Sping Festival is one of the most important festivals in China. It is the first day of the Lunar New Year. This year it was on the 5th of February by the Western Calendar. Before Spring Festival, we should prepare for some days. Every family will sweep the floor and ceiling thoroughly, wash curtains and covers of TV, refrigerator, etc. Then we'll buy various kinds of food for the Festival like meat, vegetables, cake, wine and fruits. 'Jiaozi' is the last supper of a year - little boiled meat dumplings the whole family makes together. A custom of my hometown is to wrap two coins in the 'Jiaozi'. It is said, that the one who eats the 'Jiaozi' containing coins will be lucky in the New Year. He or she may earn lots of money. The breakfast of the Spring Festival is early, usually we eat Jiaozi at 3 am, just 3 hours after midnight. After we eat breakfast, we'll visit our neighbors, friends and relations. The first word we say is 'Happy New Year to you!' Spring Festival is full of pleasure and labours of preparation. Everyone has a holiday after the hard working of a year. We can rest and entertain ourselves in different ways. Xu Gui Fang |
The Lunar New Year is quite a great event in our country. Everyone looks forward to it with eagerness. As according to custom, our College usually gives us two fortnights for the holiday. I, my husband and my son together return to my hometown to spend this Spring Festival with my famly. We arrived to my home when it was the 28th of the 12th month (January). My parents had prepared goods for the holiday - meat, fruit, vegetables, candy, firecrackers, etc. I helped my younger brother to paste poetry on the doors and helped my mother to make the dumplings. On the eve of the New Year, my family gathered all the members together to eat at a family reunion dinner. After the meal we watched a Special Program on TV until the clock struck 12. Then I and others set off firecrackers and fireworks to welcome in the New Year. On the first day of the New Year, I was dressed in my best and visited my former teachers, old friends and middle school classmates. I wished them 'happy New Year' and wished them a 'good bonanza' - good luck. However, there are times during Spring Festival when it's nice just to be by myself. I can read some novels that I never seem to get a chance to read at College. I can have a quiet walk through the countryside near my hometown to enjoy life. Zhang Hai Tang |
~The Coming of Spring~ I am coming, little maiden. With the pleasant sunshine laden. With the honey for the bee. With the blossom for the tree. Every little stream is bright All the orchard trees are white And each small and waving shoot, Has for you sweet flowers or fruit. Zhao Ming Fu |
~Before my bed~ There is bright moonlight, So that it seems like frost on the ground. Lifting my head I watch the bright moon, Lowering my head I dream that I'm home. Li Bai |
The Spring Festival A Goddess goes through history. From Xia Dynasty thousands of years before to the Republic of today. Everybody laughs and says 'Good Luck' to friends, Wherever they stay. Red paper with praying words is put on the door. People wait for the Goddess to bring good news from Heaven to them all. After today she will live in their kitchen room again, until a week before the next Spring Festival. Young kids jump and skate on snow, with money in their pockets from parents wishing them to grow. Today is the happiest day of the year, without scolds. For Dad and Mum are afraid to make the good luck away to flow. Cui Jian Xin |
My First Memory of Spring Festival Firstly, farmer's lives were hard in the 1960s. We had not enough wheat flour and meat to eat. Only in Spring Festival - we have a chance to satisfy our hungry and quite empty stomachs, although it only lasts for 6 days. We can enjoy the Jiaozi, or pork dumplings and many other delicious foods. When we made 'Jiaozi', the wrapper might not be big enough. My mother always did not let us to say the wrapper was not enough but rather that the filling was too much. Although the result with the different expression is the same, saying something more is better that saying something is not enough....this tradition is still maintained in our hometown. Dr. Liuju Li |
Devotion Spring devotes green to nature Birds devote singing to spring Trees devote shade to birds What should I devote? Earth devotes life to beings Mothers devote milk to kids Babies devote smiling to mothers What should I devote? Rivers devote blood to crops Streams devote flowing to rivers Mountains devote drizzling to channels What should I devote? As for me, a grain of sand, To see desert converted into oasis Birds smiling in shade Being a plant is my best destination. Zhang Yulan |
My Grandma I want to say something about my grandma. My grandma is 84 years old now and she will probably walk to the end of her life these months. The time left for her is precious, though she doesn't know, we'll try our best to take care of her until her eyes are closed forever. Grandma is such a hardworking woman. She had been working from dawn to night for at least 55 years. In my memory she seldom complained. She does not like to ask other persons to help her do the household work. When I was in school, every morning, she called me to get up on time. As I came back from school, meals were always ready. In fact, the four of us (my brothers and sister) had all been looked after by her from the day we were born till one day when we went into University and left her. Last year, when she went to wake up her grand-grand child in sleep, to go to school, (as an old woman), she sat down on the sofa in that room. The bed clothes on the sofa caused her to slip down on the ground. The high blood pressure hit her and she was sent to the hospital. Half of her body was unable to move. Just before the Spring Festival, her illness happened again, because of the bad weather perhaps. We tried our best to save her, but now it seems that she can never recover. She is my best loved grandma. Whenever I go to home, I'll go to see her. Recently, she cannot recognize me or other ones. My mother and sister-in-law (my younger brother's wife) are taking care of her back at home. Maybe she will not live for long, but she will live in my heart forever. She has given too much to us. Whatever we do now, we cannot return half of the love she's given to us. My beloved Granma is going to the Heaven escorted by my tear. Li Huimin (Willian Li) |
Culture Customs ~ The Spring Festival |