英语论文 中国民间文化的发展

On the Development of Chinese

Folk Culture

1 Introduction

As an ancient culture, folk customs has had a great influence on China from ancient times to the present, Folk culture has been becoming a must of society. Folk customs, that is to say, the traditions of ancient People and they can be divided into several categories, we will study several groups of folk customs in order to make readers feel the great of Chinese culture.

2 Theoretical Foundations

2.1 Chinese Customs

2.1.1 Lantern riddles

Lantern riddles are displayed during traditional Chinese festivals, such as the Chinese Lantern Festival, Chinese middle autumn festival, etc. The full name of …Lantern Riddles… are …riddles written on lanterns….

In ancient China, people believed that it was as difficult to kill a tiger as it was to guess a lantern puzzle, so, it had another name –tiger lantern. Usually, there were four riddles written on red vertical strips of paper pasted to each lantern which was attached by a string.

The guessing tradition can date back to more than 2,000 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD), guessing riddles gradually became a contest among men. It reached its peak in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when it is became popular among all the people.

The main subjects of the riddles included traditional songs, poems, stories or historical events, etc.

A example of Lantern Riddles

Riddles: What‟s full of holes but still holds water?

Answer: a sponge

2.1.2 Spring Festival

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important traditional festival in China. Its history can date back to the Shang Dynasty (1600BC –1100BC).

The festival consists of a period of celebrations, starting on the first day of the first lunar month and ending with the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the month. In Chinese culture, it is the most important festival for all the family members to get together.

Celebration

Sweeping of the Grounds

For the preparation for the New Year, every corner of the house must be swept and cleaned ten days before the New Year Day.

Spring Couplets

Spring Couplets represent best wishes and fortune for the coming

year. They will be posted on the front doors in the month before the New Year‟s Day, and often stay up for two months.

Reunion Dinner

All the family members will get together to have dinner on the New Year‟s Eve.

2.1.3 Dongzhi Festival

The Dongzhi Festival, also called Winter Solstice Festival, is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. It is a solar term in Chinese lunar calendar and in the solar calendar, it always falls on December 22 or 23 each year.

As early as more than 2500 years ago, winter solstice was mensurated by Chinese via observing movements of the sun with sundials. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), it became a festival of great importance for the Chinese people. On that day, all the family members would get together and have meal together. Ancient Chinese also regarded this day as a day to offer scarifies to heaven and their ancestors.

In the southern parts of China, all the family members would make and eat Tangyuan, a kind of stuffed dumpling ball which is made of glutinous rice flour, symbolizing reunion in the Chinese culture. In some parts of the northern China, people would eat dumplings, believing that doing so would keep them from frost in the upcoming winter.

2.1.4 Tomb-Sweeping Day