英语论文中西方传统节日文化的差异
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高中生英语作文中西方节日文化比较Title: A Comparison of Chinese and Western Festival CulturesFestivals are an integral part of every culture, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of a nation.Both China and the West have their unique festivals that showcase their respective cultures.In this essay, I will compare the festival cultures of China and the West, highlighting their differences and similarities.In China, the most important festival is the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year.It is a time for families to reunite, enjoy delicious food, and engage in activities like playing cards and watching fireworks.Another significant Chinese festival is the Mid-Autumn Festival, which celebrates the moon and the unity of families.People gather to enjoy mooncakes, watch the full moon, and express their gratitude to their loved ones.On the other hand, Western countries have festivals like Christmas and Easter.Christmas is a time for gift-giving, spending time with family, and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.People decorate their homes with trees and lights, attend church services, and enjoy festive meals.Easter, on the other hand, is a religious holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.It is celebrated with egg hunts, attending church services, and enjoying traditional Easter meals.One key difference between Chinese and Western festival cultures isthe emphasis on family versus religion.In China, festivals are primarily family-oriented, with an emphasis on unity and togetherness.In contrast, Western festivals often have a strong religious component, with Christmas and Easter being prime examples.However, Western countries also have secular festivals like Halloween and Valentine's Day, which are not religious in nature and are instead focused on fun and celebration.Despite these differences, there are also similarities between Chinese and Western festival cultures.For instance, both cultures emphasize the importance of food during festivals.In China, families gather to enjoy reunion dinners during the Spring Festival, while in the West, families enjoy festive meals like turkey and pie on Thanksgiving and Christmas.Additionally, both cultures have traditions of giving gifts during festivals, with Christmas being the most prominent example in the West and the Mid-Autumn Festival being a significant gift-giving occasion in China.In conclusion, while there are differences between Chinese and Western festival cultures, there are also commonalities.Both cultures value family and celebration, albeit with different traditions and rituals.By understanding and appreciating these differences, we can gain a deeper insight into the diverse and rich tapestry of global culture.。
中外传统节日对比英语作文Title: Celebrating Diversity: A Comparative Analysis of Traditional Chinese and Western Festivals。
1. Unleashing Colorful Flames: Chinese New Year vs. Christmas。
In the realm of vibrant celebrations, Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is a symphony of red lanterns, dragon dances, and the exchange of red envelopes. It's a time of family reunion and the start of a new lunar cycle, where traditions like lion dances and the cleaning of houses symbolize purification. On the other hand, Christmas, with its twinkling lights and carol singing, brings warmth andjoy to Western societies. It's a season of giving, symbolized by the tree and the Santa Claus figure.2. Food and Feasts: The Taste of Culture。
In China, feasting is a central part of festive rituals,from dumplings and mooncakes to the grand feast during the Spring Festival. It's about sharing and abundance. Conversely, Christmas feasts often revolve around turkey, roasted vegetables, and the Christmas pudding, reflecting a focus on communal sharing and the spirit of giving.3. Cultural Symbols: The Art of Symbolism。
《中西方节日文化的差异》高中生英语作文【中英文实用版】Title: The Differences between Chinese and Western Festival Cultures Festivals are an essential part of every culture, reflecting the unique traditions and values of a society.China, with its long history and rich cultural heritage, has a variety of fascinating festivals.Similarly, Western countries also have their own unique festivals.However, there are some distinct differences between Chinese and Western festival cultures.Firstly, the purposes of festivals differ.Chinese festivals are often associated with religious beliefs, historical events, or agricultural cycles.For example, the Spring Festival is a celebration of the Lunar New Year, marking the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar, while the Mid-Autumn Festival is an occasion to appreciate the full moon and express gratitude for the harvest.In contrast, many Western festivals are more focused on religious celebrations.For instance, Christmas is a Christian holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and Easter is a celebration of Jesus' resurrection.Secondly, the celebrations and customs associated with Chinese and Western festivals are different.Chinese festivals are typically characterized by vibrant and colorful ceremonies, feasts, and family reunions.During the Spring Festival, people decorate their homes with red lanterns and couplets, exchange red envelopes for good luck, and enjoy a familyreunion dinner.In contrast, Western festivals often involve religious rituals and gatherings.For example, Christians attend church services on Christmas Eve and exchange gifts on Christmas Day.Additionally, Western festivals may have specific symbols, such as圣诞树(Christmas tree) and 复活节彩蛋(Easter eggs), which hold cultural significance.Furthermore, the timing of Chinese and Western festivals is different.Chinese festivals are usually based on the lunar calendar, resulting in variable dates each year.In contrast, Western festivals are primarily based on the solar calendar, occurring on fixed dates each year.In conclusion, while festivals are a time for celebration and cultural expression across the globe, there are notable differences between Chinese and Western festival cultures.These differences reflect the unique historical, religious, and social contexts of each culture.Understanding and appreciating these differences can help promote cross-cultural understanding and harmony.As an international community, we can learn from one another's festivals, celebrating the diversity of cultures and fostering mutual respect and appreciation.。
东西方节日的差异英语作文英文回答:As we traverse the vast expanse of the world's diverse cultures, we encounter a kaleidoscope of festivals that reflect the unique traditions, beliefs, and aspirations of each society. While some festivals share common threads of celebration and joy, others diverge in their origins, rituals, and significance. This essay delves into the captivating tapestry of Eastern and Western festivals, highlighting their distinctive characteristics and exploring the cultural nuances that shape their observance.The springtime arrival of the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan heralds a season of renewal and beauty. The delicate pink petals of the cherry trees, known as sakura, burst into bloom, transforming urban landscapes into ethereal realms of enchantment. During this festival, families and friends gather beneath the fragrant trees, picnicking, singing, and reveling in the ephemeral presence of thesefragile blossoms. In contrast, the Western celebration of Easter, a cornerstone of Christianity, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This solemn yet joyous occasion is marked by church services, egg hunts, and the exchange of gifts, symbolizing hope, rebirth, and the triumph of life over death.Moving eastward, we encounter the vibrant and colorful Holi festival in India. Celebrated during the spring equinox, Holi is a riot of colors, music, and dance. The air fills with the laughter of revelers as they drench each other in vibrant powders and colored water, celebrating the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. On the other side of the globe, the Western festival of Halloween, observed on the eve of All Saints' Day, has its roots in ancient Celtic traditions. It is a night of mystery, magic, and mischief, when children don elaborate costumes and go trick-or-treating, while adults indulge in parties and festivities.The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated in China and otherAsian cultures, is a time for family reunions and moon gazing. Under the glow of the full moon, lanterns are lit, incense is burned, and mooncakes are shared, symbolizing harmony, prosperity, and the enduring bonds of family. In the West, the Christmas festival holds a central place in the hearts of many. It is a time of gift-giving, festive decorations, and joyful gatherings, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and the spirit of love, peace, and goodwill.中文回答:东西方节日的差异在世界各国的丰富文化中,我们遇到了许许多多的节日,它们反映了每个社会独特的传统、信仰和愿望。
