春节— The Spring Festival

The Chinese Spring Festival, also called Lunar New Year, comes on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival.

Being one of the Chinese traditional festivals,it is the grandest and the most important festival for Chinese people.

It is said that the "Nian"(year) was a strong monster. People use red color and firework or firecrackers to drive away "Nian". As a result, the custom of using red color and setting off fireworks remains.

New clothes must be bought, especially for children. Couplets are pasted at both sides of the gates. The Chinese character "Fu" is pasted on the center of the door and paper-cut pictures adorn windows.

Dumplings and the reunion dinner are indispensable at this time.Cold and hot dishes are all served.Fish is always an important dish then,which expresses people's hope of having a wealthy year.

On the first day of the New Year or shortly thereafter, everybody wears new clothes and greets relatives and friends with bows and Gongxi (congratulations)， wishing each other good luck, happiness during the new year. In Chinese villages, some villagers may have hundreds of relatives so they have to spend more than two weeks visiting their relatives.

春节，也叫“过年”，从农历正月初一开始，到元宵节结束。

作为中国传统节日，春节是中国最隆重、最重要的节日。

传说中，中国古代有一种叫“年”的怪兽。人们用红色或者烟花或者鞭炮可以把它吓跑。后来，红色和放鞭炮的习俗流传了下来。

过年给儿童买新衣服，在门上贴对联，在门正中央贴“福”字，窗户贴剪纸。

饺子和年夜饭是过年必不可少的。冷盘、热菜一应俱全。鱼也是很重要的一道菜，人们希望新的一年年年有余。

在春节天或此后不久，大家都穿着新衣服，带着弓向亲戚和朋友打招呼并恭喜(祝贺)，彼此祝愿在新的一年里好运，幸福。在中国农村，有些村民可能有数以百计的亲戚，所以他们不得不拿出两个多星期来走亲访友。

The image of loong (Chinese dragon) dates back to ancient China, predating even the emergence of Chinese characters. 

It combines the characteristics of many animals—a buck's antlers, a bull's head, a python's body, a fish's scales and an eagle's claws. 

For thousands of years, the loong has existed in the consciousness of the Chinese nation as both an omnipotent god, and a symbol of heroism, authority and honor. 

Chinese people call themselves "descendants of the loong". Emperors of all the dynasties claimed to be "the incarnation of the loong and son of Heaven" in order to make the people more willing to submit to their rules. 

For thousands of years, the image of loong has been existing in the traditional consciousness of the Chinese nation. Today, the Chinese dragon is still regarded as a symbol of holiness and auspiciousness among Chinese folks. 

In many places, it is a custom to perform a“dragon dance”on days of celebration, which stems from the ancient belief that dragon was the god in charge of weather and performing a "dragon dance" could please the dragon king and ensure favorable weather and a good harvest.

早在汉字产生以前，中国就有了龙的形象。龙的形象集中了许多动物的特点：鹿的角，牛的头，蟒的身，鱼的鳞，鹰的爪。几千年来，龙在中国人的眼里，是无所不能的神灵，是英勇、权威和尊贵的象征。中国人称自己是“龙的传人”。古代各王朝的帝王则自称为“真龙天子”,为的是让人民更愿意服从他们的统治。长久以来，龙的形象始终存在于中华民族的传统意识中。现在，中国民间仍把龙看作神圣、吉祥之物。在喜庆的日子里，中国许多地方有舞龙的习惯。之所以舞龙，是因为古人相信龙是掌管风雨的神灵，通过舞龙这种形式可以取悦龙王，保证风调雨顺，农民获得丰收。

燃放鞭炮

放鞭炮曾是春节庆祝活动中重要的习俗之一。然而，担心燃放鞭炮可能会带来危险和烦人的噪音，政府已在许多大城市下令禁止燃放鞭炮。但在小城镇和农村地区的人们仍然坚持这种传统的庆祝活动。除夕夜一旦时钟撞响午夜12点钟，城市和乡镇都被烟花的闪闪光芒映亮，鞭炮声震耳欲聋。一家人熬夜就为这个欢乐的时刻，孩子们一手拿鞭炮，一手拿火机兴高采烈地点放着他们在这个特殊节日的快乐，尽管他们吓得捂着耳朵。

Setting Firecrackers

Lighting Firecrackers used to be one of the most important customs in the Spring Festival celebration. However, concerning the danger and the negative noises that lighting firecrackers may bring, the government has banned this practice in many major cities. But people in small towns and rural areas still hold to this traditional celebration. Right as the clock strike 12 o'clock midnight of New Year's Eve, cities and towns are lit up with the glitter from fireworks, and the sound can be deafening. Families stay up for this joyful moment and kids with firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in another cheerfully light their happiness in this especial occasion, even though they plug their ears.

