7/28/2019 Chinese New Year Final

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BRIGH LIGHS. Red decorations.Food. Family. raditions. Ask an America whatthese words conjure up and most likely the an-

swer is Christmas. However to a Chinese personthese words indicate Spring Festival, the holi-day celebrating the Chinese New Year and thestart o spring. It commemorates the new seasonor sowing and high hopes or a good harvest.

o welcome in the New Year and say goodbyeto the old, the Chinese partake in many tradi-tions. Tey post a red banner with an antitheti-

cal couplet on their doors. A character or ortuneis turned upside down on the banner to representcoming ortune. In each house the signature holi-

day meal, Jiaozi or dumplings, can be ound onthe stove, and red dcor throughout, like Chinese

(Above) As western traditions press eastward, more traditional

Christmas holiday decorations appear in Chinese cities. (Right)

Lian Qiu, enjoys a night out in Beijing during Christmas time.

knots and lanterns. People travel long distancesback to their hometowns to celebrate with amily.

Just as Christmas, the value o am-ily is a central theme o this celebration.

People take Spring Fest very seriously be-cause they believe it ocues on amily val-

ues. Its an important holiday to celebrate withamily, said Baylor grad student Bin Lai.

On Festival Eve, Chinese amilies have a grand dinner

and watch the annual state sponsored show. Filmedin Beijing, it carries them into the New Year. Te show,holding similar anticipation as the imes Squareball drop, eatures amous stars, singers and com-

edy skits about the past years political happenings.

At midnight, everyone goes outside to shoot re-works. Children stay up late, ofen all night, but areup early on New Years Day to collect red envelopeslled with money. Children go out, ofen on bikes,

to visit their am-ily, riends and teach-ers to wish them aHappy New Year as

a sign o respect. Tered envelopes con-tain a certain amounto money depend-ing on the relation.

Fangang Zhang, agraduate student at

Baylor, receives mon-ey rom her grandpar-

ents every year equivalent to about 500 US dollars.

Afer spending her rst Christmas in Amer-ica last year, Zhang thinks gif giving is a tra-

dition she would like to practice in China.

It eels good when people remember whatyou like. It was so touching. Money is not as

thoughtul as a personalized gif, said Zhang.

Lian Qiu, also a graduate student at Baylor, has

never celebrated an American Christmas as shereturned home to Beijing last year but said thatwestern traditions are nding their way across the

Pacic Ocean. Santa Claus and Christmas treesll the malls to attract customers. Even Santa canbe seen beckoning people to dine in restaurants

Te younger generation nd ways to celebrateChristmas with western traditions. Zhang said thatthe typical Chinese person does not realize the entirereligious signicance o Christmas. For the younger

generation, it is trendy and romantic to go out toeat on Christmas Eve. For the older generation,

trips to Buddhist and Daoist temples are customary.

Although no special days are given or Christmasvacation, Bin Lai says that the younger generation in

common values

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China view Christmas as a good chance to re-lax, go to karaoke and possibly visit a church.

People will send gifs to amily and close riends. I

think its an opportunity to express their love, said Lai.

She plans to spend the Christmas holidays trav-eling, as many international students do. Count-

ing down the New Year at imes Square and see-ing the popular sights are on her list but Lai alsowants to experience American amily culture.

I really want to enjoy a real Christmas in an American

amily. I think that will make me eel at home, said Lai.

China and America may be worlds apart but thevalue o amily and traditions are universal charac-

teristics both cultures share. Each holiday is lledwith respect or the past and hope or the uture.

different holidayBy Natalie Flemming and Michelle Grose

a look at Chinese holidays and traditions