中西方节日文化之比较

　　The Spring Festival and Thanksgiving Day is the most grand and lively festival in China and western respectively.Different festival have different social activities，nevertheless festival is only one aspect of difference in culture.Festival is endowed with special social and cultural significance in a year，meanwhile it penetrates between in daily life，embodying people colorful life regional and national politics.Traditional festival is most significant part of national history and culture.In addition，festival is the summary of the economic and cultural religion and extension.China and Western have their own traditional festivals.These festival have some in common,but even more their respectively characteristics.

　　People keep the most delicate and most representative national culture in the festival.They reflect a nation’s traditional habits,morality and religion.It represent the vision of the whole nation and is a happy event in thousands of year.It is pretty good way as a whole cut to understanding the Chinese and Western culture.Today society has set up a communication platform for the festival customs exchanging and provides the cozy culture learning environment as well.

　　The author mainly talks about the customs and functions of these two festivals and explore the difference between Chinese and Western culture.It produces profound impact in culture communication.At the end of this paper,it express we should learn rationally learn and absorb foreign cultural values.Meanwhile,we can protect and carry forward the cultural essence of Chinese nation.With understanding the cultural difference,it will be conducive to their traditional culture inheritance and development basing of seeking common ground.

　　This chapter will talk about the origin of these two festival.The origin has a deep relationship with the living life and social activities.

　　The Spring Festival,a family reunion holiday,is the most significant elaborate,colorful,and important feast in China,just like the Christmas in the west and has more than 4,000 years of history.Chinese New year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts from spring.The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of 1 lunar.It is usually later one month than the Gregorian calendar.Strictly speaking,the Spring Festival start from every year in the early days of 12th lunar month.The Spring Festival originated in Shang Dynasty(C.1600BC-C.1100BC)and people sacrifice to the gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of new one.(Zhao 101)

　　The Spring Festival usually last about 15days.In the fact,it initiates the eve of the lunar New Years Day,and the prime month of the lunar calendar is the official ending of the Spring Festival for most of Chinese people.It is quiet universal amid Chinese that the term”Guo Nian”meaning"passing the year”which frequently is used during celebrating the new year.People usually shoot off the firework welcoming the advent of new year.In an instant the whole world at this moment will immerse the shocking sound of the firecracker.There are two typical convincing origin of the Spring Festival．

　　Initially,in ancient time people provide the sacrifice to the god and the ancestors in the last month of Chinese lunar calendar.This is what we said the beginning．

　　In order to do well the sacrifice,people usually clean the house thoroughly and take the shower etc.After finishing above the activitie,on that day people set off sacrifice the god and ancestors.Most of people have finished the farm work and have the spare time to do activities in this nothing better time.However there is no certain worshipping date because of the farm activities.Later the time of sacrificing the deities and the ancestor is fixed until Han Dynasty.The convention of sacrificing the god and ancestors maintain,but the influence and the scale are not magnificent than before.Besides,It is the season that the flower is blooming and the grass is sprouting．At spring,the weather is not cold any more and people can go out to held a variety of activities to welcome the advent of new year.

　　Secondly,the most famous legend about Spring Festival which is overwhelming spread is the year monster,a kind of animal that have a ferocious appearance appearing at the eve night.People call the beast“Nian”.Nian is fierce animal with a quite mouth and it is that it can eat a number of people and other living animal in just one bite.What is more,people also call the beast“guonian”which means the previous year is pass.In the ancient time,most of person hold that the monster will come out to eat people in the New Year’s eve.It is natural that mankind are afraid of the beast for eating them.The old man provide rescue to the people.The old man have the conversation with the beast with his wisdom.”I heard that you have unparalleled ability and the human being is not enough to be your opponent.Dare you challenge other beasts by yourself”the elderly man.The monster did the way what the old man said.The monster is not only finishing the other beasts but also some other primary animals which are frequently harassing people.

　　Then the elderly man riding the monster disappeared in the clouds and the old man to mankind surprise is a fairy.Finally the monster left and other animal were so frightened that they hidden in the forest.The human being start to enjoy a harmonious and happy life.When the old men left,he told the people the monster is very scared of the red color,so sticking the red decorations like paper cutting firing,stickers on the window and door can scare away the beast and prevent the beast from here again.The traditional custom which is handed down and remain the present and from the generation.In the folk,people call the Spring Festival“guo nian”.The term of guo means celebrating the new year advent in nowadays and in the Chinese there are two meanings of the word of“guo”.One meaning is"pass-over"and the other is“observe”.(Deng,Wang 13):That is to say there is two meanings of the term of“guo nian”.The custom of putting up to the red paper and set off firecracker increases the atmosphere of celebration.(Deng,Wang 29)

　　By knowing these two origins,Spring was a time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed through another year,a time to finish out the old,and to welcome in the new year.The legend show the industrious and brave Chinese people’s indomitable spirit.People from disparate districts will sacrifice to the gods and ancestors at the end of an old year.

