The Traditional Festivals of China's Han Nationality 1
Introduction 1
1.The Spring Festival 5
The Origin and Legend of“年”(nian) 5
Exploding Firecrackers See the Year off 6
The Interesting Breakfast of the Spring Festival 7
Extending New Year Greetings 8
Varied Entertainments during the Spring Festival 9
2.Yuanxiao 13
The Origin of the Yuanxiao Festival 13
The Constant Changes of the Lantern Festival 15
The History and Legends of Yuanxiao 18
3.Pure Brightness 20
The Origin of the Unlit Stove and Cold Food Festival 20
Sweeping the Grave on the Pure Brightness Festival 22
Happy Stroll on Greens during the Pure Brightness Festival 23
4.The Duanwu Festival 27
The Origin of the Duanwu Festival 27
The Dragon-Boat Race of Thousands of Years 29
Eating Zongzi and Drinking Realgar Wine 30
Sticking Calamus,Wearing Vanilla Bags and Putting up Zhong Kui 31
5.The Seventh Night of the Seventh Lunar Month 33
The Origin of the Festival 33
How to Pray to the Weaving-Girl for Dexterity 36
6.The Mid-Autumn Festival 38
The Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival 38
Enjoying and Offering Sacrifices to the Moon on the Mid-Autumn Festival 39
The Legends of Eating Moon Cakes 41
7.The Double Yang Festival 43
The Origin of the Double Yang Festival 43
Dogwood,Mountaineering and Festive Cakes 44
"Time and again Tourists among Chrysanthemum Shrubs Linger" 46
Pouring out One's Heart through Poems on the Double Yang Festival 48
8.The Winter Solstice 49
The Origin of the Winter Solstice 49
A Festival Second to the New Year 50
Jiaozi and"Effect a Miraculous Cure" 51
"Winter Solstice Yuanzi" 53
"Nine Nine-Day Periods"and"Cold-Dispelling Game" 54
9.The Eighth Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month 57
"Become-Buddha Festival"and"Laba Porridge" 57
The Legends of Laba Porridge 60
10.The Minor New Year's Eve 62
The Legends of the Lord of Kitchen Range 62
Sacrifice of Sugar Melon and the Drunken Lord 64
Transition into the New Year and Thorough Cleaning 65
11.The New Year's Eve 68
Seeing the Year off with Boundless Joy 68
Watching in the New Year 71
The Traditional Festivals of China's Minorities 73
Introduction 73
1.Joyful New Year Celebrations 75
2.Production and Harvest Festivals 89
3.Joyful Youth Festivals 105
4.Respectful Memorial Days 114
5.Colorful Festivals of Customs 124
6.Traditional Religious Festivals 133