Festive China
Traditional
Chinese festivals range from the quiet
and dignified to colorful free-for-alls with booming gongs and cymbals
and frantic dancers in dragon and lion costumes. Most are based on the
Chinese lunar calendar and so the actual date differs from year to year.
Confucius's birthday First we'll look at the birthday of
Confucius in
September. Though celebrated all over China, you can best experience
this event in Confucius's home of Qufu, specifically at the Confucius
Temple. Confucius is revered in China for being a thinker, social
philosopher and teacher. He spent his life in poverty and relative
obscurity, and his teachings were only written down and disseminated by
his disciples after his death. Celebrations for Confucius's birthday
start at 4 a.m. in the Confucius temple. Ceremonies are modest as
befitting a man who taught moderation. Celebrants pay their respects and
offer flowers at the temple altars. Festivities can also include musical
performances with traditional instruments, together with dancing and the
wearing of traditional costumes.
Beijing International Kite Now to Beijing for an event of a very
different kind, the Beijing International Kite Festival held in April,
the windiest month in the Chinese capital. Kite flying has been a part
of Chinese culture for millennia both as a leisure activity and a tool
in warfare. Wei Fang in Shandong province is the major kite flying area
in China but Beijing holds an annual international kite festival.
Starting off with a colorful ceremony, the Beijing International Kite
Festival showcases fine examples of kites from the last century and
experts talk about their features and regale visitors with kite lore and
anecdotes. The event attracts kite-flying teams from all over the world.
Chinese New
Year Finally to Hong Kong to the biggest bash in the Chinese
festival calendar,
Chinese New
Year. It's a time of wailing Chinese
opera performances, pounding drums, fireworks and feasts, writhing lions
and dancing dragons, fortune telling and grand parades. Chinese New Year
starts on the first new moon day of the year and ends with the Lantern
Festival fourteen days later. It falls between mid-January and
mid-February. It's a time when the industrious Chinese put their feet up
for a few days of family reunion, thanksgiving, feasting and going to
temple. People clean their homes and hang red lanterns out front.
Veneration of ancestors is at the heart of Chinese New Year. On New
Year's Eve, they are offered a Banquet at the family dinner table. In
Hong Kong the festival kicks off with a parade between Admiralty and Wanchai, a grand firework display over Victoria Harbour, and the
territory's skyscrapers are lit up more than usual and decorated with
lights and motifs. The temples are busy and the red envelopes known as
Lai See containing "lucky money" are given to family and friends.
If you're lucky enough to be in China on festival day, you have a treat
in store. Not only will you have a great deal of fun, but you'll witness
something very special in the lives of the people. The only difficulty
with visiting the events in Canada might be your accommodation. Be sure
to have a reservation, because Beijing hotels or Hong Kong hotels could
be fully booked during the festivals. Of course the Internet offers many
opportunities to book China hotels in advance.
About the Author
Richard has over 20 years experience in the travel industry and writes for Cheaper than Hotels. Cheaper Than Hotels offers cheap China hotels