内容教程案例cultural differences chinese and western festivals

CulturalDifferencesinandWesternFestivals【】Festivalsarepreciousculturalheritageofdifferentcountries,sodifferentfestivalscanreflectdifferentcultures.Thisarticlediscussesculturaldifferencesandcomparisonbetweensomeonein andwesternfestivals,aimingtopromotecross-culturecommunication.【】festivals;culturedifferences;SpringFestivalandtheChristmasDay;thePureBrightnessFestivalandtheHalloween;the Valentine’sDayandtheWesternValentine’sFestivalsarepreciousculturalheritageofdifferentcountries.Thatisalsothereasonwhyfestivalsin andwesterncountrieshavelittleincommon.Asamatteroffact, westernfestivalsserveasanintriguingwindowintotheirculturaldifferences.Theirdifferentoriginsandpeople'sdifferentwaystocelebratethefestivalsallreflecttheirculturalcontrasts.Firstofall,thenamingandtheoriginsof andwesternfestivalsareanindicationoftheirtotallydifferenttraditions.In,manyofourfestivalsareconnectedwithseasonswhichhavegreatinfluenceonagriculture.NewYear'sDay,theSpringFestival,QingmingFestival,DuanwuFestival,Mid-AutumnFestival,ChongyangFestivalandWinterSolsticeFestivalareallexamples.TakeDuanwuFestival,forinstance.ExceptfortheexnationstohonorthegreatpoetQuyuan,manyfolkscholarsbelievethatitoriginatedfromsummersolsticeandpeople'sworshipofdragons.Inthefifthlunarmonth,cropsbegintogrowquickly.Obviouslywaterisvitallyimportanttoagriculturalproduction.Whileinancient,dragonwasbelievedtobethegodinchargeofwater.Onthedayofthefestival,peopleraceddragonboatstopleasethegodandofferhimZongzi.Inthisway,theyprayforfavorableweatherforagriculture.AsregardsChongyangFestivalwhichfallsontheninthdayoftheninthlunarmonth,itisinthegoldenharvestseason.Allpeopleareingreatenjoymentoftheexcitingharvest.Sowecanseehasbeenabigcountryofagriculturesincealongtimeago,and peopletendtoattachgreatimportancetoagriculture.Nowlet'sseetheoriginsofthewesternfestivals.Moreoftenthannot,wefindtheappearanceofreligion,especiallyChristianity.ThereareNewYear'sDay,Epiphany,SaintPatrick'sDay,GoodFriday,Easter,ThanksgivingDayandChristmas.Theyareallconnectedwithreligion.GoodFridayistheofthecrucifixionofJesus,EasteristocommemorateJesus’resurrectionandChristmasisthebirthdayofJesusChrist.WecanseewesternfestivalsarecoveredwithastrongcolorofWhat'smore,people'sdifferentwaystocelebratethefestivalsembodytheirdifferentvalues.In,wepursuehealth,union,andharmony.Foodisamainsubjectforthecelebration.InSpringFestival,wehavedumplings,noodles,NewYearcakes,etc.Noodlessymbolizelongevity,whiletheNewYearcakespronounce“niangao”in,whichmeanslifewill ebetterandbetteryearbyyear.Familyreuniondinnerisofcauseindispensable.WealsoeatmooncakesinautumnDayandLabaPorridgeinLabafestival.We trytomakeourlifemoreharmonious.However,forwesternersthewayofcelebrationisdifferent.Theyneverliketostayathome.Instead,theychoosetogooutandhavefun.AprilFools’Dayisafestivalforyingtricksanditbringsgreatfun.ActivitiestocelebratetheIndependenceDayarecolorfulandexciting,includingics,yingfireworksandparades.Forthem,torealizeindividualvalueisthemostimportant.Theyliketoexpresstheirownfeelingsly.Forexample,SaintValentine’sDayisagoodchanceforwesternerstoexpresstheirromanticlove.Comparedwiththis, peoplearemoreconfinedtotheoldtradition.OnDouble-SeventhDaywhichcanbecalled“ justcanrecallthestoriesofNiulangandZhinuthendonothing.Tosumup, andwesternfestivalsareawindowintotheirdifferentcultures,includingtheirtradition,theirbeliefandtheirvalue.Tolearndifferentfestivalsistopromotecrossculturecommunication.Weshouldknowtheoriginsandpeople’swaysofcelebrationtounderstandthedifferentcultures.Thuscommunicationbetween