中外传统节日的差异英语作文Festivals are an important part of every culture, and there are some significant differences between Chinese and foreign traditional festivals.For instance, Chinese festivals often revolve around family reunions and ancestor worship. Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is the most important holiday whenmillions of people travel back to their hometown to be with their families. In contrast, Western festivals like Christmas focus more on gift-giving and family gatherings with a focus on the present, rather than honoring ancestors.The celebrations also vary greatly. Chinese festivals often involve firework displays, dragon and lion dances,and traditional food like dumplings and mooncakes. Western festivals, on the other hand, often feature carols, Christmas trees, and turkey dinners. The atmosphere is generally more festive and colorful in China, while Western celebrations tend to be more intimate and cozy.Another difference is the significance of each festival. Chinese festivals are often tied to the lunar calendar and the agricultural cycle, marking important moments like the beginning of spring or the harvest. Western festivals, like Easter and Halloween, often have religious origins and symbolize important events in Christian history.And let's not forget the duration of festivals. Chinese festivals can last for weeks, with.。
中西方传统节日对比英语作文[精选5篇]第一篇:中西方传统节日对比英语作文Second English papers Each nation has its own characteristic festivals that reflect the culture of itself.In China, asour country and westerncountries become increasingly closer,more and more chinese accept western culture.However, some western festivals sometimes even more popular than traditional festivals, foreign cultural’s influence should not be underestimated.The main The main group of celebratingwesternfestivals is youth group which takes students as the main force.People celebrate festivals such as Valentine's day, mother's day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.In fact, because of the Chinese way of thinking, western holidays in China is just popular for Christmas and Valentine's day, not all western holidays attract people's attention.According to a survey ofCentral China Normal University, many college students know the existence of western festivals, but little of them know about their cultural connotations.In addition to Christmas, respondentswhoknowotherwestern festivals’meaning are less than 10%.Referring to the way to celebrating, in General, during the Festival, people send gifts such as flowers and greeting cards.They sing with friends, and blessor send messages to each other;lots of people are going to relax during the festival:shopping, inviting friends to restaurants, dancing, and so on.On the whole, Chinese celebrate western holidays withthefollowingfaithfour andacharacteristics: passionfor universality,particularity,blind consumption As the saying goes,1000 readers have 1000 Hamlets in mind.people have different viewson whether Chinese should celebrate western holidays.Some people who are keen on Western festivals, argued that China's traditional festivals are too rigidand there are many festivals with feudal thinking.On the contrary,westernfestivalswhich flamboyantandreflectareexcitingadvocateInthefreedom.addition, westernholidaysmake people who’re under heavy social pressure have a chance to relax.At the same time, some experts believe that the celebration of Western holidays are an inevitable trend of cultural exchanges.Huang Kemin, aSociologistbelieves that celebrating western holidays is aform of cultural communication.In some cases, it’ll fill vacancies inChinese culture.Somestudentsbelievethat celebratingWestern festivals can enhance the friendship ofclassmates and make the classes more solidarity.Duringa festival, Most of the supermarkets and restaurants provide promotions that benefitconsumers, these festivals also has a catalytic role to economic development.Opponents believe thatChina has its own history and local culture for thousands ofyears, the Western Festival don’t suit China's need s for cultural development.Also, due to blind worship,people often losttraditional culture.Celebratingwestern holidayswill shake the traditional culture’sstatus in the minds of nationals and endanger the inheritance and development of traditional culture.For example, many young people celebrate Valentine's day, but they don't knowChinese Lovers’s Day.In addition,owing to the cultural invasion,many countries arewary of foreign holidays.To guarantee Chinese cultural’s independence, western holidays cann’t be allowed to develop freely.At the same time, many people celebrate Western festivals for following the fashion.The effectof cultural exchanges isn’t obvious.In addition, the blind pursuit of consumption and enjoyment causesmoney worship,hedonism and other bad ideas.Just my personal opinion, we should celebrate western holidays withrational thought, and we shouldn’t lose ourselves.Towards western Festivals, we should take its essence and discard the dregs.For instance,ThanksgivingDaycan be advocated for making our culture advance as it reflects one of Chinese traditional virtues-gratefulness;others, such as Halloween,should be treated calmly because it’s religious.Cultural integration is the trend of the historical development.So we should not implement “isolationism”.Under the premise of enhancing awareness of traditional culture and revitalizing Chinese culture, we can activelyenter the world that has frequent cultural exchanges.Festivalsare important means of cultural transmission which host the important cu ltural.They’re the crystallization of human wisdom.Rich festival lights up our lives, for our life has various colors.Let us take the broad mindand appreciate the colorful festivals!第二篇:中西方文化对比(英语)(xiexiebang推荐)Compasion of Western Culture and Chinese CultureAs we all know,there are many differentces between Western culture and Chinese culture.Today I will focus on the culture differences from the myth of heroes part.I will talk the China fairy tales---HouYi shot the sun and the west fairy tale---Oidipou s’s story.When the world were young,the sky ever appeared 10 suns together.Their mother was the wife of the emperor of heaven.She often putted her 10 children in the east blue where is the eastest bule in the world.After they had a bath, they stayed for a time in a big tree like a bird.9 suns stayed in the branches which were low.Another one stayed in the treetop.They changed every night.When the daybreak was coming, the sun which stayed in the treetop sat at the vehicle to pass through the sky.The 10 suns changed everyday to bring all living things bright and heat.At that time people lived in the earth happily.People and animals lived like friends and neighbours.Animals putted their children in the nest.They didn’t worry about people to hurt them.People kept the regular hours.They felt grateful for the suns brought them time,bright and happy.But one day, the 10 suns wanted that must real interesting if they visited the sky together.So 10 suns climbed the vehicle together to pass through the sky when the dawn was coming.The people and all living things sufferred disaster.The 10 suns just liked 10 globes with fire.The heat that they gave out baked the earth.The forests caught fire.Many animals diedfrom fire.And other animals that didn’t die from fire looked for food distractedly.Rivers and seas dried up.All fishes died.Many people and animals died of thirst, crops and fruits died away.And the food for people and animals cutted off.Somepeople who went out to look for food died of the high heat.People struggled in the fire ocean for survival.At that time, there was a young and handsome hero called HouYi.He was a markmanship.His every shot didi execution in battle.He saw the people who was living in the suffering.So he decided to help them shot another 9 suns.HouYi climbed over 99 