Transcript of C HINESE N EW Y EAR. LUNAR NEW YEAR Of all the Chinese festivals celebrated the New Year is the most...
- Slide 1
- C HINESE N EW Y EAR
- Slide 2
- LUNAR NEW YEAR Of all the Chinese festivals celebrated the New
Year is the most important. In ancient China the New Year was a
time to honor the emperor and confirm his position as the ruler.
Today, the New year is called Spring Festival, celebrating the
coming of spring and the reunion of the family. The holiday is
celebrated following the lunar calendar, the start date changes
every year. It is celebrated for 15 days, and this year starts on
February 14 th.
- Slide 3
- T RADITIONS Houses are cleaned thoroughly to remove all traces
of the previous year and its misfortunes, and to bring good luck
for the coming year. New outfits are bought and paid, gates are
repainted, and bills are paid, as tradition states that old debts
cannot be claimed after New Years Day. At this time of year special
attention is paid to the Kitchen God, a god that is believed to
watch over the house all year. An altar for offerings is placed in
front of him and throughout the year they give him the best morsels
of food and sweets before every year. At the New Years holiday they
slather his lips with honey to get sweet words from him, as he
controls the fate of every family.
- Slide 4
- On New Years Eve families have a special feast of seafood and
dumplings, followed by a special dessert of New Years cake called
Nian Gao. Everyone stays up to watch fireworks at midnight. On New
Years Day everyone goes door to door to visit and exchange gifts
with their neighbors and relatives. For the last (fifteenth) day of
the New Year the Lantern Festival takes place. During this festival
colorful lanterns are displayed. A special treat of the festival is
the lion dance. Large lions with flashing eyes parade through the
streets accompanied by drums and cymbals.The costume is filled with
martial arts dancers, twisting and turning through the streets. In
some cities the dragon also comes out. The dragon can be as long as
15ft. It is supported by poles and carried by many people.
- Slide 5
- T HE DRAGON In Chinese Art, dragons are depicted as long
serpentine creatures with four legs. The dragon is a symbol of
power, strength, and good luck. It is believed that the dragon
controls water and rainfall. The dragon dance at the Lantern
Festival symbolizes bringing good luck to everyone on Earth.
- Slide 6
- Slide 7
- Slide 8
- Slide 9
- Slide 10
- Slide 11
- Slide 12
- Slide 13
- Slide 14
- Slide 15
- Slide 16