A Brief Comparison of Chinese and Western FestivalsWord格式.docx

A Brief Comparison of Chinese and Western FestivalsWord格式.docx

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ABriefComparisonofChineseandWesternFestivals@#@ABriefComparisonofChineseandWesternFestivals@#@I.Introduction@#@Festivalisdefinedasaspecialoccasiononwhichpeoplemaygivethanksforaharvest,commemorateanhonoredpersonorevent,payrespecttothedead,orcelebrateaculture.Festival,asaculturalphenomenon,comesintobeingduringthecourseofhumandevelopmentandhistoricalevolution.Thisuniqueculturalphenomenonembodieshumancognitionandattentiontothenaturalenvironmentsandperipheralsurroundings.Asweknow,adiversemultitudeoffestivalsareenjoyedworldwide.Althoughthedifferentregions,nations,religionsandculturesbringaboutmultifariousfestivals,andthemeansofcelebrationvaryfromoneplacetoanother,mostofpeoplebearcommonfeelingsforthefestivals,thatisprayingforhappinessandhealth,fulfillingthegoodwill,andshowingtheloveoflife.Thefestivalcelebrationalsoexpressespeople’sreminiscentmoodfortraditionsandconveytheiraspirationtopursuethedreams.@#@Festivalisconsideredas“acarrierofculture”,oranembodimentofthepatternsofbehaviorandthinkingthatpeoplelearn,createandshare.Throughthisuniqueandspecificphenomenon,itismoreconvenientanddirectfortheresearchertoprobeintothedeeperlayerofhumanculture.Moreover,thefestivalprovidesusashortcuttoexplorethedivergenceandsimilarityoftwocultures.Asweknow,itisimpossibleforustomakeresearchonallaspectsoffestivalcustomssincecultureitselfisaverycomplicatedphenomenon.Thus,Ijustchoosesomerepresentativeandwell-knownfestivals---SpringFestival&@#@ChristmasDaytomakeabriefcomparison.@#@II.ComparisonofSpringFestival&@#@ChristmasDay@#@1.OriginoftheHolidays@#@InChina,SpringFestivalisthefirstandforemostonethatshouldbementioned.SpringFestivalisalsoknownastheChineseNewYear.SpringFestivalstartswiththenewmoononthefirstdayofthenewyearandendsonthefullmoon15dayslater.SothetimingoftheholidayvariesfromlateJanuarytoearlyFebruary.TheSpringfestivalcelebratestheearthcomingbacktolife,andthestartofploughingandsowing.Inthepast,feudalrulersofdynastiesplacedgreatimportanceonthisoccasion,andceremoniestousherintheseasonwereperformed.@#@Thefirstdayoflunaryearscalled“nianchuyi”（thefirstdayofnian）.Thereisfolkloreaboutthemonstercalled“nian”.Infact,thefestivalstemsfromtheagriculturalproduction.Chinaisanagriculturalcountryandourancestorshaveknownhowtocropinthefieldsandformedafarmingindustrythousandsofyearsago.Afteraccumulatingexperienceduringthelong-timecultivation,theancientpeoplefindoutthattheproperseedsplantinginspringtimeleadstoagoodharvestinautumn.Later,afamoussayingcomesintobeing“thewholeyear’sworkdependsonagoodstartinginspring（一年之际在于春）”.Therefore,thespringtimebecomestheprimetimefortheChinese.BecausetheChineseregardspringtimeasastartofthewholeyear,nowondertheChineseplacesomuchemphasisonthespringtime,andSpringFestivalistreatedassuchanimportantfestival.Meanwhile,thisfestivalmirrorstheChinese’attitudestotherelationshipbetweennatureandhuman---keepingharmony.Indailylifeandwork,peoplefindacertainruleinnature;@#@followingit,peoplesettheproductionscheduletohelpplantinareasonableway.Innature,peoplemakedevelopmentandenjoylife.@#@ChristmastothewesternsiscomparedasSpringFestivaltoChinese.ItisonDecember25theveryyearandusuallylastsforaweek,untilanewyear.ChristmasoriginatedfromEurope.HowChristmascomesintobeingmustdatebackto1A.D.whenJesuscameintoworld.ThenameChristmasisshortfor“Christ’sMass”.AMassisakindofchurchservice.ChristmasisthefeastofthenativityofJesus,ison25th,Decembereveryyear.ItisthedaywecelebrateasthebirthdayofJesus.InBible,thereisavividdescriptionofthestoryaboutJesusbirth:

@#@inacityofGalilee,thevirgin’snamewasMarywasbetrothedtoJoseph.Beforetheycametighter,shewasfoundwithachildoftheHolySpirit.WhileJosephherhusbandwantedtoputherawaysecretly,Gabriel,anangeloftheLordappearedtohiminadreamandtoldhimnotbeafraidtotakeMaryaswife.AndMarywouldbringforthason,andheshouldcallhim,Jesus,forhewouldsavehispeoplefromtheirsins.Finally,onDecember25th,Marybroughtforthherfirstbornson---Jesus.@#@2.PreparationfortheHolidays@#@PreparationsfortheNewYearfestivalstartduringthelastfewdaysofthelastmoon.Housesarethoroughlycleaned,debtsrepaid,haircutandnewclothesbought.Doorsaredecoratedwithverticalscrollsofcharactersonredpaperwhosetextsseekgoodluckandpraisenature,thispracticestemmingfromthehangingofpeach-woodcharmstoke