mountains, stepped over 99 rivers and crossed over 99 gorages.It was a ocean on the foot of a mountain.HouYi opened a million pounds force crossbouw and a thousands catties heavy arrow.He aimed at the burning sun in the sky.And then the first sun was shot down.That’s all ,he shot 9 suns.The 9 suns which be shot couldn’t survive.They died one after another.Their bright and heat died away one after another.The sky became darker and darker.Finally it left the only sun.However, the only sun felt frightened.He hided behind the ocean quickly.There was no sun in the sky.The world became dark.People couldn’t survive.So they asked for the emperor of heaven to let the sun out.At the second day, the sun came from the blue.From then on, people lived a happy life.HouYi was made the heavenly general because of the contribution that he saved all people.Finally he married Change.They lived happily.The oidipous’s story:Laius ever robbed the king Pelops and his son Chrysippus in his young.So he suffered the curse that when his sonoidipous was born he woule be killed by his son.So in order to avoid the ius pricked the baby’s ankle and then throwed in the wild to let him wait for death.But the herdsman who got the assignment was relented.He sanded him to king of Corinth Polybus secretly.They regarded him as their natural son and brought him up.When oidipous growed, he knowed the curse that he would kill his father and marry his mother.He left Corinth and vowed he wouldnever come back when he did not know Corinth’s king and queen is not his natural mother and father.He roved in the neighbouring of Thebes.He happened clash with some strangers in the fork.He killed people with careless, inculding his natural father.At that time Thebes was in trouble by the Sphinx.He woule catch every passer-by to answer his question.If people couldn’t answer his question he would eat the person.In order to escape Sphinx,Thebes announced that the one who could answer the question and save the country , he would succeed the kingship and married widow Jocasta.Finally oidipous answered Sphinx’s question and save the country.He succeed kingship and married his natural mother.They born two daughters and two ter,the country controled by oidipous happened disaster one after another.The king asked the god the reason.Tiresias asked him he was the son of Laius.Finally he stillsuffered the fate that he woule kill his father and marry his mother.The sad oidipous blinded his eyes.We can find that in China and Greek’ tale heroes can b e ordinary persons or fairy.And from HouYi and oidipous we can see that they are hero and they are both brave.They all have strong responsibility,when they saw people was in trouble.They saved people.They were both respected by people.They have ability.But there are many differences in China and Greek’ tale.In China’ s tale the ordinary hero finally would become fairy,such as HouYi..He became the the heavenly general.He beame fairy from ordinary person.But oidipous just became a king.It can be seen that in China tale hero can become fairy but in Greek tale hero can be aspected but can’t become fairy.In Greek tale, the fairy and ordinary person are trenchant.And in most China’s tale,the hero will have a happy end.HouYi got the honour and married abeautiful w ife.He lived happily.But in Greek’s tale ,the hero will have a sad end.Though oidipous got the kingship and marry,but finally he found he killed his father and married his mother,how sad.In the Greek’s tale,the hero most with the shadow of fatalism just like oidipous with the curse but finally he still couldn’t avoid the fatalism.And in China’ tale ,there are little fatalism.China and Greek are both old and famous nation.Their tale hero’s character respect east nation and west nation’ character.It makes sense totake in other nation’s good character to compasion west culture and east culture.We should learn the tale’s deep meaning to creat a real hero period!第三篇:中西方传统节日教案中西方传统节日教案汪集中学黄志平一、教学目标1、知识目标:1)学生了解中西方节日起源方面的差异2)学生了解中西方节日庆祝方式方面的差异2、能力目标:1)学生有一定跨文化交际的能力 2)能用英文进行简单的交流3、情感目标:根据对中西方节日差异的学习进而了解中西方文化的差异二、教学重点1、中西方节日起源及庆祝方式对比2、中西方两个最重要节日春节和圣诞节三、教学难点中西方节日文化差别四、教学内容步骤一、介绍中西方节日起源中国:中国是一个有着古老东方文明的国家,其悠久的历史和优良传统为传统节日的成长提供了肥沃的土壤。
中西方节日的文化差异研究Cultural Differences in Chinese and Western Festivals摘要:节日是世界各国的宝贵文化遗产,不同国家的节日反映着不同的文化背景。
本文旨在讨论中西方节日的文化差异以及某些重大节日的对比研究,以达到促进跨文化交流的目的。
关键词:节日;文化差异;春节与圣诞节;清明节与万圣节;七夕与情人节;对比研究Abstract Festivals are precious cultural heritage of different countries, so different festivals can reflect different cultures. This article discusses cultural differences and comparison between someone in Chinese and western festivals, aiming to promote cross-culture communication.Key words festivals; culture differences; Spring Festival and the Christmas Day; the Pure Brightness Festival and the Halloween; the Chinese Valentine’s Day and the Western Valentine’s Day1. SummaryFestivals are precious cultural heritage of different countries. That is also the reason why festivals in China and western countries have little in common. As a matter of fact, Chinese and western festivals serve as an intriguing window into their cultural differences. Their different origins and people's different ways to celebrate the festivals all reflect their cultural contrasts.First of all, the naming and the origins of Chinese and western festivals are an indication of their totally different traditions. In China, many of our festivals are connected with seasons which have great influence on agriculture. New Year's Day, the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Duanwu Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Chongyang Festival and Winter Solstice Festival are all examples. Take Duanwu Festival, for instance. Except for the explanations to honor the great poet Quyuan, many folk scholars believe that it originated from summer solstice and people's worship of dragons. In the fifth lunar month, crops begin to grow quickly. Obviously water is vitally important to agricultural production. While in ancient China, dragon was believed to be the god in charge of water. On the day of the festival, people raced dragon boats to please the god and offer him Zongzi. In this way, they pray for favorable weather for agriculture. As regards Chongyang Festival which falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, it is in the golden harvest season. All people are in great enjoyment of the exciting harvest. So we can see China has been a big country of agriculture since along time ago, and Chinese people tend to attach great importance to agriculture. Now let's see the origins of the western festivals. More often than not, we find the appearance of religion, especially Christianity. There are New Year's Day, Epiphany, Saint Patrick's Day, Good Friday, Easter, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. They are all connected with religion. Good Friday is the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus, Easter is to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection and Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ. We can see western festivals are covered with a strong color of religion.What's more, people's different ways to celebrate the festivals embody their different values. In China, we pursue health, union, and harmony. Food is a main subject for thecelebration. In Spring Festival, we have dumplings, noodles, New Year cakes, etc. Noodles symbolize longevity, while the New Year cakes pronounce “niangao” in Chinese, which means life will become better and better year by year. Family reunion dinner is of cause in dispensable. We also eat moon cakes in Mid-autumn Day and Laba Porridge in Laba festival. We Chinese try to make our life more harmonious. However, for westerners the way of celebration is different. They never like to stay at home. Instead, they choose to go out and have fun. April Fools’ Day is a festival for playing tricks and it brings great fun. Activities to celebrate the Independence Day are colorful and exciting, including picnics, playing fireworks and parades. For them, to realize individual value is the most important. They like to expre ss their own feelings freely. For example, Saint Valentine’s Day is a good chance for westerners to express their romantic love. Compared with this, Chinese people are more confined to the old tradition. On Double-Seventh Day which can be called “Chinese Valentine’s Day”, people just can recall the stories of Niulang and