Chinese New Year Culture
Speaking | English and Chinese scripts are provided below and you can understand the content easier. https://www.youtube.com/@UpgradeEnglish
Hi Susan, Chinese New Year is approaching! Are you busy?
Yes. It’s an important festival for Chinese. I’ll keep on busy during the holiday.
Are you going to take leave?
Yes. I’ll take 2-day leave before the start of the holiday. I’ll be extremely busy with the preparation of the stuff.
I’ve watched parades before. The lion and dragon dances were amazing at Chinese festivals.
Do you know the meaning of the traditional dances?
Let me guess. Are they related to wealth?
Almost. Lion and dragon can scare away the bad spirits of the past year.
Oh, it’s really interesting.
The purpose of the performance is to bring prosperity and good luck for the coming year.
Is it also a custom to buy fresh flowers in the flower market?
Yes. Some of the plants symbolize fortune, wealth and perfection. I’ll have some peach blossoms set up at home.
What’s the meaning of peach blossoms?
According to Chinese geomancy, they can boost popularity and marriage.
Oh, really? I think I should buy some as well.
In addition, I’ll clean my house thoroughly a few days before Chinese New Year.
Why? Is it related to good luck as well?
Yes. It’s the tradition to sweep away the bad luck.
If I’ve done it, I can make my family ready to receive good luck in the coming year.
Oh, really?
It’s a sign of a good start of the year. Next, I’ll also buy some spring couplets to decorate my house.
Are you referring to the red banners and pictures?
Right. As they are red and gold in colour, they can add to a festive atmosphere.
Although I cannot read Chinese, I guess that the wording expresses good wishes.
They’ve the meaning of good expectations for the future.
What else will you do before the holiday?
Preparing a family reunion dinner is always a challenging task to me.
Is it held on the eve of Chinese New Year?
Yes. It’s the most important meal for Chinese families. The meal usually includes chicken, fish, shrimps and lettuce.
How about dining out? It can save the hassle of the cooking.
Traditionally, we prefer to gather at a family member’s home. We eat, celebrate and share the joy together.
You’ve mentioned the chicken dish. Any specific meaning?
It symbolizes unity and abundance.
Got it. That is, all family members live together peacefully.
It’s quite meaningful. How about the fish?
It symbolizes surplus. The pronunciation of fish is similar to the meaning of leftover in mandarin.
For the shrimps, they mean vitality. For the lettuce, it implies earning money. They’re all good signs of wealth.
It’s fascinating. I cannot imagine that.
Can you guess the dessert that denotes reunion?
Noodles? Is it correct?
Not exactly. Noodles symbolize a wish for longevity. Sweet dumplings symbolize reunion.
Oh, I love sweet dumplings.
As the dumplings are round shape, the pronunciation is similar to the meaning of reunion in mandarin.
I’m really learning a lot. By the way, I love the dumplings filled with peanuts.
I like the black sesame dumplings. They’re super delicious.
Hey, please remember to give me “lucky money”.
Oh, I’ve forgot to order new banknotes from the bank. I’ll definitely reserve the red envelope for you.
Thank you so much. So, what’s your planning during the holiday?
My schedule is quite packed. For the first day of Spring Festival, I’ll reserve my time for my parents. I’ll play Ma Jiang with them.
It’s an exciting game of strategy and luck. My Chinese friends taught me the tactics before.
Spring Festival is a time for families to get together. We can chit-chat during playing such traditional game.
It’s so heartwarming.
I’ll also prepare vegetarian dishes on the first day. It’s believed that such practice will ensure longevity of the family members. We’ll then attend the parade at night. I’ll get excited with the street performances of different performing groups.
For the second day of the Festival, my married daughter will visit my home with their family. As they love glutinous rice cakes, I’ll prepare Shanghai stir-fried rice cakes. At night, they’ll take me to the waterfront and feel the excitement of fireworks display.
Traditionally, visiting friends or families may easily cause argument on the third day of the Festival. Hence, people may visit the temple and pray for the good luck for the whole year.
Will you also pray at temple for good fortune?
I’ll follow the tradition. However, I plan to watch a movie with my family in the afternoon. At night, I’ll go to the carnival and enjoy performance art and live music.
What a wonderful occasion! I’m sure you and your loved ones will have a blast celebrating.
By the way, can you teach me some greetings during Chinese New Year?
Of course. There are some popular greetings and wishes.
How about “Wishing you good health!”?
You can say ”祝您身體健康!”
祝您身體健康!
Very good!
How about “May everything go well with you!”?
You can say ”祝您萬事如意!”
祝您萬事如意!
Fantastic!
How about “Wishing you having surplus year after year!”?
You can say “祝您年年有餘!”
“祝您年年有餘!
Incredible!
