Dong Zhi Festival

Dong Zhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese around December 22 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in.

Traditionally, the Dong Zhi Festival is also a time for family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get togethers is making and eating of tang yuan or balls of glutinuous rice, which symbolize reunion. Each family member receives at least one large tang yuan in addition to several small ones. It is often served with a mildly alcoholic unfiltered rice wine containing whole grains of glutinuous rice called jiu niang.

Rolling of tang yuan.

Jiu Niang is a sweet soup made by fermenting glutinous rice with starter.

Tang yuan made in different colour.

In northern China, people typically eat dumplings on this day. It is said to have originated from Zhang in the Han Dynasty. On one cold winter day, he saw the poor suffering from chilblains on their ears. Feeling sympathetic, he ordered his apprentices to make dumplings with lamb and other ingredients, and distribute them among the poor to keep them warm, to keep their ears from getting chilblains. Since dumplings were shaped like ears, Zhang named the dish as "qu han jiao er tang" or dumpling soup that expels the cold. From that time on, it has been a tradition to eat dumplings on this day.

Dumplings made in ear-shaped.

Bai Tian Gong

Bai Tian Gong is also the Jade Emperor's birthday. The 9th day of the New Year is a day for Chinese to offer prayers to the Jade Emperor of Heaven. This day is important to Hokkiens. Come midnight of the 8th day of the New Year, Hokkiens will offer thanks giving prayers to the Emperor of Heaven.

The tributes used for Bai Tian Gong.

Food offered on Bai Tian Gong.

Taoists Priests performing ritual during Jade Emperor's birthday.

During a Chinese New Year of Ming Dynasty, there was a bandit raid in the province of Hokkien. These intruders however robbed and burned down villages, attacked and killed the villagers. The poeple of the villages were in fear and escaped from their burnt villages during the night. Some of the villages then hid themselves among the sugarcane fields. Needless to say, those villages prayed to Heaven God for salvation during their hideout. The pursuing intruders spent many days trying to locate and hunt them but to no avail. On the 9th day of that Chinese New Year, they finally gave up and returned to their region.

So from this story, sugarcane had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago. The pair of sugarcane symbolises unity, cooperation and strength. The sugarcane itself is a symbol of harmony and a token which can bring good and "sweet" results.

Qi Xi Festival

Qi Xi Festival is also known as Magpie Festival, falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month on the Chinese calendar. It is sometimes called Chinese Valentine's Day. Young Girls traditionally demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this day and make wishes for a good husband. In late summer, the stars are high in the night sky, and the Chinese tell the following love story.

Niulang and Zhinu meet on the bridge.

A young cowherd, Niulang came across with a beautiful girl called Zhinu, the 7th daughter of the Goddess, who just has escaped from boring heaven to look for fun. She soon fell in love with Niulang, and they got married without the knowledge of the Goddess. But the Goddess of Heaven found out that Zhinu had married a mere mortal. The Goddess ordered her to return to heaven. On Earth, Niulang was very upset that his wife had disppeared. Suddenly, his ox began to talk, telling him that if he killed it and put its hide, he would be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. The Goddess discovered this and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratched a wide river in the sky to separate the 2 lovers forever. But once a year, all the magpies in the world would take pity in them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge over the star, so the lovers may be together for a single night.

In traditions, a festoon is placed in the yard and the single or newly married women in the household make an offering to Niulang and Zhinu consisting of fruits, flowers, tea and facial powder. After finishing the offering, half of the facial powder is thrown on the roof and the other half divided among the young women of the household. It is believed that by doing this, the women are bound in beauty with Zhinu.

Festoon is an arrangement of flowers, foilage or fruit bound together and suspended by ribbons.

Wesak Day

Wesak Day is an annual holiday observed traditionally by Buddhists. Sometimes informally called "Buddha's Birthday", it actually encompasses the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautama Buddha. Wesak Day is on the 8th of the 4th month in the Chinese lunar calendar.

Main float at a candlelight procession during Wesak Day.

On this day, devout Buddhists and followers alike are expected and requested to assemble in their various temples before dawn for the ceremonial, hoisting of the Buddhist flag and the singing of hymns in praise of the holy triple gem. Devotees may bring simple offerings of flowers, candles and joss sticks to lay at the feet of their teacher.

