Long long ago there was a beast called Nian (means Year). At the end of the year, he would come out to eat people. People were very frightened of Nian. One day an old man told people that the beast was afraid of firecrackers and red color. When the end of year approached, people would set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts on their windows and doors to drive the beast Nian away. So now we still set off firecrackers and put up red-cuts although we know the beast doesn’t exist.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, every family gets together to celebrate it. We make dumplings and a big dinner while watching the Spring Festival on TV. Sometimes we put one coin in the dumplings. If someone finds the coin in his dumplings while eating, he will have a good fortune in the coming year. On the Eve, people will stay up late until the next year comes. As soon as 12 o’clock comes, people go outside to set off firecrackers. That is the busiest time of the celebrations. During that time, children are happy because they will receive some money from his or her parents and relatives. That money called Yasui Qian (means not let children become older).
This festival lasts 15 days. On the last day, family will also get together to eat Tangyuan. Yuan means round. In China, people think that round means gathering. So we have these with the hope that every member of the family can get together. On that day, the moon will be round. And we also buy lanterns with which go outside that night. Sometimes we will guess the puzzles on the lanterns. It is very much like your Thanksgiving Festival.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
CHINESE VALENTINE'S DAY
Long long ago, one of the god’s daughter was very good at knitting. Not only could she knit different patterns such as colorful clouds but she could also knit many other beautiful things. In the world there was a hardworking man who was very poor and lived with a cow.
One day, the cow told him to steal the woman’s clothes while she was bathing in the lake. Then the woman fell in love with the man and they married. From then on, every day the man did farm work while the woman knitted. And they had two children, one girl and one boy. They lived together very happily.
But one day, the god knew that his daughter was married in the mortal world, he was so angry that he sent some heaven soldiers to take his daughter back. With the cow's help, the man ran after the soldiers to heaven with his kids. Seeing the man following them, the god made a galaxy between the man and his daughter. So then they could do nothing but cry.
In the sequel, the god was moved by their deep love. He asked a magpie to tell them that they could meet once a week. Unfortunately, the bird made a mistake. She told them they could only meet on July 7th (lunar calendar). So the god punished the bird to make a bridge for them. So on July 7th, the man and the woman met on the bridge to talk with each other. That day became the Chinese Valentine's Day.
One day, the cow told him to steal the woman’s clothes while she was bathing in the lake. Then the woman fell in love with the man and they married. From then on, every day the man did farm work while the woman knitted. And they had two children, one girl and one boy. They lived together very happily.
But one day, the god knew that his daughter was married in the mortal world, he was so angry that he sent some heaven soldiers to take his daughter back. With the cow's help, the man ran after the soldiers to heaven with his kids. Seeing the man following them, the god made a galaxy between the man and his daughter. So then they could do nothing but cry.
In the sequel, the god was moved by their deep love. He asked a magpie to tell them that they could meet once a week. Unfortunately, the bird made a mistake. She told them they could only meet on July 7th (lunar calendar). So the god punished the bird to make a bridge for them. So on July 7th, the man and the woman met on the bridge to talk with each other. That day became the Chinese Valentine's Day.
CHINESE ROMEO AND JULIET
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Zhu Yingtai who was very smart and liked poetry. At that time girls were not allowed to go to school. So Zhu dressed up so she looked like a boy to go to school.
On the way to school, she met her classmate Liang Shanbo, they became brothers. From then on they studied together. During the three years, Liang protected and looked after Zhu and didn’t know that Zhu was a girl. After three years, they went back to their homes. On the way, she implied to Liang that she was a girl, but Liang didn’t understand her intention. Zhu had no choice but to say she had a sister and she wanted her sister to marry him, so Zhu asked Liang to marry her sister in her home as soon as he arrived at his home.
