5 Popular Chinese Religious Festivals
A festival is an occasion normally celebrated by a group and usually centered on a particular characteristic feature of the culture or religion of the community and its members. It may be marked by a festive occasion, public gathering, or other public activity. It can also be commemorated with a religious service, public feast, or rite of passage. It is regularly accompanied by music, dance, drama, food, pottery or other works made by local artists or experts. It is usually marked by a celebration or light show, fireworks, parades, rituals or feasts. In many countries, a festival calendar is used to keep record of major festivals occurring each year.
The first step to planning a religious festival is determining what the festival is to be about. For example, in the Hindu tradition, Lord Krishna’s birth anniversary is celebrated with Parvarnath Yatra. Another important factor is that festivals are generally time-honored traditions and not intended to change the basic character of a religion or customs. In other cases, for example, a festival may be designed to commemorate the conversion of a family from one religion to another. The citation needed for a religious festival depends on the denomination of the faith practiced in the area where the festival will be held and the beliefs and customs of the people attending.
Asian festivals are characterized by many things such as food, which is cooked in special pots called tibets. The art of cooking food is called ‘rasayana’ and the art of serving it in the tibet is called ‘kamdudha’. Rice and cookery are the staples of Asian festivals and many countries celebrate by offering rice and other grains to relatives and friends. Firecrackers are also used to sound the alarm and create excitement. There is much elaborate dress code worn in Asian festivals and clothing is often decorated.
Chinese New Year is a major festival observed in China and celebrates the return of life into the soil. There is a great deal of symbolism involved with the New Year. For Buddhists the Buddha is reborn as a child and King Buddha appears on the first day of the New Year to take His place as the ruler of the land. Chinese people throw rice cakes and red beans at each other as a sign of affection for one another and an effort to reunite their lost love. Chinese people also look forward to the new year by eating very extravagant meals that celebrate the good fortune they have enjoyed throughout the year.
Hinduism believes that Brahma, the creator god, created the universe and time and that we live in a reflection of His perfection. So Rama, the God of destruction, has come to Earth to guide his people through this time of trouble. There are several rituals observed at this festival and food is traditionally served to guests. The festival symbolizes the suffering and blissful time between the creation and the coming into the material world. It also represents fertility and the time to rejoice in the joys of baby birth.
While you may find some religious celebrations that differ from those listed above, they all share the common elements of feasting and preparation. People all over the world will observe these festivals differently and have their own unique traditions. One of the best ways to learn about and prepare for any of these feasts is to learn a bit about the foods they represent and what they symbolize. By doing this you can prepare yourself for the religious celebration and have a great time while enjoying some of the best foods the world has to offer!