What is the gift of traditional Chinese wedding…

It is the first gift that the bridegroom’s family to address the family of the bride. Then there are the gifts that the guests offer married. And finally, there are these that offer the bride and bridegroom to their guests at the wedding.

Once the date of wedding and the compatibility of the respective dates of birth are confirmed, the family of the young man addresses the gifts to the family of the bride. There is usually money, jewelry, cakes, wines and liqueurs. Gifts for her are sent over a period of several days, and in the Chinese tradition, they must be used to offer a sacrifice to ancestors.

The gifts of the guests for the bride and bridegroom are usually cash. They are usually red envelopes containing cash.

In turn, the bride and bridegroom offer small gifts to their guests: Chinese biscuit, little pot of lavender, tea cups of porcelain, small silk pouches filled with jasmine tea, confectionery and many other small gifts, appreciated by the guests.

Important note: Must not open gifts on the spot, because this is an impolite behavior in China. If you don’t understand, you can read articles about differences between China and Occident that I wrote.

Ancient Chinese used copper coins. These copper coins were drilled a square hole in the center. They are usually strung together on a line. The bronze coins appeared from the seventh century BC and the heyday in the Tang Dynasty.

Because of copper money was cumbersome, meanwhile, the shortage of copper in the Sung Dynasty (960-1280) led to the creation of paper money. This currency was convertible into cash or salt. The copper money that continued being used are less important.

The money existed in the form of ingots varying size. Ingot money could weigh from 1 to 100 ounces. The silver coins were an important development in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). However, this money was used for the exchanges, not for the daily.

The old money is now preserved as national heritage of China and is set mainly in Chinese museums.

Though the Chinese paper folding isn’t very popular in the world, but it has a very long history. Chinese children love paper folding and enjoy making many objects with this intricate craft. Follow me learn a kind of simple paper folding craft today — Chinese paper boat. This is the first paper folding that I learned to make as a child.

Instructions

1. Fold a rectangular piece of paper lengthwise in thirds, accordion style (see a).

2. Flip up one of the four ends to make a right-angled fold, with the top edge flush with the unfolded edge (see b).

3. Fold up the folded edge of this angle half way, to form an acute angle on top of the right angle (see c).

4. Do the same with the other three ends to form a trapezoid.

5. Fold the base line of the trapezoid up 1/5 inch on both sides (see c).

6. Carefully open the paper from inside out (see d), and you will have a Chinese paper boat (see e).

Lanterns are a big part of Chinese holiday celebrations. This is particularly true of the Lantern Festival, which takes place on the eve of the fifteenth day of the first Chinese lunar month, usually in early February. On that evening, all types of lanterns are on display everywhere in the country. Here you will learn how to make a simple one of your own. All you need is a rectangular piece of construction paper, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick or Scotch tape.

Instructions

1. Fold the construction paper in half lengthwise (see a).

2. Make a dozen cuts along the fold, without cutting all the way to the other edge, because the area left uncut will serve as the top and bottom of the lantern (see b).

3. Unfold the paper and match up the ends (see c).

4. Glue or tape the ends together, and there is your Chinese lantern (see d)!

5. You may glue or tape a paper strip across the top of the lantern to make a handle.

The traditional Chinese knot symbolizes the happiness and lucky. It is very good embodiment of traditional Chinese culture. Real Chinese knot are tied and plaited instead of being cut. Tying a Chinese knot demands a lot of patience, but with practice, you will eventually learn how to make one of your own. The following example of a simple knot is a good start.

Instructions

1. Stretch out a 20-inch long and 1/8-inch thick red, braided ribbon or string on a level surface, such as a desk.

2. Pick up one end and bring it down and across to the right to form a large loop.

3. Pick up and move the right end of the ribbon or string all the way to the left, beneath the other end of the ribbon or string that is lying in the middle, and take it back beneath that end to the right to form a smaller loop under the bigger one (see a).

4. Take the end of the ribbon or string that is in the middle up across the entire smaller loop under it and feed it into the bigger loop beneath it (see b).

