Chinese Festivals and Traditions
China has many rich, colorful, historical festivities and traditions in their culture that are popular even with foreign visitors. These Chinese festivals, which are an important part of their culture and way of life, coincide with specific dates in the Chinese calendar. So if you are planning to visit China and want to experience and witness such local ceremonies and traditions, it is best to find out when certain festivities take place wherever it is you are planning to visit. It is also best to know what the particular festivals are about, their meaning and purpose to the Chinese people, in order to really be able to appreciate the significance of the event and enjoy your visit.
Most traditional Chinese festivals have evolved over time to become more and more exciting and colorful. While some festivals continue to follow old customs and traditions, and may have remained generally unchanged through the years, many of them have grown to adopt to the times, sometimes employing modern technology to provide a slightly different twist. Historical figures still remain the most common focus of the such occasions, however, showing honor and giving tribute to them.
Quite a few Chinese festivals have some connection to Chinese astronomy. Most of these festivals are celebrated throughout China as a whole among the wide variety of different ethnic groups. The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival is one example of these popular occasions and falls between late January and early February. Burning fake paper money, paper houses, and various other paper property, and lighting string firecrackers to drive away evil spirits are highlights of this event. During the Lantern Festival, which is two weeks after the Spring Festival, lanterns are lit to show respect to Buddha and the Qing Ming Festival is the day they visit the graves of their ancestors to leave offerings. These are just a few examples of all the different festivals that can be found in China.
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