中美传统节日对比英文版.docx
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中美传统节日对比英文版
2012年6月13日
论中美传统节日
摘要:
每个国家都有其自己的文化。
传统节日是文化的重要一部分。
不同的文化有着不同的传统节日。
传统的民族节日形成是一个民族的历史文化的长期积淀。
节日的由来原因与人民的生活有密切的联系,它体现了人们丰富的情感世界,寄托了人民对生活的热爱。
一个国家的传统节日折射了一个国家的文化底蕴、文化特色与民族特点。
本文通过对中国传统节日及与美国传统节日重大节日列举、对比两国节日在起源、庆祝方式、传统习俗、等方面的异同,例如七夕和情人节,春节和圣诞节。
这些节日虽然在起源、背景、庆祝方式等方面存在重大差异,但它们可以说是相同节日在中西方的不同表现形式,它们在中西方的地位很相似。
这篇文章从起源、背景、庆祝方式、节日象征等方面对它们进行对比并分析它们的异同点,它将从以上几方面比较与分析中美主要传统节日文化的异同。
以便于我们更好的了解我国的文化。
在保护民族文化的同时学习外国优秀文化。
关键词:
节日背景习俗象征
毕业论文中文摘要
毕业论文外文摘要
Title:
OnChineseandAmericanTraditionalFestivals
Abstract
Everynationhasitsownculture.Traditionalfestivalisanimportantpartofculture.Differentcultureshavedifferenttraditionalfestivals.Festivalisasystemofsharedbeliefs,values,customsandbehaviorsthatthemembersofasocietyusedtocopewiththeirworldandwithoneanotherandthataretransmittedfromgenerationtogeneration.
ThispapermainlyfocusesondifferentholidaysinChinaandinAmerica,readerscanfindoutsomedifferencesandsimilaritiesinorigin,celebration,customs.SuchasTheDoubleSeventhFestivalandValentine’sDay,SpringFestivalandChristmasDay.Althoughthesefestivalsaresignificantlydifferentintheaspectsoforigin,background,celebration,etc,theycanbeconsideredequallyimportantintheeastandwest.Throughanalysisthesefestivals,learnerscanhaveabetterunderstandingofdifferentculture.
Keywords:
festivalbackgroundcustomsymbol
Contents
1Introduction
Everynationhasitsownuniquecharacters.Cultureisanimportantaspect,andtraditionalfestivalsareregardedasthebestform of expressionofculture.Tounderstandthenation’sculture,wehavetoknowthetraditionalfestivals.Mostofthefestivalsarecloselyrelatedtopeople’slives,historyandculture.Traditionalfestivalsaretheveryimportantpart ofculture.Differentcultureshavedifferent traditional festival.The traditionalfestivalsinChinaandinUnitedStatearegrowing intheirownculturalsystem.ComparingChinesefestivalswithAmericanfestivals,wecanfindoutthesimilaritiesanddifferences.SuchasSpringFestivalandChristmasDay,Double-SeventhDayandValentine’sDay.Althoughthesefestivalshavesimilarities,theyhavemanydifferencesinorigin,custom,symbol.Forexample,Chinesefestivalsaremainlynamedaftertheseason.Whilewestern festivals weremostlynamedafter the religiousfiguresorevents.Anotherdifferenceisthatwesternfestivalsarebasedonsolarcalendarwhichisworld-wide-usedbutChinesetraditionalfestivals arebasedonlunarcalendarwhichisusedonly in China.
ThroughanalyzingthesimilaritiesanddifferencesofChinesefestivalsandAmericanfestivals,learnerscanhaveabetterunderstandingofourownandWesternfestivals.
2FestivalsinChina
2.1SpringFestival
TheSpringFestivalistheendingofoldyearandthecomingoftheNewYear.Itindicatesagoodluck.The SpringFestivalisthemostimportantfestivalfor the Chinese.AtthattimeallfamilieswillgettogetherjustlikeChristmas in the West.Peoplewholivefarawayfromhomewillgobackhome.
InChina,beforecomingoftheNewYear,housesarethoroughlycleaned,peoplewouldhavetheirhaircut,foodprepared,debtsrepaid,andnewclothesbought.Doorsaredecoratedwithscrollsofcharactersonredpapertoseekgoodluckandpraisenature,thiscustomstemmingfromthehangingofpeach-woodcharmstokeepawayghostsandevilspirits.Inmosthomesincenseisburned,andalsointhetemplesasamarkofrespecttoancestors.Inaddition,symbolicflowersandfruitswereusedtodecoratethehouse,andcolorfulNewYearpicturesareplacedonthewalls.ThemostimportantdaysareSpringFestivalEveandthefirstthreedaystocelebratethelunarcalendar’sNewYear.OnSpringFestivaleve,themostimportantthingistohaveabigfamilymeal.NorthernChinesepeopleliketoeatdumplings,Dumplingsarethemosttraditionalfoodwhoseshapeislikeavcoin.whileSouthernChinesepeopleusuallyeatrice.SpringFestivalisatimeforallfamilymemberstogohomeforafamilyreunion,whichlendsitselftothemeal'scommonnameofa"familyreuniondinner".Childrenlikethefestivalverymuch,becausetheycanhavedeliciousfoodandwearnewclothes.Theycanalsogetsomemoneyfromtheirparents.Thismoneyisgiventochildrenforgoodluck.TheSpringFestivallastsabouthalfamonthlong.Peoplevisitrelativesandfriendswiththewords“HappyNewYear”.PeopleenjoytheSpringFestival,inthistimetheycanhaveagoodrest.
Therearemanytraditionalcustomsonthisfestival.
