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Zhangjiajie Lantern Festival Culture

Culture 2011/12/08 View:6244

Chinese Lantern Festival which is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first calendar month in Chinese lunar calendar. Not the Mid-Autumn Festival, sometimes confused with the so-called Lantern Festival in places like Singapore, Malaysia. During the Lantern Festival , the children go to carry lanterns in temples at night. Officially ends Chinese New Year.

Lantern Festival culture is considered the marvellous spectacle among Chinese national cultures. Lantern sightseeing and enjoying lantern shows, which suits both refined and popular tastes and appeal both the old and the young, is one of important traditional customs and cultural activities among people in our country. China lantern, Famous in ancient and modern times and enjoying high reputation, collects varieties of Chinese cultural demeanour and brings human beings splendid lantern art. Since Tang Dynasty, the custom of Lightening lanterns in New Year has existed. In Qing Dynasty, “Lion Lantern Market”and “Lantern Pole Festival” came into being. In early twentith century, Holding Lantern Festival initiated into performance. What’s more afterwards were Setting off Heavenly Lanterns, Performing Dragon Lanterns, Playing with Lion Lanterns and Festive Lantern Show.

Chinese Lantern culture is considered the marvellous spectacle among Chinese national cultures. Lantern sightseeing and enjoying lantern shows, which suits both refined and popular tastes and appeal both the old and the young, is one of important traditional customs and cultural activities among people in our country. China lantern, Famous in ancient and modern times and enjoying high reputation, collects varieties of Chinese cultural demeanour and brings human beings splendid lantern art. Since Tang Dynasty, the custom of Lightening lanterns in New Year has existed. In Qing Dynasty, “Lion Lantern Market”and “Lantern Pole Festival” came into being. In early twentith century, Holding Lantern Festival initiat After the founding of new China, lantern art got rapid development. On the bases of appreciation of the beautiful that carries forwards traditional lantern making skills, modern light and electric technology has been introduced and other artistic types have also been incorporated. Lantern shows combine sound, color, movement and modelling together and merge sightseeing with enjoyment and knowledge, paved a way of ultilizing culture to promote trade and combination of culture with trade, which has gained the concern, support and affirmation from the leaders of the CPC and the State. Lantern shows in new era feature high cultural tastes, varieties of best lanterns, unique artistic characteristics and grand light view. Lantern-shaped hills and light ocean, piled-up jade and gold colors form a light flowing and color spilling picture. Singing birds, swimming dragons and dancing phoenixes enrich grand guardens made up of lanterns. To stroll along lantern varandas and under lantern pavillions seems as if walking in a dream-like world, which reminds you of the words “ tonight is worth recalling in each year ”.ed into performance. What’s more afterwards were Setting off Heavenly Lanterns, Performing Dragon Lanterns, Playing with Lion Lanterns and Festival Lantern Show.

China lantern festival has boundless momentum, exquisit lantern sets, elegant artistic skills and strong local flavor. The unique style unfolds its endless charm. It has obtained good reputation at home and abroad and attracted crowds of tourists. The reform and opening up to the outside world promote China lantern culture development forward to a new stage. Since 1990s, lantern festival has played the role of cultural envoy of Chinese nationality and has been to foreign countries for display. Ten times of display took place early or late in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, which spread the unique glamor of China lantern to overseas parts. Nowadays when China is undertaking its continued reform, large sized China folk lantern shows will take an important effect in the construction of a harmonious sociaty. Holding grand lantern shows in piping times of peace will happen before the natives. Large sized China folk lantern shows will be utilized as an important tool of external cultural publicity to develop more cultural markets and push Chinese among-people’s folk culture towards the rest parts of the world, which enables it come true for people around the world have face to face communications with China lantern festival.The domestic and foreign displays of China lantern shows will build a large commercial commercial stage for domestic and foreign enterprises and companies, which would construct connections among domestic and international enterprises and individuals and be helpful to the publicity of companies’ images, products and businesses.