Zhinu then do nothing.To sum up, Chinese and western festivals are a window into their different cultures, including their tradition, their belief and their value. To learn different festivals is to promote cross culture communication. We should know the origins and people’s ways of celebration to understand the different cultures. Thus communication between China and Western countries will be much easier.2. Comparative study on some important festivals between China and western countriesFestival culture is very profound. The festival customs in dissimilar countries are established by usage, with the own distinct national feature and rich presentation forms, but they in filtrate to each other. This and the western countries: Spring Festival and the Christmas Day, the Pure Brightness Festival and the Halloween, the Chinese Valentine’s Day and the Western Valentine’s Day.Spring Festival and the Christmas DayIn China, as spring is the most beautiful season and all creatures on earth begin to grow, flowers are blooming in a riot of color; seeds sprout everywhere, i t is vitally important to celebrate the coming of the spring. As the beginning of a year, December 23rd in lunar year is the prelude to Spring Festival. On that day, all families without exception will worship the god of the kitchen and started to busily prepared for the New Year’s coming. In addition, according to the traditional habits, Chinese people will also make a thorough cleanup, which is also called spring-cleaning, to show their desire to sweep “the old and bad things” out of their house, ring out the Old Year and ring in the New Year. After this work, every house along the street has a bright and new look. With paper-cuts on the windows, couplets on the wall and red lanterns in front of the door, it looks really brilliant and full of happiness. The New Year’s Eve is the last day of December in lunar year. At that night, all members in a family will get together to enjoy the “family reunion dinner”, implied meaning lucky and harmony. When having dinner, everyone should only talking about things happy and good, avoid referring to death, disease or something bad. What’s more, family members will not sleep until the dawn of the Ne w Year’s Day. Instead, they will chat, watching TV and having snacks such as melon seeds, orange, and peanuts. The most exciting moment is when the New Year’s Bell rang. It seems as if all the firecrackersaround the world are set off with only one second. The sound of firecrackers will not stop until the dawn, and the new upsurge will begin at that time, when every family open the door and begin to visit their relatives. The carnival will continue to January 15th in lunar year.In western countries, a similar festival is the Christmas Day which actually begins in December 12th and ends in January 6th in the next year. Like Chinese New Year, it is also a period rather than only one day, which is familiar to us all –December 25th. As the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Christmas Day is with no doubt the most vitally day all over the year. And as we all know, most western people are Christian. Red, green and white are regarded as the luckiest colors in Christmas Day, as they stand for the Christmas candle, Christmas tree and pure snow. People decorate a kind of evergreen tree with all kinds and colors of lights, balloons, gifts, paper flowers and so on, all filled with a festival atmosphere. Santa Claus is the most famous figure in western festival. All children believe that they will receive a brilliant gift from Santa Claus, and as they growing up, they will gradually know that their Santa Claus is a figure in human’s imagination. But who care? The most important thing is they get pleasure and own a happy childhood full of imagine. Just like Chinese spring-dinner, western people value the reunion of the whole family. They having dinner together beside the Christmas tree and enjoy themselves in playing until late at night. It is worth mentioning that the most popular songs during this period are “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells”.Spring Festival and the Christmas Day all show the happy and harmonious atmosphere established in family reunion. By contrast, Chinese people prefer to express their affection and homesick, while western people are more likely to pray for the gift of God.The Pure Brightness Festival and the HalloweenPure Brightness here means clear and clean. Pure Brightness Festival is from Chinese lunar calendar. It is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. In Pure Brightness Festival, it’s a custom to visit one’s ancestor’s grave and sweep their tomb. Therefore, Pure Brightness Festival is also called Tomb-sweeping Day. The reason why Chinese people choose this day for honoring their ancestors may be that this day is the beginning of spring and ending of winter, all creatures begin to grow and people believe that their ancestors will obtain their new lives this day. They will look over the tomb carefully and make sure that there is no damage or corrosion. Then they will busting some paper-money, paper-flowers or some other things all made of paper, which is regarded as necessity for the dead people’s everyday use. Celebrate this Festival is important to all of us, but burning paper is not the only way. Beyond that, going for an excursion and fling kites. Sobriety is one of the Ghost Festival, demons; nature is capable of warding off evil into willow.Chinese Pure Brightness Festival has the great value of commemoration and show the “Immortality of Soul” theory in the traditional Chinese thinking modes. Life-sustaining is not confines in biological process, but in the continuation of Chinese culture. It exists in the concept inherited from one generation to the next and is reverted by the whole Chinese nation.Relatively, the western “Ghost Festival”is the Halloween. Children dress up incostumes at night on Halloween and play pumpkin lanterns-pumpkins are a traditional part of the celebration, all people have parties and play games. Young person get together, wearing interesting costumes and all kinds of masks, visiting every house along the street and asking for sweets. It is said that ghosts will also visit the human world at night on Halloween and living person should try their best to treat them with warmth. The fire and pumpkin lantern are used to frighten the ghost and lead them back. On that day, people could do everything or make joke or trouble as they like and never mind other’s resentment, because everyone does as well. All people are happy and enjoy themselves in the harmony with the Nature.T he Chinese Valentine’s Day and the Western Valentine’s DayLove is the permanent topic of human society. In china, people celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day, which has a long history. It is also called “Qixi Festival”or “Double Seventh Festival”, as the date is July 7th in lunar year. How did the festival get its name? It is said that, once upon a time, there was a cowboy called “Niulang” and a fairy called “Zhinu” who fell in love with each other. However, their love was not allowed by others just because a fairy couldn’t love a human being. As a result, Zhinu was forced to go back to the Heaven and not allowed to meet Niulang any other time beside the Double Seventh Day. It usually rains more or less on this evening of the year, after being separated on either side of the Milky Way as a punishment by the Lord of Heaven. The Chinese Valentines Day is comparably more romantic yet heartrending, because this is the only time of year when the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (Zhinu) meet each other cross the Milky Way. Luckily,their true love moved the magpie, which was regarded as a lucky bird in China. These helpful birds consist a bridge over the Milky Way and the lovers could met each other at that day. On this day, people will looked up towards the sky to look for the Milky Way, the stars stand for the couple and pray for their love. Young girls will pray for ingenuity by making some hand-made little bag and hope for a happy ending.T he Western Valentine’s Day is February 14th, which originated in the ancient Rome. The third century AD, ancient Rome, there was a tyrant called Claudius Meadows. Ancient Rome has been continuous war, more than a tyrant Crowe recruited a large number of Sri Lankan citizens to the battlefield, complaints were