Culture

Home 
 * CULTURE, FESTIVALS, AND EVENTS**

**The Lantern Festival** is one of the most traditional festivals because it is a festival within a festival, beginning on the 15th day of the first Lunar Calendar month. It has in fact been viewed for over 1,000 years, and continues to be celebrated all over the country. Its present name is in fact derived from the Tang Dynasty custom of hanging out lanterns on the night of the festival. These lanterns break the darkness and and bring light and hope to the land and people alike. On the night of the festival, temples and businesses are decorated with colorful lanterns made of paper, gauze and glass, and painted with legendary figures, birds, and flowers. Drums and dragons fill the streets and add to the atmosphere.




 * Dragon Dance ** is another traditional festive performance that tourists must attend. Since the dragon is known as the symbol of deity, emperor and imperial power, many people in ancient times believed that the dragon could make clouds and rain, being especially useful in the dry season. They performed this dragon dance in order for better weather and rain! It is considered to be friendly, and helpful. People prefer a long dragon, and they believe that the longer, the better, and this sometimes requires twenty to thirty people to play it.



**Chinese Valentine's Day** The day falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, and this particular day can be dated back 1,500 years! The ancient Chinese developed this love story, and looking up at the sky this day, you will find the romance is going on in the dark blue.


 * The first day || of the New Year is to welcome the gods of the heavens and earth. ||
 * On the second day || Chinese people pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. ||
 * The third and fourth days || are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law. ||
 * The fifth day || is known as ‘Po Woo'. On the day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits relatives and friends on this day because it will bring both parts bad luck. ||
 * On the sixth to the 10th day || the Chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. They also go to the temples to pray for good fortune and health in the coming year. In addition, **the seventh day **of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce. The seventh day is also considered as the birthday of human beings. Noodles are eaten to promote longevity and fish for affluence. ||
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-bidi-font-family;">The ninth day || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">is to present the offerings to the Jade Emperor, the God of the Heaven in Chinese legend. ||
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-bidi-font-family;">From the 10th to 12th || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">are days that friends and relatives should be invited home to have dinner. After such a sumptuous feast, on the 13th day people are supposed to have simple meals to cleanse the system. ||
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'mso-bidi-font-family;">On the 15th day || <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">people celebrate the Lantern Festival by eating Sweet Dumplings, making and displaying lanterns. ||

China Informtion Centre, Traditional Chinese Festivals, [] (28 January 2010).

Home