Archive for April, 2008

Apr 04 2008

The meaning of Qingming

Published by Turner under Culture

Today is the day of Qingming Festival. Qingming is a traditional festival highlighted by warship at ancestral graves. Usually it falls between April 4-6. The festival marks the fifth solar term of the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, which divides the year into 24 sycg terms according to the position of the earth as it orbits the sun. The names of the terms are used as guideposts for agriculture and certain Chinese festivals in China. Qingming marks the start of spring plowing in China’s north and spring sowing in the south. At this time people also customaily make offerings to family ancestors, go on outings and flying kites.

 Regarding the origin of Qingming, people will upkeep of loved one’s tombs. It is called Qingming Jie in Chinese, which means “clear and bright”. Traditionally falling on the 105th day after the lunar winter graves. In this balmy, crystaline time of year, the very sky looks fresh-swept and flawless, refreshingly “clear and bright”.

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Apr 03 2008

Beijing photos of spring scenery

Published by Turner under Photos

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Apr 03 2008

Beijing photos of view from my office buliding

Published by Turner under Photos

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Apr 02 2008

The new holiday system in China

Published by Turner under Culture

With the coming of Qingming Festival which is also known as the Tomb Sweeping Festival on Friday, we will take the new holiday system. The Qingming holiday will be from April 4th- April 5th.

The Qingming Festival, plus the the Dragon-Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival are the new holidays on this year’s calendar, while the once-weeklong May Day holiday is shortened.

Below you will see the changes between the new holiday system and the old hoiday system;

Holiday Name

Date

Duration (2008-)

Duration (2000-2007)

New Year

January 1

1 day

1 day

Chinese New Year

(Spring Festival)

1st day of 1st lunar month

3 days

3 days

Qing Ming Jie

5th Solar Term (early April)

1 day

N/A

Labor Day

May 1

1 day

3 days

Dragon Boat Festival

5th day of 5th lunar month

1 day

N/A

Mid-Autumn Festival

15th day of 8th lunar month

1 day

N/A

National Day

October 1

3 days

3 days

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Apr 01 2008

My April Fool’s Day

Published by admin under My life

I came to the office as usual today, i didn’t realize that it was April Fool’s Day today. As it was the salary paid day, one of my colleague told me that we would paid more 1000 plus the salary. I was really very excited, because i was so busy these days, even last Saturday i was still on business trip. The boss was really very kindhearted, i thought.

Then i asked why we would be paid for more 1000, they laughted and i realized that today was the April Fool’ Day.  No matter, i just keep work.

It is not a big matter, whether the salary or the joke. I have not feel the environment of this festival the for several years as i am not a student any more.

When i was in school, this western festival were really very popular. lots of students tricked and even the teachers can not be exception.

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Apr 01 2008

Western Festivals In China

Published by admin under Variety life

Nowadays , western festivals are so hot in China .The festivals mainly incorporate Christmas Day , Valentine’s Day , April Fool’s Day ,etc . Let’s see some Statistics from a newspaper survey . According to ages , the percentages of the young people under 18, over 28 , from 18to 25, from 25 to 28 ,who celebrate Christmas, are separately 7%, 29%, 46%,18% . According to careers , there are 84.6% workers of science and technology , education , medicine, 83.3% students , 71.4% administrators and office staffs, who keep Christmas .
Though the western festivals become more and more popular, there is much controversy over this phenomenon. Many people ,including the experts ,turn to worry about the disadvantages and potential harm of the celebrations. And many people think otherwise .Different people have different views towards it .

Part 1 :
Viewpoint 1
Some people comment that the festivities are meaningless . “They are foreign. And why should we Chinese keep their festivals . They have nothing to do with us ! What should we do that for ? ” they said , “don’t do this sorts of stupid things again ! ” One people says online jokingly ,”April Fool’s Day ? Forget it .Don’t you know that we are keeping Fool’ Day every day ?” We celebrate the festivals even without knowing their meanings .

