Cultural differences between Chinese and western festivals
Cultural differences between Chinese and Western festivals, China is a country with a long history, and China's culture is deeply rooted, while traditional festivals in the West are related to religious culture, which is different from our humanistic culture. Below I have sorted out the cultural differences between Chinese and Western festivals, and welcome your reference.
Cultural differences between Chinese and Western festivals 1 1, and the origins of Chinese and Western traditional festivals are different.
Traditional festivals in China are mainly related to human culture, while traditional festivals in the West are mainly related to religious culture. The initial embryonic form of traditional festivals in China is some sacrificial days; People plant in spring and summer.
In the process of long harvest, autumn harvest and winter storage, we can understand the law of natural change and summarize the seasons.
2. Differences in value orientation between Chinese and Western festival cultures.
The differences between Chinese and western festival cultures also stem from different value orientations: etiquette and legal system. "Rite" in China traditional culture is the core culture that embodies the characteristics of mainstream culture in China. Starting from collectivism, this thought emphasizes individual obligation and advocates that individuals obey the collective. Therefore, festivals in China focus on collective participation in festival activities.
In the western festival system, it is not absolutely unrelated to their folk life and traditional lifestyle, but these festivals are very powerful because Christianity has finally become everyone's main belief and played a leading role in their whole social life and the lifestyle of ordinary people.
China's traditional festivals, first of all, the relationship with nature has been clearly reflected in the festivals, which has a great relationship with the progress of time, that is, the changes of the four seasons are particularly obvious here. The other is interpersonal relationship, that is, creating harmonious social relations. Then there is its own adjustment.
Cultural differences between Chinese and western festivals. Different origins
1, the origin of traditional festivals in China.
China is an ancient oriental civilization. Its long history and fine traditions provide fertile soil for the growth of traditional festivals. As an agricultural country, China culture is deeply rooted in agriculture. Therefore, agricultural activities make festivals more local. The Spring Festival is closely related to some agricultural activities, such as planting and harvesting. As the most important festival in China, the origin of the Spring Festival can be traced back to a series of colorful legends and traditions that have evolved for thousands of years.
2. The origin of western traditional festivals.
In western countries, religion is the center of culture and society. People's thoughts can be reflected through religion. At the same time, religion controls people through their belief in God or spirit. It is no exaggeration to say that religion exists in all walks of life. Therefore, festivals are closely related to Christianity. Besides Christmas, Easter is also related to religion.
Second, there are different ways to celebrate.
1, the way to celebrate China Festival.
Spring Festival is the most important festival in China and overseas Chinese. Its celebrations are rich and grand. Festival activities are colorful. Lin Yutang, a famous scholar in China, once described the Spring Festival well. He said that the ancient "China Lunar New Year" was the biggest festival in China. In contrast, other festivals are bleak.
2. ways to celebrate western festivals
On Christmas Eve, most people who celebrate Christmas will hold a special festival celebration ceremony in their own homes. Every family usually decorates the Christmas tree and puts all the colorful presents under it. At Christmas, there are also many celebrations. It is a custom to exchange gifts and give Christmas cards to friends and relatives all over the world to celebrate Christmas.
Third, the catering is different.
1, Oriental Catering
China's food is "delicious", so China's cooking also shows great arbitrariness in the use of materials: what many westerners regard as discarded is an excellent raw material in China, and what foreign chefs can't handle can be turned into magic as soon as it reaches the hands of China chefs.
2. Western catering
The more obvious difference from China's diet is the buffet which is popular in the west. This method is: all the food is displayed one by one, and everyone needs what they want, so they can move freely without being fixed in their seats. This way facilitates the emotional communication between individuals, without putting all the words on the table, and also reflects the respect of westerners for individuality and self. Westerners believe that dishes are to satisfy hunger, so they specialize in "hard dishes" such as large pieces of meat and whole chicken.
Cultural Differences between Chinese and Western Festivals 3 1 Comparison between Chinese and Western Major Traditional Festivals
Spring Festival in China and Christmas in the West.
(1) Spring Festival. Spring Festival is the first day of the first lunar month, also known as Lunar New Year, commonly known as "Chinese New Year". This is the biggest and most lively traditional festival in China. The Spring Festival has a long history. Its original meaning comes from agriculture. In ancient times, people called the growth cycle of the valley "year". The arrival of the Spring Festival means that spring has come, everything is renewed, and the new sowing and harvesting season is about to begin again. People have just spent the long winter when flowers and trees are dying in the ice and snow, and have long been looking forward to the day when spring blooms. When the new year comes, it is natural to greet this festival with joy and singing.
(2) Christmas. Christmas, also known as "the birthday of Jesus", is a day for Christians to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. At Christmas, most Christian churches hold ceremonies on Christmas Eve on February 24th, 65438, and then celebrate Christmas on February 25th, 65438. Christmas was originally a religious festival, and later it gradually evolved into a national festival with a national style. In western countries, Christmas is also a festival for family reunion and celebration. They usually decorate a Christmas tree at home to increase the festive atmosphere.
From the Spring Festival in China and Christmas in the West, it can be seen that China has been focusing on agriculture for a long time, and attaches great importance to the influence of climate on crops. Spring is coming, so we should start a new round of sowing and harvesting. And Christmas has a strong religious color.
