Title: Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) in 6th Grade: Origins & Customs (Mind Map)
Central Idea: Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)
Branch 1: Origins & History (历史起源)
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Sub-branch 1.1: Ancient Agriculture (古代农业)
- Details: Celebrates the end of winter and the start of spring, marking the new agricultural cycle.
- Keywords: Agricultural cycle, end of winter, start of spring, planting season.
- Supporting points: Earliest forms of the festival were related to harvest celebrations.
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Sub-branch 1.2: Legendary Monsters (传说怪兽)
- Details: The legend of Nian, a mythical beast that terrorized villages.
- Keywords: Nian, mythical beast, scared of loud noises, red color, fire.
- Supporting points: Explains the traditions of firecrackers, red decorations, and loud celebrations.
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Sub-branch 1.3: Development Over Time (时间发展)
- Details: Evolved through different dynasties with different customs and rituals added.
- Keywords: Dynasties, Shang Dynasty, Zhou Dynasty, Han Dynasty, evolution of customs.
- Supporting points: Different Emperors and their contributions to the festival. Specific changes during particular dynasties.
Branch 2: Preparations (准备工作)
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Sub-branch 2.1: Cleaning & Decorating (清洁与装饰)
- Details: Thorough cleaning of the house to sweep away bad luck. Decorating with red lanterns, paper cuttings, and couplets.
- Keywords: Thorough cleaning, sweeping away bad luck, red lanterns, paper cuttings (剪纸), couplets (春联), auspicious decorations.
- Supporting points: Significance of red color (prosperity, good fortune), meaning of different decorations. "Fu" character upside down (倒福).
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Sub-branch 2.2: Shopping & Stocking Up (购物与囤货)
- Details: Buying new clothes, food, and gifts for family and friends. Stocking up on essential supplies for the holiday period.
- Keywords: New clothes, food, gifts, stocking up, Spring Festival market (年货市场).
- Supporting points: Significance of new clothes (new beginnings), types of traditional foods to buy.
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Sub-branch 2.3: Travel Arrangements (旅行安排)
- Details: "Chunyun" (Spring Festival travel rush), the largest annual human migration.
- Keywords: Chunyun, Spring Festival travel rush, crowded trains, buses, airplanes.
- Supporting points: Challenges of traveling during this period, importance of family reunions.
Branch 3: Celebrations & Customs (庆祝活动与习俗)
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Sub-branch 3.1: Reunion Dinner (年夜饭)
- Details: The most important meal of the year, where families gather to eat traditional dishes.
- Keywords: Reunion dinner, family gathering, traditional dishes, dumplings (饺子), fish (鱼), spring rolls (春卷).
- Supporting points: Symbolic meaning of different dishes (e.g., fish for abundance, dumplings for wealth).
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Sub-branch 3.2: Red Envelopes (红包)
- Details: Giving red envelopes filled with money to children and unmarried adults.
- Keywords: Red envelopes, lucky money, symbol of good luck and prosperity.
- Supporting points: Etiquette for giving and receiving red envelopes, the significance of the red color.
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Sub-branch 3.3: Firecrackers & Fireworks (鞭炮与烟花)
- Details: Setting off firecrackers and fireworks to ward off evil spirits and celebrate the new year.
- Keywords: Firecrackers, fireworks, warding off evil spirits, celebratory atmosphere.
- Supporting points: Environmental concerns associated with firecrackers, regulations regarding firework displays.
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Sub-branch 3.4: Visiting Relatives & Friends (拜访亲友)
- Details: Visiting relatives and friends to exchange greetings and good wishes.
- Keywords: Visiting relatives, exchanging greetings, New Year wishes, showing respect.
- Supporting points: Traditional greetings (e.g., "Gong Xi Fa Cai" - "Wishing you prosperity"), bringing gifts.
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Sub-branch 3.5: Lion and Dragon Dances (舞龙舞狮)
- Details: Performing lion and dragon dances in the streets to bring good luck and prosperity.
- Keywords: Lion dance, dragon dance, traditional performance, good luck, prosperity.
- Supporting points: Origin of the dances, symbolism of the lion and dragon.
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Sub-branch 3.6: Temple Fairs (庙会)
- Details: Attending temple fairs with various activities, including food stalls, performances, and traditional crafts.
- Keywords: Temple fairs, food stalls, performances, traditional crafts, cultural activities.
- Supporting points: History of temple fairs, different types of activities available.
Branch 4: Food (食物)
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Sub-branch 4.1: Dumplings (饺子 - Jiaozi)
- Details: Shaped like ancient Chinese money, symbolizing wealth.
- Keywords: Wealth, money, prosperity, family tradition.
- Supporting Points: Different fillings have different meanings (e.g., cabbage and pork for wealth).
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Sub-branch 4.2: Fish (鱼 - Yu)
- Details: The word "fish" sounds like "surplus" in Chinese, symbolizing abundance.
- Keywords: Abundance, surplus, prosperity, good fortune.
- Supporting Points: Served whole to symbolize completeness and good luck for the entire year.
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Sub-branch 4.3: Spring Rolls (春卷 - Chunjuan)
- Details: Symbolizing wealth because of their golden color and shape resembling gold bars.
- Keywords: Wealth, gold, prosperity, good fortune.
- Supporting Points: Crispy and delicious, enjoyed during the Spring Festival.
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Sub-branch 4.4: Nian Gao (年糕)
- Details: Sticky rice cake, symbolizes progress and improvement in the coming year.
- Keywords: Progress, improvement, advancement, growth.
- Supporting Points: Different flavors and variations depending on the region.
Branch 5: Duration & Ending (持续时间与结束)
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Sub-branch 5.1: Length of the Festival (节日时长)
- Details: Traditionally lasts for 15 days, from the first day of the lunar year to the Lantern Festival.
- Keywords: 15 days, lunar year, Lantern Festival.
- Supporting Points: Each day has specific traditions and customs associated with it.
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Sub-branch 5.2: Lantern Festival (元宵节)
- Details: Marks the end of the Spring Festival celebrations.
- Keywords: Lantern Festival, Yuanxiao (汤圆 - sweet rice balls), lantern riddles, lion dances.
- Supporting Points: Enjoying Yuanxiao (symbolizing family unity), admiring lanterns, solving lantern riddles.
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Sub-branch 5.3: Returning to Normal Life (恢复日常生活)
- Details: After the Lantern Festival, people gradually return to their normal routines and work.
- Keywords: Normal routines, work, school, end of holiday.
- Supporting Points: Reflecting on the past year and setting goals for the new year.