中西傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日的對比

1、ContentAbstract.1Introduction3Chapter 1 Important Traditional Festivals in China and Western Countries Respectively.51.1 Spring Festival and Christmas Day51.2 Double-Seventh Day and Valentines Day 71.3 Mid-autumn Day and Thanksgiving Day8Chapter 2 Common ground of traditional Chinese and western fes

2、tivals102.1 Similarities in perspective of the functions of the festivals102.2 Similarities in perspective of the origins of the festivals11Chapter 3 Differences of traditional Chinese and western festivals3.1 The difference of the cultural backgroud.133.2 From the custom differences153.3 Value

3、 Difference between China and Western countries163.4.Spiritual Difference in Ethnic Culture aspects20Chapter 4 The trend of the development of Chinese and Western traditional festivals24 4.1 The integration of traditional festival culture 24 4.2. Comments on these studies26Conclusion29Bibliography30

4、Acknowledgements31A Comparative Study on Chinese and Western Traditional FestivalsAbstract: Culture is the soul carrier of human beings, and its the core value of one country. Different countries have different cultures. Among all the elements that consist a nations culture, traditional festival cul

5、ture is the most essential and richest one. Through comparing Chinese Spring Festival with Western Christmas Day, Double-Seventh Day with Valentines Day, Mid-autumn Festival with Thanks Giving Day, this thesis tries to find out and make a rough analysis on the similarities and cultural differences b

6、etween Chinese and Western countries，and aims to promote cross-culture communication. The thesis consists of four parts. The first part would focus on the main important traditional festivals both in China and western countries. After brief introduction in the form of comparison to the main festival

7、s, there would be an analysis on the similarities and differences of traditional Chinese and western festivals in the second and third parts. And the fourth part will briefly explain the development trend of Chinese and western festival culture.In the last part of the thesis, there would be a brief

8、conclusion.摘要:文化是人類靈魂的載體,是一個國家的核心價值。不同的國家有不同的文化。在所有的元素是一個國家的文化,傳統(tǒng)的節(jié)日文化,是最重要的、最豐富的。通過比較中國的春節(jié)同西方的圣誕節(jié),Double-Seventh的日子,情人節(jié)、中秋節(jié)和感恩節(jié),本文試圖找到出去,把一個粗略的分析文化差異的異同點和中國和西方國家。論文主要內(nèi)容包括四部分組成。第一部分的焦點是主要的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日,無論是在中國和西方國家。簡要介紹后的形式,主要節(jié)日相比,會有分析中國傳統(tǒng)的異同與西方的節(jié)日中,在第二和第三部分。第四部分的發(fā)展趨勢進(jìn)行了簡要說明中國和西方國家的節(jié)日文化。在最后一部分這篇論文中,會有一個簡短的結(jié)論。

9、關(guān)鍵字:傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日; 節(jié)日文化;中國; 西方國家IntroductionFestival is defined as a special occasion on which people may give thanks for a harvest, commemorate an honored person or event, pay respect to the dead, or celebrate a culture.Festival is considered as “ a carrier of culture”, or an embodiment of the patterns of b

10、ehavior and thinking that people learn, create and share. Through this unique and specific phenomenon, it is more convenient and direct for the researcher to probe into the deeper layer of human culture. The fundamental intention to research the traditional festival cultures between the china and we

11、stern is to carry forward the excellent traditional culture of the nation, and meanwhile to use the cream of western culture for reference to provide lessons and guidance for the modern construction of advanced cultureOn the one hand, the report aims to discover the traditional value concept and dee

12、p culture psychology by comparing the differences of the traditional festival culture. It is helpful for us to dig the deep connotation of traditional festival and to recognize objectively and systematically the nationality and features of traditional festival culture both in china and western count

13、ries. On the other hand, through comparing the Chinese traditional festival culture with west countries, we can keep the nationality and features of Chinese traditional festival culture in the global time, and carry forward the traditional culture of Chinese nation.Chapter 1 Important Traditional Fe

14、stivals in China and Western Countries Respectively1.1 Spring Festival vs. Christmas DayThese two are the most important festivals in their own cultural systems. The Spring Festival is the chief holiday in China while Christmas is the most important red-letter day in the western world. People attach