heard everywhere. Crowe Meadows fly into a rage, he was not allowed to transmit orders to hold a wedding, not even all at once to be engaged in also to the dissolution of marriage. A boy called Valentinus performed secret weddings after Claudius banned marriage to prevent soldiers from deserting his armies. His action was heard by Crowe Meadows and Valentinus was arrested and put into prison. The boy was tortured and finally put to death. His friends buried him in great sorrow on February 14th. When they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh-because they know that love can't be beaten! And now t he Western Valentine’s Day has become a day for lovers who have a strong will of love. On that day, lovers give gifts to each other, young boys will choose roses and girls chocolates. You could see sweet and happy lovers everywhere in the street.3. ConclusionThe differences of the origins and evolutions are clarified about the Chinese and western traditional festivals, and the cultural differences are compared between Chinaand western countries. It is believed that most of western traditional festivals are based on religionary culture especially the Christianism culture, which has stronger general applicability and cross-cultural naturalizing ability; while Chinese traditional festivals mainly originated from calendarian time and solar term, which have very strong secularity and pantheism. These kinds of originating and developing differences become the barriers to cross-cultural intercommunion and naturalization of traditional festivals, especially for Chinese traditional festivals to naturalize across cultures to western countries. In order to endow Chinese traditional festivals with cross-cultural radiating catholicity, reconstruction of it with the era must be carried out, including the reconstruction of social soil it rooted, and brand-new historical meanings should be endued to traditional culture.Reference[1] 李蜜.中西方重大节日对比研究[J].岳阳职业技术学院学报, 2006[2] 方川.王怀义.名俗的思雄[M].哈尔滨:黑龙江人民出版社, 2003[3] 刘刚. 李辉.节日的故事[M].北京:中国旅游出版社, 2004[4] 盖国梁.节趣[M].上海:学林出版社, 2000[5]房泽庆.中西传统节日文化的比较[J].山东大学学报, 2008(10):1-10.[6]李欣.比较视野中的中西传统节日文化[J].中州学刊,2008(7):243-245.[7]傅德岷.中国八大传统节日[M].重庆:重庆出版社,2007.[8]李丽敏.论西方文化冲击下中国传统节日的回归[J] .鸡西大学学报,2009(8):146-147.[9]李大明.恢复与弘扬传统节日是中国文化发展的历史必然[J].赤峰学院学报:汉文哲学社会科学版,2009(2):33-35.[10]侯根香.从传统节日看中西文化差异[J].无锡商业职业技术学院学报,2008(4):98-99.[11]唐进修,孟宪谟.世界节日纪念日辞典[M].北京:中国对外翻译出版公司,2005.[12]Anthony F.A. The book of the year: a brief history of our seasonal holidays [M].USA: Oxford University Press, 2003.[13]Christopher H. Holidays and holy nights: celebrating twelve seasonal festivals of the Christian Year [M].USA: Quest Books, 2003.英美文化课程论文论文题目:中西方节日文化差异及对比研究作者姓名:李澎瀛院系:生命科学院班级:生物技术2班学号:20076035任课教师:成祥军完成日期:2010年8月10日。
《中西方节日文化比较》高中英语作文Cultural Comparison: Western and Chinese FestivalsFestivals are an essential part of every culture, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of a nation.Western and Chinese festivals have their unique characteristics, showcasing diverse customs and beliefs.In this essay, we will explore and compare some of the most popular festivals in both Western and Chinese cultures.Western festivals are deeply rooted in Christian traditions.Christmas, for instance, is celebrated on December 25th to honor the birth of Jesus Christ.It is a time for family gatherings, exchanging gifts, and enjoying festive meals.In addition, Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, is believed to visit homes on Christmas Eve, bringing presents for children.Another significant Western festival is Easter, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.It is celebrated with egg hunts, religious processions, and enjoying复活节大餐( resurrection day banquet).Chinese festivals, on the other hand, are closely tied to Confucianism and Taoism.春节(Chinese New Year), also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important festival in China.It usually falls between late January and mid-February, depending on the lunar calendar.People celebrate by cleaning their homes, wearing new clothes, and enjoying family reunions.Fireworks, red envelopes, and traditional performances are alsointegral parts of the celebration.Another popular Chinese festival is中秋节(Mid-Autumn Festival), which falls on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.It is a time for families to gather, enjoy mooncakes, and appreciate the full moon.While both Western and Chinese festivals emphasize the importance of family and traditions, there are some key differences in their celebrations.Western festivals often focus on religious significance, with specific dates and symbols associated with their religious beliefs.In contrast, Chinese festivals are more influenced by nature and the agricultural calendar, reflecting the harmony between humans and nature.Moreover, the way gifts are exchanged also differs.In Western festivals, gifts are usually given during Christmas and birthdays, symbolizing love and appreciation.In Chinese culture, gifts are exchanged not only during festivals but also as a token of respect and goodwill.The act of giving gifts in Chinese culture is considered an essential part of building and maintaining relationships.In conclusion, both Western and Chinese festivals play a significant role in their respective cultures, reflecting the deep-rooted traditions and beliefs of each society.While Western festivals are closely tied to Christianity and emphasize family and gift-giving, Chinese festivals celebrate the harmony between humans and nature and emphasize the importance of relationships.Understanding and appreciating thedifferences in festival cultures can help promote cultural diversity and global understanding.。
中西方节日文化的差异英语手作文Holidays in China and the West have distinct differences that reflect their unique cultural backgrounds. In China, festivals are often tied to lunar cycles and agricultural traditions. Spring Festival, for instance, marks the start of a new lunar year and is celebrated with family reunions, firecrackers, and red envelopes filled with lucky money. The atmosphere is one of joy and prosperity, with people engaging in activities like dragon and lion dances.On the other hand, Western holidays tend to have religious or historical origins. Christmas, for example, is a celebration of Jesus' birth and is filled with traditions like decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and feasting on turkey and pudding. The spirit of the holiday is one of giving and joy, with carols playing in the streets and families gathering around the fireplace.The way people celebrate also differs. Chinesefestivals often involve group activities like fireworks displays and lantern festivals, while Western celebrations tend to be more family-oriented, with special meals and time spent together. Color and symbols also play a significant role, with red being synonymous with good luck and prosperity in China, while green and red are associated with Christmas.In China, New Year's Eve is a time for cleaning the house and preparing for the coming year, symbolizing the removal of bad luck and welcoming in good fortune. Western cultures, on the other hand, might.。
Culture Differences of Chinese and Western TraditionalFestivalAbstractTraditional festivals are the historical products of a nation’s development. Whether in China which has a long history of more than five thousand years or in the newborn America, the origination of traditional festivals in the two countries is similar. Most traditional festivals originated from people’s expectation for harvest in the agricultural production, the worship towards the gods and the nature, sacrifices to the historical characters and etc. After the long-term evolution, traditional festivals have become an indispensable part of the national culture. Through traditional festivals, the distinct cultural characteristics of a people and the national spirits can be observed. Since the ancient time, China has been a large agricultural country, the small-scale economic mode known as “The men plough and the women weave” initiated the agricultural civilization of Chinese characteristics. Chinese traditional festivals are deeply rooted in the agricultural civilization and greatly influenced by Confucianism. To some extent, Chinese traditional festivals have relieved from the primitive taboos and tended to be happy festivals which reflect the concept of harmony and integration in Confuci anism. In America, religion plays a very important role in people’s life. With various branches, the religious system of America is quite complicated, among which Christianity is of the greatest importance. Some American traditional festivals are the direct products of Christianity and most festivals have evolved into the religious festivals later. This paper is designed to discuss the differences in customs, origins and other aspects of traditional festivals with the similar cultural connotation, then analyze the reasons lying behind the differences and finally reflect the cultural differences of the two nations. The paper also analyzes the mutual fusion in tradtional holidays between China and the west.Key words: Traditional festivals; Chinese and American culture; cultural differences; causes; mutual fusion.中西方传统节日文化的差异摘要传统节日是一个民族发展的历史产物。