　　Thanksgiving Day as celebrated in North America is a ancient festival and family reunion holiday like Chinese Spring Festival for American people and it highlights reunion.People always celebrate with big dinners and happy reunions.There is no fixed time for thanksgiving day early and the time decided just by the states temporarily until after the independence day in 1863，the president Lincoln declare they term thanksgiving day as a national day holiday and in 1941Congress formally proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.On that day,Americans appreciated the God giving them blessing around the year.In addition,Thanksgiving holiday usually lasts from Thursday to Sunday.On this day,no matter how busy the people are,thousands of people all come back home and reunion with their family.It has most connotation with early American history.

　　Thanksgiving Day in the United States has been traced back to the initial history of United States

　　The early setters of the United States or calling puritans in the 16 th century to the 17 th century had launched a with fierce reformation and they declared out of the church of England.This is what we call the religious reform movement England history.(Zhou 153)They announced out of the church of England and set up a new church.Puritans argue that remove residual effects within the Christian church.But in the middle of the 17 century,Royalist parliament passed the law believing the national church.The pilgrims began to persecution by the government and the church forces.Many of them were arrested and suffered from torture and religious trial.They every moment threatened the puritans who are compelled helpless.

　　Due to derivation the free using their own ways of worship,they have no choice leaving their ancestral home England.Thanksgiving Day in the United States has been traced back to the initial history of United States

　　In 1620，the pilgrims famous leader Bradford had summoned 102 companion and taken the ship called“Mayflower“loaded a number of people who can’t bear the Britain religious persecution seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship.The time 1620 is closed to 1621.They encountered unimaginable difficulties such as hunger,cold,exhaustion,starvation or epidemics,which made the half people losing their live.In the end,the voyage lasted two months and they finally Plymouth,Massachusetts.Haply,they confronted the kind Indians.Not only did they bring the necessities of life,but taught them the good ways and the skills such as how to hunting,fishing and planting corn and pumpkin etc.With the help of Indians,immigrants who survived began sowing in the first spring and finally won a harvest.In the days of harvest celebration basing at the religious traditions the immigrants regulated the term of Thanksgiving Days and show their thanks not only god but Indians as well.They invited the Indians who given them the sincere help to celebrate the meaningful festival together.

　　Through the contrast,we can get a conclusion that China‘s Spring festival mainly comes from the folk and it is obvious that the feast choice of Spring Festival is based the summary of the people to the real production and life and a generalization of framing activities and rhythm.However,judging from the history of Thanksgiving Day,we can see Thanksgiving Day is not the patent of the United States or Canada.The truth is that it is be confirmed in the era of Moses and a public memorial holiday which has a profound belief connotation.

　　This chapter will talk about the cultural customs of Spring Festival and Thanksgiving Day.There is a closed relationship with the people’s daily life,history and production for these two festival.

　　The Spring Festival and Thanksgiving Day use their special custom showing us the colorful life of people.We get the rich connotations of these two festival’s custom.

　　3.1.1 The Ways of Celebration

　　Spring Festival is reunion festival and the family reunion dinner is an important section for reunion.All the people in china who is away from their home goes back celebrating it.Real the night before Chinese New Year is called"New Year's Eve".From the traditional Reunion night celebrations sustained until the fifteenth day Lantern Festival.

　　Reunion dinner is also called the family reunion dinner and it falls on New Year’s eve meaning that we eat the family dinner on this special day for all Chinese.This is most significant day for Chinese to reunion.The family is the cornerstone of Chinese society.The annual reunion dinner fully show the Chinese family members love and respect each other with the closely relationship between the family.

　　When it comes to the customs of Spring Festival,you have to say the interesting custom,lucky money,is that the senior are ready the money in advance and giving the lucky money to the younger generation.The lucky money have a function that it can eliminate the“XieSui”because of the same harmonics between the“old and sui”.After the younger generation say happy new year to the senior,the senior will give them the lucky money.The people who gets the New Year money can lead a peace and happy life throughout this year.The senior usually give the money that is parceled by red paper.Now the custom distributing the lucky is still popular amid the Chinese people and the custom of giving lucky money have been carried from generation to generation.

