Analysis of Chinese and Western Ghost Culture 浅析中西方鬼文化

AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCulture温州医学院本科毕业论文论文题目AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCulture（英文）论文题目浅析中西方鬼文化（中文）专业学院仁济学院 英语专业学院学号班级 学号班级作者姓名指导老师作者姓名指导老师完稿时间完稿时间成绩成绩AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCulture目录Abstract. iv摘要 ivOutline v提纲 vi1.Introduction 12.Introductiontoghostculture 22.1Definitionofghostculture 22.2Valueofghostculture 23.GhostconceptinChineseandwesternculture 33.1GhostconceptinChineseculture 33.2Ghostconceptinwesternculture 44.AnalysisofChineseandwesternghostculture 54.1Chineseandwesternghostcultureinliterature 54.1.1Chineseghostcultureinliterature 54.1.2Westernghostcultureinliterature 64.1.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinliterature 64.2Chineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustom 74.2.1Chineseghostcultureinfolkcustom 74.2.2Westernghostcultureinfolkcustom 74.2.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustom 84.3ReasonsforChineseandwesternghostculturedifferences 84.3.1Religiousreason 94.3.2Socialreason 104.3.3Ideologicalreason 105.Conclusion 11WorksCited 13AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCultureAbstract:Thispaperfirstmakesanintroductiontothedefinitionandvalueofghostculture.Ghostcultureisaproductofhumansociety;itisalsoanimportantpartofhumancivilization.ThepaperthenpresentsghostconceptbothinChinaandwesterncountriestoshowdifferentghostconceptsinpeople'sminds.Literatureandfolkcustomarethemeansusedbyculturetointerpretthemeaningofworld.Therefore,thispaperanalysesthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureintermsofliteratureandfolkcustom,tryingtosortoutthereasonsforthedifferences.Besides,ghostculturecanreflectthevalueofdifferentpeopleindifferentculturessothatitcanbeofhelpingtopromotethecross-culturalcommunication.Keywords:Chineseandwesternculture;ghostculture;ghostliterature;ghostfestival浅析中西鬼文化摘要：本文首先介绍了鬼文化的定义及价值。鬼文化是人类活动的产物，也是人类社会文化的重要组成部分。其次介绍了中西方人对鬼的认知，展现中西方人的鬼文化观念差异。文学和民俗是文化诠释人类世界的手段。因此，本文在文化层面上从文学和民俗角度浅析中西鬼文化存在的差异；并在此基础上分析总结出中西鬼文化差异的原因。通过浅析中西鬼文化，了解中西方人价值观的差异，从而促进跨文化交际。关键词：中西文化；鬼文化；鬼文学；鬼节AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCultureOutline1.Introduction2.Introductiontoghostculture2.1Definitionofghostculture2.2Valueofghostculture3.GhostconceptinChineseandwesternculture3.1GhostconceptinChineseculture3.2Ghostconceptinwesternculture4.AnalysisofChineseandwesternghostculture4.1Chineseandwesternghostcultureinliterature4.1.1Chineseghostcultureinliterature4.1.2Westernghostcultureinliterature4.1.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinliterature4.2Chineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustom4.2.1Chineseghostcultureinfolkcustom4.2.2Westernghostcultureinfolkcustom4.2.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustom4.3ReasonsforChineseandwesternghostculturedifferences4.3.1Religiousreason4.3.2Socialreason4.3.3Ideologicalreason5.Conclusion浅析中西方鬼文化提纲1.引言2.鬼文化的介绍2.1鬼文化的定义2.2鬼文化的价值3.中西文化中的鬼神观3.1中国文化中的鬼神观3.2西方文化中的鬼神观4.