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2009年11月6日 星期五

Teachers' day 教師節








In China (on septemper 10th)Teachers' day in China was Canceled in 1951 and recovered on Septemper 10 since 1985. There are some people proposal the birthday of Confucius as Teachers' day.Usually there are some activities for the students to show their appreciation to the teachers, such as presenting gifts including cards and flowers.

In Taiwan (on septemper 28th)

The day honors teachers' virtues, pains, and also their contribution not only to their own students but also to the whole society. People often make use of the day to express their gratitude to their teachers, such as paying them a visit or sending them a card. This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, believed to be the model master educator in ancient China. In 1939, the Ministry of Education established the national holiday to be August 27, the attributed birthday of Confucius.

In 1952, the Executive Yuan changed it to September, stating that it was calculated to be the precise date in the Gregorian calendar. The festival celebration occurs in the temples of Confucius around the Taiwan island, known as the "Grand Ceremony Dedicated to Confucius" (祭孔大典). The ceremony begins at 6 AM with drum beats. 54 musicians dress in robes with blue belts, 36 (or 64) dancers dress in yellow with green belts. They are led by Confucius's chief descendant (currently Kung Te-cheng) and followed by ceremonial officers. Three animals—the cow, the goat, and the pig—are sacrificed. The hairs plucked from these sacrificed animals are called the Hairs of Wisdom. In addition, local education institutes and civil offices award certain teachers for their excellence and positive influence.

more information about "Grand Ceremony Dedicated to Confucius" (祭孔大典)

A short film of "Grand Ceremony Dedicated to Confucius"

2009年11月4日 星期三

Qingming Festival 清明節







The Qingming Festival (s-Chinese: 清明节; t-Chinese: 清明節; pinyin: Qīngmíngjié), Clear Bright Festival, Ancestors Day or Tomb Sweeping Day is a traditional Chinese festival, usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar . Astronomically it is also a solar term .Qingming has been regularly observed as a statutory public holiday in Taiwan and in the Chinese jurisdictions of Hong Kong . Its observance was reinstated as a public holiday in mainland China in 2008, after having been previously suppressed by the ruling Communist Party in 1949.

The transcription of the term Qingming may appear in a number of different forms, some of which are:
* Qingming
* Qing Ming
* Qing Ming Jie
* Ching Ming (official in Hong Kong)
* Ching Ming Chieh

The holiday is known by a number names in the English language:
* All Souls Day (not to be confused with the Roman Catholic holiday, All Souls Day, of the same name)
* Clear Bright Festival
* Ancestors Day
* Festival for Tending Graves
* Grave Sweeping Day
* Chinese Memorial Day
* Tomb Sweeping Day
* Spring Remembrance

Qingming was frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is probably Du Mu's poem (simply titled "Qingming"):
































Traditional ChineseSimplified ChinesepinyinEnglish translation
清明時節雨紛紛清明时节雨纷纷qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēnA drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
路上行人欲斷魂路上行人欲断魂lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn húnThe mourner's heart is breaking on his way.
借問酒家何處有借问酒家何处有jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒuWhere can a winehouse be found to drown his sadness?
牧童遙指杏花村牧童遥指杏花村mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūnA cowherd points to Almond Flower (Xing Hua) Village in the distance.