The temple fair is a social activity in the Chinese folk. It is usually held in a temple or in theopen place near the temple during festivals or some specified days. Some temple feirs are onlyheld during the Spring Festival.Although temple fairs in different places are held in differenttime, their basic contents are similar. During the time of temple fairs, farmers and traders comefrom all directions, with their own agricultural products for transactions. Folk artists set up thestages for performing singing, dancing, stoiy telling, etc. Ordinary people happily come to watchperformances and buy snacks or other interesting goods.

庙会(the temple fair)是中国民间的一种社会活动，通常在节日或某些特定的 日子里，在寺庙里或寺庙附近的空旷之处举办。有的则只在春节期间举办。尽管 在不同的地方举办的庙会时间不同，但其基本内容是相似的。在庙会期间，来自 四面八方的农民和商人都带着自己的农产品来进行交易。民间艺术家搭起舞台， 表演唱歌、跳舞、讲故事等。老百姓高高兴兴地来观看表演，买小吃或其他有趣 的物品。

春节针灸是中医学的重要组成部分。按照中医的经络理论，针灸疗法主要是通过疏通经络、调和气血，来达到阴阳归于平衡，使脏腑趋于调和之目的。其特点是“内病外治”。主要疗法是用针刺入病人身体的一定穴位，或用艾火的温热刺激烧灼病人的穴位，以达到刺激经络。治疗病痛的目的。针灸以其独特的优势，流传至今并传播到了世界，与中餐、功夫、中药一起被海外誉为中国的“新四大国粹”。

Acupuncture is an important part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In accordance with the “main and collateral channels” theory in TCM, the purpose of acupuncture is to dredge the channel and regulate qi and blood, so as to keep the body’s yin and yang balanced and achieve reconciliation between the internal organs. It features in traditional Chinese medicine that “internal diseases are to be treated with external therapy”. The main therapy of acupuncture involves using needles to pierce certain acupoints of the patient’s body, or adopting moxibustion to stimulate the patient’s acupoints so as to stimulate the channels and relieve pain. With its unique advantages, acupuncture has been handed down generation after generation and has now spread all over the world. Nowadays, acupuncture, along with Chinese food, kung fu (otherwise known as Chinese martial arts), and traditional Chinese medicine, has been internationally hailed as one of the “four new national treasures.”

中国功夫即中国武术，是将技击寓于搏斗和套路运动之中的中国传统体育项目，承载着丰富的中国民族传统文化。其核心思想是儒家的中和养气之说，同时兼容了道家、释家的思想。中国武术源远流长、流派林立、拳种繁多，讲究刚柔并济、内外兼修，蕴含着先哲们对生命和宇宙的参悟。后世所称十八般武艺，主要指：徒手拳艺，如太极拳、形意拳、八卦掌等;器械功夫，如刀枪剑戟、斧钺钩叉等。

Chinese kung fu, or Chinese martial arts, carries traditional Chinese culture in abundance. It is a traditional Chinese sport which applies the art of attack and defence in combat and the motions engaged with a series of skill and tricks. The core idea of Chinese king fu is derived from the Confucian theory of both “the mean and harmony” and “cultivating qi” (otherwise known as nourishing one’s spirit). Meanwhile, it also includes thoughts of Taoism and Buddhism. Chinese kung fu has a long history, with multi-various sects and many different boxing styles, and emphasizes coupling hardness with softness and internal and external training. It contains the ancient great thinkers’ pondering of life and the universe. The skills in wielding the 18 kinds of weapons named by the later generations mainly involve the skills of bare-handed boxing, such as shadow boxing (Taijiquan), form and will boxing (Xingyiquan), eight trigram palm (Baguazhang), and the skills of kung fu weaponry, such as the skill of using swords, spears, two-edged swords and halberds, axes, tomahawks, kooks, prongs and so on.

