Quarter 4: Festivals in Asia

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Questions and Answers

What is the significance of the Chinese New Year in China?

It is a minor social and economic holiday.

It is a celebration of the Western calendar.

It is a festival to honor the twelve zodiac animals.

It is a significant social and economic holiday. (correct)

What was the original purpose of the Chinese New Year?

To celebrate the Western calendar.

To honor ancestors, household spirits, and sacred beings. (correct)

To bring the family together for feasting only.

To mark the introduction of the lunar-solar calendar.

What is the name of the Chinese calendar used to celebrate the Chinese New Year?

Lunar-solar calendar (correct)

Solar calendar

Western calendar

Lunar calendar

What is the significance of the twelve zodiac animals in the Chinese New Year?

Each New Year is marked by the characteristics of one of the twelve zodiac animals. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of artistic elements in Chinese New Year celebrations?

They have a significant impact on the celebrations and represent cultural symbols. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Chinese New Year in the 20th century?

Spring Festival Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of setting off firecrackers on the fifth day of the New Year?

To bring good fortune and wealth for businesses Signup and view all the answers

What is the Festival of Lanterns?

A festival marking the end of the New Year celebrations Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of giving red envelopes during the New Year celebration?

To give money to children or unmarried adults Signup and view all the answers

What does the dragon represent in Chinese culture?

Good fortune, prosperity, and luck Signup and view all the answers

Why do girls typically wear red or bright-colored cheongsam during the New Year celebration?

Because red is a color of good luck and can scare away evil spirits Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of taking a family portrait during the New Year celebration?

It is an important ceremony after the relatives are gathered Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of bread krathongs?

They can be eaten by fish in the river Signup and view all the answers

Why have some places in Thailand banned the use of Styrofoam krathongs?

They are not biodegradable Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of including a small coin in a krathong?

As an offering to the river spirits Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the festival in Chiang Mai where krathongs are used?

Yi Peing or light festival Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Lanna-styled sky lanterns?

Khom Loi Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of drums in Japanese culture?

They are used for communication and religious rituals Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the red diamond shapes displayed on the entrances of Chinese homes?

To symbolize arrival of luck, prosperity, blessings, and happiness Signup and view all the answers

What is the traditional purpose of Nian Hua during Chinese New Year?

To replace the old picture with a new one to bid farewell to the past Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the sticky glutinous rice in Chinese New Year's Eve meal?

To symbolize family unity Signup and view all the answers

What is the traditional material used to make Krathong in Thailand?

A slice of a banana tree trunk Signup and view all the answers

When is Loi Krathong usually celebrated in Thailand?

On the evening of the full moon of the twelfth month Signup and view all the answers

Where do many Chinese families celebrate Chinese New Year's Eve meal nowadays?

In hotels and restaurants Signup and view all the answers

What is the original meaning of the term 'taiko'?

A type of drum Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of Emperor Keitai's senjin-daiko drum?

To intimidate his enemies and encourage his army Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the Singapore Arts Festival?

To showcase local arts and culture Signup and view all the answers

When was the Singapore Arts Festival first held?

1977 Signup and view all the answers

What is the duration of the Singapore Arts Festival?

One month Signup and view all the answers

What role has the Singapore Arts Festival played in the development of the city's cultural landscape?

A synergetic and collaborative role Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Krathong Festival

Krathongs are often made of bread or Styrofoam, with bread krathongs disintegrating after a few days and can be eaten by fish in the river.
Banana silk krathongs are also biodegradable, but Styrofoam krathongs are banned in some places in Thailand due to pollution and long decomposition time.
Krathongs are intricately decorated with banana leaves, incense sticks, and a candle, with a small coin sometimes included as an offering to river spirits.

Yi Peing Festival

Held in Chiang Mai, the Yi Peing festival is a religious ceremony where participants pay homage to Buddha.

Khom Loi Festival

The Khom Loi festival features swarms of Lanna-styled sky lanterns made from thin fabric, stretched over bamboo or wired frames with a candle or fuel cell attached.
The lanterns are launched into the air, resembling giant fluorescent jellyfish floating through the sky.

Chinese New Year

Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year remains the most important social and economic holiday in China.
The holiday has a history dating back centuries and is tied to the lunar-solar Chinese calendar.
The celebration honors ancestors, household spirits, and sacred beings, and is a time for family reunions and feasting.
The Chinese zodiac features 12 animals, with each New Year marked by the characteristics of one of the animals.

Chinese New Year's Artistic Symbols and Traditions

The red diamond shape is a symbol of luck, prosperity, blessings, and happiness, often displayed on Chinese home entrances.
Nian Hua is a form of Chinese colored woodblock printing used for decoration during Chinese New Year.
The Chinese believe that the most important dinner of the year is Chinese New Year's Eve meal, featuring sticky glutinous rice as a symbol of family unity.

Thai Lantern Festival

The Thai Lantern Festival, or Loi Krathong, is celebrated around the country with lotus-shaped krathongs released on water to bring luck and fulfill wishes.
The festival is usually celebrated on the evening of the full moon of the twelfth month in the traditional lunar calendar of Thailand.

Festival of Lanterns

The Festival of Lanterns marks the end of the New Year celebrations on the 15th day of the New Year.
Different kinds of lanterns are lit throughout the streets, with poems and riddles written for entertainment.

Red Envelopes

Red envelopes, also known as hong bao or ang pao, are filled with money and given to children or unmarried adults without jobs.

Dragon Symbolism

The dragon is a symbol of prosperity, good fortune, and luck in Chinese culture.

Clothing

Girls are usually dressed in red or bright-colored cheongsam during Chinese New Year celebrations.

Family Picture

Taking a family portrait is an important ceremony after relatives gather together.

Taiko Drums

Taiko drums have been part of Japanese culture for over 2,000 years, originally used as a communication tool or instrument for religious rituals.

Singapore Arts Festival

The Singapore Annual Arts Festival is organized by the country's National Arts Council and features a fusion of varied arts and culture.
The festival is held in mid-year for a month, incorporating theater arts, dance, and visual arts.

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Description

Explore the significance and traditions of Chinese New Year, the most important social and economic holiday in China. Learn about its history, beliefs, and cultural importance. Discover the fascinating world of festivals in Asia!

Quarter 4: Festivals in Asia - Lesson 1