WavingGoodbyetotheKitchenGod
AccordingtoChinesefolklore,thekitchengodtravelstoheavenattheendofeveryyeartoreporttheearthlygoings-ontothegodofheaven.Inthepast,aroundDecember23or24onthelunarcalendarpeoplewouldpreparecandyforthekitchengodtomakesurehesaysnicethingsaboutthem,butfewpeoplestillcarryonthiscustom.
SweepingofftheDust
Everyyear,aftersendingtheKitchenGodtotheHeaven,peoplebegintocleantheirhousesandwaitforthecomingSpringFestival.SweepingoffthedustisoneofthecustomsthatpeoplesaygoodbyetotheoldyearandwelcometheNewYear.Inordertodothiswell,peoplewillcleaneverycornerofthehouse.Althoughitisaritualofcleaning,itisthenecessaryritualafterofferingsacrificestothegods.ItisalsosaidthatpeopleareafraidofoffendingtheKitchenGod.SowhentheywavegoodbyetotheKitchenGod,peoplecouldtrytheirbesttocleantheirhousestowelcomeSpringFestival.
ThereisthecustomofstayingupallnightontheNewYear’sEve.Thewholefamilysitstogethertochat,lookintothefutureuntildawntowelcomethelunarNewYear.Firecrackersandfireworksalwaysprovidethebackgroundmusicforthepeoplestayingup.ThereisalsothecustomofburningfireandcandlesthroughouttheNewYear’sEve.Thelightsareturnedoncontinuouslyforthewholenight.
Inmanyplacespeopleliketosetofffirecrackers.ThetraditionofsettingofffirecrackersonthefirstdayofNewYearhasahistoryofmorethan2000years.InChina,theSpringFestivalisalsocalled"Nian",afterthenameofaterriblebeastinChinesefolklore.Everyyearatthistime,itcamedownfromthemountaintothevillagestoeatpeopleandanimals.Inthepast,peopleburntbambootogeneratehugenoisestodriveitaway,andthistraditionhaschangedtotheuseoffirecrackers.ThethunderingsoundoffirecrackersannouncesthecomingofthelunarNewYear,aswellasvariousgodsdescendingfromtheHeaven.Itwasbelievedthatthegodsreturnedtothemoralworldwithnewmissionsaftertheymadetheirreportsfortheoldyear.Eachhouseholdwouldsetupanaltartowelcomethemback.TherearedifferentkindsofgodsintheChinesepeople’smind,suchastheGodofHappiness,theGodofHeaven,andtheGodofEarth,etc.Peopleworshipthosegodstoprayforagoodfuture.
2.2Double-SeventhDay
ChineseValentine'sDayfallsontheseventhdayoftheseventhmonthofthelunarcalendar.Thisisadaydevotedtoromance.InChina,thisdayisalsocalled"TheBeggingFestival"or"TheDaughter'sFestival."Itisanimportantdayforgirls.Intheevening,girlspreparemelonsandfruitbeforeworshipandprayersforagoodmarriage.
AlmosteveryoneinChinaisveryfamiliarwiththestoryofthefestival.ItissaidthattheseventhdaughteroftheEmperorofHeavenandanorphanedcowherdwereseparatedbytheEmperor;thegirlwasforcedtomovetothestarVegaandthecowherdtotheAltair.Theywereonlyallowedtomeetonceayearonthedayofseventhdayofseventhlunarmonth.Thestorybeginswiththehandsomebutpoororphanwholivedwithhiselderbrotherandsister-in-law.Afterhisparentspassedaway,theboy'sbrothergotthehouseandland.Butallhehadwasanoldox.TheseventhdaughteroftheEmperor,alsoknownastheWeavingGirl,wasgoodathandcrafting,especiallyweavingclothes.TheEmperorparticularlylikedherskillsofweavingcloudswithrainbowstomaketheworldmorebeautiful.Thecowherd'sox,whichwasactuallyanimmortalfromheaven,mademistakesinheavenandwasreincarnatedasanoxtotoilonearth.Oneday,theoxsuddenlysaidtothecowherd:
"Youareaniceperson.Ifyouwanttogetmarried,gotothecreekandyourwishwillcometrue."Theoldoxtolditsmasterthatseveralyounggoddesseswouldcometothispondinafewdaystobathe.OneofthemwouldbecalledWeavinggirl,WeavinggirlwasadaughteroftheEmperorofHeaven.Shewasverybeautifulandkind.Theoldoxsaidthatifcowherdcouldtakeawayherclotheswhileshewasinthepond,shewouldbehiswife.
Whenthedaycame,Cowherdhidinthetallreedsbythepondandwaitedfortheyounggoddesses.Theysooncame,justastheoldoxhadsaid.Theytookofftheirsilkrobesandjumpedhappilyintotheclearwater.Cowherdcreptoutofhishidingplace,pickedupweavinggirl'sclothesandranaway.Hercompanionsweresofrightenedthattheyjumpedout,dressedasquicklyastheycouldandflewaway.Weavinggirlwasleftaloneinthepond.Cowherdreturnedandgaveherbackherclothes.Hehadlovedherfromthefirstmomenthesawher.Theylookedintoeachother'seyes.Thegirlagreedthatshewouldbehiswife.Theyweredeeplyinloveandgotmarriedverysoonafterwards.Cowherdworkedhardgrowingcropsandweavinggirlraisedsilkworms.Threeyearslater,weavinggirlgavebirthtotwins,aboyandagirl.Theylivehappilytogetherfortherestoftheirlives.
Oneday,theoldoxwasdying.Beforeitcloseditseyesforthelastminute,ittoldtheyoungcouplethatitshidewouldenableamantoflytotheheaven.Ittoldthemtopreserveitc