　　The spring couplets as the Spring Festival decoration is necessary part of the Spring Festival and if there is no Spring Couplets,the Spring Festival is not complete.The delicate phrase written on the red paper which is pasting the door describe the glorious image express good wishes to the coming year and symbolize the prosperity.Different couplets have different topics and meaning.To the farmer couplets express their wishes having good harvest,to the businessman have more money and to all the people have a good health and lead a happy life.All in all,the couplets express people good will to the year.

　　For Thanksgiving Day,since the eighteenth century,the Untied States people began to give the poor a basket of food.At that time,the group of people wants chose a day which they can do good things and latterly they believed Thanksgiving Days no better good to do the good things for them.They are fitted with a full basket of food and delivered them to the poor people as long as the thanksgiving day comes.People learn from them and follow them to do from then on.(Zhou 158)Thanksgiving table arrangement also has distinguished feature Household is not put the flowers as usual,but fruits and vegetables.They put a pumpkin that is surrounded by some apples corn and nuts in center of the table.What is more,people hollow the pumpkin inside setting shelled nuts or light a candle.At the ordinary time,the hostess invite the guests to talking at the living room,but on the thanksgiving day,dinner is so sweet that everyone is willing to stay a little longer at the table.They happily eat while recall the past until the final candle burnt out.They enjoy the special night every second.After Thanksgiving Day dinner，some family usually do some traditional games,dancing game and so on.Some of them have been spread until now.

　　Through the ways celebration of Thanksgiving Day,it is not difficult to see the customs is related to the universal religious beliefs.The custom contain a strong religious belief color and features.however,The way of Spring Festival mainly show the reunion,family,hope with the concept of human nature and express the wish to the future.

　　3.1.2 The Symbol of Traditional Food

　　Chinese festival diet mainly embodies the people good wishes of happiness and family reunion.There are many special food in China symbol of the good wishes.Rice cake which is the traditional food of china is also called”Nian Gao“and especially it is widely eaten by people during the lunar new year.The rice cake has the link with people for better life Dumpling is a traditional food in the north of china and it has a long history being traced back to the northern and southern dynasty.(Deng,Wang 14)It is a tradition that all the family member get together to make dumpling,while they watch the Spring Festival gala in the New Year eve night．Tang Yuan is a typical food which is eaten by Chinese people during the Lantern Festival and in the term of the Tang Yuan,the yuan in Chinese culture means the symbol of a good reunion．Tang Yuan symbolize the wealth and reunion in Chinese culture.To sum up,we can conclude the food during the is the best wishes and hope we have good hap for the coming year.

　　Traditional Foods of Thanksgiving Day comes from religion to express the honor of God and loyalty.As the same like the Spring Festival,on Thanksgiving Day no matter how busy they are,they will have a reunion dinner with their family members tasting the delicious Thanksgiving turkey.In addition to the traditional turkey,the fruits,red berry moss,corn,pumpkin cake and so on are their essential food on Thanksgiving Day.People use such food to celebrate Chinese and western festival has the different cultural connotation

　　In the final analysis,the diet culture difference has a big difference.As the most important representatives of agricultural civilization,Chinses traditional festivals have linked closely to the farming of throttle.The food are the symbol of the Chinese good wishes.But for westerners,festival is mainly originated from religion.It is not important for them what eat.What is important for them is to use this opportunity to communicate feelings of their own and express their gratitude to the the gifts of God and the good harvest.

　　3.1.3 The Activities of Celebration

　　Spring Festival is reunion festival and the family reunion dinner is an important section for reunion.All the people in china who is away from their home goes back celebrating it.Reunion dinner is also called the family reunion dinner.The annual reunion dinner fully shows the Chinese family members love and respect each other with the closely relationship between the family.Besides,The CCTV New Year‘s Gala is very crucial way in the New Year‘s eve.All the family member gathered in front of TV seeing the variety programs while they eat the family reunion dinner or eat the dumpling.The CCTV New Year‘s Gala which starts at 8:00 lasting about six or seven hours is deeply loved by people.The central theme of the gala would be naturally“unity”“joy”“harmony”.Not only does The CCTV New Year‘s Gala bring the rich and colorful variety of culture,but also has brought much joy for the people.

　　To sum up,This traditional way of Spring Festival expresses taking away the bad luck welcoming the new life and it is not a religious festival that is filled with the universal religious belief.The custom mainly show the reunion,family,hope with the concept of human nature and express the wish to the future.