无论是在有着五千多年悠长历史的中国还是在新生的美国,传统节日的起源都显示出相通之处,大多数传统节日都源自于人们在农业生产生活中对丰收的期盼、对天地神灵和自然的崇拜、以及对历史人物的祭奠等等。
传统节日在长期的演变和发展中,已经成为民族文化不可或缺的一部分,透过传统节日可以反映一个民族的文化特色和民族精神。
中国自古以来就是一个农业大国,“男耕女织”的小农经济模式开创了具有中国特色的农耕文化。
中国传统节日深深植根于农耕文化之中,在演变过程中深受儒家思想的影响。
从某种程度而言,中国传统节日已经渐渐摆脱原始禁忌和崇拜,演化成为体现儒家和合思想的欢庆祥和的节日。
在美国,宗教的影响和地位是不言而喻的,美国的宗教体系错综复杂,其中最有影响力的宗教派别是基督教。
美国的传统节日大都衍化成为基督教的产物,大多数的美国节日在日后的发展中都成为宗教性的节日。
本文从两国传统节日中有着相似文化内涵的节日出发,探讨这些传统节日在起源、节日习俗等方面的差异,并分析产生这些差异的原因,从而折射出两国传统节日文化的差异。
另外本文也探讨了中西方传统节日的相互融合。
原创英语毕业论文请咨询QQ253771735关键词:传统节日;中美文化;差异;根源;相互融合Contents1. Introduction2. Differences between Chinese and Western Traditional Festivals2.1 The Spring Festival vs. Thanksgiving Day2.2 The Zhongyuan Festival vs. Halloween2.3 The Chinese Valentine’s Day vs. Valentine’s Day2.4 Summary3. Major Factors Causing Differences between Chinese and Western Traditional Festivals3.1 Factors Influencing Chinese Traditional Festivals3.1.1 Agricultural Civilization3.1.2 Confucianism3.2 Major FactorsInfluencing Western Traditional Festivals3.2.1 Industrialization3.2.2 Christianity4. Mutual Fusion Between Chinese and Western Traditional Holidays4.1 The development of the Mutual Fusion4.2 The Performance of the Mutual Fusion5. ConclusionCulture Differences of Chinese and Western Traditional Festivals 1.IntroductionChina is a multi-ethnic nation, with the Han nationality accounting for the majority of the total population and various ethnic minorities in the minority (Zhao, 2002). According to Zhao (2002) and Tan (2003), people in different nationalities or regions celebrate some traditional festivals of their own, while among all the festivals the most typical ones celebrated by Chinese people in common consist of these ones: the Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, the Dragon-Boat Festival, the Chinese Valentine’s Day, the Zhongyuan Festival, Mid-Autumn Day, the Double-Ninth Festival, the Winter Solstice, the Laba Festival, and the Kitchen God Festival, etc.Different from China, America is a multi-cultural nation with the immigrants taking a large proportion of its population and people from different countries live together and the cultures brought with them melt into the distinct American culture (Wu, 2003; Hu, 2004; William, 2007). In the system of American traditional festivals, there are festivals originating in the homeland and festivals brought from the foreign lands. The festivals in America can be divided into the legal holidays and traditional ones; besides, some states also celebrate a few festivals of their own (Ellinwood, 2005). In general, according to Samovar et al. (2008), the most popular traditional festivals celebrated by American people include the followi ng ones: New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, All Fools’ Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas, etc.According to the folklorists’ research, traditional festivals in different societies derive fr om such originations as people’s expectation for a bountiful harvest in the agricultural production, the primitive worship towards the gods and the nature, sacrifices to ancestors and historical characters and so on, and it is unable to deny that traditional festivals display the cultural differences on several aspects (Davis, 2001; Ni and Qiao, 2003). In the modern world with globalization taking such a fast pace,communication among people of different nationalities is more common in the fields of politics, economy, cultural and technological exchange and others. In a context of different cultures, misunderstandings and conflicts are likely to arise in the process of communication when there is little awareness of diverse cultural values and beliefs. Therefore, the recognition and understanding of the cultural differences is of great importance to promote the cross-cultural communication. This paper is designed to investigate the cultural differences embodied in traditional festivals in China and America based on the analysis of traditional festivals in the two cultures with similar cultural connotation.2. Differences between Chinese and Western Traditional FestivalsTraditional festivals, as an integral part of the national culture, possess rich cultural connotations. To some extent, traditional festivals are the manifestation and sublimation of human beings’ cognition and emotions toward the world and in the light of the universal cognition and emotions of human beings, it is no wonder that there are traditional festivals in the two cultures with the similar cultural connotations (Zhang, 2001). However, behind the similar cultural connotations of traditional festivals, origins and customs of these festivals are greatly differentiated, which illustrate the cultural differences of the two nations.2.1 The Spring Festival vs. Thanksgiving DayThe Spring Festival in China and Thanksgiving Day in America are both festivals for family members to reunite and to strengthen the family bonds. The Spring Festival is the biggest festival observed by Chinese people. However, in the beginning, the “spring festival” was not held to farewell to the past year and welcome the Chinese Lunar New Year, but to celebrate the coming of “Spring Commence”(the 1st solar term) (Chen and Lu, 1989). For when “Spring Commence” arrived, which was seemed as the coming of spring, farmers had to sow seeds in the farmland. Just as the old saying goes that “The whole year’s work depends on a good start in spring”(Xiao, 2002). Concerning the origin of Thanksgiving Day, it should be related to the pilgrims. In history, the first thanksgiving had to date back to 1621. In 1620, a group of pilgrims who wanted to escape religious persecution reached Plymouth by the May Flower (Julian, 2004). As soon as they settled down, they found they had to face a terrible winter—tough weather and lack of food and shelter. It was those native Indians that helped the pilgrims to survive. Later, the Indians taught the new settlers how to grow corn and other crops and also how to fish and hunt. In the autumn of 1621, the pilgrims enjoyed a bountiful harvest. In order to celebrate the harvest and show gratitude to the Indians’ help, they held a feast together with the native Indians, which was recorded as the origin of thanksgiving (Geng, 2006). Based on different origins, the two festivals developed with their own national culture and formed the unique customs of their own.Among all the customs, food at the festival is the most remarkable, just as the Chinese saying g oes, “Food is the first necessity of the people.” No matter at the Spring Festival or on Thanksgiving Day, a reunion dinner will be set for celebration. In China, the reunion dinner is held on the New Year’s Eve, that is, the day before the first day of the first lunar month. The menu for the reunion dinner traditionally includes fish, chicken and other delicious food. In Chinese characters the pronunciation of “fish” (“鱼”; in Chinese pinying “yú”) makes it a homophone for “surpluses”( “余”; in Chinese pinying “yú”), in this sense, the fish at the reunion dinner is to express people’s good wishes for the coming year which are implied in the Chinese phrase “may there be surpluses every year”(“年年有余”; pinying “nián ni án yǒu yú”). There are also other typical foo d for this festival, such as dumplings and nian gao known as the Chinese New Year pudding. The shape of the dumpling is like gold ingot from ancient China, so people eat them and wish for money and treasure (Tan, 2003). “nian gao”, as a homophone, means “h igher and higher, one year after another.” At the reunion dinner, the family members sit together according to a particular order in