Practice makes perfect. Oh sorry, I’ve to leave now cause I’m going to buy some Chinese New Year’s foods, snacks and decorations.
Talk to you soon.
WITH CHINESE SCRIPT
嗨，蘇珊，中國新年快到了！您忙嗎？
是的，這對中國人來說是一個重要的節日，我會在假期裡非常忙碌。
您會請假嗎？
會的，新年假期前我會請兩天假，我會忙著準備東西。
我以前看過巡遊，中國節日裡的舞獅和舞龍很精彩。
您知道傳統舞獅和舞龍的意思嗎？
讓我猜猜，這跟財富有關嗎？
接近的，獅子和龍可以嚇走過去一年的不祥之兆。
哦，這真的很有趣。
表演的目的是為來年帶來繁榮和好運。
去花市買鮮花也是一種習俗嗎？
是的，有些植物象徵財富、財富和完美，我會在家裡擺一些桃花。
桃花有什麼寓意呢？
根據中國風水學，它們可以增加人氣和婚姻。
哦，真的嗎？我想我也應該買一些。
另外，我會在過年前幾天徹底打掃我的房子。
為什麼？是不是也跟運氣有關呢？
是的，這是掃除厄運的傳統。
如果我做到了，我就能讓我的家人準備好迎接來年的好運。
哦真的嗎？
預告新年有個好兆頭，接下來我也要買一些春季裝飾我的房子。
您指的是紅色橫幅和圖畫嗎？
是的，因為它們的顏色是紅色和金色的，所以可以增添節日的氣氛。
雖然我看不懂中文，但我猜這句話表達了美好的祝福。
它們具有對未來美好期望的涵義。
放假前還會做什麼？
準備家庭團圓飯對我來說始終是一項具有挑戰性的任務。
是在農曆除夕夜舉行嗎？
是的，這是中國家庭最重要的一餐，通常包括雞肉、魚、蝦和生菜。
為何不出去吃飯？可以省去煮飯的麻煩。
傳統上，我們更喜歡聚集在家人家裡，一起吃飯、慶祝及分享喜悅。
您提到了雞的菜餚，有什麼具體意義嗎？
它像徵著團結和豐盛。
明白了，那就是一家人都和睦相處。
挺有意義的，那魚呢？
魚象徵剩餘，魚的發音與國語中剩餘的意思相似。
對蝦子來說，意味著活力，對生菜來說，意味著賺錢，都是財富的好兆頭。
這太令人著迷了，我無法想像。
您能猜出代表團圓的甜點是什麼嗎？
麵條？正確嗎？
不完全是，麵條象徵長壽，湯圓象徵團圓。
哦，我喜歡甜湯圓。
由於湯圓是圓形的，所以發音與國語的團圓意思相似。
我真的學到了很多東西，順便說一句，我很喜歡花生餡的湯圓。
我喜歡黑芝麻湯圓，超好吃。
嘿嘿，請記得給我「利是」。
哦，我忘了去銀行訂新鈔了，我一定會給您紅包。
非常感謝您，那麼您假期期間有什麼安排嗎？
我的行程排得滿滿的，於大年初一，我就給爸爸媽媽預留時間，和他們一起打麻將。
這是一些令人興奮的策略和運氣遊戲，我的中國朋友之前教過我如何玩耍的策略。
春節是一家人團聚的時刻，我們可以邊玩傳統遊戲邊聊天。
真是太暖心了。
於大年初一，我也會準備素菜，相信這樣的做法可以確保家人長壽。然後晚上我們會參觀巡遊，不同表演團體的街頭表演會讓我興奮不已。
於大年初二，出嫁的女兒會帶著家人來我家，因為他們愛吃年糕，我就準備了上海炒年糕。晚上，他們會帶我去海濱感受一下興奮的煙火表演。
傳統上，大年初三探親訪友很容易引起爭吵，因此人們可能會去寺廟祈求一整年的好運。
您也會去寺廟祈福嗎？
我會遵循傳統，不過，我計劃在下午和家人一起看電影，晚上，我會去嘉年華，欣賞表演藝術和現場音樂。
多麼美好的時刻！我相信您和您所愛的人一定會慶祝得很開心。
對了，您能教我一些過年的問候語嗎？
當然可以，還有一些流行的問候與祝福語。
如何說“祝您身體健康！”？
您可以說 ”祝您身體健康!”。
祝您身體健康!
非常好！
如何說 ”祝您萬事如意!” ？
您可以說 ”祝您萬事如意!”。
祝您萬事如意!
極好了！
如何說 ”祝您年年有餘!” ？
您可以說 ”祝您年年有餘!”。
祝您年年有餘!
難以置信！
熟能生巧，哦抱歉，我得走了，因為我要去買一些過年食品、零食和裝飾品。
之後再聊。