andWesterncountrieswillbemucheasier.Comparativestudyonsomeimportantfestivals andwesternFestivalcultureisveryprofound.Thefestivalcustomsindissimilarcountriesareestablishedbyusage,withtheowndistinctnationalfeatureandrichpresentationforms,buttheyinfiltratetoeachother.Thisandthewesterncountries:SpringFestivalandtheChristmasDay,thePureBrightnessFestivalandtheHalloween,the Valentine’sDayandtheWesternValentine’sSpringFestivalandtheChristmasIn,asspringisthemostbeautifulseasonandallcreaturesonearthbegintogrow,flowersarebloominginariotofcolor;seedssprouteverywhere,itisvitallyimportanttocelebratethecomingofthespring.Asthebeginningofayear,December23rdinlunaryearisthepreludetoSpringFestival.Onthatday,allfamilieswithoutexceptionwillworshipthegodofthekitchenandstartedtobusilypreparedfortheNewYear’scoming.Inaddition,accordingtothetraditionalhabits,peoplewillalsomakeathoroughcleanup,whichisalsocalledspring-cleaning,toshowtheirdesiretosweep“theoldandbadthings”outoftheirhouse,ringouttheOldYearandringintheNewYear.Afterthiswork,everyhousealongthestreethasabrightandnewlook.Withpaper-cutsonthewindows,coupletsonthewallandredlanternsinfrontofthedoor,itlooksreallybrilliantandfullofhappiness.TheNewYear’sEveisthelastdayofDecemberinlunaryear.Atthatnight,allmembersinafamilywillgettogethertoenjoythe“familyreuniondinner”,impliedmeaningluckyandharmony.Whenhavingdinner,everyoneshouldonlytalkingaboutthingshappyandgood,avoidreferringtodeath,diseaseorsomethingbad.What’smore,familymemberswillnotsleepuntilthedawnoftheNewYear’sDay.Instead,theywillchat,watchingTVandhavingsnackssuchasmelonseeds,orange,andpeanuts.ThemostexcitingmomentiswhentheNewYear’sBellrang.Itseemsasifallthefirecrackersaroundtheworldaresetoffwithonlyonesecond.Thesoundoffirecrackerswillnotstopuntilthedawn,andthenewupsurgewillbeginatthattime,wheneveryfamilyopenthedoorandbegintovisittheirrelatives.ThecarnivalwillcontinuetoJanuary15thinlunaryear.Inwesterncountries,asimilarfestivalistheChristmasDaywhichactuallybeginsinDecember12thandendsinJanuary6thinthenextyear.Like NewYear,itisalsoaperiodratherthanonlyoneday,whichisfamiliartousall–December25th.AsthebirthdayofJesusChrist,theChristmasDayiswithnodoubtthemostvitallydayallovertheyear.Andasweallknow,mostwesternpeopleareChristian.Red,greenandwhiteareregardedastheluckiestcolorsinChristmasDay,astheystandfortheChristmascandle,Christmastreeandpuresnow.Peopledecorateakindofevergreentreewithallkindsandcolorsoflights,balloons,gifts,paperflowersandsoon,allfilledwithafestivalatmosphere.SantaClausisthemostfamousfigureinwesternfestival.AllchildrenbelievethattheywillreceiveabrilliantgiftfromSantaClaus,andastheygrowingup,theywillgraduallyknowthattheirSantaClausisafigureinhuman’simagination.Butwhocare?Themostimportantthingistheygetpleasureandownahappychildhoodfullofimagine.Justlikespring-dinner,westernpeoplevaluethereunionofthewholefamily.TheyhavingdinnertogetherbesidetheChristmastreeandenjoythemselvesinyinguntillateatnight.Itisworthmentioningthatthemostpopularsongsduringthisperiodare“SilentNight”,“JingleBells”.SpringFestivalandtheChristmasDayallshowthehappyandharmoniousatmosphereestablishedinfamilyreunion.Bycontrast, peopleprefertoexpresstheiraffectionandhomesick,whilewesternpeoplearemorelikelytoprayforthegiftofGod.ThePureBrightnessFestivalandthePureBrightnessheremeansclearandclean.PureBrightnessFestivalisfrom calendar.Itisatimetorememberthedeadandthedearlydeparted.InPureBrightnessFestival,it’sacustomtovisitone’sancestor’sgraveandsweeptheirtomb.Therefore,PureBrightnessFestivalisalsocalledTomb-sweeDay.Thereasonwhy