Chinese Culture
by Eric
Building the C.P Railway
Traditions
Chinese traditions are very old and can be a little bewildering at first, so prepare yourself, let’s dive into Chinese traditions! the Spring Festival is The first day of the first lunar month, it’s like the New Year of the Chinese. It is the most important and traditional festival in China, like christmas is for me. During the Spring Festival, every family is busy cleaning the house, in hope of stopping diseases, in the the spring festival, every family enjoys a grand dinner, shoots off firecrackers, plays dragon dance and lion dance, and stays up late or all night. the Lantern Festival is when the spring festival ends, and the lantern festival is January 15, the 1st lunar month, on the Chinese lunar calendar. Lantern Festival is seen as a good day for family get-together. People on that night will lighten up fancy lanterns and go out to appreciate the moon, set off fireworks, guess riddles written on lanterns, and eat rice balls to celebrate the festival.
The Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac signs are determined by the lunar year in which you were born. The Chinese believe the animal ruling someone's birth year has found influence on personality, and destiny. The saying is: "This animal is in your heart." it does not use constellations or planets to predict someone's destiny. Instead, Chinese astrology deals with the elements: earth, fire, water, metal, wood, Yin and Yang, Chi, and the cycles of time. Legend has it that the Chinese zodiac signs began when the Buddha beckoned all the animals to bid him farewell before his departure from the Earth. Only twelve arrived at his summoning, and so those were given a place of honour a year being named after each.You can determine your animal sign by referring to the year you were born. The Chinese animals are Rat Ox Tiger Rabbit Dragon Snake Horse Sheep Monkey Rooster Dog Boar
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Herbal Medicines
Super Duper Superstitions
Another Chinese superstition is that the house should be clean before spring festival. On spring festival, all cleaning equipment get’s put away. cleaning should not be done on spring festival or your good luck will be swept away, so if you think about it does make sense. After spring festival, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the house, then placed in the corners and not thrown out until the fifth day. someone should not ever trample the dirt. while cleaning, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt over the door, you will sweep one of the family members away.