《中国节日英语思维导图简单》

1. Spring Festival (春节)

• Core Concept: The most important traditional Chinese holiday, celebrating the beginning of the lunar new year.
• Synonyms: Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year
• Time: First day of the first lunar month (农历正月初一), lasting approximately 15 days.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Family Reunion (家庭团聚): Returning home to celebrate with family members.
  • New Year's Eve Dinner (年夜饭): A large, elaborate meal with symbolic dishes.
    • Examples: Dumplings (饺子) - Symbolizing wealth; Fish (鱼) - Symbolizing abundance.
  • Giving Red Envelopes (发红包): Giving money in red envelopes (hongbao) to children and unmarried adults as a blessing.
  • Setting off Firecrackers and Fireworks (放鞭炮、放烟花): To ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.
  • Decorating with Red Decorations (贴红色装饰): Red symbolizes good fortune and happiness.
    • Examples: Spring Festival couplets (春联), Paper cuttings (剪纸).
  • Visiting Relatives and Friends (拜年): Exchanging New Year greetings and wishes.
  • Lion and Dragon Dances (舞狮、舞龙): Traditional performances believed to bring good luck.
  • Temple Fairs (庙会): Outdoor markets with food, games, and performances.
• Food:
  • Dumplings (饺子): Symbolizing wealth due to their shape resembling ancient Chinese money.
  • Spring Rolls (春卷): Symbolizing wealth because their golden color resembles gold bars.
  • Nian Gao (年糕): A sticky rice cake symbolizing progress and advancement.
  • Fish (鱼): Symbolizing abundance and surplus.
  • Tangerines and Oranges (橘子、橙子): Symbolizing good luck and wealth.
• Vocabulary:
  • Lunar Calendar (农历)
  • New Year's Eve (除夕)
  • Blessings (祝福)
  • Good Fortune (好运)
  • Wealth (财富)
  • Harmony (和谐)
  • Reunion (团聚)
  • Ancestor Worship (祭祖)

2. Lantern Festival (元宵节)

• Core Concept: Celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Spring Festival celebrations.
• Time: 15th day of the first lunar month.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Lantern Viewing (赏花灯): Admiring colorful lanterns of various shapes and sizes.
  • Eating Tangyuan (吃汤圆): Eating sweet glutinous rice balls, symbolizing family unity and completeness.
  • Solving Lantern Riddles (猜灯谜): Answering riddles written on lanterns, a popular form of entertainment.
  • Lion and Dragon Dances (舞狮、舞龙): Similar to Spring Festival, bringing good luck.
  • Firework Displays (放烟火): Marking the festive occasion.
• Food:
  • Tangyuan (汤圆): Sweet glutinous rice balls, often filled with sesame paste, peanut butter, or red bean paste. They symbolize family reunion.
• Vocabulary:
  • Lantern (灯笼)
  • Riddle (谜语)
  • Glutinous Rice (糯米)
  • Unity (团结)
  • Completeness (圆满)

3. Qingming Festival (清明节)

• Core Concept: A day to commemorate ancestors and honor the deceased. Also known as Tomb Sweeping Day.
• Synonyms: Tomb Sweeping Day
• Time: April 4th or 5th of the Gregorian calendar.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Tomb Sweeping (扫墓): Cleaning the tombs of ancestors and offering food, flowers, and paper money.
  • Paying Respects to Ancestors (祭祖): Showing reverence to the deceased.
  • Family Outings (踏青): Enjoying the spring weather and outdoor activities.
  • Flying Kites (放风筝): A traditional activity, often cutting the kite string to release bad luck.
  • Eating Cold Food (吃寒食): Historically, no cooking was allowed on this day, so cold food was prepared.
• Food:
  • Qingtuan (青团): Green glutinous rice dumplings filled with sweet bean paste.
• Vocabulary:
  • Ancestor (祖先)
  • Tomb (坟墓)
  • Respect (尊敬)
  • Remembrance (纪念)
  • Commemoration (缅怀)

4. Dragon Boat Festival (端午节)

• Core Concept: A traditional festival commemorating the death of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet and statesman.
• Synonyms: Duanwu Festival
• Time: The fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Dragon Boat Races (赛龙舟): Teams race in long, narrow boats decorated with dragon heads.
  • Eating Zongzi (吃粽子): Eating sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, symbolizing Qu Yuan's body being thrown into the river.
  • Wearing Perfume Pouches (佩戴香囊): Wearing small pouches filled with fragrant herbs to ward off evil spirits.
  • Hanging Calamus and Mugwort (悬挂菖蒲、艾草): Hanging these plants on doorways to repel insects and diseases.
  • Drinking Realgar Wine (喝雄黄酒): Traditionally believed to have medicinal properties, though less common now.
• Food:
  • Zongzi (粽子): Sticky rice dumplings filled with various ingredients such as meat, beans, and dates, wrapped in bamboo leaves.
• Vocabulary:
  • Patriotism (爱国主义)
  • Dragon Boat (龙舟)
  • Sticky Rice (糯米)
  • Herbs (草药)
  • Ward off (驱除)
  • Evil Spirits (邪气)

5. Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节)

• Core Concept: A harvest festival celebrating the full moon and family reunion.
• Synonyms: Moon Festival
• Time: The 15th day of the eighth lunar month.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Moon Viewing (赏月): Admiring the full moon, which symbolizes family unity and completeness.
  • Eating Mooncakes (吃月饼): Eating round pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings, symbolizing family reunion.
  • Family Reunion (家庭团聚): Gathering with family members to celebrate.
  • Giving Gifts (赠送礼物): Exchanging gifts of mooncakes and other delicacies.
  • Telling Stories about Chang'e (讲述嫦娥的故事): Recounting the legend of Chang'e, the moon goddess.
• Food:
  • Mooncakes (月饼): Round pastries filled with various sweet or savory fillings, such as lotus seed paste, red bean paste, or egg yolk.
• Vocabulary:
  • Harvest (收获)
  • Full Moon (满月)
  • Reunion (团圆)
  • Legend (传说)
  • Goddess (女神)
  • Abundance (丰收)

6. Double Ninth Festival (重阳节)

• Core Concept: A traditional festival celebrating the elderly and enjoying chrysanthemum flowers.
• Synonyms: Chongyang Festival
• Time: The ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
• Traditions & Activities:
  • Climbing Mountains (登高): Climbing mountains or hills to ward off misfortune.
  • Viewing Chrysanthemums (赏菊): Admiring chrysanthemum flowers, which symbolize longevity.
  • Drinking Chrysanthemum Wine (喝菊花酒): Drinking wine infused with chrysanthemum petals.
  • Honoring the Elderly (敬老): Paying respect to the elderly and wishing them good health and longevity.
  • Wearing Cornel (佩戴茱萸): Wearing cornel branches to ward off evil spirits.
• Food:
  • Chongyang Cake (重阳糕): A steamed cake made with glutinous rice and various toppings.
• Vocabulary:
  • Longevity (长寿)
  • Elderly (老人)
  • Chrysanthemum (菊花)
  • Misfortune (不幸)
  • Respect (尊敬)

Summary Table