15、 great attention to the celebration of these two festivals.The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and it is an occasion for all family members to get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home go back to enjoy the family reunion. Th

16、e Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the Gregorian calendar. But strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most impo

17、rtant days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. Many customs accompany the Spring Festival. For example: On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge. The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. People usually offer sacrifice to the kitche

18、n god on this day. Most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves nowadays. After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year. This is called "Seeing the New Year in". Before the New Year comes, people completely clean their homes as well as their clothes, ut

19、ensils, etcs. Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content varies from house owners' wishes for

20、 a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.Christmas Day is a holiday held on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, e

21、ven though the date is not known to be the actual birth date of Jesus. Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holid

22、ay include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations, including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, etcs. In addition, Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is a popular folklore figure in many countries, associated with

23、 the bringing of gifts for children.Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in most countries of the world, even in many whose populations are not Christian majorities. In some non-Christian countries or areas such as Hong Kong, former colonial rules are introduced to the

24、celebration, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday. Around the world, Christmas celebrations can vary greatly in form, reflecting different cultural and national traditions. Countries such as Japan and Korea, where Christmas is popular despit

25、e there being only a small number of Christians, have adopted many of the secular aspects of Christmas, such as gift-giving, decorations and Christmas trees.1.2 Double-Seventh Day vs. Valentines DayDouble-Seventh Day, also known as Magpie Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month

26、 on the Chinese calendar, thus its name. It is based on the story of the cowherd and the weaver girl whose true love moved magpies.Young girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. It is also known by the following na

27、mes:§ The Festival to Plead for Skills (乞巧節(jié)) § The Seventh Sister's Birthday (七姊誕) § The Night of Skills (巧夕) Saint Valentine's Day (commonly shortened to Valentine's Day) is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate compan

28、ions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "val

29、entines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th c

30、entury, handwritten valentines have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.1.3 Mid-autumn Day vs. Thanksgiving DayThe Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, Zhongqiu Festival, or in Chinese, Zhongqiujie, is a popular harvest festival celebrated by people in the Chinese infl

31、uenced world, dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty. It is also celebrated by the Vietnamese, Koreans, and Japanese in different forms. The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is usually around late Septem

32、ber or early October in the Gregorian calendar. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the few most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate

33、 the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes under the moon together.Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the

34、 United States and Canada. Traditionally, Thanksgiving is associated with giving thanks to God for the harvest and expressing gratitude. While historically religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. In the United States, Thanksgiving is usually celebrated on

35、the fourth Thursday in November and has been an annual tradition in the United States since 1863.In Canada Thanksgiving occurs on the second Monday in October and is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season.Chapter 2Common ground of traditional Chinese and western

36、 festivalsThrough the introduction to the main important festivals of the two cultural systems in pairs, the points that can be compared are quite obvious. In the following parts of the thesis, there would be the analysis2.1 Similarities in perspective of the functions of the festivalsNo matter the

37、traditional Chinese festivals or the Western ones, the meaning and functions people attach on them are more or less the same. They express their good wishes for the happy life on festivals, and some very important festivals are celebrated for family reunion. The similar functions between the festiva

38、ls of the two cultural systems can be listed as below.§ The yearning and pursuit for a happy and bliss life In the traditional holiday ceremonies, the Chinese and western festival shows rich and colorful performances to express the joy of people's heart. And this feeling is exactly comes fr

39、om peoples endless love to life。Such as Spring Festival,is a festival of reunion and happy.People try to get home before the New Years Eve to get together with their families. As Chinese people enjoy the Spring Festival eve, westerners on Christmas pay much attention to the whole family party, sitti

40、ng under the tree,and sing Christmas carols and pray to happiness.§ The continuity of the traditional virtue and the respect to the dead people.§ The Desire for eternal loveLove is a permanent topic in human society.Such as the Double-Seventh Day and. Valentines Day, they show peoples best

41、 hope about love.§ The admiration of historical heroesAlthough according to marxist viewpoint, history is the masses to create.People also respect and admire these who do great things in history. Such as Christmas, it is to commemorate the Christ Jesus .§ The occasions for family reunion2.

