Category: Chinese customs

太极拳，中国拳术之一，早期曾称为“长拳”、“棉拳”、“十三势”、“软手”。至清朝乾隆年间（公元1736～1796年），山西人王宗岳著《太极拳论》，才确定了太极拳的名称。“太极”一词源出《周易·系词》，含有至高、至极、绝对、唯一的意思。

黄梅戏原称黄梅调，又叫采茶调，发源于湖北省黄梅县。 她是安徽省汉族的主要地方戏剧种，发源于以安徽省安庆市为中心的皖江流域（上至皖鄂交界的大别山地区，下至安徽安庆宿松、岳西、太湖、望江、潜山、怀宁、安庆市区、枞阳、桐城以及安徽池州在内的广大皖江流域），并最终以完整的独立剧种的形式诞生于安庆地区、成长于安庆地区、兴盛于安庆地区。

During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns (Chinese: 猜灯谜; Chinese: 猜燈謎; pinyin: cāidēngmí). It officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations.City parks, filled with them. Village children, running through the streets carrying them. Lanterns, absolutely everywhere! Wherever you are on February 28th, be sure to take part in the Lantern Festival.?This light-hearted holiday marks the first full moon of the Chinese New Year, and the return of spring.

Fujian Tulou Fujian Tulou Fujian Tulou is a type of Chinese rural dwellings of the Hakka and Minnan people in Fujian. Because Hakka people like to live together in remote mountainous and forested regions, they built fortified houses to defend themselves against fierce animals and thieves. Built on a stone base, the Tulou's thick walls were packed with dirt and internally fortified with wood. The first Tulou appeared during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279), and the building style developed over the following dynasties until reaching its current form as found during the period of the Republic of China (1912 – 1949). Its design incorporates the traditions of Feng shui, showing a perfect combination of unique traditional architecture with picturesque scenery.

In the Western world, New Year’s celebrations take place on January 1st—we make half-hearted resolutions over glasses of champagne. Through most of China, they’re celebrated in the middle of April, with firecrackers are dancing lions.?The Dai ethnic group of southwestern Yunnan Province, meanwhile, has their own three-day New Year’s celebration in April. Their festivities culminate not with spraying champagne or popping explosives, but with a raucous water-fight. This Dai festival begins with two days of Dragon Boat racing. On the third day, head to the local temple to “Bathe the Buddha.” Most people will have on their freshest, nicest clothes as they gather at the temple to ritually purify a statue of the Buddha, tossing pans of water over the effigy.

Tomb Sweeping Day (清明节 qīngmíng jiē) is a time for families to celebrate life, and to pay respects to their ancestors. It’s a time of mixed emotions: sadness over lost loved ones and joy for the return of spring.?Start the day right, by commemorating your ancestors and other loved ones who’ve passed on. In China, it’s especially important to look after departed members of the family, as their spirits protect the living descendents (i.e. you). April 5th is a day to visit their graves, pull weeds, and sweep the grounds. Offerings of food, rice wine, and paper money will all help ensure the spirits are smiling. If you’re unable to visit their graves, one popular way to pay respect is to burn paper money on a street corner at night, which is a regular sight around China. (Be careful to keep your distance from others who are memorializing in this way—not only out of respect, but also because the ghosts they’re calling might follow you home!)