• Families
  • Rather than two-generation family (parents and children) common in Western culture, Chinese families are composed of three generations: grandparents, parents, and children.
  • Filial piety (loyalty to family) is VERY important!
  • Always show respect to those older than you!
• Holidays
  • New Year's Festival
    • 15-days (begins on new moon at start of lunar new year and ends on full moon with the Lantern Festival)
    • All debts must be paid before the New Year!
    • No negative terms or talk about death or dying allowed.
    • Lai See- red envelopes with money inside-- are given to children as presents =D
    • Tone of New Year sets the tone for the whole year.
    • Shooting off of firecrackers to send off the old year welcome the new one!
  • Moon Festival
    • Also known as Harvest Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival
    • Takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month (usually about September)
    • Based on legend of Chang Er, the Moon Lady who took her husband's elixir of life and flew to the moon
    • Moon cakes are eaten-- filled with sweet red bean paste (oh, don't make a face, it's actually good!), nuts, Chinese dates, and egg yolks wrapped in a pastry.
  • Dragon Boat Festival
    • Also known as Double Fifth festival
    • Takes place on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month (summer)
    • Based around Chinese scholar Chu Yuan who drowned in 295 B.C.
    • Part of festival involves racing of Dragon Boats (symbolically, to save Chu Yuan)
    • Dumplings eaten called Tzungtzu made with rice, bamboo leaves, bean paste, ham, egg yokes, nuts, sausages, and vegetables!
    • Special protective sachets, Hsiang Pao, are given to children and the elderly
• Food
  • Confucius Say: "Eating is the utmost important part of life"!
  • fan, grain dishes (rice, noodles, etc.)
  • ts'ai, meat-and-vegetable dishes
  • Staple is rice!
  • Meats include pork, dog, beef, mutton, chicken, duck, goose, venison, and a variety of fish
  • Fruits include peaches, apricots, plums, apples, pears, crabapples, and oranges
  • Vegetables include turnip, radish, mushroom, mustard green, Chinese cabbage, malva and amaranth.
  • Spices include red pepper, ginger, garlic, spring onion, and cinnamon.
• Astrology
  • Everyone has an animal sign and element based on birth year-- 60 total combinations
  • 12 animal signs
    • Rat
    • Ox
    • Tiger
    • Rabbit
    • Dragon
    • Snake
    • Horse
    • Goat/Sheep
    • Monkey
    • Rooster
    • Dog
    • Pig
  • Wu Xing (5 elements)
    • Metal
    • Water
    • Wood
    • Fire
    • Earth
• Feng Shui
  • Literally, "Wind and water"
  • Method of interior design to promote balance for good fortune
  • Stuff arranged for good flow of chi (life force).
  • Five elements also integral to Feng Shui.

Site and contents ©2001 Rachel R***** unless otherwise specified. Best viewed in 800x600 resolution or greater with 16 million colour display. Graphics composed in Paint Shop Pro 6.0.