　　There is a custom about turkey on Thanksgiving Day,the turkey become the necessary part of dishes,but there is also a lucky turkey.In 1947，president Truman added a ceremony to free a turkey.As matter of fact,the traditional rituals can be traced back to the administration of president Lincoln.In a day of 1863，Abraham Lincoln‘s son Tiger suddenly broke into the Cabinet.He was asking his farther to pardon a pet Turkey named Jack,because the turkey which is send to the White House is about to become people’s thanksgiving dinner.This turkey avoid the fate becoming the dish.In 1947,President Truman impressed by this.The activity of free a turkey is sustained until now.

　　The special activities for Thanksgiving Day is parade.The United States is very lively.People sustain the traditional customs to the church pray.No matter the town of rural towns,everywhere held the activities such as makeup Parade,theatrical performance and sport competitions.The school and shops have day off according the regulation.Children in a strange costumes and face drawing or wearing a mask sing with the trumpet in the street.

　　Through the contrast,we can draw the conclusion that people all use their own special activities to celebrate the festival.In a way.they increase the atmosphere these two festival via activities.

　　As we all know there is a closed relationship in the festival,these two festival represent their special functions and characteristics in their own festival.They also have the some similar functions.

　　3.2.1 Communicational Function

　　Spring festival has a strong affinity to help people understand mutually and communicate smoothly.when it comes to the Spring Festival,it will refer visit the friends and relatives.In the real society,the relationship of the people tend to more and more secularization in rational and utilitarian way.(He 63)The communication between people is becoming more and more difficult.people only in ideal situation,can achieve the real understanding and self expression.Form this perspective.The Spring Festival is the ideal place to exchange.At this time,the flow of people bake home form all the directions and all the work are suspened.Only in this special time,can we truly achieve free communication and understanding.However,the communication of Thanksgiving Day is more based on the family as a unit.

　　3.2.2 Educational function

　　The education function of the Spring Festival is very obvious.The aim of Chinese culture is to foster the men that has the basic characteristic of honest and trustworthy and filial piety parents.The good characteristic including aged respected and filial piety parents and so on via the variety activities can be put into practice and realized educating every Chinese should have to core value and basic ideas.The Spring Festival also let the person inherit and carrying forward the good characteristics of their ancestors.In the traditional society,people of different surnames stick couplets is different,however the connotation of the couplet is similar.The couplet inspire the successors sparing no effort to work and equipping with good morality.The elder at the process stick the couplet tell the meaning of the couplet and educate them inherit the good character from the ancestor.This is why the good character can be transmitted from the generation to generation.

　　For the education function,Americans celebrate thanksgiving to express their gratitude teacher with gratitude education teach student to repay their parents and return to society.There are many different forms of activities letting children to feel the traditional culture and express their heart feelings.There is no better good case in point coming to my mind that the teacher asked each student with the help of family elaborate the food of thanksgiving and make the model of turkey with their class.Before eating the turkey.The teacher will comprehensively introduce the thanksgiving day to the students,while the students share with the class and teacher who they want to thank and the telling reasons.Such festival is not only making the students feel the festival culture but also express his own thoughts and feelings.Moreover,it is very significant to enhance friendship and strengthen the national consciousness.There is no reason to say it plays a positive role in national culture.

　　3.2.3 Condensed Function

　　The Spring Festival is an important remark and significant cultural symbol of Chinese nation.It is no better good way linking national cohesion,the foundation of cultural identify,and the bridge of emotional connection.The Spring Festival as a culture symbol,condenses the national spirit of Chinese nation national emotion and culture ties.(Zhao 37)Moreover,it is the Chinese nation identity symbol and connecting people emotional bond.For overseas Chinese,the Spring Festival is that they share with Chinese traditional festival and inherit and spread national culture and important carrier of national identity.Ypeople participate the Spring Festival activities for example sacrifice entertainment.In a way,the Spring Festival also can rise to resolve social contradiction and promote social harmony.

　　For Thanksgiving Day,The way of ways and significance is barely changed a lot since 1621.Each sect of the church open to thank god‘s generous gift.This is a family holiday and all parts of the country of the people return to the home.Though they can not come back home,they will call their parents sharing the something about thanksgiving.Thanksgiving dinner is actual is the same around the nation.

　　3.2.4 Economic Function

　　Thanksgiving Days shopping has become the custom of American.U.S retail sales will account for 1/3 of all year.This is busy season for traditional various merchants sale within one many month from thanksgiving day to Christmas.The crazy shopping which start the day after the Thanksgiving is called Black Friday.The reason why call that name is that it is said the day early the morning on Friday,all the people while it is still dark of the day,they rush to the mall in line to buy a bargain.This kind of behavior has a very imaginable saying called the early bird.Foreign thanksgiving is as significant as the Chinese New Year.

