傳統美圣誕節(jié)和中漢族春節(jié)的比較
摘要：圣誕節(jié)是美國最重要的節(jié)日,而春節(jié)是中國最重要的節(jié)日,它們都有著深厚的歷史文化內涵,同事又代表了人們的期望與希冀.本文從它們的起源,慶祝方式比較了春節(jié)和圣誕節(jié)的異同,指出了兩者的共同點.同時值得注意的是現在越來越多的人慶祝圣誕節(jié),而忽視了春節(jié),我們應該重視這個問題,以免傳統節(jié)日的淡化.
關鍵詞：春節(jié) 圣誕節(jié) 異同 比較
1.引言
圣誕節(jié)與春節(jié)是不同民族、不同文化的產物, 兩者都在那寒冷的季節(jié)里創(chuàng)造了一種溫馨氣氛, 在辭舊迎新中寄托著感恩和希望.本文就兩個節(jié)日的來源、慶祝方式進行了對比,比較了兩種節(jié)日的異同.
2．起源
2.1圣誕節(jié)的起源
12 月25 日的圣誕節(jié)是一個令人快樂的宗教性節(jié)日, 是基督徒慶?；浇虅?chuàng)始人基督出生的日子,愛、家庭和歸屬感是重要的主題.據基督教徒的圣書《圣經》上說,上帝決定讓他的獨生子耶穌基督投胎人間,在人間生活,以便人們能更好地了解上帝,學習熱愛上帝和更好地相互熱愛.耶穌出生的具體日期已不得而知.早期的羅馬日歷（公元336 年）把圣誕節(jié)定在了12 月25 日,這是首次提到的耶穌出生的特殊日子.到了12 世紀圣誕節(jié)成為基督教最重要的慶典, 他開始成為一項嚴肅的宗教慶典,后來非宗教性質的裝飾、贈送禮品,盛宴開始流行[1].
2.2春節(jié)的起源
春節(jié)大約有四千多年的歷史.把農歷正月初一定為春節(jié)只是從1913年才開始的.春節(jié)是一年中最熱鬧、最隆重的傳統節(jié)日.春節(jié)又稱“年”.傳說太古時代有一個叫“年”的怪獸,頭上長著觸角,兇殘無比,每到寒氣將盡,新春快來之時,就要出來殘害人畜,毀壞家園.人們?yōu)榱朔烙?就聚到一起,利用“年’,泊紅怕響的特點,用貼“桃符”(春聯),“爆竹”的辦法把它嚇走.長期以來習以為俗.并且每逢春節(jié),人們總對新的一年寄托著無限的希望.
3.慶祝方式
圣誕節(jié)和春節(jié)在慶祝方式上的一個共同點,就是兩者持續(xù)時間都比較長.圣誕節(jié)節(jié)期雖然在12月25 日和1月6日之間,但一般來說,Christmas season從感恩節(jié)后就開始了,一直持續(xù)到1月份.從廣義上看,春節(jié)從臘八就初露端倪,臘月二十三就已經進入日程,一直持續(xù)到正月十五元宵節(jié),有的地方還要慶祝正月二十五填倉節(jié)和二月初二,來祈求一年風調雨順,五谷豐登.雖然兩個節(jié)日都要持續(xù)一個多月,但由于文化習俗的差異,春節(jié)和圣誕節(jié)的慶祝方式上,各有特點.
3.1圣誕節(jié)的慶祝方式
圣誕節(jié)在西方是一個非常重要的節(jié)日,和春節(jié)一樣,各地都有自己獨特的慶祝方式.一般來說,在圣誕節(jié)時,人們要裝扮圣誕樹,互贈圣誕卡,吃圣誕大餐,給小孩子送圣誕禮物.
圣誕樹一般是用杉柏之類的常綠樹做成,象征生命長存.樹上裝飾著各種燈燭、彩花、玩具、星星,掛上各種圣誕禮物.圣誕之夜,人們圍著圣誕樹唱歌跳舞,盡情歡樂.
