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Unit 6: Festivals and customs

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China has traditional festivals and current festivals Ethnic minorities have their own festivals In mainland of China both current and traditional festivals are observed now

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Traditional festivals Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year) Lantern Festival (yunxio) Clear and bright (qngmng) Dragon boat festival (dunw ) Seven-seven festival (seventh month seventh day) Double nine festival (chngyng, climbing mountains) Mid Autumn festival

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First day of the first lunar month Celebration: 1. New Years Eve dinner for family reunion 2. Posting red couplets, firecrackers 3. Mutual visit on the new years day 4. Giving gift, red envelope 5. Habits: say lucky words, avoid taboos

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The fifteenth day of the first month End of the Spring Festival celebration Eat yunxiao Hanging the red lanterns

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Around 5 April Tomb Sweeping Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day Visit, clean, and make offerings at ancestral gravesites, spring outing

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The 5 th day of the 5 th lunar month Dragon boat race, eat dumplings wrapped in lotus leaves Zngzi. Commemorates the ancient poet Q Yun Drink yellow rice wine

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Also called Chinese Valentines Day 7 th day of the 7 th lunar month The legendary story goes that the cow herder Niulang and Zhinu, a weaver of clouds fell in love and got married, but their bond was met with disapproval by Wangmu, Zhinu's mother and the queen of heaven. Niulang is viewed as the star Altair and Zhinu as the star Vega. With a swift move of her hairpin, she separated the two with a river in the sky, known today as the Milky Way. But the queen took pity on them and gave them one night of the year to spend together. On Qi Xi Jie, the queen is said to send magpies to bridge the gap between the two star lovers.

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In Yi Ching, the Yang line is represented by 9. The ninth day of the ninth month is a double Yang day, hence the name "Chong Yang Festival". (Chong means "repeat" in Chinese.) Climb mountains, appreciate chrysanthemum flowers, drink chrysanthemum wine, and eat double-ninth cakes.

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The 15th day of the 8th lunar month Family reunion, eating moon cakes Appreciating the Moon

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Current festivals New Year May Day (Labor Day) Childrens Day June 1 CCP anniversries August 1 Army Day September 14 Teachers Day October 1 National Day

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Festivals of minorities (omitted) Please do your reserch on Tibetan and Mongolian festivals

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Names, title and addressing habits Zodiac signs Gunxi (connections, relationship) and Gift giving Face saving issue Color and taboo

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Strong-self reliance Confucian virtues Social structure Collectivists-group loyalty Kinship networks Verbal agreement (gentlemen agreement)

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Family name first, given name last Three characters are common, two characters are possible. Four characters are rare: (myself) (my wife) (my son) (my niece) Avoid addressing the seniors by name Address seniors, officials, teachers, professors, boss by Title+Surname

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The following address terms are appropriate: Wng l osh (Wang teacher) Zhng jngl (Zhang manager) L zong-jngl (Li general manager) M xiozh ng (Ma pricipal) Zhu bsh (Zhou doctor)

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20 Break

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In China friendship is a substitute for a legal system. Guanxi (connections, personal relationships and pull) are seen as critical. Hugging and kissing less prevalent in Asia than here.

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In China, gunx provides the necessary social glue between parties who interact over an extended period. Gunx refers in this context to a long- term relationship based on mutual obligation. One begins to build gunx by doing small favors, taking one out to dinner, or bringing a gift. Trust also grows with the relationship, and one relies on the honor of his gunx partner rather than legal remedies to vouchsafe an agreement.

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Gifts are very important Chinese people decline gift three times before accepting, be sensitive to genuine refusals. Chinese do not open gifts when received. Do not think that they neglect your gift. Do not open gift unless they insist

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Foreign cigarettes, cognac, fine whisky, quality wine Do not give clocks, cut flowers (particularly chrysanthemums), white objects these object carry association with death Wrap gifts; red and gold are best wrapping paper. Dont use red ink to write.

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Saving face plays some role in almost every culture, but in China and other Confucian countries it is a constant preoccupation. One never speaks or acts in a social setting without calculating the effect on face. A primary goal at a social or business gathering is to avoid embarrassing or offending one's associates. One is humble and soft spoken One does not show or provoke anger

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Red celebration, wedding, political implication (good) White mourning, funeral, political implication (bad) Black mourning, funeral political implication (bad) Yellow for temple and emperors Green (hat) humiliating for not knowing that ones wife has affairs with others

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Readings Chinese Festivals http://www.adventurebimbling.com/china/china_festivals.html http://www.adventurebimbling.com/china/china_festivals.html Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches http://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/time/stemsandbranches.htm http://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/time/stemsandbranches.htm Zodiac http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/ http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/ Chinese customs http://eee.tsinghua.edu.cn/show.aspx?id=903&cid=71 http://eee.tsinghua.edu.cn/show.aspx?id=903&cid=71 Internet search and sharing in class Chinese Festivals (2 students) Minorities festival (2 students) Customs and habits (2 students)