The Dragon Head-raising Festival
China is a country with a long and rich history. The Double Second Festival (the Dragon Head-rising Festival or Longtaitou Festival) is one of them. This special day is on the second day of the second month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It stands for the start of spring and farming. It falls on March 14th this year.
The dragon plays an important role in Chinese culture. Dragon culture is one of the most popular cultures in China. People celebrated the Dragon Head-rising Festival with many customs about the dragon in ancient times.
On the special day, people put ashes in the kitchen. People believed that if the dragon went into their houses, they could have a good luck all year round and have a good harvest in autumn. On the special day, people ate special food. For example, people ate noodle called "dragon whiskers noodle" and dumplings called "dragon ears". On the special day, people sent gifts to each other, picked vegetables, welcomed wealth and went on a spring outing.
Today people rush to have their hair cut, especially have their children's hair cut on the Dragon Head-raising Festival. They want to make themselves have new looks and have a good year.
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A. The food was usually named after the dragon. B. Why is it called "dragon lifting its head"? C. It has many colorful holidays and festivals. D. Chinese people call themselves the "descendants（传人）of the dragon" E. They thought the dragon could be led into their houses with the help of the ashes F. Even though many of the customs have faded away（消退）, the tradition of cutting hair is reaching new heights. |
