Word——中国传统节日英文版.doc

Traditional Festivals in China Traditional festivals are important events in the life of every Chinese, beginning right from childhood. Festivals such as the Chinese New Year, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Winter Solstice are more or less evenly distributed across the four seasons. In Chinas traditional agricultural society, festivals served to mark the passing of time. Lets take a close look to these festivals: The Lantern Festival The Lantern Festival is on the 15th of the first lunar month. That night there is a full moon, and every household is decorated with colorful lanterns and prepares yuanxiao. Yuan Xiao, a kind of round dumpling make of glutinous rice flour sweet or salted fillings, which is boiled or fired. Yuan Xiao, literally the night of the first full moon, which is another name for the festival. When night falls, people go into the street, where exquisite lanterns of diverse designs are hung. Some are pasted with riddles for the passers-by to solve. It is said that after the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) destroyed the Jin (1115-1234), the band of the Yuan army celebrated the victory with gongs and drums. Since then beating gongs and drums has been a local tradition to express joy and happiness. In the country and town, people celebrate it heartily. For some reason, there is often a bigger celebration in the rural areas, especially in the North. The most popular food for this festival is yuanxiao. Apart from yuanxiao, the customary foods vary from place to place. In Shanxi Province, people take yuanxiao tea, a sort of soup made of boiled flour mixed with vegetables and fruits; in Luoyang and Lingbao, Henan Province, people favor jujube paste; in Kunming, Yunnan Province, people prefer bean dough. Other folk customs of the Lantern Festival include attending the lantern fair, guessing riddles and performing traditional festivities. Dragon boat festival Various perfume bags glutinous