But because Liang was late and missed the date, Zhu was forced to marry another boy called Ma. Having known the fact, Liang regretted it so much that he died. On the day that Zhu married, she passed the tomb of Liang and was very sorrowful and cried before the grave of Liang. Then it was dark all around and began to rain heavily. Meanwhile, thunder cracked the tomb and Zhu jumped into it. Instantly, the tomb closed. Then there was a rainbow in the sky and two big butterflies that flew with each other. It is said that the two butterflies were Liang and Zhu’s spirits. This story is also called the Chinese Romeo and Juliet.
On the way to school, she met her classmate Liang Shanbo, they became brothers. From then on they studied together. During the three years, Liang protected and looked after Zhu and didn’t know that Zhu was a girl. After three years, they went back to their homes. On the way, she implied to Liang that she was a girl, but Liang didn’t understand her intention. Zhu had no choice but to say she had a sister and she wanted her sister to marry him, so Zhu asked Liang to marry her sister in her home as soon as he arrived at his home.
But because Liang was late and missed the date, Zhu was forced to marry another boy called Ma. Having known the fact, Liang regretted it so much that he died. On the day that Zhu married, she passed the tomb of Liang and was very sorrowful and cried before the grave of Liang. Then it was dark all around and began to rain heavily. Meanwhile, thunder cracked the tomb and Zhu jumped into it. Instantly, the tomb closed. Then there was a rainbow in the sky and two big butterflies that flew with each other. It is said that the two butterflies were Liang and Zhu’s spirits. This story is also called the Chinese Romeo and Juliet.
QIN AND THE PUMPKIN GIRL
It is said that there was a family planting a pumpkin. When harvest time came, they got a very beautiful girl. When she grew up, it was the time when Qin emperor (China's first emperor in history) caught men to build the Great Wall. A man came into the girl's garden in order to evade it while the girl was looking for her fan in the lake. At that time, there was a consuetude that if a girl's skin was seen by a man, she had to marry him. And the girl liked the man as well. So they married.
After just three days, the man was caught to build the Great Wall. The girl missed her husband so much that she ignored the hardships and dangers on the journey to seek him. When she arrived at the foot of the Great Wall, she was told that her husband had already died and his ashes were under the Great Wall. Here, she was so sorrowful that eight hundred kilometers of the Great Wall was broken down by her crying.
Finally she found her husband’s ashes and decided to take him back to their hometown to bury. Hearing that the girl broke down the Great Wall by crying, Qin gave orders to catch her to condemn her. But seeing the girl was very beautiful, Qin forced her to marry him. The girl made three terms. If Qin could comply, she would marry him. First, make a tomb for her husband; Second, Qin should be in mourning like a dutiful son before her husband's tomb; Third, Qin must travel with the girl in the sea for three days.
Qin wanted to get hold of the beautiful girl very much, so he complied. Having held a memorial ceremony for her husband, the girl jumped into the sea when traveling. People made up this story not only to hold a memorial ceremony for people who died building the Great Wall, but to condemn Qin's barbarity.
After just three days, the man was caught to build the Great Wall. The girl missed her husband so much that she ignored the hardships and dangers on the journey to seek him. When she arrived at the foot of the Great Wall, she was told that her husband had already died and his ashes were under the Great Wall. Here, she was so sorrowful that eight hundred kilometers of the Great Wall was broken down by her crying.
Finally she found her husband’s ashes and decided to take him back to their hometown to bury. Hearing that the girl broke down the Great Wall by crying, Qin gave orders to catch her to condemn her. But seeing the girl was very beautiful, Qin forced her to marry him. The girl made three terms. If Qin could comply, she would marry him. First, make a tomb for her husband; Second, Qin should be in mourning like a dutiful son before her husband's tomb; Third, Qin must travel with the girl in the sea for three days.
Qin wanted to get hold of the beautiful girl very much, so he complied. Having held a memorial ceremony for her husband, the girl jumped into the sea when traveling. People made up this story not only to hold a memorial ceremony for people who died building the Great Wall, but to condemn Qin's barbarity.
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