Legendary Stories Behind The Asian New Year Lantern Festival

By John Chan

Discover the historical origins of the lantern festival that is celebrated during the Chinese New Year.

Yuan Xiao is the Chinese lantern festival that is celebrated during the season of the New Year. Lantern is a significant symbol linked with the Chinese New Year. Yuan word is derived from the year's first month and word Xiao comes from the word night as referred to, by the Chinese people.

The exact timing of the celebration of the lantern festival is after the fifteenth day of entering into the New Year when the full moon is observed for the first time. The environment becomes happy as the full moon gleams in the blue sky and huge groups of Chinese people aggregate at the festival location and hold up colorful lanterns, completely lighting up the entire area.

There are many complexities involve with Chinese lanterns. These are no ordinary lanterns rather they can be an extremely engaging item once you begin to indulge in the puzzles that are often featured on the lanterns. The eating of glutinous rice balls also goes along with the lantern celebrations which are shared amongst friends and families.

The origins of the lantern tradition

As is the case with many other traditional practices of China you will find a number of mythologies concerning the lantern New Year tradition. The most popular legend is associated with the worship of a God known as Taiyi who was supposedly the ruler over the heavens in ancient times.

The fortune of the human race was believed to be under the power of Taiyi, the lord of heaven. He had the power of inflicting natural disasters or medical epidemics to impose any penance on the humans. This tradition was initiated by the emperor Qinshihuang who held this ceremony of the lantern festival to pacifythe lord. This was done solely so that he wouldn't create any natural calamities.

With time the ceremony gained money and was highly sponsored during the Han dynasty. In fact it was during the rule of the emperor Wudi that the event became one of the most important ceremonies in China which would go on for the entire night.

The story behind the lantern festival however had a different explanation too that said the Taoists influenced these celebrations. The fortune of the Chinese people was in the hands of the Taoist lord Tianguan, apparently, and he seemed to have taste for Chinese entertainment. Hence, the Chinese took to satisfying him by, celebrating on the streets and executing various performances to keep him happy.

There was another edge to this old legend that said that the ceremony of lantern lighting was discovered by the emperor Mingdi. He was influenced by Buddhist preaching and also he had a dream that made him select the fifteenth day after the New Year date as the day of lantern lighting.

There might have been various sides to the historical story behind the reason to celebrate the lantern festival but nonetheless this event is a major celebration of the New Year season. The lanterns are specially decorated with traditional designs on them. - 30294

About the Author:

The Chinese new year astrology depends on a series of a dozen different animal-based signs . If you want to learn how to make your own Chinese new year lanterns click on the preceding link.

Chinese Tea Sets: A Look Into the Dragon's Drew

By Sammia Cheng

China has fondly been referred by many books as 'the Dragon' due to its reverberating culture that is known the world over. The creativity of the early and modern Chinese always helps them to redefine themselves. An important part of their culture is art and one of the best examples of this is the use of Chinese tea sets.

Chinese tea sets trace its history about 220 - 206 B.C., during the rule of the Han Dynasty. In this time, tea ware mainly consisted of two styles: white porcelain from the north and blue porcelain from the south.

In a manuscript written about the third century A.D., tea leaves were flattened and mixed with a variety of spices which included onions, orange, and flower petals. It was known that tea was mainly used for medicinal purposes and not a drink for pleasure's sake during this time.

Historians believe that the teapot was developed during the reign of the Song Dynasty. An archaeological dig revealed that remnants of a Yixing teapot were found in an ancient kiln.

They are named after a city in the Jiangsu Province, where a precise compound of iron ore resulted in the exceptional coloration of these teapots. Since the clay is porous, the teapot would gradually be heated by using it for brewing one kind of tea. Through this, artisans created fanciful pots displaying animal shapes.

The Song Dynasty also finished a number of outstanding ceramic tea pots and bowls ranging from blue, brown and black.

The Chinese tea sets used to serve the guests consisted of the following materials: a Yixing teapot, a tray to trap the wasted tea/water and cups to drink the tea. Additional items included a tea tool kit which enclosed the following: digger, funnel, needle, shuffle, tongs and vase. There was also a brush to wipe the wasted tea all over the tray to create an even tea stain and a sieve to help filter out the free bits during pouring. Finally, one or two clay animals were used for display and for luck by numerous Chinese drinkers.