respect to the elder in the family. While the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner consists of roast turkey served with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, vegetables, fresh corn bread and ends with pumpkinpie. Family members sit together at the dinner table to enjoy the joyful time of reunion. (Hu, 2004) In celebrations at home, it is a holiday tradition in many families to begin the Thanksgiving dinner by saying grace. Grace is a prayer before or after a meal to express appreciation to God, to ask for God’s blessing.Despite the difference in the food culture, the celebrations of the two festivals also differ a lot. China is known for its morals and rituals, which are also embodied in the celebrations of the Spring Festival. Affection for the dead and the alive is exhibited in lots of ways. It is customary to make sacrifices to the ancestors with delicious food and burning paper money to the dead during the festival. In a family, the elder usually give “red envelops” to the children. People pay New Year calls to their relatives and friends with gifts. Greetings can be heard everywhere among people, suc h as “Happy New Year” (in Chinese “过年好”) and “May you be prosperous” (in Chinese “恭喜发财”). Other customs, like pasting the door panels with the Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper, burning fireworks and so on, all create the festive atmosphere. For the Thanksgiving Day, beside the big Thanksgiving dinner, people celebrate the festival by traveling with the family, parading, shopping and also American football is often a major part of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. Professional games are traditionally played on Thanksgiving Day; until recently, these were the only games played during the week apart from Sunday or Monday night.2.2 The Zhongyuan Festival vs. HalloweenThe Zhongyuan Festival and Halloween are two festivals related to ghosts (Trevor, 2005; Robert, 2007). The Zhongyuan Festival, falling on July 15th in the lunar calendar, is a festival for people to offer sacrifices to the departed relatives (Chen and Lu, 1989). Since ancient China, the seventh lunar month has been believed to be the “ghost month”, and in this month the ghosts are allowed to get out of the gate of the hell and go home to receive the sacrifice of their descendants. In history, people used to worship ancestors at every change of season throughout a year, butrestrained by the natural rhythm, farmers had to grow crops in spring and harvest in autumn (Xiao, 2002). Then in spring they prayed their ancestors for a good harvest and in autumn they offered their ancestors the crops to show their worship. Therefore, sacrifice in the autumn became the most important. With Buddhism introduced into China in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 A.D.), the original Zhongyuan Festival combined with the festival of Buddhism – the Yu Lan Pen Festival, which was held in memory of the forefathers of the Buddhists and encourage the Buddhists’ piety (Ibid.). Afterwards the customs of the Yu Lan Pen Festival went with the Chinese custom of commemorating their ancestors on the Zhongyuan Festival and the present Zhongyuan Festival, or the Hungry Ghost Festival, took the shape. At this festival, Family members would offer prayers to their deceased relatives and would burn joss paper. Families would also pay tribute to other unknown wandering ghosts so that these homeless souls would not intrude on their lives and bring misfortune and bad luck. A large feast is held for the ghosts on the 15th day of the 7th month, where everyone brings samplings of food and places them on the offering table to please the ghosts and ward off bad luck.Halloween has origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain celebrated on the night of October 31. The ancient Celts believed that on the night of October 31, ghosts of the dead would return to earth causing trouble and damaging the community’s food supply (Eugene, 2006). The Celts observed the event by burning crops and sacrificing animals to the Celtic Gods in bonfires built by the Druids (The Celtic Priests). They also wore costumes, typically of animal skins and heads, because they believed that they could avoid being recognized by the ghosts, which is now considered as the root of dressing in the Halloween costumes on this festival. They would also place bowls of food outside their houses to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from entering the home, which could be where trick-or-treating originated. By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. Thecelebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. The day is often associated with the colors orange and black, and is strongly associated with symbols such as the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories, and watching horror movies(Chen Kefeng,2006).2.3 The Chinese Valentine’s Day vs. Valentine’s DayThe Chinese Valentine’s Day and Valentine’s Day in the west are romantic festivals for lovers. The Chinese Valentine’s Day, also known as Qixi, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The origination of the festival is closely related to the love story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl. The skill is essential for their future family. On that night, the unmarried girls may pray for the Weaving Maid star to let them become smarter. When the star Vega is high up in the sky, girls do a test, which is to put a needle on the water surface. If the needle doesn't sink, then girl is already smart enough and ready to find a husband (Zhang, Qizhi 2007).Valentine’s Day is rooted in the story of the m artyred Valentine. Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men – his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death and Saint Valentine was buried on the day of February 14th. Later lovers who got married with the help of Valentine began to memorialize him on this day. In the west, Valentine’s Day is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine’s cards, presenti ng flowers, or offering confectionery (Ellinwood, 2005).2.4 SummaryThrough comparison of the three pairs of traditional festivals above, the differences in Chinese and American festivals can be summed up as follows.In view of origins, the Spring Festival has close relation to agriculture. Actually, most Chinese traditional festivals are derived from people’s conducting the agricultural production. In ancient China, agricultural production could not be separated from the special “solar terms” (in Chinese pinyin, “jiéqì”). Most Chinese traditional festivals are connected to the “solar terms”, for example, the Pure Brightness Festival, The Winter Solstice and others. Comparatively speaking, origins of American traditional festivals reflect the influence of religion, mainly Christianity. Thanksgiving Day is related to religion to some extent, although it is originated in the celebration of harvest, the influence of agriculture on this festival has faded away, and it tends to be a festival for family reunion and showing thanks to the God. In fact, among all the American traditional festivals many are originated from Christianity. The biggest festival Christmas is held to observe the birth of Jesus; Easter is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus; Halloween is also branded by Christianity as a day to memorialize all the saints. Christianity is closely related to American traditional festivals. In contrast to the unique place of Christianity in American traditional festivals, pantheism has great impact on Chinese traditional festivals. There are many gods in China’s legends. The Qixi Festival is rooted in the story of Cowherd and Weaver Girl who was the seventh daughter of the Jade Emperor and the Heavenly Queen Mother. And the Kitchen God Festival is obviously related to the Kitchen God, etc.In view of customs, etiquette has been greatly emphasized in celebration of Chinese traditional festivals. Take the Spring Festival for example, etiquette can be seen everywhere: the seating arrangement at the reunion dinner, the elder giving “red envelops” to the younger, the younger giving gifts to their parents, the descendants offering sacrifices to their ancestors, people saying greetings to each other, paying New Year calls to relatives and friends with gifts, etc. Etiquette has been regarded as acriterion to judge an individual’s personality