1/1 (first day of the new lunar year) and is when you celebrate family reunion which is full of fun and exotic activities and the celebration of the spring blossom advent. The festival originated in the Shang dynasty when people would sacrifice to the God's and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. On the 8/1 (eighth day of the first lunar month) families make laba porrige which is made of rice, millet, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko. The 23/1 (the twenty third day of the first lunar month) is a day called "preliminary eve". At this time people sacrifice to the kitchen God's before "seeing the new year in", new year celebrations.
When it reaches new years day store owners and families decorate their houses and windows with various decorations, bathe and clean bedrooms, linen, clothes and utensils. They decorate to rejoice the festivity and families put pictures of God's to scare off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance. When Chinese wake up on new years children receive money wrapped in red paper decorative paper as a gift for new years. Their breakfast consists of dumplings as it is a symbol of the farewell to the old year and ushering of the new. They also believe that it scares of evil spirits from their new year celebrations.
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The Chinese Lantern Festival
The lantern festival is held on the 15/1 (the fifteenth day of the first lunar month) and is when lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the street and people walk around with hand help lanterns. The festival dates back ore than 2,00 years at the beginning of the eastern Han dynasty when Emperor Hanmingdi saw monks hanging lanterns on the Buddhist temples, he ordered that the whole city was to do the same, that is why the whole China participates in this festival as it was ordered by the Emperor. An essential part of the festival is "Guessing lantern riddles".
During the daytime period of the festival there are many performances such as dragon lantern dancing, lion dance, yangge dance, stilt walking, drums and more dancing. At night there are many magnificent lanterns, fireworks and picnics by the river.
Dragon Boat Festival
The dragon boat festival is held on the 5/5 (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). Families/people go to the river and watch dragon shaped canoes race, rowing to the beat of a drum. There is a winner's cup called the "Qu Yuan cup". Qu Yuan was the minister of the state of Chu and an early Chinese poet. During a battle when his state was defeated he felt a failure and plunged himself into the Miluo river on the 5/5. People set out on dragon shaped canoes to search for their missing minister. They found his dead body among the reeds in the river. The dragon boat is held on the 5/5, as it is the day Qu Yuan died and people race in dragon canoes in resemblance to the search canoes used to find Qu Yuan. On the 5/5 (the dragon boat festival) parents dress them and their children in traditional clothing, which is called Cheongsam. People wear silk pouches which hold perfume bottles and herbal essences, they hang them around the neck. The traditonal food eaten at the festival like most other is glutinous rice dumplings.
The lantern festival is held on the 15/1 (the fifteenth day of the first lunar month) and is when lanterns of various shapes and sizes are hung in the street and people walk around with hand help lanterns. The festival dates back ore than 2,00 years at the beginning of the eastern Han dynasty when Emperor Hanmingdi saw monks hanging lanterns on the Buddhist temples, he ordered that the whole city was to do the same, that is why the whole China participates in this festival as it was ordered by the Emperor. An essential part of the festival is "Guessing lantern riddles".
During the daytime period of the festival there are many performances such as dragon lantern dancing, lion dance, yangge dance, stilt walking, drums and more dancing. At night there are many magnificent lanterns, fireworks and picnics by the river.
Dragon Boat Festival
The dragon boat festival is held on the 5/5 (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month). Families/people go to the river and watch dragon shaped canoes race, rowing to the beat of a drum. There is a winner's cup called the "Qu Yuan cup". Qu Yuan was the minister of the state of Chu and an early Chinese poet. During a battle when his state was defeated he felt a failure and plunged himself into the Miluo river on the 5/5. People set out on dragon shaped canoes to search for their missing minister. They found his dead body among the reeds in the river. The dragon boat is held on the 5/5, as it is the day Qu Yuan died and people race in dragon canoes in resemblance to the search canoes used to find Qu Yuan. On the 5/5 (the dragon boat festival) parents dress them and their children in traditional clothing, which is called Cheongsam. People wear silk pouches which hold perfume bottles and herbal essences, they hang them around the neck. The traditonal food eaten at the festival like most other is glutinous rice dumplings.
Traditional Festival Foods
There are many traditional Chinese foods incorporated in Chinese festivals.
Traditional Festival Foods:
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Dumplings
Dumplings are a very popular food in China. On new years people eat a serve of dumplings in the last hour of the new year as they believe it is a token for good fortune. Cooks sometimes wrap the dumplings in leaves and often place a coin in it as a token of good fortune to the one whoever receives/eats the dumpling.
Dumplings are a very popular food in China. On new years people eat a serve of dumplings in the last hour of the new year as they believe it is a token for good fortune. Cooks sometimes wrap the dumplings in leaves and often place a coin in it as a token of good fortune to the one whoever receives/eats the dumpling.
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Niangaa (rice cake)
The Chinese eat Niangaa (rice cake) on new years to celebrate. They are usually fried or steamed.
The Chinese eat Niangaa (rice cake) on new years to celebrate. They are usually fried or steamed.
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Zongzi (pyramid dumplings)
Zongzi is made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Zongzi can be made into a savory or sweet dumpling. In a Zongzi dumpling meat, shrimp, bean paste and nuts are sometimes added for flavor.
Zongzi is made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. Zongzi can be made into a savory or sweet dumpling. In a Zongzi dumpling meat, shrimp, bean paste and nuts are sometimes added for flavor.
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Moon Cake
The Chinese eat moon cakes as they watch the moon at night during the mid-autumn festival. They are round in shape and are made of sweet bean filling, yolk paste, coconut paste and have a golden flaky crust. Moon cakes are decorated with designs to resemble to mid-autumn festival and the moon.
The Chinese eat moon cakes as they watch the moon at night during the mid-autumn festival. They are round in shape and are made of sweet bean filling, yolk paste, coconut paste and have a golden flaky crust. Moon cakes are decorated with designs to resemble to mid-autumn festival and the moon.