Devotees are enjoined to make a special effort to refrain from killing of any kind. They are encouraged to partake of vegetarian food for the day. Also birds, insects and animals are released by the thousands in what is known as a "symbolic act to liberation"; of giving freedom to those who are in captivity or tortured against their will.

Devotees offering flowers to pay homage to Lord Buddha during Wesak Day.

Devotees burning candles and joss sticks at a temple.

A Buddhist devotee lights oil lamps ahead of Wesak Day celebrations.

Some temples also display a small image of the baby Buddha in front of the altar in a small basin filled with water and decorated with flowers, allowing devotees to pour water the statue; it is symbolic of the cleaning of a practitioners bad karma, and to reenact the events following the Buddha's birth, when devas and spirits made heavenly offerings to him.

Bathing of the baby Buddha.

Devotees are expected to listen to talks given by monks. On this day monks will recite verses uttered by the Buddha, to invoke peace and happiness for the people. Buddhists are reminded to live in harmony with people of other faiths and to respect the beliefs of other people as the Buddha had taught.

Qing Ming Festival

Qing Ming Festival is also known as Tomb Sweeping Day. It is a traditional Chinese festival usually occurring around April 5 of the Gregorian calendar. Qing Ming Festival is when Chinese people visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors. This festival is an opportunity for celebrants to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites. Young and old pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, chopsticks and joss paper to the ancestors.

Food and tea is offered to the ancestors and placed on the tomb.

Burning of hell money is folded into shapes of gold ingots.


Burning of paper money.

Some people carry willow branches with them on this festival. They believe that willow branches help ward off the evil spirit that wanders on this festival. On this day, people go on family outings, start the spring plowing, sing and dance. It is also the time when young couples start courting. Qing Ming was frequently mentioned in Chinese literature. Among these, the most famous one is Du Mu's poem.

A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mouring Day;

The mourner's heart is breaking on his way.

Where can a winehouse be found to drown his sadness?

A cowherd points to Almond Flower Village in the distance.

Ghost Festival

The Ghost festival also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, this festival is on the 14th night of the 7th lunar month. In Chinese tradition, the 7th month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month, in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm.

On the 14th day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Families would also offer food offerings, burning of underworld money and bags containing cloth for the visiting spirits of ancestors. Kinds of meals would be served with empty seats left for deceased in the family.

Food is offered to the ancestors during Ghost Festival.

Burning of hungry ghost.

During evening, incense is burnt in front of the doors of each household for paying tribute to other wandering and homeless souls so that they won't bring misfortune and bad luck. To make sure that all ghost back to heaven, people would flew water lanterns on the river, which in shape of lotus.

Water lanterns flow on the river.

In some East Asian countries today, live performances are held and everyone is invited to attend. The first row of seats are always empty as this is where the ghosts sit. The shows are always put on at night and at high volumes as the sound is believed to attract the ghosts. Some shows include Chinese opera and dramas.

A young girl performing on Ghost Festival, the red seats in front are reserved for ghost.

A temporary stage of Ghost Festival.

Duan Wu Festival

Duan Wu Festival is also known as Dragon Boat Festival. The festival occurs on the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar on which the Chinese calendar is based. This is the source of the alternative name of Double Fifth. The focus of the celebration includes eating the rice dumpling zongzi, drinking realgae wine and racing dragon boats.

Jia zong - Instead of glutinous rice, mochi-like balls of glutinous rice flour are used to "contain" the filling of the zong.

Jian Shui zong - The glutinous rice is treated with lye water. It typically contain either no filling or are filled with a sweet mixture such as sweet bean paste.

Nyonya zong - This zong are made in similar style with similar fillings as Southern zong and wrapped with pandan leaves.

The best known traditional story holds that the festival commemorates the death of poet Qu Yuan of the ancient state of Chu. When the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu Yuan was banished for opposing the alliance. 28 years later, Qin conquered the capital of Chu. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
It is said that the local people, who admired him, threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi. The local people were also said to have paddled out on boats, either to scare the fish away or to retrieve his body. This is said to be the origin of dragon boat racing.

Dragon boat is a human-powered boat traditionally made of teak wood to various designs and sizes.The pulsation of the drum beats produced by the drummer may be considered the "heartbeat" of the dragon boat.

