Source: CCTV.com
08-02-2006 10:13
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later.
Chang Dian is the oldest and most renowned street in Beijing. It is the center stage for New Year parade and temple fair that has started 400 years ago.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth.
Right after the New Year’s eve, as a tradition in Beijing, people will go and visit the Chan Dian Temple Fair. At the fair visitors can
experience or purchase many New Year celebration items such as Wind Wheel, in Chinese its called Feng Che, It basically is made of wood or bamboo. Once the Wheel is powered by wind, the connector will trigger a stick beat on its base producing exciting sound.
Another fun toy is Candy figurine, it definitely is children’s favorite item.
Then there are many others can attract children and adults. Just watch the process of making a toy is very enjoyable. It brings out the spirit of New Year celebration.
Food is always an important segment of any holiday in China. Chan Dian Temple Fair is no exception. One of the favorite and most typical dishes were nian gao, sweet steamed glutinous rice pudding and zong zi (glutinous rice wrapped up in reed leaves), another popular delicacy.
In the north, steamed-wheat bread (man tou) and small meat dumplings were the preferred food. The tremendous amount of food prepared at this time was meant to symbolize abundance and wealth for the household.
The characteristic holiday sweets also include fruit stick and candy bar…
Street parade is the most popular and best entertainment segment during the Temple Fair. For example, drum band marching the street and zhong Fan, the Chinese Bamboo Flag presented within martial art are both unique and striking to the audience.
In about 400 years ago, Liu Li Chang Alley in Beijing was famous for its antique search and book collection business. It was initiated in Ming Dynasty. Liu Li Chang had been booming for a great period of time in Qing Dynasty. It was put on hold for a while during the China civil war, then it has been reopened in a more modern way.
However, if you are a traveler or antique collector, then you can try your luck here and find your favorite items in the long narrow or rather a little messy street.
In the past, scholars and researchers had to come to Liu Li Chang to find books and references they need. Candidates for Emperors exam also came here to buy books and look for help in Chinese literture. In the year of 1773 Liu Li Chang culture street became even more prosperous within the period of Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty.
Whenever there is a street parade in China, we will never miss the lion dance and acrobatic show.
The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth. "Many people abstain from meat on the first day of the new year because it is believed that this will ensure long and happy lives for them.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.
The third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law. And this information was been carry out on the stage show – Beijing Opera.
Rong Bao Zhai located at the west street of Liu Li Chang. The building is in a grand royal style that has more than 300 years of history. It was found by Song Zhu Zhai as a paper shop in 1672.
Brushes and ink had already existed by the fourteenth century B.C. By the time of the bamboo slips and silk books, brushes and ink had been in wide use for a long time. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring states period (772---21 B.C.) the quality of ink greatly improved. In the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220), pine soot was first used in ink-making.
As to paper, historical records and unearthed arte facts provide evidence that the Chinese people began to use paper as early as the third century B.C., at the beginning of the Western Han.
Chinese tradition brush painting has a long history. The earliest Chinese painting in between 5000 to 2000 B.C. were on ceramics and metals to symbolize the respect of religious and magic. The painting gradually shifted to a stylistic stage. The tools used for brush painting are called " Four treasures of stationary". They are brushes, ink stick, ink stone, and paper.
Liu Li Chang, was called Hai Wang Cun in the past. It was a Chinese courtyard style shopping center covering an area of 15,00 square meters. It deals in tens of thousand of chinaware of different dynasties, enamel jade articles, metal and stone seal cuttings, the four treasures of the study and curio. Every New Year, the Temple Fair conjunction with street parade had attracted thousands of people in decades. It used to be the center stage for Beijing residents to celebrate the first day of new year. The spirit of the fair was a sign of the society for happiness and joy.
Established in 1952, China Book Store is the first state owned bookshop collecting and repairing used book. For the past 50 years, China bookshop has restored more than 300,000 precious ancient books. It is regarded as the patron saint of China traditional culture.
China bookshop mainly issue books on literature, history, philosophy, arts, calligraphy and collections. Meanwhile, it circulates in a wide range of used book and magazines.
In China bookshop recorded that one of the oldest terms for 'China' is Zhongguo which means 'Middle Kingdom'. One explanation, sometimes disputed, is that the Chinese regarded China as the centre of the civilized world, surrounded by barbarians. The English word 'China' seems to derive from the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) during which the Great Wall was built.
Between 1912 and 1949, the official name for China was Zhonghua Minguo, 'The Republic of China'. Hua was the name taken by the early Han people, and the word is often used to mean 'China' in names such as Xinhua Shudian, 'New China Bookshop'.
Since 1949, China has been called 'The People's Republic of China', although in everyday speech it is still called Zhongguo. You often come across zuguo, 'the motherland', and wo guo, 'my country', as synonyms for China.
The fifth day of Chinese New Year is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends on the fifth day because it will bring both parties bad luck.
On the sixth to the 10th day, the Chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. They also visit the temples to pray for good fortune and health.
Prior to New Year's Day, Chinese families decorate their living rooms with vases of pretty blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. On walls and doors are poetic couplets, happy wishes written on red paper. These messages sound better than the typical fortune cookie messages. For instance, "May you enjoy continuous good health" and "May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you" are especially positive couplets.
Editor:Chen