圣誕卡是祝賀圣誕及新年的賀卡,上面印著關于耶穌降生故事的圖畫,以及“慶祝圣誕”、“新年快樂”之類祝愿的話.
正像中國人過春節(jié)吃年飯一樣,歐美人過圣誕節(jié)也很注重全家人圍坐在圣誕樹下,共進節(jié)日美餐.圣誕大餐吃火雞的習俗始于1620年.這種風俗盛于美國.英國人的圣誕大餐是烤鵝,而非火雞.奧大利人愛在平安夜里,全家老小約上親友成群結隊地到餐館去吃一頓圣誕大餐,其中,火雞、臘雞、燒牛仔肉和豬腿必不可少,同時伴以名酒,吃得大家歡天喜地.
小孩子們最期盼的就是圣誕老人帶來的禮物了.據說圣誕老人原是小亞細亞每拉城的主教,名叫圣尼古拉,死后被尊為圣徒,是一位身穿紅袍、頭戴紅帽的白胡子老頭.每年圣誕節(jié)他駕著鹿拉的雪橇從北方面來,由煙囪進入各家,把圣誕禮物裝在襪子里掛在孩子們的床頭上或火爐前.所以,西方人過圣誕節(jié)時,父母把給孩子的圣誕禮物裝在襪子里,圣誕夜時掛在孩子們的床頭上.第二天,孩子們醒來后的第一件事就是在床頭上尋找圣誕老人送來的禮物.
3.2春節(jié)的慶祝方式
燃放鞭炮的傳統源于一個叫“年”的怪獸.這個怪獸青面獠牙,非?？膳?每到臘月三十晚上就要竄到各個村莊,殘害生靈.有一次三十晚上“年”跑到一個村莊,恰逢兩個孩童正在燃放爆竹,“年” 不知其為何物, 只聽到噼里啪啦的響聲,看見刺眼的亮光,于是嚇得落荒而逃.人們由此摸清了“年”怕爆竹的亮光和響聲的弱點,每到臘月三十都要燃放鞭炮, 后來逐漸演化成一種習俗[2].
貼春聯、換門神是過春節(jié)的一個重要習俗.每到大年三十,無論城鄉(xiāng),家家戶戶都要張貼紅紙春聯和威武的門神,春聯、門神是用來辟除不祥和保護一家安全的,它們源遠流長.
一年中最重要的一頓飯就是年夜飯了,又叫團圓飯.盡管各地的年夜飯的菜品不盡相同,但各菜都有一定的寓意,如雞諧音“吉”,即吉祥如意；魚諧音“余”,即年年有余；豆腐諧音“斗富”,即豐裕富足；年糕象征“一年比一年高”；杏仁象征“幸福人”；餃子諧音“交子”,即更歲交子之意,餃子餡也五花八門,有的加入糖塊、花生等,吃到糖則寓意生活甜如蜜,吃到花生則表示長生不老[3].
正月初一,新年來到,人們開門燃放炮竹,俗稱“開門炮”.吃過早飯,人們要相互拜年、祝福,共賀新春.拜年的通常順序是：先拜天地,次拜祖先,再拜高堂尊長,然后全家按照尊卑長幼順序相互拜,最后出門拜.隨著電話、網絡和手機的普及,人們給親戚朋友拜年可以打電話,發(fā)e-mail,近些年來更是興起了手機短信拜年的新形勢.
4.圣誕節(jié)與春節(jié)的相同之處
春節(jié)與圣誕兩者不同的起源和慶祝方式,作為各自節(jié)日文化中的領軍,春節(jié)與圣誕有著相同的地方.節(jié)日文化不僅是展現一個民族文化生活圖景的窗口,更是一種象征和意義的體系[4],這就是對幸福的企盼,對仁愛的向往和對未來的祝福.