中西鬼文化的解读4.1中西文学中的鬼文化4.1.1中国文学中的鬼文化4.1.2西方文学中的鬼文化4.1.3中西文学中鬼文化的差异4.2中西民俗中的鬼文化4.2.1中国民俗中的鬼文化4.2.2西方民俗中的鬼文化4.2.3中西民俗中鬼文化的差异4.3中西鬼文化差异的原因4.3.1宗教原因4.3.2社会原因4.3.3思想原因5.结语PAGE13AnalysisofChineseandWesternGhostCultureRS2006（02）（English）YANGXiaoqunTutor：MAXinfangandWANGDan1.IntroductionAsaverymysteriouspartofculture,ghostcultureinvolvesmanyotheraspectsofculture,suchasphilosophy,folk-custom,religion,psychology,etc.Itisanindispensablepartsofculture.Actually,ghostculturehasexistedsincetheappearingofhumancivilization.Theyhavegreatlyinfluencedhumansociety’sideology.InChina,ghostculturehasbeengraduallyformingabranchoflearningandhasagreateffectonChina’ssociety,politicsandculture.Inwesterncountries,ghostresearchhasalreadybeenvigorousamongthecountriesasakindofpsychicalresearchandhasbecomeaspecializedsubject.Fromallkindsofghoststoriestovarioushorribleviewpeoplesawatnight;fromghostimagesinthemovienamedDraculatothehauntedhousewhichisso-calledaplaceofamusementindailylife;fromtheghoststoriesonlyheardinsomevillagestotheghostnovelswhichpropagateitsbeliefonalargescale;fromHalloweentotheghostcostumeparty,ghostsremainmysteriousattractiontohumanfromancienttimestopresent.Theyareverypopularamongthescholarsbothathomeandabroad.Thenhowdoesghostcomeintobeing?Peoplethinkthattheirthoughtsandfeelingsarenotphysicalbehaviorbutbehaviorofthesoulintheirbodyanddisappearaftertheirdeath.InEngels'sopinion,thereasonwhypeoplethinklikethatisthathumanofhighantiquitydonotknowtheirphysicalstructureandtheyareinfluencedbythesceneintheirdream.(qtd.in汪纷玲173).Inremoteantiquity,peoplebegantothinkabouttherelationshipbetweenthesoulandtheworld:nowthatsoulsexistevenafterdeath,theywillnotdisappearbythemselves.Thentheideaofimmortalsoulsandghostsgraduallyforms.Ghostisafruitbaredbyhumanthoughts.Theremustbesomerelationshipbetweenthemysteriousghostphenomenonandhumansociety(JohnFiske6).Thatistosay,ghostisamirrorthatreflectshumanworld.Oncetheconceptofghostexists,itwillpermeateintopeople’sthoughtsandinfluencetheirviewofworld(汪纷玲169).Inaddition,ghostsinvolveinmanyotherpartsofculture.JustasXuHualongmentionedthatghostwasrelatedtomanyacademiccirclessuchasliterature,folk-custom,art,philosophy,psychologyandreligion(徐华龙1).Hence,researchinghostcultureprovidesagoodfoundationforresearchofliteratureandfolk-custom(qtd.in冯立32).Inbrief,ghostsplayaveryimportantroleinhumanculture.Inancienttimes,mantriedtocommunicatewithghostsbythemeansofsacrificeandsorcerywhichformedghost-relatedfolkcustomslaterandtriedtoexpressghosts’feelingsinreligiousandartisticwaywhichformedghostliteratureandart.Thispaperisgoingtoprobedifferentghostsindifferentcountriesandthedifferentrolestheyplayedindifferentcultures,especiallyinChineseandwesterncountries'culture.Thispaperwillunscrambletheghostculturesfromtheaspectsofliteratureandfolkcustom.Itaimsatrevealingdifferenthumanthoughtsandculturesthroughresearchingtheghostculturessoastocontributetocross-culturalcommunication.2.IntroductiontoghostcultureAccordingtoOxfordAdvancedLearner’sEnglish-ChineseDictionary,“ghost”wasdefinedas“thespiritofadeadpersonappearingtosomebodywhoisstilllivingperson”(“Ghost,”def.620).Thousandsofyearspassed,ghostsstillremainmysterioustohumanbeing.Onthewayofprobingghosts,humanproducedmanyproductsofghosts,suchasghostnovels,ghostrelatedcustoms,ghostart.Andallthesemakeuptheghostculture.2.1DefinitionofghostcultureInlate19thcentury,anthropologistEdwardBurnettTaylorfoundthatbeforethereligioncameintobeing,manwasscaredofdeath.Theyweresurprisedatnotonlythedifferencebetweendeadbodyandlivinghumanbodybutalsothephenomenonofbreathanddream(qtd.in许祥麟77).Consequently,theysupposedthatamanwascomposedoftwoparts:bodyandsoul.Andthentheconceptofghostformed.TheancientChinesephilosopherXunZithoughtghostwasaproductcreatedbyhuman.Peoplethinkthattheyactuallyseetheghost,inXunZi'sview,alwaysundertheconditionofjadedness.Henceghostisapartofhuman'simagination(qtd.in徐赐成52).Asfortheghostculture,asitsliteralmeaningsuggests,itreferstothepartoftheculturerelatedtotheghost.Specificallyspeaking,ghostcultureisakindofillusoryculturalphenomenonthatderivedfromman'sdeath,funeral,necromancyandcult.Andghostculturealsoreferstoaunionpartofman'sbelief,opinion,mentalityandactiontowardghostsincludingitssocialinfluence(黄盛华and周启云1).Soinadeepersense,ghostcultureisakindofbelief;itseemsonthesurfacethatreferstoman'sdescriptionstowardghostdefinition,image,activityandspecies.Tosumup,ghostcultureiscreatedbyhuman.Itisakindofculturethatreflectsman’sthoughtstowardthedeadworldandmirrorsthereality.2.2ValueofghostcultureResearchesofghostcultureprovideagoodfoundationforliteratureandfolk-customresearch.Ghostcultureresearchcanpromotethedevelopmentofliteratureandfolkcustom(徐华龙10).Throughoutthehistory,thereisnolackofrigidartandliteraryworks.However,theycanbecreativeafterinjectingghostelements.Thankstoghost,manynewartstylesemergesuchasChineseghostdrama,Japaneseghostdance,ghostheadportraitmadebyaFrenchsculptornamedFranzXaverMesserschmit.Allthesenewworksofartarebasedonartist’sunderstandingofghostculture.Namely,artisticinnovationcannotbemadewithouttheunderstandingofghostculture.Furthermore,ghostcultureresearchcanhelppeopletolooksquarelyatthefoolishsuperstitionsinfolkcustoms.InChina,ghostsuperstitionsareinvoguenotonlyinfeudalsocietybutalsoinRepublicofChinaperiod.Eventoday,manyignorantpeoplearestillobsessedbyghostsuperstitions.ThegovernmentofHai’anCounty,JiangsuProvinceissuedthatcitizensliveinthecountymustbecrematedafterdeathsinceApril1stonMarch5,1993.Asaresult,about40oldpeoplecommittedsuicidebeforeApril1stonlyforhavingcoffintocarrytheirdeadbodiesandburiedintheground.Theybelievedthatburytheremainscouldbringpeacetothem.Iftheywerecremated,theirbodywouldbedestroyedandcouldnotcontinuetheirnextlifethroughreincarnation.Andinwesterncountries,superstitionsalsoexist.Alatestsurveyshowsthat53%Americansadmittheyarealittlebitsuperstitiousand25%Americansconfesstheybelieveinsuperstitions.SuperstitionsarealsoprevailinginBritishsociety.80%Britishwillhabituallyknockwoodinordertoavoidmisfortune.Ghostsuperstitionscausenegativesocialphenomenon.Revealingthesefoolishsuperstitionsthroughghostcultureresearch,wecanturnnegativetopositive.3.GhostconceptinChineseandwesterncultureTherearemanygreatdifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternculture,whichcanbereflectedobviouslybythedifferentghostconceptsanddifferentattitudestowarddeath.Generallyspeaking,peopleinwesternsocietiesaremoreattractedtowardtheworldafterdeaththanpeopleinChinabecauseofdifferentghostconceptsanddifferentreligiousdoctrines.3.1GhostconceptinChinesecultureChineseghosts,inboardsense,refertodemons,monsters,andgoblins;innarrowsense,itreferstothespiritofadeceasedperson.IntheChineseDictionarybyLuoZhufeng,“ghost”isdefinedas“thesoulofdecedentsorspiritofancestors,orthespiritofallthingsonearth”(“鬼,”443).InancientChina,peopleholdthatmenwillbecomeghostsaftertheirdeathandkindmenbecomekindghostswhileevilmenbecomeevilghosts.Actually,Chineseconcepttowardghostsvariesfrompeopletopeople.InSomepeopleespeciallyBuddhists’view,ghostsareoneofsixformsofdeceasedperson’sexistenceintheworld.Afterdeath,manaccessestotheheaven,ordropsforthedomesticanimal,orcontinueshumanlifebyreincarnation,orbecomeshungryghost,orgoestothehell,orgoestoasura.Theyprojecttheghostworldandbelievethatthesoulofhumandoesnotdisappearafterdeathandaccessestotheghostworldcalledthehell.Thehell,whereholdtheprinciple“Asamansows,solethimreap”,issupervisedbythekingofthehellandotheradministratorsinthehell.Ifyouareanevilmanwhenyouarealive,youwillbepunishedinthehell.Ifyouareaverykindpersonwhenyouarealive,youwillhaveahappynextlife.Thatiswhatgoesaroundcomesaround.AndsomeotherpeoplelikeDaoistsholdthathumanisformedoftwoenergies:YinandYang(ZhangWenli69).Manisinthepositionbetweengodsandghosts.AndgodsbelongtoYangwhileghostsbelongtoYin.ThisconclusionisbasedontheTheoryofYin-YangwhichisputforwardbyDaoismtoexplaintheelementsthatconstitutetheworldandlife.3.2GhostconceptinwesterncultureWesternerswidelyholdthathumansoulisanexactreproductionofhumanbodyineveryfeature,althoughhumansoulissometimesliterallydescribedasabirdorotheranimalsinancientwesterncountries.ComparedwiththemanifoldspeciesandimagesofChineseghosts,westernghostsareinferior.AccordingtoRandomHouseWebster’sDictionaryofAmericanEnglish,“ghost”means“thedisembodiedsoulofadeadperson,imaginedasnearlytransparentandwanderingamongthelivingtohauntthem”(“Ghost,”def.828).Henceinwesterner'seye,ghostisthesoulofdeceasedmananditisadisembodiedandnearlytransparentimageofthedecedent.Westernghost'sattributeisgreatlyinfluencedbyChristianity.Thereisnoword“ghost”intheBiblebut“Demon”and“Satan”whichseemtobeeviljustasthenamesimply.TheDemonintheOldTestamentalwaysappearstodestroythecountryandusuallyknownascracker.SatanisthedevilintheNewTestament.Christiansthinkthatthekindwillgototheparadiseafterdeath,andthosecannotaccesstotheparadiseandremainontheearthareconsideredtobeevil.Accordingtomanywesterntraditionalaccounts,ghostsareusuallythoughttobethedeceasedpeoplelookingforrevenge,orimprisonedonearthforevilthingstheydidduringlife.Sometimes,ghostsareconceivedtobethespokesmenofGodthatpunishwhodonotabidebythedisciplines.Consequently,ghostsrepresentdisasterinwesternculture.Asweallknown,westerncultureisdeeplyinfluencedbyGreekcultureinwhichghostsdoexist.Greeksbelievethecoexistenceofgodsandghostsandthinktheyareinatop