5. Take the same end and bring it down to feed into the smaller loop on top of it (see b).

6. Carefully pull both ends (see c).

Congratulation! You have created a simple Chinese knot!

The paper-cut is one of the representatives of the Chinese traditional culture. For centuries Chinese women in the rural north have been natural paper cutting artists, creating their works of art with scissors and sheets of red paper. They use paper cuttings to decorate their residences, particularly the windows of their houses, on festivals and occasions of celebration. The themes and patterns of paper cuttings may be endless, but all are designed to extend good wishes. The Chinese traditional paper-cut described here has seemingly infinite loops, are symbolic of a blessing for endless happiness. Follow me learn a kind of simple Chinese traditional paper-cut now.

Instructions

1. Take a 5-inch square piece of thin red paper and fold it in half diagonally to form a triangle with two equal sides (see a).

2. Fold it in half diagonally three more times, into a very small triangle (see b).

3. Fold it once more, into an even smaller triangle, leaving an exposed edge slightly more than 1/8 inch wide at the baseline (see c).

4. Fold the triangle back to form an even smaller triangle, leaving the uneven exposed edge outside (see d).

5. Cut the tip of the 90 degree angle as shown in the diagram (see e).

6. Open the folded triangle four times until it looks like a mask, with two square eyes, a nose pointing up (or down, depending on how you hold it), and two ears pointing horizontally (see f).

7. Slit the section of the baseline directly beneath the left “eye” where the “nose” points up (see f).

8. Remove the section along the baseline that forms the right “ear” (see f).

9. Carefully unfold the paper.

Congratulation! You have a Chinese traditional paper-cut now (see g).

It is the Chinese traditional festival Lantern Festival on the 15th of the first month of the lunar calendar. Lantern Festival is the first important festival after the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).

The history of the Lantern Festival is also very remote the same as the Spring Festival. History of the Lantern Festival can be traced back to more than 2200 years ago. There are a lot of folkways and customs in Chinese for celebrating Lantern Festival among the people. I introduce some to everybody.

Eat Yuanxiao (rice glue ball)

Yuanxiao is the Chinese traditional festival food on Lantern Festival. You can read this article about the making of Yuanxiao: Chinese Traditional Food - Yuanxiao Yuanxiao signifies the family harmonious, express the nice wish to the future.

Admire the Festive Lantern and Guess the Lantern Riddle

There is “admire the festive lantern and guess the lantern riddle” custom in China on Lantern Festival. This is China’s unique folk culture. Colorful lanterns and interesting lantern riddles add the happy atmosphere to festival.

Loong Dance and Lion Dance

Loong Dance and Lion Dance are the excellent folk art of China. The Loong is a holy symbol. The lion is the symbols of bravery and strength. People celebrate festival through these activities. Wish life to have good luck…

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) today. I want to introduce the Chinese New Year to everybody, because a lot of Occidental people don’t understand the Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the grandest traditional festival in China. The time of traditional Chinese New Year is from 23 of the twelfth month to the 15th of the first month of the next year. The New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day of the Chinese lunar calendar are the climax of Chinese New Year. Please note: The traditional Chinese New Year is not one day, but made up of a lot of days. And the time is the Chinese lunar calendar, but not the Gregorian calendar.

The legend of Chinese New Year (Spring Festival): “Nian” beast Legend.

You can read this article about the legend: Chinese Firecrackers Culture

The custom of Chinese New Year:

Stick the Spring Festival couplet

The Spring Festival couplet is a unique artwork of Chinese nation. Every family will stick the red Spring Festival couplet on both sides of the door when the Spring Festival of every year. The Spring Festival couplet express the fine hope that people meet next Year. The red Spring Festival couplet symbolizes jubilation and warm.