Viewpoint 2
Others believe that the western festivals serve as a kind of cultural aggression . And we should drive them out of our country lest they should undermine our traditional culture and system . Some festivals such as Christmas are highly religious .As the ‘imported ‘festivals become hot , our own native festive occasions turn cool . What’s worse , if our own distinctive culture be destroyed , then the whole nation will not exist .

Viewpoint 3
Some people point out that the youngsters are misled by the market sellers , who exert great efforts to advertise and propagate their products and provide all kinds services related to the west festivals . And the young people are just following the trends indiscriminately . It will cost them an arm and a leg to buy the gifts ,which is especially inappropriate for the campus students . Some stores hold contest of kissing , in which the couple who kiss each longest will be rewarded . Many young people including the students take part in it .

Viewpoint4
A lot of people assume that the phenomenon is actually a kind of blind worship of western things . They condemn the people keeping the Occidental festivals as lacking the backbone . They should strength their confidence of our own country and our own traditional festivals . It is better to celebrate our own .

Viewpoint5
Someone employs as a protest a Chinese idiom –Tungshihhsiaopin ,meaning blind imitation with ludicrous effect .This mainly refers to the April Fool’s Day . Some people make excessive jokes and do some foolish things .It may generate harmful effects . Some severe consequences are really made because of it .

Part 2 :
Viewpoint 1
Some people argue that there is no harm of the festivities . For one thing , it helps to consolidate the relationships between friends , lovers , classmates , colleagues , etc . Through the activities , we can know each other better . If you want to pursue a boy or a girl , then Valentine’s Day is a great chance .You can boldly show your love to him or her under the cloak of festival.

Viewpoint 2
The festivals brings happiness to us . It can contributes t o alleviating the pressure of study , work ,etc . In modern society , everyone may feel some stress. Since the celebrations are beneficial , why should we keep them out of the door . And happiness is indispensable part of our life . Just for fun and for relaxation . There is no conscience of religion . Many people accept the festival without knowing their original significance .So don’t worry about the influence of religion . A lot of good memories will remain in our brain .

Viewpoint3
The western festivals are colorful . And they emphasize more on the individualism and liberalism .Some aspects of our traditional festivals not fit to many people . For example , to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival , people traditionally make Tsung Tzu (a pyramid-shaped mass of glutinous rice wrapped in leaves) at home . But it is not convenient for people who live in the big cities to do it . And the Ghost Day has an ambience of gloom and horror . But people in the west celebrate the Halloween Day with a more happy attitude.

The Conclusions

We can see that there are advantages and disadvantages of the celebrations of western festivals . It is impossible to totally refuse them . And it is not wise to take them all . So what should we do ? And how should we face the it ?

1 .Western festivals are not patents of the west .
We can also do some festivities during the days . To celebrate the western festivals , we should not go to far . But we should not waste too much money . And on the April Fool’s Day , we should limit the acts of mischief lest we cause disaster to other people .

2 . We should know our own culture well .
The Chinese culture emphasize on collectivism . It is helpful to the country’s united force .We should cherish the traditional festivals .

3.We should do something to make the traditional festivals more enchanting .
We should modernize our festivals and diversify the festivities .For example , we can make the dragon-boat racing as a national contest .

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Apr 01 2008

April Fool’s Day

Published by admin under Variety life

April Fools’ Day is a day to play jokes on others, No one knows how this holiday began but people think it first started in France.

  In the 16 th century, people celebrated New Year’s Day from March 25 to April 1. In the mid—1560s King Charles IX changed it from March 25 to January 1. But some people still celebrated in on April 1, so others called them April Fools.

  Each country celebrates April Fools’ Day differently. In France, people call the April Fools “April Fish”。 They tape a paper fish to their friends’ backs to fool them. When he or she finds this , they shout “April Fish!”

  In England, people play jokes only in the morning. You are a “noodle” if someone fools you. In Scotland, April Fools’ Day is 48 hours long. They call an April Fool “April Gowk”。 Gowk is another name for a cuckoo bird.

  In the America, people play small jokes on their friends and any other people on the first of Aprol. They may point down to your shoe and say, “ Your shoelace is untied.” If you believe them and look down to see, you are an April Fool then.

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