5.圣誕節(jié)的盛行,春節(jié)的淡化
城市里,校園間,圣誕節(jié)的氣氛越來越濃.舶來的“洋節(jié)”是否會取代中國傳統的春節(jié)呢? 春節(jié)是中國傳統節(jié)日之根,不論圣誕節(jié)有多么盛大,作為東方人的中國人歸根到底還是離不開春節(jié)的.年輕人和商家的行為對于圣誕節(jié)來說只是一個借口而已.過圣誕節(jié)的大多不會在家里過,而是呼朋喚友去到酒店餐館里過,也沒有外國人那么多繁瑣的儀式.就是找個惜口吃喝玩樂一番罷了.而且很多人連吃喝玩樂都不屑,只是跟風似地說一聲“圣誕快樂”,這樣的一股風,當然成不了什么氣候.
Reflection
From a semester of learning about communication between cultures,now I know an important aspect of communication is the level of context in which the message is passed. Linguists and anthropologists use the terms 'high' and 'low' context to indicate how much information is required for successful communication. High-context communication is one in which most of the information is either in the physical context or internalized in the person, while very little of the message is actually in words . Couples often can communicate with a look, or a nod of the head at most. Low-context communication is just the opposite: most of the information is verbalized. Twins who have grown up together can and do communicate more economically (high context) than can opposing lawyers in a courtroom during a trial (low-context).
In the Far East, high-context communication is much more common than in North America. This can lead to serious misunderstanding. A businessman was invited to lunch with a Japanese friend atop one of Tokyo's new skyscrapers with all of the city spread out below them. The Japanese host chose the occasion to give an overview of some of the sticky points in US- Japanese relations. In his own way, indirect but very clear, he said there were certain things that the Americans had missed in Japanese culture. For the Japanese to show anger is tantamount to admitting loss of control (and face), unless, of course, things have gone too far. No warning signs are given and Westerners as well as Europeans will unconsciously push and push - looking for structure, pattern, and limits. Because they are unfamiliar with the system, they will go too far. With the Japanese culture, one must make haste slowly and engage the most skilful, subtle interpreter of the culture you can find.
The greater the cultural distance, the more difficult the interface. An example of easy-to-interface communication would be Germany and Switzerland. The cultural distance in this case is not great since both cultures are low context as well as monochronic, a concept discussed in the following section. A difficult-to-interface communication would be France and the United States. If you're communicating with a German, remember they are low-context and will need lots of information and details. If you're communicating with someone from France, they are high-context and won't require as much information.
Context is the information that surrounds an event; it is inextricably bound up with the meaning of that event. The elements that combine to produce a given meaning -- events and context -- are in different proportions depending on the culture. The cultures of the worlds can be compared on a scale from high to low context .
Japanese, Arabs and Mediterranean peoples, who have extensive information networks among family, friends, colleagues and clients and who are involved in close personal relations are high-context. As a result, for most normal transactions in family life they do not require, nor do they expect, much in- depth background information. This is because they keep themselves informed about everything having to do with the people who are important in their lives.
Low-context people include Americans, Germans, Swiss, Scandinavians and other northern Europeans. They compartmentalize their personal relationships, their work, and many aspects of day-to-day life. Consequently, each time they interact with others they need detailed background information. The French are much higher on the context scale than either the Germans or the Americans. This difference can affect virtually every situation and every relationship in which the members of these two opposite traditions find themselves.
"Contexting" performs multiple functions. For example, any shift in the level of context is a communication. The shift can be up the scale, indicating a warming of the relationship, or down the scale communicating coolness or displeasure--signalling something has gone wrong with a relationship.
High context people are apt to become impatient and irritated when low- context people insist on giving them information they don't need. Conversely, low-context people are at a loss when high- context people do not provide enough information. One of the great communication challenges in life is to find the appropriate level of contexting needed in each situation. Too much information leads people to feel they are being talked down to; too little information can mystify them or make them feel left out. Ordinarily, people make these adjustments automatically in their own country, but in other countries their messages frequently miss the target.
Americans, to some extent, and Germans, to a greater extent, rely heavily on auditory screening, particularly when they want to concentrate. High-context people reject auditory screening and thrive on being open to interruptions and in tune with what goes on around them. French and Italian cities periodically bombard you with noise但好像回答中的英文部分與中文不太對應的樣子……英文是錯的吧？唉，請你修改修改，謝謝……