Reading
  • Floating River Lanterns

    Floating River Lanterns

    Floating river lanterns is an ancient traditional custom in China. It is used to mourn passing relatives and bless living people.
    2012-09-26 20:59 View:2363
  • Tujia Ten Sisters’ Accompanying Custom

    Tujia Ten Sisters’ Accompanying Custom

    Tujia people are very cautious about the marriage if the bride and the groom have the same surname. If they have the same surname, they may be of the same blood. The marriage of the same blood is a big taboo in Tujia. Tujia girls will welcome their marriage day by crying. The bride usually starts to cry half a month previous to the wedding day; some even cry about one month. The shortest is about 3 or 5 days. Tujia people judge a girl’s intelligence and virtue by how well she can sing crying songs in the wedding.
    2012-08-07 01:08 View:2298
  • Miao Nationality’s Special Custom: Welcome Dragon

    Miao Nationality’s Special Custom: Welcome Dragon

    Welcome the dragon is a holy worship to Miao people. In order to wish for their families’ prosperity, Miao people usually make a vow to the dragon and invite two senior masters to host the religious rites. They need to ask the hostess’s brother of that family to welcome the dragon for them. Owners have to welcome the hostess’s brother in the entrance to their village and send two bowls of liquor and red paper containing money as a gift.
    2012-08-30 01:03 View:2169
  • ZJJ Tujia’s Architectural Style

    ZJJ Tujia’s Architectural Style

    The Tujia people like living in groups, and the houses of the Tujia, known as Diaojiaolou are very functional and similar to those of Miao. The house is made of wood, with tile roof, up-turned eaves, and balcony with carved wooden handrails. On the lower floor, there is livestock; while the girls’ bedrooms are kept upstairs.
    2012-08-07 01:02 View:2261
  • A Brief History of Tujia People

    A Brief History of Tujia People

    The Tujia people called themselves “Bizika”, which means “Native dwellers”. Although their name suggests that they are natives, their exact origin is still uncertain.
    2012-08-31 01:01 View:2252
  • Xiangxi Miao Flower Drum

    Xiangxi Miao Flower Drum

    Miao flower drum originated from Tang Dynasty, which creates its over one-thousand history. According to some maters, They learned to play flower drum when they were young. Colorful petals were put above the drum. They were not allowed to knock petals down in the process of playing the drum, which of course required excellent skill. Maybe this is why they call it flower drum later.
    2012-08-30 00:56 View:2327
  • Fenghuang Miao Martial Art

    Fenghuang Miao Martial Art

    Generally, Fenghuang Miao martial art has a long history. Especially Chiyou boxing in Miao boxing originated from Chi-you era.
    2012-08-25 23:06 View:2410
  • Fenghuang Miao People’s Marriage Customs

    Fenghuang Miao People’s Marriage Customs

    There exists high degree of autonomy in Fenghuang Miao people’s marriage. Singing in antiphonal style is the most representative way of expressing love between Miao men and women. Miao youth pay much attention to artistic talent and moral characters instead of property and family financial situation.
    2012-08-31 12:00 View:2423
  • Fenghuang Tea-light Opera

    Fenghuang Tea-light Opera

    Tea-light opera is a small scaled musical opera in Fenghuang, originating from folk minor, folk songs of labor, lantern dance and many traditional tunes.
    2012-08-22 11:57 View:2245
  • Zhangjiajie Ethnic Tanhou Sunning Clothes

    Zhangjiajie Ethnic Tanhou Sunning Clothes

    During this day, each Tujia ethnic family will prepare a big meal for family union. Firstly, they will cook dishes and worship their ancestor Tanhou. Tanhou was a leader popular with Tujia people. While he was disobey to the emperor of Ming Dynasty so that he was died for some political reasons. And the traditional custom in this festival is to sun clothes for memory this great Tujia minority figure.
    2012-08-30 11:55 View:2293