Stick “福” Chinese character

The red and big Chinese character “福” symbolizes good fortune and happiness. People will stick it on the room door when the Spring Festival, signify the good fortune and happiness enter the room. You can read this article about Chinese character “福”: Traditional Chinese Lucky Pattern and Mascot

New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is the last day evening of the Chinese lunar calendar. New Year’s Eve is the most boisterous night in one year. The thing that the children most like to do is to set off firecrackers. The adults are busy with preparing the dinner of New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is extremely important for Chinese people. The dinner of New Year’s Eve is known as the family reunion dinner. The family reunion dinner is held at 0 o’clock of New Year’s Eve. The whole family is eating Jiaozi (The Jiaozi is the essential food in Chinese New Year), chatting, waiting for the bell of the 0 o’clock. When the bell of the 0 o’clock is beaten, the whole family will bless each other… The firecrackers are loud outside the window. The warm atmosphere of New Year reaches a climax.

Pay a New Year call

People begin pay a New Year call in the first day of Chinese lunar calendar after the revelry on New Year’s Eve. Generally speaking, the younger will take the gifts to visit elders. Or the friends visit each other. Please note: Must take the gifts, the more valuable the better. This is custom of China. Perhaps a lot of westerners don’t understand. People will visit each other in the following 15 day.

The Chinese New Year is over until fifteen of the first month of Chinese lunar year. This is Chinese New Year (Spring Festival).

The sound of firecrackers is a characteristic of the Chinese New Year and many festive occasions. Do you know why Chinese touch off the firecrackers in the Chinese New Year?

A long time ago, firecrackers were used to scare away the wild beasts, especially a beast named “Nian”(the word meaning is “year”), which appeared regularly in the late winter or early spring, injured human and livestock. That was long period before the invention of gunpowder, and people burned dry bamboo to produce the explosive sound. The “Nian Beast” feared the explosive sound and didn’t dare to be close to human villages. Afterward, this way was developed into a kind of custom.

At the same time, “Nian”, the name of the animal that appeared to yearly interval, began to mean “year”. And the custom of touching off firecrackers for New Year was passed down. The beginning of this custom dating found in writings can be traced back to at least 3,000 years.

When the powder was invented in China, it was used to fill in bamboo tubes, producing loud explosion. The firecrackers were called “Baozhu”, a name still used in some regions.

According to the record of the Sung Dynasty, the first scientist who used the powder in firecrackers was Ma Jun, the period of Three Kingdoms (220-265).

Modern times have brought further improvements to the traditional firecrackers. Chemical luminescent colors are added to the powder, fired from cannons and explode in the sky, covering the night sky with magnificent colorful splendor.

The most enthusiastic about the firecrackers have always been young people and children. The New Year, a wedding, the opening of an international festival, etc … Chinese people rely on firecrackers to express the jubilation.

The Chinese fan contains abundant cultural connotation. It is a component of the Chinese culture. It is closely linked to bamboo culture and Buddhism culture. The fan has already had a history of more than 3000 years in China. After thousands of years of development, there are several hundred kinds of fans in China now. And the materials of the Chinese fan are various, such as bamboo, wood, paper, ivory, hawksbill, emerald, feather, even the wheat stem or cattail leaf, etc. So China is praised as “The Fan Kingdom”.

The fan initially is made of colorful pheasant feather. If you understand China’s history, perhaps you know Zhu Ge Liang in the Three Kingdoms Period. His feather fan is made of goose feather. People began to make the fan with silk fabrics such as the damask silk, gauze silk, etc. in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Meanwhile, people embroider flower, figure, etc. on the fan. There were round, sunflower shape, plum blossom shape, hexagon in forms of the fan at that time; the fan handle is made by wood or bamboo, etc.; In addition there are ornaments such as fan pendant, tassel, jade article, etc. Just like the fan which the beauty takes in the above picture. The folding fan was becoming widely popular gradually in Sung Dynasty. And it is became a kind of fashion that write poem or paint on the fun.

The Chinese fan has already become the exquisite handicraft product that merges practical value and aesthetics value. The Chinese fan has already developed into the art appreciation product gradually. The artistic value of the fan is promoted greatly. It becomes the collector’s pet now.

I find a video that make Chinese fan on the Internet. If you are interested, may make a Chinese fan by oneself.