42、2 Similarities in perspective of the origins of the festivalsThe traditional Chinese and western festivals also have common points in the perspective of origins. They both celebrate for customs, although the customs may differ with each other. For example the Spring Festival and Christmas Day have t

43、heir own customs, but people celebrate them every year. Some of them celebrate for the harvest such as the Chinese Mid-autumn Day and the Western Thanksgiving Day. Religion as a kind of ancient cultural phenomenon has a close relationship with all kinds of festivals both in China and western countri

44、es. So this can also be one part of the similarities of the origins of Chinese and western festivals.Chinese traditional festival is formed between the Xia dynasty and Zhou dynasty.After the Zhou dynasty,they are been improved.During this time, local chinese primitive religious,native Taoism, Buddhi

45、sm and Islam have varying effects in it. As the traditional festivals in China, western festival culture is also deeply influenced by religious.Since the Christian civilization was disseminated in the European,the Christian have influenced almost all of the large festivals in Europe.Chapter 3Differe

46、nces of traditional Chinese and western festivals3.1 From the difference of the cultural backgroudChinese and western countries have different background of traditional festival culture. The traditional Chinese festival cultures are under the background of farming culture, while the traditional

47、 western festival cultures are under the background of Christianity.3.1.1Agriculture Cultural background in Chinese FestivalChina is an ancient civilized country Orient. Its long history and tradition for traditional festivals grew provided fertile soil. As a great agricultural country, Chinese cult

48、ure is deeply rooted in agriculture. Therefore, the agricultural activities make holiday has local color more. Spring Festival and some agricultural activities, such as planting, harvest, closely related. As the most important holiday in China, Spring Festival's origins can be traced back to tho

49、usands of years evolving series of colorful legends and traditions. The main traditional festival of china is converted by the lunar calendar, with the full color of agriculture. The activities of Chinese traditional festival are all produced according to the lunar calendar; Chinese people want to u

50、se some celebrations activities in slack season to express their best wishes for favorable climatic weathers. Because of the lower productive power in the remote geologic time, human could not recognize and understand scientifically the rules and phenomenon of nature. Therefore, they have the worshi

51、p about the god, the earth, the ancestor at the different degree. Gradually, they offer sacrifices to gods or ancestors, which has close relations with the agriculture, such as pray for a good harvest, ancestor worship. Meanwhile, because Chinese people are in the self-sufficiency agriculture societ

52、y and natural economy of feudal system, the traditional festival defiantly keep the color of agriculture. 3.1.2Christian cultural background in western countries Traditional Festival On the contrary, the origin of western traditional festivals is full of religion color. Since the Europe continent wa

53、s infected by the Christian civilization, nearly all important traditional festival has some relation with religion. In the western countries, because of the foundation and spreading of the Christian and the agriculture economy has been replaced by the commodity economy of industrial society. Gradua

54、lly, the festivals derived by variable religion consciousness replaced the celebration customs which piously worship the land and pray for harvest. Although the western countries originated from the stock raising, the agriculture did not become the foundation for the country. Therefore people focus

55、on the climate less than that in China; on the contrary they mostly focus on Christianity. Moreover, most western countries always formed into a religion, a nation and then respectively formed their own country. That makes the traditional festivals have the religion colors in the origin period and t

56、hen strengthen in the process of development.In western countries, religion is a social and cultural center. Meanwhile, through human for god or religious beliefs of the spirit of their control. It is no exaggeration to say, religious exists in all walks of life. Therefore, the festival is closely r

57、elated with the Christian Christmas, Easter, except with religion.Western culture by the influence due to long, the traditional Christian festivals with strong religious origins, such as valentine's day (memorial named Watts of Christian martyrs (Easter), commemorates the resurrection), Hallowee

58、n (all saints), church memorial commemorates the birth of Jesus (Christmas), the origin of these festivals are mostly with religion.3.2 From the custom differencesThey also have different contents of festival culture. Traditional Chinese festival cultures are featured by food and wine. While traditional western festival cultures are featured by entertainment. The topic of Chinese traditional festival custom is mainly about the diet. Chinese people notice more about the diet. The features of Chinese diet