Tea drinking is a tradition that is indeed very important for the Chinese. The use of Chinese tea sets by many families up to now indicates its role in their culture. True to its essence, the Chinese tea sets in a way give us a sip of the country's amazing culture. - 30294

About the Author:

S. Cheng is a lifestyle magazine editor situated in Beijing, China. She has a fascination for Chinese Tea Sets and many other oriental style of living. Check out her website about the Chinese Tea Sets here.

Learn All About Oriental New Year For Kids

By John Chan

Kids have a special place in the New Year celebrations in China. lets see how the kids have fun during New Year.

Although the Chinese New Year is a time when men, women and children of all ages go all out in terms of enjoying themselves by engaging in all sorts of traditional activities it is the youngest lot that gets to reap the utmost benefits.

Younger kids has the maximum fun as they are not old enough to take the duty of supervising and managing the things that requires to be done for the New Year celebrations. Therefore they are given the freedom of simply celebrating the Chinese New Year except sometimes helping the elders in the household activities.

New Year is one time in China when the entire nation is busy enjoying themselves to the maximum. The New Year in China is celebrated with the renewal of the old customs. The children while sharing the fun and festivities of the occasion also learn about the history andorigin of each event.

Such an educative process that permits them to have fun while they are being taught serves great benefits in terms of teaching them a history lesson that they will never forget or fear all their lives. Rather New Year celebrations for kids are amongst the most memorable things that the youngsters will never forget all their lives.

The richness of Chinese tradition is apparent during the New Year when it manifests through various activities. The China in its true colors is presented to the children in such a style that the kids easily understand them. The fun begins with the permission of staying awake till late at night and taking part in all sorts of activities.

The various games that are organized for the night revolve around historic traditions of the country hence serving as a lesson in history while providing them with entertainment. Creating patterns with dominoes is one of the main activities for kids who get to learn about the origins of the sport which are from China and date back to a thousand years ago.

Another ancient tradition for kids to engage in is the 8th century discovery of playing cards. These are generally drawn up by parents who then instruct their children to write a story based on the visual on the card. The ancient jianzi is another game that brings them closer to the Chinese culture. This game is quite like the modern day hacky sack game that children play.

The greatest happiness is the red envelop which the children receive which contains money given by the elders. Hong Bao as the tradition is known as is the best part of Chinese New Year tradition for the kids as they get pocket money to spend on all the nice things that are offered as well as it brings them good luck.

The New Year festival offers a great deal of lessons to the kids as well as real fun and merry making. They come to enjoy traditional parades like lantern festival and dragon dance which is held over a period of time. - 30294

About the Author:

Chinese new year for children is a wonderful celebration. If you would like to read more on common Chinese new year songs please click on the links.

Beijing Hotels: A Delightful Beijing Adventure

By E. Larson

Do you know that millions of people around the world choose Beijing for a memorable and well spent vacation? Truly, it is renowned for being one of the most sought after tourist spots in the world. It showcased the picturesque and magnificent work of arts in China at the same time brings together the classic and modern scenic views. Year after year, Beijing Hotels accommodates varied visitors from different countries.

Beijing hotel is just around the corner for travelers to either just walk or take a short ride to the place they want to visit. Among the list of the most visited attraction in Beijing includes: the famous Forbidden City, the magnificent Great Wall of China, the ancient Temple of Heaven, the renowned Tiananmen Square, and the classical Yue Tan Park.

The prominent Forbidden City has around 9,000 quarters and spread over 250 acres of space. It is an intricate artistry that was built between the years 1406 and 1420.

The enormous Great Wall is situated in the northern part of Beijing. It extends to about 600 kilometers long or around 373 miles. The Wall has been well preserved since the time of the Ming Dynasty.

The ancient Temple of Heaven is located in the southern part of Beijing and is considered to be one of the most holy places in China. Used as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, it is one of the largest temples in Beijing.

