中西方节日饮食文化之差异.docx

1、中西方节日饮食文化之差异中西方节日饮食文化之差异Differences of Cuisine Culture on Festivals in China and Western CountriesAbstract Food is the necessities in peoples daily life. Each country you are from has their own festival food culture customs, these customs are inherited for centuries. The holiday diet is an important

2、 part in the festival activities. This paper begins with the diet causes of the traditional festivals between Chinese and western countries and it reveals that the Chinese festivals are mostly related to solar terms, while Western has been the influence of religion. Then both of them form a variety

3、of holiday eating. And then by listing some of the important traditional festivals to further explain the eating habits of the traditional Chinese and Western festivals such as Chinese New Year and Christmas. Finally, the cultural connotation of dieting on traditional Chinese Festivals and Western F

4、estivals is made that Chinese people is in pursuit of good health while the West is for personal enjoyment and personal values Key words: Traditional festivals; Cuisine culture; Chinese and western differenceIntroduction A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local commun

5、ity, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the festival.Among many religions, a feast is a set of celebrations in honor of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable. However, the term “feast” has also entered common secular parlance as a

6、synonym for any large or elaborate meal.Festivals, of many tapes, serve to meet specific needs, as well as to provide entertainment. These times of celebration offer a sense of belonging for religious, social, or geographical group. Modern festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics seek to in

7、form members of their traditions. In past times, festivals were times when the elderly shared stories and transferred certain knowledge to the next generation. Historic feasts often provided a means for unity among families and for people to find mates. Select anniversaries have annual festivals to

8、commemorate previous significant occurrences. There are numerous types of festivals in the world. Though many have religious origins, others involve seasonal change or have some cultural significance.Seasonal festivals are determined by the solar and the lunar calendars and by the cycle of the seaso

9、ns. The changing of the season was celebrated because of its effect on food supply. Ancient Egyptians would celebrate the seasonal inundation caused by the Nile River, a form of irrigation, which provided fertile land for crops. In autumn the return of the cattle from the mountain pastures to the st

10、ables in the valley is celebrated as Alabastrine. A recognized winter festival, the Chinese New Year, is set by the lunar calendar, and celebrated from the day of the second new moon after the winter solstice. An important type of seasonal festivals is those related with the agricultural seasons. Cu

11、isine is a characteristic style of cooling practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from. A cuisine is primarily influenced by the ingredients that are available locally or through trade. Re

12、ligious food laws, such as Islamic dietary laws and Jewish dietary laws can also exercise a strong influence on cuisine. Regional food preparation traditions, customs and ingredients often combine to create dishes unique to a particular region.Global cuisines can be categorized by various regions ac

13、cording to the common use of major food stuffs, including grains, produce and cooking fats. Regional cuisines may vary based upon food availability and trade, cooking traditions and practices, and cultural differences. For example, in Central and South America, corn (maize), both fresh and dried, is

14、 a staple food. In northern Europe, wheat, rye, and fats of animal origin predominate, while in southern Europe olive oil is ubiquitous and rice is more prevalent. In Italy the cuisine of the north, featuring butter and rice, stands in contrast to that of the south, with its wheat pasta and olive oi

15、l. China likewise can be divided into rice regions and noodle & bread regions. Throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean there is a common thread marking the use of lamb, olive oil, lemons, peppers, and rice. The vegetarianism practiced in much of India has made pulses (crops harvested solely for

16、 the dry seed) such as chickpeas and lentils as significant as wheat or rice. From India to Indonesia the use of spices is characteristic; coconuts and seafood are used throughout the region both as foodstuffs and as seasonings.1 Formation Background and Reasons for Traditional Festivals1.1 Traditio

17、nal Festivals in China1.1.1 Spring FestivalChinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as Spring Festival, the literal translation of the Chinese name 春节 (Chunjie),since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts with lichun, the first solar te

18、rm in a Chinese calendar year. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western Carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month ( pinyin: Zhengyue) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Years Eve, a d

19、ay where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner is known as Chuxi (除夕) or Eve of the Passing Year. Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the Lunar New Year.1.1.2 Dragon Boat FestivalDuanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival

20、 and the Double Fifth, is a traditional and statutory holiday originating in China and associated with a number of East Asian and Southeast Asian societies. Like all other traditional festivals, Duanwu is reckoned in accordance with the lunar calendar consisting of 29 or 30 days. For this reason, Du

21、anwuthe fifth day of the fifth moon, or double fifthdrifts from year to year on the Gregorian (solar) calendar.The moon is considered to be at its strongest around the time of summer solstice, when the daylight in the northern hemisphere is the longest. The sun (yang), like the dragon (long), tradit

22、ionally represents masculine energy, whereas the moon (yue), like the phoenix, traditionally represents feminine energy. Summer solstice is considered the peak annual moment of male energy while the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, represents the peak annual moment of feminine energy.

23、 The masculine image of the dragon is thus naturally associated with Duanwu.1.1.3 Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival (pinyin:Zhongqiujie), also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival or Zhongqiu Festival, is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese. A description of t

24、he festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou Dynast from 3,000years ago. The celebration became popular during the early Tang Dynasty. The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early

25、October in the Gregorian calendar, close to the autumnal equinox. The Government of the Peoples Republic of China listed the festival as an intangible cultural heritage in 2006, and it was made a Chinese public holiday in 2008. 1.2 Traditional Festivals in Western Countries1.2.1 HalloweenHalloween i

26、s a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31,the night before All Saints Day. Much like Day of the Dead celebrations, the Christian feast of All Hallows Eve, according to some scholars, incorporates traditions from pagan harvest festivals and festivals honoring the dead, particularly t

27、he Celtic Samhain, other scholars maintain that the feast originated entirely independently of Samhain. Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or treating (also known as guising),attending costume parties, carving jack-o-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attrac

28、tions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, watching horror films, as well as the religious observances of praying, fasting and attending vigils or church services.Halloween is also thought to have been heavily influenced by the Christian holy days of All Saints Day (also known as Hallowmas, All H

29、allows, and Hallowtide) and All Souls: Day Falling on November first and second respectively, collectively they were a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed who had yet reached heaven. By the end of the 12th century they had become days of holy obligation across Europe a

30、nd involved such traditions as ringing bells for the souls in purgatory and “soiling”, the custom of baking bread or soul cakes for all christened souls. It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints Day, and All Hallows Eve provided one last chance

31、 for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving onto the next world to avoid being recognized by a soul, Christians would wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves, following the lighted candles set by others to guide their travel for worship the next day. Today, this practice ha

32、s been perpetuated through children guising (trick or treating). In Britain the rituals of Hallowtide and Halloween came under attack during the Reformation as Protestants denounced purgatory as a popish doctrine incompatible with the notion of predestination. In addition the increasing popularity o

33、f Guy Fawkes Night (5th November) from 1605 on saw Halloween become eclipsed in Britain with the notable exception of Scotland .There and in Ireland, they had been celebrating Samhain and Halloween since the early Middle Age, and the kirk took a more pragmatic approach towards Halloween, viewing it as impo