Chinese Language Learning » Chinese Festival

How do u celebrate single’s day?

Panpan — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 07:08:19 +0000

The day of Nov. 11 (11.11) is the so-called “光棍儿节 (Guānggùnr Jié) Single’s Day,” because the four number “1” in the date look like four sticks with smooth surface. In Chinese the phrase "光棍儿 (guānggùnr)” first appeared in ancient China, and referred to those people who were not mindful of their own work and had no family or children. Nowadays, the phrase just means bachelor. “光棍儿 (guānggùnr)” refers to a man, so how does one address a single woman? You can say "单身 (dānshēn)" to address a single woman. “单身 (dānshēn)” can also be used to refer to a single man.
Are you still single? If so, how do you want to celebrate this day? Let’s see how Chinese people celebrate “光棍儿节 (Guānggùnr Jié) Single’s Day.” On this day, many single people choose to go to a bar and join in a single’s party.Maybe you will meet your Mr.or Miss Right there,right?

Key Learning Point:
光棍儿 (guānggùnr): n. bachelor
The character “儿” is always added after the phrase in the spoken language.
Examples:
       Hāi, tīngshuō nǐ yào jiéhūn le, gōngxǐ a.
Mike: 嗨，听说     你要结婚了，恭喜啊。
       Hi, I heard that you are getting married. Congratulations.
       Xièxie. Nǐ ne?
Jim: 谢谢，你呢？
       Thanks. How about you?
       Hēhē, wǒ hái shì guānggùnr yí ge ne.
Mike: 呵呵，我还是    光棍儿    一个呢。
       Hehe, I’m just a bachelor.

Mid-Autumn Festival(zhong qiu jie)

Andrew — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:34:55 +0000

The Mid-Autumn Festival(Zhongqiujie) known as the Moon Festival , the third and last festival for the living, was celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, around the time of the autumn equinox.This day was also considered a harvest festival since fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food was abundant. With delinquent accounts settled prior to the festival , it was a time for relaxation and celebration. Food offerings were placed on an altar set up in the courtyard. Apples, pears, peaches, grapes, pomegranates , melons, oranges and pomelos might be seen. Special foods for the festival included moon cakes, cooked taro, edible snails from the taro patches or rice paddies cooked with sweet basil, and water caltrope, a type of water chestnut resembling black buffalo horns. Some people insisted that cooked taro be included because at the time of creation, taro was the first food discovered at night in the moonlight. Of all these foods, it could not be omitted from the Mid-Autumn Festival.The round moon cakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in thickness, resembled Western fruitcakes in taste and consistency. These cakes were made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard. A golden yolk from a salted duck egg was placed at the center of each cake, and the golden brown crust was decorated with symbols of the festival. Traditionally, thirteen moon cakes were piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a “complete year,” that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary moon.

Duanwu Festival(Dragon Boat Festival)

Andrew — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:50:28 +0000

The Duanwu Festival(端午節duān wǔ jié) is one of the most important festival in China. It (also known as Dragon Boat Festival) is a traditional and formal holiday related to Chinese cultures, which it is celebrated in other East Asian and Southeast Asian societies as well. It is a public holiday in Taiwan, where it is known by the Mandarin name Duānwǔ Jié, as well as in Hong Kong and Macau, where it is known by the Cantonese name Tuen Ng Jit. In 2008, the festival was restored in China as an official national holiday . The festival is also celebrated in countries with significant Chinese populations, such as in Singapore and Malaysia. Equivalent and related festivals outside Chinese-speaking societies include the Kodomo no hi in Japan, Dano in Korea, and Tết Đoan Ngọ in Vietnam.
The festival occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar . This is the source of the alternative name of Double Fifth .The festival focus of the celebrations includes eating zongzi, which are large rice wraps, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats.Dragonboat racing is a traditional sports held at Duanwu Festival. Today, its influence seems to be greater than the holiday itself outside China. Many people consider it a great sport game that integrates strength, tempo, and teamwork.

Chinese Spring Festival

Andrew — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:56:54 +0000

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important traditional holiday in China,Which also named Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan. The festival usually starts on the first day of the month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th, the day is called Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year Eve, known as “chu xi”. It means literally Pass Year Eve.

Chinese New Year celebration is the largest the lunar calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year itself is centuries old and is becoming increasingly important because many myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how people behave and what most people think.Celebrated in areas with large populations of Chinese, Chinese New Year is an important holiday for Chinese and has influenced the celebrations of their geographical neighbors the New Year, and the cultures in which the Chinese have great interactions. For Koreans, Mongolians, Nepal, Bhutan, including Vietnam, and former Japan before 1873.
Outside of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, Chinese New Year is also celebrated in countries with large populations of Han China, like Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. In Canada, although Chinese New Year is a holiday, many ethnic Chinese hold large celebrations and national and international awards for Canada Post issues stamps on the New Year.

In China, however, vary the current Customs and regional traditions to celebrate the Chinese New Year. People will get their money, gifts, decorations, equipment, buy food and clothes. It is also the tradition of every family home a complete Clean up all the misfortunes in an attempt to create space for incoming good luck. Doors and windows are decorated with red only on paper cuts and couplets are popular with the issues of happiness, wealth and longevity. On the eve of Chinese New Year dinner is a feast with their families. Food ranging from ducks to pigs, chicken and sweet treats. The family will complete the evening with fireworks. Early the next morning, children greet their parents, want the time in good health and joy, and receive money in red envelopes paper. The Chinese New Year tradition is a great way to combine all forgotten the anger, and who sincerely wants peace and happiness for all.