|
|
Lantern festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, also marks the end of the lunar New Year celebrations. Lanterns have been flying off the shelves way ahead of the festival. While hand-made lanterns are losing their cultural place in some parts of China, there are those of the younger generation that are doing their bit keeping the tradition alive.
Lantern booths line the streets of the city of Taizhou, in Jiangsu Province. Those shaped like planes or other toys are popular with young ones, while zodiac animals also sell well. But it’s hard to find lanterns shaped like this year’s zodiac sign snake, because of many people’s associations with the animal.
“I have never seen a lantern shaped like the snake that was beautiful.”
A vendor said, “In the last zodiac year of snake, lanterns made in resemblance of that animal were too real, which scared people away. So this year we haven’t bought in any like that.”
1361327895181_1361327895181_r.jpg
Lantern festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month,also marks the end of the lunar New Year celebrations.
After years of evolvement, paper lanterns have been gradually replaced by plastic ones. So booths selling paper lanterns are hard to find. According to the vender, paper lanterns are sold at twice the price of the plastic ones. But they are time-consuming to make, and while it makes up in tradition, it lacks the fun features that can be had with plastic lanterns equipped with electronic gadgets.
Master Chen, a veteran paper lantern maker says making one lantern takes seven procedures. On top of materials that cost more, profit is low.
Master Chen, lantern maker, said, “When I was young I made twenty lanterns a day, but now I can only make 4 or 5.”
Master Chen says those who favor the handmade lanterns are searching for the festive atmosphere they encapsulate. Another lantern maker Master Diao says he is worried about the craft dying out.
Master Diao, lantern maker, said, “Young people don’t want to learn it. Sometime you would hurt your hand, or the glue would smudge your clothes.”
But not these youngsters, students at an elementary school in Deqing County of Zhejiang Province have made more than a thousand lanterns, and with discarded materials. There’s certainly plenty of imagination floating around here. They come from gift boxes, dustbins and disposable cups. This one is made from bamboo, cotton and socks, while this worm like one is from iron wire, paper and foam. Perhaps Master Diao can look here for a revived interest in handmade lanterns.
词汇点拨：
lunar month n. 太阴月, 朔望月
zodiac animals 生肖
vendor n.卖主
resemblance n.相似，形似
evolvement n. 展开, 进展, 进化
equipped with v. 配备(装备)
encapsulate v.装入胶囊，压缩
smudge vt.涂脏
revive vt.使复苏 vi.恢复
文化链接：
元宵节的来历
正月是农历的元月，古人称夜为“宵”，所以称正月十五为元宵节。正月十五日是一年中第一个月圆之夜，也是一元复始，大地回春的夜晚，人们对此加以庆祝，也是庆贺新春的延续。元宵节又称为“上元节”。
元宵节吃元宵的习俗从何而来?
相传汉武帝时宫中有一位宫女，名叫"元宵"，长年幽于宫中，思念父母，终日以泪洗面。大臣东方朔决心帮助她，于是对汉武帝谎称，火神奉玉帝之命于正月十五火烧长安，要逃过动难，唯一的办法是让"元宵姑娘"在正月十五这天作很多火神爱吃的汤圆 ，并由全体臣民张灯供奉。武帝准凑，"元宵姑娘"终于见到家人。此后，便形成了元宵节。这只是传说，不足为信。
据文字记载，宋代以前没有元宵，那时人们过元宵节吃的是浇上肉汁的米粥或豆粥，到了唐代有了“正月十五日作膏粥，以祠门户”的说法，这种糕粥就是元宵的前身，经过多年的演变，到了宋代民间开始流行一种元宵节吃的新奇食品“浮圆子”，也就是汤圆，寓意天上月圆、碗里汤圆、家人团圆。
元宵节为什么要挂灯笼？
元宵观灯的习俗起源于汉朝初年，唐开元年间，为了庆祝国泰民安，乃扎结花灯，藉著闪烁不定的灯光，象徵「彩龙兆祥，民阜国强」，花灯风气至此广为流行。明朱元璋建都南京时，更于秦淮河上燃放水灯万支;永乐朝在午门大立虌山灯柱，又在华门外设「灯市」，使得北平尚有「灯市口」街道。民国后，花灯之举虽仍在，但平淡了许多，幸亏如今因著中国热，灯笼又逐渐在居家装饰上扮演著重要的角色，但是现在灯笼的材料，有的由原来的纸、竹子，变成布、塑胶、铁线，而且灯笼的形状和颜色与传统也大不相同。
传统中寺庙是以黄色为主，灯笼的大小、颜色全以个人喜好变化，无所谓一定的象徵意义。
除了照明以外，灯笼还有其他意义。每年正月私塾(古代的学校)开学时，家长会为子女准备一盏灯笼，由老师点亮，象徵学生的前途一片光明，称为「开灯」。后来就由此演变成元宵节提灯笼的习俗。由於字音和「添丁」相近，所以灯笼也用来祈求生子。到了日据时代，爱国志士们在灯笼上绘制民间故事，教导子孙认识自己的文化，所以又具有薪火相传的意义。
关于打灯笼的由来有很多种说法，流传较广的一个说法是：元宵节打灯笼的习俗始于东汉时期，东汉明帝刘庄提倡佛教，听说佛教有正月十五僧人观佛舍利、点灯敬佛的做法，就命令这一天夜晚在皇宫和寺庙里点灯敬佛，令士族庶民都挂灯。以后这种佛教礼仪节日逐渐形成民间盛大的节日。该节经历了由宫廷到民间，由中原到全国的发展过程。唐开元年间，为了庆祝国泰民安，人们扎结花灯，借着闪烁不定的灯光，象征“彩龙兆祥，民阜国强”，花灯风气从此广为流行。
元宵和汤圆又有什么区别呢?
归纳起来，北方叫元宵、南方叫汤圆，二者最大的区别是制作方法不同，南方的汤圆是用糯米粉，加水和成面以后，再加馅包制而成，而北方的元宵是直接用糯米粉一层一层滚出来的，口味上来说,元宵现做现吃更有嚼头，汤圆皮薄馅大，更黏更软。
元宵节除了吃元宵还有那些活动呢?
元宵节也是中国农耕文化的体现，被人们视为春节最后的高潮，因为过了这天，人们就要真正进入新一年的生产生活，所以人们在元宵节全民欢庆，以祈求上苍保佑来年风调雨顺，庄稼丰收，这也表达了人们对新年的美好期盼。正因如此，在中国民间有“正月十五闹元宵”的习俗。和其他传统节日强调“合家团聚”不同，元宵节更强调“普天同庆”。在元宵节期间，家家户户都要燃灯，人们还要举办丰富的娱乐活动，如逛集市、看花灯、猜灯谜，舞龙、舞狮、扭秧歌……所以它也被视为中华民族最热闹的节日，可以说是中国的狂欢节。 |
|
发表于 2016-7-12 22:04:01