-downhierarchy.TheideathatghostnevervanishfromwesterncultureasGoddoesisinlinewithChristianity’sdoctrineandhasdeeplyrootedinwesterncultureandintheheartsofthepeople.4.AnalysisofChineseandwesternghostcultureDanielBellthoughtthatcultureprovidedexplanationforhumanlife,helpedthemsolvethedifficultiestheyconfronted.Bymeansofartandfolkrites,cultureparaphrasedthemeaningofworldthroughanimaginativeway(qtd.in肖向明8).Undoubtedly,ghostculturealsohasthefunctionofprovidingexplanationforhumanlifebasedonviewsofpeople.Literatureandfolkcustomareexactlythemeansthatghostcultureemploystoexpressthemeaningofworld.4.1ChineseandwesternghostcultureinliteratureGhostisaworldwideimage.InChina,mythicalstoriescontinuouslycomeout;ghoststoriesarepopularamongthepeople.Inwesterncountries,gothicnovelsruninfamilies;ghostpresentsinmanynovelsanddramas.However,becauseofdifferentcustomsandhabits,ghostliteraturevariesfromculturetocultureintheworld(魏朝夕539).4.1.1ChineseghostcultureinliteratureChinahasachievedinthousandsofyearsofcultureaswellasliterature.GhostculturehasagreatinfluenceonChineseliteratureandthenChineseghostliteraturegraduallytakesitsshape.Andmostoftheghostworksenjoygreatpopularity.Chineseghoststoriesaregenerallycomposedofattractingplotsandallkindsofghostcharacters.SearchesforGodtoRecordinSixDynasties,PeonyPavilioninMingDynasty,ZibuyuinQingDynasty,areallwell-knownghostliteraryworksinChina.TheyarefullofrichghostimagessuchastrickyghostwhoenjoyplayingtricksonhumaninSearchesforGodtoRecord;DuLiniang’sghostwhoseekforherloveevenifshebecomeaghostinPeonyPavilion;drowningghostwhodieofdrowning,pestilentialghostwhodieofpestilenceandcorpsewhofeedsonhumaninZibuyu.Beyondthat,therearemanyotherghostsimageslikefoxspirit,bull-headghost,horse-faceghostarealsoveryimportantrolesinsomeworks.Referringtoghostliterarywork,wecannotavoidthinkingofStrangeStoriesfromaScholar’sStudio,thefamousghostnovelinChina.Itincluding461storiesandabout140ofthemwereghoststories.Itisfulloflovestoriesbetweenfemaleghostsandyoungscholars.NieXiaoqian,afemaleghostfellinlovewithanyoungscholarnamedNingCaichen.Thefemaleghostsoughtforherloveregardlessoffeudalethics.Thecoupleofloverfinallygotmarriedandledahappylife.Ultimately,theirdistinctivelovewonimmortalfame.4.1.2WesternghostcultureinliteratureWesternghostliteratureisalsoknownassupernaturalliteratureandgothicliterature.Theycontinuouslycameforthsince18thcenturyandwerealltherageduring18thand19thcenturies.ATrueRelationoftheApparitionofOneMrs.VealbyDanielDefoe,TheTurnofScrewbyHenryJames,andAChristmasCarolbyCharlesDickensarealltheworksbasedonghoststoriesduringthattime.Inwesternliteraryworks,ghostcharactersinstoriesalwaysappearinanimageofpaleandtransparentformofthedeadperson.Mrs.Veal’sghostinATrueRelationoftheApparitionofOneMrs.Veal,MissJessel’sghostandherloverPeterQuint’sghostinTheTurnofScrew,JacobMarley’sghostinAChristmasCarolareallintheimagethatexactlythesameasthedeceasedone.What’smore,manyghostimagesinthedramasofShakespearealsoappearlikethat.Itseemstheyhaveaunifiedideaontheimageofghost.Inthe19thcentury,anewimagearoseinwesternghostliterature,Vampire.Asoneofthemostmysteriousghostimagesinliteraryworks,vampirecouldnotbeneglected.Manypoemsandnovelsaboutvampirefloodedintowesternliteratureduringthattime.Inmanyliteraryworks,vampirewasakindofghostthatsuckedhumanbloodandcausedgreatdamagetohuman.Dracula,thefamousvampirecharacterstemmedfromDracula,couldbetherepresentativeofvampire.HesuckedbloodfrompeoplearoundhimandseducedLucywhobecameavampireafterward.Althoughvampireswerefinallybroughttonaughtbyhuman,thedamagetheycausedtohumanwasserious.4.1.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinliteratureInall,contrastingtoChineseghosts,westernghostsarelackofvarietyinbothghostimageandghostdisposition.Chineseghostscanbeclassifiedintoseveralclassesaccordingtodifferentcriteria.Theyarecalledbigheadghost,beanlikeghostaccordingtotheirsize;drowningghostaccordingtothewaytheydie;pestilentialghostaccordingtothediseasecausingtheirdeath;Foxspirit,bull-headghostaccordingtotheiroriginalanimalforms.ThoseghostimagesarewidespreadinmanyfamousChineseliteraryworks,forexample,Zibuyu,StrangeStoriesfromaScholar’sStudio.Ontheotherhand,besidevampire,ghostimagesinwesternliteratureworldareidentifiedastheimageofpaleandtransparentformofdecedent.SoghostimagesinliteraryworksarediversifiedinChinawhileitisunitaryinwesterncountries.Therelationshipbetweenhumanandghostisalsodifferentfromculturetoculture.GhoststhatkindtopeopleandevenfallinlovewithhumantaketheupperhandinChineseghostliterature.ThiskindofghostscanbeseeneverywhereinStrangeStoriesfromaScholar’sStudio.ThefemaleghostNieXiaoqianisaverygoodexample.Onthecontrary,westernghostsaredefinitelyeviltohumanespeciallythevampirewhofeedsonhumanbloodandbringsharmtohumansociety.4.2ChineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustomFolkcustomnamelyreferstothecustomsamongthepeople.Italsoreferstotheculturethatcreatedbypeople,enjoyedandhandeddownbypeople.Differentfolkcustomsbreeddifferentghostcultures.Conversely,ghostcultureresearchprovidesthetheoreticalbackgroundandempiricalreferencesforfolkcustomstudy(冯立32).Generally,theghostcultureinfolkcustomreferstosomeritesandsuperstitionsthatrelatetotheghost,especiallytheritesinthefuneralandsomeghostfestivals.4.2.1ChineseghostcultureinfolkcustomGhostcultureisgreatlyrepresentedinfuneral(郭金秀46).InChina,thefamilyofthedeceasedpeoplewillhelphimtoputhisgraveclotheson.Chinesepeoplebelievethattheghostworldisverycoldanddampallaroundtheyear.Theywillalsopreparecotton-paddedshoesandhatforthedecedenttoprotecthiminthecoldghostworld.Lightisalsoneededinthefuneral.Itissaidthatlightcangivethedirectionforthedecedenttothewayofghostworld.SomefamilyespeciallythefamilythatbelieveinBuddhismwillinvitemonkstodobuddhistischesritualintheseventhdayafterman’sdeathwhichmeansreleasingthesoulofthedecedentfrompurgatory.ChinesefuneralisusuallyagrandsceneespeciallyinancientChina.Andthehigherstatusofthedecedent,thegranderfuneralwillbehold.Allfuneralprocedureaside,thelayoutofthemausoleumandthethingsthatplacedwiththedecedentisalsoverygorgeous.Besides,thelocationofthemausoleumisalsoneedtobecarefullyconsidered.ThemosttypicalexampleistheMausoleumoftheFirstQinemperor.