China - Festivals & Traditions
Chinese New Year
Each year is named after one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each animal is supposed to have its own traits. It is said that you take on the characteristics of the animal associated with the year in which you were born. 2017 was the year of the rooster.
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People born in the Year of the Rooster as said to be protective and honest.
The Chinese zodiac for the next 12 years is:
2017 - Rooster
2018 - Dog
2019 - Pig
2020 - Rat
2021 - Ox
2022 - Tiger
2023 - Hare
2024 - Dragon
2025 - Snake
2026 - Horse
2027 - Goat
2028 - Monkey
2017 - Rooster
2018 - Dog
2019 - Pig
2020 - Rat
2021 - Ox
2022 - Tiger
2023 - Hare
2024 - Dragon
2025 - Snake
2026 - Horse
2027 - Goat
2028 - Monkey
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During the New Year celebrations people wear red clothes and give children money in red envelopes. Red is considered to be a lucky colour and is supposed to ward off back luck. |
Chinese dragons are found in Chinese mythology. The dragon was a symbol of power and it was thought that it brought good luck. As a result you often see the dragon on royal robes and buildings.
Tin Hau Festival
Tin Hau was the goddess of the sea. She was supposed to be able to predict the fortune of sailors. She could also predict storms. During this festival those villages, towns and cities that depended on fishing for their livelihood celebrated. People still celebrate this festival in Hong Kong. There are parades and traditional dancing.
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Cheung Chau Festival
This festival is also hugely popular in Hong Kong. This festival originally began as a way to pray for safety from pirates. Locals eat only vegetarian food during this festival. There is a special parade in which children, dressed as heros, float in the air above the crowd. As part of the festival there is a competition where competitors race up the bun towers to snatch the buns. The higher the bun the better the luck they will have. |
Weifang International Kites Festival
Duanwu Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
Harbin Snow and Ice Festival
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the world. Harbin is in the northeast of China. The winters in Harbin are bitterly cold so it is the ideal place for a snow and ice festival. Sculptures are carved out of snow and ice. They are lit at night with brightly coloured lights.
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the world. Harbin is in the northeast of China. The winters in Harbin are bitterly cold so it is the ideal place for a snow and ice festival. Sculptures are carved out of snow and ice. They are lit at night with brightly coloured lights.
Sampan
A Sampan is a type of flat-bottomed boat. Some Sampans had shelter on them in which the fishermen could sleep. Traditionally they were pushed along with a pole but now motors are used. Tourists sometimes take tours on them around Hong Kong harbour.
A Sampan is a type of flat-bottomed boat. Some Sampans had shelter on them in which the fishermen could sleep. Traditionally they were pushed along with a pole but now motors are used. Tourists sometimes take tours on them around Hong Kong harbour.
Dancing & Music
The lion dance is a traditional Chinese dance. This dance is performed during festivals. Like the dragon dance it is thought to bring good luck and fortune.
Initially the opera was only for the wealthy. Gradually it became more available to to commoners in places such as tea rooms. Chinese opera is a mixture of traditional music, dialogue and dance.
They also wear very dramatic make-up. The make-up tells the audience about the role of the character in the opera. It may also tell them about the personality of the character and what their fate will be. A character with a black face is heroic while one with a red face is loyal and brave. You cannot trust the character with a yellow or white face. Actors representing gods and spirits have gold or silver faces. What do you think the character below is like?
Look at the unusual shoes these dancers are wearing.
Here is a video of some dancing.
Here are some musicians playing music.
There are stringed instruments such as the pipa, moon guitar, erhu, guquin, guzheng, liquin the gaohu. The strings are plucked or played with a bow.
There are also wind instruments such as the dizi, xiao, suona and lusheng.
Here are some women playing nose flutes.
There are also different types of percussion instruments.
Here is some Chinese music:
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Silk
Paper
Cloisonné
Cloisonné is an ancient technique used for decorating objects made of metal. Long ago this technique was usually used to decorate small items such as jewellery or the handles of weapons. By the time this technique spread to China it was soon used for much larger objects such as bowls and vases.
Cloisonné is an ancient technique used for decorating objects made of metal. Long ago this technique was usually used to decorate small items such as jewellery or the handles of weapons. By the time this technique spread to China it was soon used for much larger objects such as bowls and vases.
You can see many beautiful cloinsonné items in museums. Souvenirs sometime buy souvenirs using this technique to bring home with them.
Mahjong