The lotus flower holds great significance
to the Chinese people. It represents a mild person who although
is living in a polluted environment keeps themselves clean and
healthy. The lotus flower represents creative power and purity
amid adverse surroundings. It's also a symbol of the seventh
month, (summer). There are many poems In China, that describe the
lotus flower, as coming out of muddy water, and yet retaining a
pure fresh natural beauty
An Old Chinese Poem:
The leaves having broke the bandage of the green stem, stretch
themselves and form a green pool with untidy edges. Now the
flower comes from out of the vast surface of the water, just like
a very beautiful woman rising gracefully from her bath
Chinese poets also use lotus flowers to inspire people to
continue striving through difficulties and to show their best
part to the outside world, no matter how bad the circumstances
may be. This is understood as being just like the lotus flower,
bringing beauty and light from the murky darkness that resides at
the bottom of a pond
The symbolic characteristic of the lotus flower leads to the
observation that the plants stalk is supple and easy to bend in
two, but it is very hard to break. The reason is, it has many
strong sinuous fibres. Once again poets use this to represent a
close and unbreakable relationship between two lovers or the
members of a family, showing that no matter how far away they may
live, nothing, can separate them in matters of the heart.
In Buddhism the lotus flower symbolizes faithfulness. The golden
lotus is mentioned in Buddhist sutras, and has two meanings, one
is the symbol for the achievement of enlightenment, and the other
points towards a real flower which is beyond human
perception.
A lotus flower painting is said to influence our inner feelings
to beauty and light. The lotus flower painting acts as a reminder
to us of the miraculous beauty of life. It is a reminder that is
communicated on an emotional level, and is said to aid both our
spiritual and practical understanding of Tao, the world and our
place within it.
|
The Chinese calendar
|
|
Technically the nature of the Chinese
calendar is purely astronomical. For example: Each new moon is
determined by an astronomical observation. Normally it is simply
calculated. The following is a list of festivals that occur in
the Chinese calendar these are observed as holidays in China.
They are calculated by the location of observations for the
120° East (longitude of the Chinese time zone). However
different locations around the globe are used in other countries
and occasionally create a difference in date of up to one whole
day.
|
| Event |
Date |
|
|
|
|
The Chinese New Year, and the following two
days, are observed throughout much of Asia, normally wherever
concentrations of Chinese people reside. There is a custom at
that time to pay of debts, and get new clothes then clean the
house. There is also tradition of a a big family meal. Also
sacrifices are offered to the Gods. This is when presents of cash
are given in small red envelopes.
Red is traditionally regarded as a lucky
colour in China.
|
|
1997 07 Feb 2002 12
Feb 2007 18 Feb 2012 23 Jan
|
|
|
1998 28 Jan 2003 01
Feb 2008 07 Feb 2013 10 Feb
|
|
|
1999 16 Feb 2004 22
Jan 2009 26 Jan 2014 31 Jan
|
|
|
2000 05 Feb 2005 09
Feb 2010 14 Feb 2015 19 Feb
|
|
|
2001 24 Jan 2006 29
Jan 2011 03 Feb
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lantern Festival
|
|
The Lantern Festival occurs on the 15th day
of the 1st month. It is an important public holiday (known
locally as Taeborum) in South Korea
|
| Event |
Date |
|
The belief is that spirits can be seen
flying about on the night of the first full moon of the year, so
people go out with lanterns looking for them.
These days the children go out with
lanterns in the evening and roam the streets.
|