GhostfestivalsalsoreflectChineseghostcultureapparently.TheChineseGhostFestivalalsocalledMid-JulyDayisatraditionalfestivalinChina.Itfallsonthe15thofJulyofthelunarcalendar.PeoplebelievethatonMid-JulyDay,thegateofthehellisopenandhungryghostsarereleasedtowandertheearthinsearchoffoodortakerevengeuponlife.Onthatday,peoplewillofferfood,burnhellmoneyandincenseinfrontoftheirhousetopleasethevisitingghosts.Atthatnight,peoplewillburnandreleaseminiaturepaperboatsandlanternsonwater,whichsymbolizes“givingdirectionstothelostghosts”.4.2.2WesternghostcultureinfolkcustomFuneralisboundtohavetheepitomeofghostcultureandthereisnoexpectationtowesternfuneral.Death,inwesternculture,meansrecoveringone'soriginalpurityandsimplicityandgobacktonature.Sowaterwhichisoneoftheelementsofnatureisanindispensablethinginwesternfuneral.Itissaidthatwatercanwashtheevilaway.Onthefuneral,peoplewillspillthewatertothedeceasedpersontowashhisevilaway.Thelightisalsoveryimportantinthefuneral,itshouldbeputtogetherwiththedeceasedpersonsothathecanaccesstotheparadisetogetherwiththelight.Beforeputtingthedeceasedpersontograve,theywillhavetheclergymantoprayforthedecedent.Usually,westernfuneralprocessissimpleandthefuneraltendstobesolemnandserene.Halloweenisoneofthewesternghostfestivals.However,itgraduallybecomesachildren’sfestival.Onthatday,childrencelebratewiththesloganof“trickortreating”andthesymbolofpumpkinpatches.Bothadultsandchildrenwilltrytheirbesttomakesometroublesonthatday.HalloweenisalsocalledtheEveofAllSaints’Day.Itissaidthatghostswillcometotheearthonthatday.Sopeoplewilldresscostumesandwearmaskstowardoffharmfulspirits.Theiraimistodisguisethemselvesasharmfulspiritsandthusavoidharm.4.2.3DifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternghostcultureinfolkcustomFromthesurfacesideofthefuneralprocedure,Chinesepreparegraveclothesandshoesforthedecedentwhilewesternerspreparewater;Chineseinvitemonkstodobuddhistischesritualwhilewesternersaskclergymantoprayforthedecedent.Infact,Chinesefuneralisdifferentfromwesternfuneralnotonlyintheprocessoffuneralbutalsointhepeople’sattitudetowardfuneral.Chinesevaluefuneralmorethanwesternersdo.InChina,beforethefuneral,therearemanythingsfortheChineseespeciallyancientChinesetopreparelikethelocationoftomb,thethingsthatplacedwiththedecedentinthetomb.AndtheChinesefuneralisgranderthanwesternfuneral.Inwestern,thefuneralismoresolemnandserenethangrand.What’smore,theChinesefuneralisgraded.Thedecedentofhighsocialstatuswillhaveagranderfuneralthanthedecedentoflowsocialstatus.Butthisruleseemsnotappliedinwesterncourtiers.TheritesandactivitiesofghostfestivalspresentthatChinesearemuchmoretendtobeesteemtoghostswhilethewesternerstendtobefearful.Onghostfestival,Chineseofferthefoodandhellmoneytothevisitingghostwhilewesternersdisguisethemselvestodriveghostsaway.AndcomparedwiththeseriousChineseghostfestival,Halloweenismuchfunnierandmorerelaxed.4.3ReasonsforChineseandwesternghostculturedifferencesThereareincomputabledifferencesbetweenculturesbutthereasonsforthedifferencesarecountable.AndHofstede’stheoryofValueDimensionsisagoodhelperinfindingthereasons.Hofst