to some degree. Besides, most Chinese traditional festivals attach more importance to harmony and happiness among people. While in America celebrations for traditional festivals are more tending to be for fun and recreation. At the same time, the customs of traditional festivals are somewhat religious, for example, the prayer before the Thanksgiving dinner, people going to the church at the Easter morning, etc.All the differences analyzed above between Chinese and American traditional festivals are formed under the particular historical background and specific cultural features. The following part is devoted to the underlying factors that have caused such differences.3.Major Factors Causing Differences between Chinese and WesternTraditionalFestivals3.1 Factors influencing Chinese traditional festivalsChina is a country that bears wisdom of generations and a national history of centuries; therefore, it is inevitable for traditional festivals to go through dramatic changes for “it is a general law in human history that the various civilizations polarized, syncretized, and affected each other” (Zhou, 2006). In history, such factors as religion, literature and arts, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism from the foreign land and politics and others have exerted a significant and positive influence on the culture loaded by Chinese traditional festivals (Robert, 2007). The following two are the primary ones among all the factors that have contributed to distinct characteristics of Chinese traditional festivals.3.1.1 Agricultural civilizationThe single, decisive factor that made it possible for mankind to settle in permanent communities was agriculture. After farming was developed in the Middle East in about 6500 BC, people living in tribes or family units did not have to be on themove continually searching for food or herding their animals. Once people could control the production of food and be assured of a reliable annual supply of it, their lives changed completely. In most ancient countries, the development of agriculture gave birth to the national civilization (Ni and Qiao, 2003). China is not an exception.Agricultural civilization refers to a kind of culture formed in the long-term agricul tural production. Based on the economic mode of “men till the land and women weave cloth” in the feudal society, people’s life centered on the agricultural activities (Ibid.). As time goes by, various kinds of cultural displays related to agriculture, such as dramas, folk songs, poems, and other sacrificial ceremonies, etc. showed up, which constitutes the rich agricultural civilization.The agricultural civilization is the foundation of most Chinese traditional festivals. “Solar terms” are the direct prod ucts of the agriculture development in Chinese characteristics. In the Han dynasty, people created the twenty-four solar terms as an exclusive way to divide time and the solar terms were then adopted by farmers to direct their agricultural production. Based on their experiences, farmers knew how agricultural work should be better arranged according to the characteristics of different solar terms (Xiao, 2002). The time system of Chinese traditional festivals is born from the system of “solar terms” because “solar terms” provide the prerequisite for deciding the time for festivals. Most festivals are celebrated around or on some solar term.3.1.2 ConfucianismConfucianism, with focuses on human morality and right actions, is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BC) (Robert, 2007). Confucianism is a complex system of moral, social, political, philosophical, and quasi-religious thought that has had tremendous influence on the culture and history of China (Ibid.) According to Tan (2003), the influence that Confucianism exerted on the development of traditional festivals can be summarized into the following aspects.3.2 Major Factors influencing American traditional festivals3.2.1 IndustrializationDifferent from China, America is a highly industrialized country. Following the wave of industrialization initiated in Britain, America soon became the giant among all the industrialized countries. In 1860, America was fourth in the world in manufacturing but by the turn of the 20th century was the biggest industrial nation in the world by far. In its national economy, the proportion of agriculture is much smaller than other industries such as manufacturing, information technology and other high-tech industries (Wu, 2003; Hu, 2004). It is then natural that the influence of agriculture in the whole nation weakens. With the fast pace of the industrialization in America, more and more foreigners have poured to the country to pursue their “American dreams”, which prompts America to become a multi-cultural nation.As a result, with the declining influence of agriculture in the national economy, agricultural characteristics in the traditional festivals gradually disappear. The Thanksgiving as the festival most closely related to the agricultural production is no longer a festival to celebrate the harvest but a festival for the reunion of the family members and showing their thanks to the God. Furthermore, with the several immigration waves bringing abundant labor force for the industrialization in America, many foreign festivals have also been embedded in the system of traditional festivals in America. The St. Patrick’s Day is originally a festival celebrated by the Irish in Ireland, later it arrived with the immigration of many Irish people. The All Fools’ Day was first celebrated in France and later became a popular festival in America. The immigrant cultures have enriched the system of American traditional festivals.3.2.2 ChristianityReligion is vital to the American people’s life. According to a 2002 study by the Pew Global Attitudes Project, the US was the only developed nation in the survey where a majority of citizens reported that religion played a “very important” role intheir lives. In America, it is a ritual for most people to go church on Sunday, for the church is not only a place for people to show their piety to the god, but also a place for people to socialize with others. The most important events of one’s life are all connected with religion: a baby accepts baptism at birth; a couple gets married at the witness of a priest in the church; a man’s funeral is conducted by the priest. It can be seen that religion has penetrated into people’s daily life. Religion in America is complicated with several branches, among which the largest one is Christianity. To a large degree, the American culture has developed under the great impact of Christianity. Many American traditional festivals are directly the results of religious beliefs (Ellinwood, 2005).This history of Christianity is focused on the life, death and resurrection of one person, Jesus Christ, the son of God (Trevor, 2005). The traditional story of Jesus tells of his birth in a stable in Bethlehem in the Holy Land, to a young virgin called Mary who had become pregnant with the son of God through the action of the Holy Spirit. The story of Jesus’ birth is told in the writings of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament of the Bible. His birth is believed by Christians to be the fulfillment of prophecies in the Jewish Old Testament which claimed that a Messiah would deliver the Jewish people from captivity (Ibid.). After the story of his birth, little is known about Jesus until he began his ministry at the age of about 30. He then spent three years teaching, healing and working miracles. He taught in parables - everyday stories which had divine messages for those who would hear it. He had twelve disciples whom he called to follow him and help him in his work. Jesus stated publicly that he spoke with the authority of God. This claim angered the religious authorities in Palestine and they handed Jesus over to the Roman authorities as a revolutionary. He was tried for heresy, condemned and put to death by means of crucifixion. On the Sunday following his execution, some of his women followers discovered that the tomb into which his body had been placed was empty. Jesus then appeared to them, alive, as the Jesus they had known prior to his death. His followers realized that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus was seen by many of his disciples and followers over the next few days before, and according to the Gospel accounts, he was taken up。