The grand Tiananmen Square is located right at the heart of the city, and one of the largest squares in the world. It is surrounded by the Gate of Heaven Peace on its north, the Great Hall of the People toward its east, the National Museum on the west; and the Monument to the People's Heroes and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum on the south.

The Yue Tan Park, a classical and fine garden in Beijing extends to about 120 hectares. It is indeed a noticeable conventional garden exhibiting the well preserved distinct and various ancient architectures of old Beijing.

For a satisfying and worthwhile vacation visit Beijing and see more tourist attractions as there are hundreds of it. Beijing hotels offer unique types of themes that show the cultures, traditions and wonders of Beijing through the aspect of visual arts and music. Staying in one of Beijing hotels will certainly satisfy your need of comfort and convenience while traveling. Experience Beijing and the people at its finest with Beijing hotels! - 30294

About the Author:

Author E. Larson is a long-time resident of Beijing, China. He works closely with the Redwall Beijing Hotel and other beijing hotels. Go to his website on the Redwall Beijing Hotel here.

Flowers For Eastern New Year Decorations

By John Chan

Explore how the Chinese people decorate their homes and streets on the New Year with unique art work and crafts.

The Chinese New Year is a very special day in the lunar calendar of this age old civilization. One can see Chinese families decorating their homes with many different Chinese New Year decorations prepared especially for the occasion. From the insides of people's homes to the city streets China is glittering in color throughout this season.

Few of the New Year decorations seen are pretty flowers to platters of food and some other variety of decorations that arekept for the festival. There are specific decorative items that have become signs to mark this time of the year. The collection of decorating items is wide and colorful.

Natural blossoms are a very significant part of the Chinese New Year decorations. Moreover, as a matter of fact, their love for the nature is pretty evident. At this time of the year, local households are decorated with different flowers and plants that represent growth and prosperity for the coming year.

The most frequently used plants and flowers used for decoration purposes during this time of the year are plum blossoms. This is because they are just beginning to blossom around this time. They are specially bound together with bamboo and pine springs. This unique combination actually symbolizes the grouping of friends and families at the event.

The two symbolic values the plum blossoms are supposed to represent are reliability and perseverance. The compatibility factor is represented by the bamboo due to its flexible nature and the evergreen nature of pine is a traditional mark of longevity. Other flowers used also are azalea, water lily, narcissus, and peony.

Fruits too have a part in New Year decoration and are usually found in Chinese households during the season. Oranges and tangerines are taken to be most popular and are often brought by friends who come over for a visit. Tangerines symbolize maintenance of a long relationship and joy.

The best partof the Chinese New Year is perhaps the candy tray; at least this is true as far as the kids are concerned. The candy tray is a specially designed decoration item for this time of the year. This sweet treat is also known as the tray of togetherness and consists of an interesting variety of some of the most delicious candies.

This candy tray also has another ritual following it up where an adult takes a candy and replaces it by keeping a red envelope in the tray that consists of some kind of good luck icon for the peopleoffering it. Generally the candy tray consists of candied melon of different variety like lychee nut, peanuts, coconut, and cumquat etc. all of which have special meanings.

A large amount of the New Year decorations are centered around the particular animal which represents the year. This has been the tradition for many years and is still practiced on New Years Day today. - 30294

About the Author:

Chinese new year decorations come in many different shapes and sizes. If you would like more details on Chinese new year activities follow the hyperlinks herein.

Beijing Hotels and Zhoukoudian: From Caves to Buildings

By Efrenn Larson

Ever heard of the Peking Man? Well if you have probably heard of it, you will definitely find this site alluring. Zhoukoudian or Choukoutien is a system of caves in Beijing where many archaeological findings were unearthed, including the most notable: the Peking Man. It was one of the first specimens of Homo erectus, which was believed to be the oldest species of human beings who lived in the area about 200,000 to 750,000 years ago.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is a huge draw for tourists staying in nearby Beijing hotels. Most of the hotels have included this spot in their itinerary. However, if you want to add this site to your trip, you can approach any of the generous staff of different Beijing hotels so that they can very well include this in your tour stops.

In 1921, a Swedish geologist named Johan Gunnar Andersson together with the American paleontologist Walter W. Granger were led to an area called Dragon Bone Hill by local quarry men. There, Johan immediately realized that this is a good place to search for human remains.

Since 1926, the cave was constantly excavated, uncovering about 200 human fossils from forty individuals identified as Homo erectus. In addition, more than 10,000 pieces of stoneware, cinder layers and animal fossils from 200 various varieties were found. Zhoukoudian was considered as one of the most important sites which yielded evidences from the Middle Pleistocene Era.

At present, an exhibition hall with seven rooms is located at Zhoukoudian's Dragon Bone Hill. The fossil remains of the Peking man and his external appearance, stone tools, general living conditions and evidence of his use of fire are shown in the first room. We recommended that you book your tickets in advance or visit any of the Beijing hotels where you can be assisted with your touring needs.

The Hilltop Cavemen and animal fossils, stone tools, bone needles and decorative objects can be found in the second room.

Fossils of men found in various parts of China, such as the Dingcun Man, Hetao Man and other fossil copies of the ancient jungle and southern ancient apes, Java, Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon Man are located in the third room.

The fourth room shows the geological history of the residence of the Peking Man. It also displays the course of human and animal evolution through different periods of history.

The fifth and sixth rooms exhibit fossils of vertebrates and fishes discovered in other locations around Zhoukoudian.

The seventh room contains the fossils of some of the animals hunted by the Peking man, which included the tiger and the bear. Also discovered at the site were elephant and rhinoceros fossils, which give us a clue of the changing climate before.

It is interesting to note that this attraction gives us a glimpse of the simplicity of human life thousands of years ago. Now, in the age of modernity, allow the different hotels in Beijing to pamper you with the comfort you deserve after a day of travel and work. - 30294

About the Author:

Author E. Larson is a long-time resident of Beijing, China. He works closely with the Henan Plaza Beijing and many other beijing hotels. Go to his website on the Henan Plaza Beijing here.

Oriental New Year Crafts And Their Meanings

By John Chan

Discover how the Chinese unleash their creativity with the arrival of their New Year in the form of arts and craft items.

The Chinese have been making use of the lunar calendar for centuries. There are many important days in the Chinese calendar but maybe there is no event more popular and important for the Chinese as is the Chinese New Year.

Just to make it obvious the Chinese New Year does not begin on the first of January. Their New Year is dependent upon the cycles of the moon so it falls on a totally different date than the Gregorian solar calendar.

The festival of the Chinese New year is a time of celebration for the Chinese. The festive spirit is on high during the season and there is lots of activity going on in the streets of China. Over the years the Chinese have developed many traditions associated with the coming of the New Year and amongst them is a vast collection of Chinese New Year crafts.

Amongst the various celebrations with feasts and firecrackers there is also Chinese New Year crafts which are certainly a colorful addition to this festivity. They are a ideal example of the creativity and talent of the Chinese people.

The New Year displays a whole lot of varied events such as firework show, the exchange of gifts and the festival of lantern. Everyday has its own range of Chinese objects which are meant to signify the event of the day. These Chinese crafts sell out easily during the New Year season.

All New Years in China is represented by an animal sign, naturally the Chinese New Year crafts too represent the animal in all their crafts. This practice has some useful purposes in Chinese society.

First and foremost, this is a way of keeping the ancient Chinese culture alive. Besides, there are a lot of artists and craftsmen who get a chance to reveal their skill and also get a good market to make their works commercially viable and do a lot of business during the festival.

The most useful quality of the Chinese New Years craft is that they make fabulous New Year presents which the Chinese give to each other. Another great purpose that they serve is the animal crafts which are gifted to the people who were born in the present animal year.

It is not true that the New Year crafts only cater to the animal symbols. In fact there is a broad spectrum of crafts that are specially made around this time and there is an interesting and wonderful set of fireworks that also belong to the New Year crafts collection.

Lantern crafts of various kinds are another special New Year variety. The Chinese are into the habit of fortune telling and various such crafts telling you about the fortune that is to come your way in the coming year can all be seen being sold in the market. There are a bundle of craft items especially catering to the kids as well during this time of the year. - 30294

About the Author:

Chinese new year arts & crafts come in a variety of forms. To read further on animals at Chinese new year follow the hyperlinks.