　　Spring Festival is the golden period of holiday economy and it has great economic function.When the Spring Festival arrive,there is sharply mount trend of economic by analyzing the date,in the recent years,people‘s consumption level is higher and higher.Diner reservation at the hotel has become a popular kind of way for consumption.The sales of the mall for clothing of food is sharply rising trend.These enough to show that in the period of the Spring Festival is the most active economy in a year.

　　Form the above,we can conclude that the Spring Festival and Thanksgiving produce active impacts on economic development in special period.

　　3.2.5 Entertainment Function

　　The Spring Festival is not only family reunion,but also the festival to have a rest to entertainment to adjust body and mind.People in different industries have much pressure in learning or working.The pressure even bear some psychological distress.If the tension is not relaxed and the repressed psychological is normal to vent,it may produce some kind of psychological barriers and mental illness.what is more,it leads to serious psychopathic or a split personality.

　　The life is filled with the jollification and everybody is immersed in all kinds of activities.You could participate in the dance with dragon or setting off the firework to appreciate it.You also can choose to stroll temple fair and watch the Spring Festival gala.These activities make people fully relax their psychological spirit and cheer their heart.Moreover,people can gain elimination of physical tension and body fatigue.All in all,people acquire the great satisfaction physically and mentally.

　　Traditional festival has various forms and rich content and it has a long history.The formation process of traditional festival is an ethnic or national history and culture and the accumulation of cendenstion.Festival's origin and development of osmosis is a gradually formed perfect and slowly into the process of social life.Lastly,it is the product at the certain stage as well as the development of the society.

　　With the development of China,its culture influence is becoming more and more strong.The value and significance of Spring Festival has become an important culture symbol of china.Although the influence of the Spring Festival in the global scope can not compare with Christmas,due to the influence of china’s expanding and strengthen of china’s cultural influence,the Spring Festival has evolved into a common festival of people all over the world.Political leader published for the blessing of Spring Festival.People around the world began with leading the Chinese Spring Festival.The Spring Festival culture is becoming a global culture as a new form.

　　Chinese family value and traditional culture which are highlighted in Spring Festival win the universal recognition.With the deepening of global economic integration,the western people who is impacted in the crisis attach importance to the traditional culture and envy the warm spirit of harmony.

　　Thanksgiving Days has experienced development and evolution for many hundreds years and more and more people has been accepted by a number of people over the world,because people find that there are so much things in the world are is worth to thank.Everyone should thank the people giving our help ever since and deeply say thank you!What you say means you will always remember all this and you would like to help those in need of help.I Want to use my gratitude to love and help more.Thank my parents,because They gave me precious life.Thank my teacher because they give me knowledge and enlightenment.Thank my friends because they give me strengthen to overcome difficulties.We even are supposed to thank the people who ever since hurt us,because they hone our will.If all of us are grateful,will only to find world will be more harmonious and stable.

　　There are distinct differences between Chinese and western traditional festival.The exchange of culture is becoming more and more horizontal.Western culture impact the Chinese traditional festival culture.We should act on inheriting Chinese festival at the same time have the attitude accepting the western culture.

　　The Spring Festival is the most distinctive traditional festival in China and generally it refers to New Year's eve and the first day.The Spring Festival is the most ceremonious traditional festival of the Chinese people,symbol of unity,prosperity,and also for the future on the new season of hope.

　　Thanksgiving Day as celebrated in North America is a ancient festival and family reunion holiday like Chinese Spring Festival for American people and it highlights reunion.people always celebrate with big dinners and happy reunions.

　　For thanksgiving and Spring Festival’s culture,people need more understanding and recognition,so that we feel the meaning and value of the festival and it can serve people better.

　　Further exchanges between Chinese and western is the necessity of social historical development.The fact that Chinese are willing to enjoy the western festival and the Spring Festival is in Chinatown.There is no need to worry about or complacent.We should be rational to treat it.It is good to find best in their own culture in the difference of holiday season.We should carry out the traits and find each other some hidden factors that can be used for reference.Only in this way,can we better protect the ethnic culture.At the same time,it can promote of Chinese and western cultural exchange and development.

　　Traditional festival has a long history of their own country and the most important carrier of national culture.As you are enjoying feast and immerse the deep atmosphere of the festival,you could appreciate the difference and the common between Chinese and western festival culture.It will produce the great benefits for us learning western cultural and language and a useful access to avoid misunderstanding in cross–cultural communication.By that way,we make the communication more smoothly and cooperate more pleasant.

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