1.2 Ghost Festival in China and Halloween in the West
(1) China Ghost Festival. China Lunar July 15th is the Orchid Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, commonly known as Ghost Festival and Shigu. Originally a Buddhist ceremony in India, Buddhists held bonsai to recommend their ancestors. The Orchid Sutra in Buddhist Scriptures is aimed at cultivating filial piety and enlightening Buddha nature, which is in line with the belief of Chinese people that seeking before going far and mourning is greater than dying, so it is becoming more and more popular. Every Lunar New Year, Chinese people in our country will hold a grand celebration of "Celebrating the Central Plains", and red paper celebrating the Central Plains can be seen all over the country, decorated with lanterns and set up altars to reward the gods.
(2) Halloween. Halloween is a traditional festival in western countries. Halloween originated from the traditional festival of Celtic in England. 10 The last day of June, they believe it is late summer and early winter. On this day, people put out the fire and candlelight, so that the dead can't find the living. They dress up as monsters to scare away the souls of the dead.
With the passage of time, the meaning of Halloween has gradually changed, becoming active and happy, and the saying that the dead are looking for body double to come back to life has gradually been abandoned and forgotten. Today, most people in the world celebrate the origin of Halloween with strange costumes. In China, the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month is also considered as the day when the door of death opens wide. Ghosts from the underworld will return to the dead to visit their relatives. On this day, many people burn paper money and candles to mourn their ancestors.
1.3 China Valentine's Day, Tanabata, West
(1) China Valentine's Day (Qixi). Valentine's Day in China, also known as Begging for Clevership Festival, is the most romantic festival among the traditional festivals in China. According to legend, the night of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month every year is the time when "Weaver Girl" and "Cowherd" meet in the sky. "Weaver Girl" is a beautiful, intelligent and ingenious fairy. That night, ordinary women begged her for wisdom and skills, and also prayed to her for a happy marriage.
(2) Valentine's Day. There are different opinions about the origin of Valentine's Day. One of them is to commemorate a Christian martyr named Valentine. In the 3rd century AD, Valentine, a Christian in the Roman Empire, was arrested and imprisoned for taking the lead in opposing the persecution of Roman rule. The warden's daughter took good care of him, and a deep affection developed between them. However, Valentine was not released and was executed on February 270 14. Before the execution, he wrote a bloody book to the warden's daughter to express his true feelings. In memory of Valentine, Christians designated February 14 as Valentine's Day.
These two festivals are full of love, and China's Tanabata is secular and pan-divine. In the west, Valentine's Day has a strong religious color.
2. Differences between Chinese and Western festival cultural backgrounds
2. 1 agricultural color and religious color
China has long been in a self-sufficient feudal agricultural society and natural economy, and attaches great importance to the influence of climate on crops. In the process of spring planting, summer sowing, autumn harvest and winter storage, we realized the complex laws of natural time series, summed up the four seasons and twenty-four solar terms, and formed a traditional festival dominated by solar terms. In ancient times, because of low productivity, they were often disturbed by the cold wave in winter and worried about the lack of food, so they hoped to farm in spring. Of course, there are also many festivals related to agriculture in western countries. However, due to the rise of western Christianity and the substitution of commodity economy for agricultural economy in industrial society, people's dependence on the weather has gradually weakened, but it has become a traditional festival promoted by various religious consciousness.
2.2 Worship and belief in God
China's early social structure was based on the custom power of combining nature worship with humanistic spirit, and his basic philosophy was to advocate the mutual coordination and balance between God and man. The traditional gods in China are mostly natural worship when people make demands, not the ultimate worship for spiritual purification and sublimation.
In the west, most people believe in Christianity and believe that God is the creator of all things in the world. Human wealth, longevity, wealth and so on are all given by God, not acquired. The concepts of God and Jesus have been imprinted on their minds. For example, Christmas is a festival for Christians to commemorate Jesus' birthday.
2.3 Collectivism and individualism
As we all know, traditional festivals in China are the result of long-term cultural accumulation. Influenced by Confucianism, they are conservative, delicate and subtle in expressing their feelings. It is to integrate individuals into groups and emphasize groups and the overall situation. In traditional festivals, family members who pay attention to blood can enjoy reunion. Such as "Spring Festival" and "Mid-Autumn Festival", and some common etiquette such as "reunion" and "reunion".
Traditional festivals in western countries are keen to tap individual values and pursue liberalism and individualism. People fully publicize themselves and vent their feelings during festivals. For example, on Valentine's Day, people can express their love to their loved ones without reservation. Therefore, Western Valentine's Day is increasingly favored by young people in China.
3 Conclusion and significance
In the long river of human social development, festivals play an important role in shaping national character and condensing national feelings, and are also the most widely participated cultural symbols of a national people. It carries culture and conveys feelings. Although there are differences between Chinese and Western festivals in agriculture and religion, worship beliefs and value pursuit, people's desire for a better life is the same. Understanding western festival culture can effectively realize communication, enhance understanding, promote friendship, and better strengthen communication and exchange in today's world full of competition and opportunities.
Under the pressure of today's society, people's daily life is often monotonous and lifeless. Festivals will add color to people's monotonous social life, improve people's mental outlook and glow people's enthusiasm for work.