水饺

饺子是深受中国人民喜爱的传统食品。 相传为古代医圣张仲景发明。饺子的制作是包括： 1) 擀皮、2) 备馅、3) 包馅水煮三个步骤。其特点是皮薄馅嫩，味道鲜美，形状独特，百食不厌。民间有“好吃不过饺子”的俗语。中国人接亲待客、逢年过节都有包饺子吃的习俗，寓意吉利。对崇尚亲情的中国人来说，“更岁交子”吃饺子，更是欢度除夕、辞旧迎新必不可少的内容。

Dumplings are one of the Chinese people’s favorite traditional dishes. According to an ancient Chinese legend, dumplings were first made by the medical saint---Zhang Zhongjing. There are three steps involved in making dumplings: 1) make dumpling wrappers out of dumpling flour; 2) prepare the dumpling stuffing; 3) make dumplings and boil them. With thin and elastic dough skin, fresh and tender stuffing, delicious taste, and unique shapes, dumplings are worth eating hundreds of times. There’s an old saying that claims, “Nothing could be more delicious than dumplings”. During the Spring Festival and other holidays, or when treating relatives and friends, Chinese people like to follow the auspicious custom of eating dumplings. To Chinese people who show high reverence for family love, having dumplings at the moment the old year is replaced by the new is an essential part of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new year.

七夕节

自上世纪90年代后期起，七夕节(the Double Seventh Festival )开始被称为“中国的情人节”。这个节日可以追溯到汉朝，当时对恋人、女孩都是个特殊的日子。 这天，女孩会举行仪式，向织女(Zhinv)乞求智慧、技艺和美满婚姻，所以七夕节还被称为“乞巧节(the Begging for SkillsFestival)”。如今，一些传统习俗已经弱化。人们现在把七夕节当作浪漫的情人节来庆祝，尤其是在年轻人中间。

 Double Seventh Festival

The Double Seventh Festival has been called Chinese Valentine’s Day since the late 1990s. The festival can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. It was then a special day not only for lovers, but also for girls.Girls would hold a ceremony to beg Zhinv for wisdom, skills and a satisfying marriage. So it is also called “the Begging for Skills Festival”.Today some traditional customs have been weakened. Now the festival is celebrated as a romantic valentine’s day, particularly among young people.

国画是中国文化遗产的重要组成部分。不同于西方画，它是用毛笔(Chinese brush)和墨汁在宣纸(xuan paper)上作画的。精通这门艺术需要不断重复的练习， 需要控制好毛笔，需要对宣纸和墨汁有一定的认识。绘画前，画家必须在脑海里有一个草图并根据他的想象力和经验进行绘画。许多中国画家既是诗人，又是书法家。他们经常会在自己的画上亲手添加诗作。

Chinese painting is an important part of thecountry's cultural heritage. It distinguishes itselffrom Western painting in that it is drawn on xuanpaper with the Chinese brush and Chinese ink. Toattain proficiency in this art, it is necessary to havea good control of the brush, and certain knowledge of xuan paper and Chinese ink besidesrepeated exercises.Before painting, the painter must have a draft in his mind and drawaccording to his imagination and experience.Many a Chinese painter is at the same time a poetand calligrapher who often adds a poem with his own hand on the painting.

With its wide land, rich resources and different kinds of cultures, China has developed many traditions of cooking. Among them, Hunan dishes have surely found its own special place.

Hunan dishes, which are called as Xiang dishes, are known for its spicy taste. It is one of China's eight schools (派系) of dishes.

Chili peppers are the most important and popular part in Hunan dishes. Ever since chilis were introduced from South America in the late 1690s, they have won the hearts of Hunan people.

Hunan people love chilis so much that they have invented tons of ways to enjoy them. While Sichuan dishes are famous for its classic “numbing-hot (麻辣)” taste, Hunan dishes are known for being“hot”. People in Hunan also cut fresh chili peppers into small pieces and mix them with salt. They use these salted chilis to steam fish heads, which has become a classical dish and enjoyed by millions of people all over the world every year.

Some say Hunan people love chilis because they can help people get used to the damp (潮湿的) weather. Summers in Hunan are hot and damp, while winters are cool and damp. The chilis can drive away one's inner dampness. 

It is believed that chilis and the personality of Hunan people have something in common. Usually described as direct, brave and hard-working, Hunan people are famous for their "hot personalities". It is clear that they would fall in love with chilis.