Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of Chinese New Year changes every year. The Chinese calendar follows a 12 year pattern. Ever year has an animal named after it. This is because it is said that one day Buddha had called all the animals for a new years celebration but only 12 of the animals came. To reward these animals he named the years after them.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, is usually in June on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. There are lots of legends about how the Dragon Boat Festival had started but the most common one is the commemoration of Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was minister of the State of Chu and one of China's earliest poets. He was under great pressure from the powerful Qin State, so he decided to strengthen it military to fight against Qin. However he was he was opposed by aristocrats headed by Zi Lan, and then he was removed from his position and exiled by King Huai. Even during the days he was exiled he cared about his country and people and composed immortal poems including Li Sao (The Lament), Tian Wen (Heavenly Questions) and Jiu Ge (Nine Songs), which had far-reaching influences. In 278 BC, Qu Yuan had heard that Qin troops had finally conquered Chu's capital, so he finished his last piece Huai Sha (Embracing Sand) and plunged himself into the Miluo River, and clasping his arms to a large stone. The day happened to be the 5th of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. After he had died people went to the bank of the river to pay respect to him and fishermen sailed there boats in search of his body. People threw into the water zongzi (pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves) and eggs to divert possible fish or shrimp from attacking his body. An doctor put wine into the water to get the fish and the shrimps drunk. That is why people now go boat racing, eat zongzi and drink wine on that day.
Dragon boat racing is the main part if the festival. When a gun is fired people will see racers in dragon-shaped canoes pulling there oars harmoniously and hurriedly, accompanied by rapid drums, speeding toward their destination.
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of Chinese New Year changes every year. The Chinese calendar follows a 12 year pattern. Ever year has an animal named after it. This is because it is said that one day Buddha had called all the animals for a new years celebration but only 12 of the animals came. To reward these animals he named the years after them.
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival, is usually in June on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. There are lots of legends about how the Dragon Boat Festival had started but the most common one is the commemoration of Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was minister of the State of Chu and one of China's earliest poets. He was under great pressure from the powerful Qin State, so he decided to strengthen it military to fight against Qin. However he was he was opposed by aristocrats headed by Zi Lan, and then he was removed from his position and exiled by King Huai. Even during the days he was exiled he cared about his country and people and composed immortal poems including Li Sao (The Lament), Tian Wen (Heavenly Questions) and Jiu Ge (Nine Songs), which had far-reaching influences. In 278 BC, Qu Yuan had heard that Qin troops had finally conquered Chu's capital, so he finished his last piece Huai Sha (Embracing Sand) and plunged himself into the Miluo River, and clasping his arms to a large stone. The day happened to be the 5th of the 5th month in the Chinese lunar calendar. After he had died people went to the bank of the river to pay respect to him and fishermen sailed there boats in search of his body. People threw into the water zongzi (pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves) and eggs to divert possible fish or shrimp from attacking his body. An doctor put wine into the water to get the fish and the shrimps drunk. That is why people now go boat racing, eat zongzi and drink wine on that day.
Dragon boat racing is the main part if the festival. When a gun is fired people will see racers in dragon-shaped canoes pulling there oars harmoniously and hurriedly, accompanied by rapid drums, speeding toward their destination.