peoplechoosethisdayforhonoringtheirancestorsmaybethatthisdayisthebeginningofspringandendingofwinter,allcreaturesbegintogrowandpeoplebelievethattheirancestorswillobtaintheirnewlivesthisday.Theywilllookoverthetombcarefullyandmakesurethatthereisnodamageorcorrosion.Thentheywillbustingsomepaper-money,paper-flowersorsomeotherthingsallmadeofpaper,whichisregardedasnecessityforthedeadpeople’severydayuse.CelebratethisFestivalisimportanttoallofus,butburningpaperisnottheonlyway.Beyondthat,goingforanexcursionandflingkites.SobrietyisoneoftheGhostFestival,demons;natureiscapableofwardingoffevilintowillow.PureBrightnessFestivalhasthegreatvalueofcommemorationandshowthe“ImmortalityofSoul”theoryinthetraditionalthinkingmodes.Life-sustainingisnotconfinesinbiologicalprocess,butinthecontinuationofculture.Itexistsintheconceptinheritedfromonegenerationtothenextandisrevertedbythewholenation.Relatively,thewestern“GhostFestival”istheHalloween.ChildrendressupincostumesatnightonHalloweenandypumpkinlanterns-pumpkinsareatraditionalpartofthecelebration,allpeoplehavepartiesandygames.Young gettogether,wearinginterestingcostumesandallkindsofmasks,visitingeveryhousealongthestreetandaskingforsweets.ItissaidthatghostswillalsovisitthehumanworldatnightonHalloweenandliving shouldtrytheirbesttotreatthemwithwarmth.Thefireandpumpkinlanternareusedtofrightentheghostandleadthemback.Onthatday,peoplecoulddoeverythingormakejokeortroubleastheylikeandnevermindother’sresentment,becauseeveryonedoesaswell.AllpeoplearehappyandenjoythemselvesintheharmonywiththeNature.Loveisthepermanenttopicofhumansociety.In,peoplecelebrateValentine’sDay,whichhasalonghistory.Itisalsocalled“QixiFestival”or“DoubleSeventhFestival”,asthedateisJuly7thinlunaryear.Howdidthefestivalgetitsname?Itissaidthat,onceuponatime,therewasacowboycalled“Niulang”andafairycalled“Zhinu”whofellinlovewitheachother.However,theirlovewasnotallowedbyothersjustbecauseafairycouldn’tloveahumanbeing.Asaresult,ZhinuwasdtogobacktotheHeavenandnotallowedtomeetNiulanganyothertimebesidetheDoubleSeventhDay.Itusuallyrainsmoreorlessonthiseveningoftheyear,afterbeingseparatedoneithersideoftheMilkyWayasapunishmentbytheLordofHeaven.TheValentinesDayiscomparablymoreromanticyetheartrending,becausethisistheonlytimeofyearwhentheCowherdandtheWeaverGirl(Zhinu)meeteachothercrosstheMilkyWay.Luckily，theirtruelovemovedthemagpie,whichwasregardedasaluckybirdin .ThesehelpfulbirdsconsistabridgeovertheMilkyWayandtheloverscouldmeteachotheratthatday.Onthisday,peoplewilllookeduptowardstheskytolookfortheMilkyWay,thestarsstandforthecoupleandprayfortheirlove.Younggirlswillprayforingenuitybymakingsomehand-madelittlebagandhopeforahappyending.TheWesternValentine’sDayisFebruary14th,whichoriginatedintheancientRome.ThethirdcenturyAD,ancientRome,therewasatyrantcalledClaudiusMeadows.AncientRomehasbeencontinuouswar,morethanatyrantCrowerecruitedalargenumberofSriLankancitizenstothebattlefield,comintswereheardeverywhere.CroweMeadowsflyintoarage,hewasnotallowedtotransmitorderstoholdawedding,notevenallatoncetobeengagedinalsotothedissolutionofmarriage.AboycalledValentinusperformedsecretweddingsafterClaudiusbannedmarriagetopreventsoldiersfromdesertinghisarmies.HisactionwasheardbyCroweMeadowsandValentinuswasarrestedandputintoprison.Theboywastorturedandfinallyputtodeath.HisfriendsburiedhimingreatsorrowonFebruary14th.WhentheythinkofEmperorClaudius,theyrememberhowhetriedtostandinthewayoflove,andtheylaugh-becausetheyknowthatlovecan'tbebeaten!AndnowtheWesternValentine’sDayhas eadayforloverswhohaveastrongwilloflove.Onthatday,loversgivegiftstoeachother,youngboyswillchooserosesandgirlschocolates.Youcouldseesweetandhappyloverseverywhereinthestreet.Thedifferencesoftheoriginsandevolutionsareclarifiedabouttheand