The drummer leads the paddlers throughout a race using the rhythmic drum beat to indicate the frequency and synchronicity of all the paddlers' strokes.The paddlers sit facing forwards and use a specific type of paddle which is not rigged to the racing watercraft in any way. The steersman controls the dragon boat with a sweep oar rigged at the rear of the boat.

enjoy the video here--Dragon Boat Racing

Mooncake Festival

The Mooncake Festival, also known as Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. The Mooncake Festival is held on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese calendar. It is a date that paralles the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. The traditional foods of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisitng of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony" as well as the filling in the mooncake.

Traditional mooncake is chewy, flaky and tender. Egg yolks flavour is my favourite!

Snowy mooncake is non-baked and usually come with 2 types of crusts such as glutinous rice and jelly.

Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, eat mooncakes and pomelos under the moon together. Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural customs at stated below.

Burning incense in reverence to dieties including Chang'e. Chang'e is the Chinese goddess of the Moon. Unlike many lunar deities in other cultures who personify the Moon, Chang'e only lives on the Moon.

Fire Dragon Dances is a team of people carry the dragon. Dragon are believed to bring good luck to people, which reflected in their qualities that include great power, dignity, fertility, wisdom and auspiciousness.

Carrying brightly lit lanterns and play candles at night.

Chap Goh Meh

Chap Goh Meh is a festival celebrated on the last day of the lunisolar Chinese New Year celebration. The term is from the Hokkien dialect and refers to the occasion of the first full moon of the New Year. In traditional Chinese culture, it is also celebrated as the Lantern Festival or the Yuan Xiao Festival.

In some region and countries, this festival is also regarded as the Chinese version of Valentine's Day, a day celebrating love and affection between lovers in Chinese tradition and culture. It is also when young unmarried women gather to toss mandarin oranges into the sea, in a hope that their future spouse will pick it up.

All the young people are write the name and contact number on the mandarin orange and toss it into the sea.

The first month of the Chinese calender is called yuan month, and in ancient times people called night xiao; therefore, the day is called Yuan Xiao Festival in China. The 15th day is the first night to see a full moon in that lunar year. According to Chinese tradition, at the very beginning of the a new year, when there is a bright full moon hanging in the sky, there should be thousands of colour lanterns hung out for people to appreciate. At this time, people will try to solve puzzle on lanterns, eat yuanxiao (a glutinous rice ball) and enjoy a family reunion.

Release of a paper lantern with all the wishes that written on the paper lantern. They are constructed from oiled rice paper on a bamboo frame and contain a small candle. When lit, the flame heats the air inside the lantern, thus lowering its density causing the lantern to rise into the sky.

Yuan Xiao (glutinous rice ball) is the special food for the Lantern Festival. It is a kind of salty or sweet dumpling which is sticky, round in shape, symbolizing family unit, completeness and happiness.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holiday and the festival that I like the most. It is a time when the family should come together in order to give thanks for the year that has past, and reinvigorate themselves for the coming year. The festive begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calender and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day.

A reunion dinner is held on New Year's Eve where emebers of the family gather for the celebration. The venue will usually be in home of the most senior member of the family. The New Year's Eve is very sumptous and tranditionally includes chicken and fish. Well, some food is really can't missed out...lets have a look!

Bakkwa is the Chinese salty-sweet dried meat, akin to jerky, which is trimmed of the fat, sliced, marinated and then smoked for later consumption or as a gift.

Mandarin Oranges are the most abundant fruits during Chinese New Year. The name gik in Teochew dialect is a homophone of "luck" or "fortune".

Yusheng is the raw fish salad. Eating this salad is said to bring good luck. This dish is usually eaten on the 7th day of the New Year.

Buddha's Delight is an elaborate vegetarian dish served by Chinese families on the eve and first day of the New Year. A type of black hair-like algae, pronouched "fatt choy" in Cantonese, is featured in the dish for its name, which sounds like "properity".

Nian Gao is the most popular in easter China because its pronuciation is a homophone for "a more prosperous year". It is also known as Chinese New Year Pudding and is made up of glutinuos rice flour, wheat starch, salt, water and sugar.

Traditonally, Red Packets are what I always looking for during Chinese New Year which are passed out during Chinese New Year's celebration, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is the money used to suppress the evil spirit during this period. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals. The number 8 is considered lucky for its homophone for "wealth". The number 6 is also lucky as it sounds like "smooth", in the sense of having a smooth year.

Red packets with different types of design.

Lion dance is the kids like the most. It is believed that the loud beats of drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the lion dancing aggressively can evict bad or evil spirits. It is also popular for opening of businesses in Hong Kong.

Lion Dance Video..Gong Xi Fa Cai!