HOW IS HALLOWEEN CHANGING CHINESE SOLEMN GHOST CULTURE?
Conflict and mix of tradition and modern in fast-developing -China
“It cost me a month revenue,” said Wang An,23, a Chinese university student studying at Shenzhen. He used his finger to point the monitor of his own laptop. It was himself wearing a cloth of leading man Edward Scissorhands.
“I have a huge passion for Halloween,” said Wang An: “I can show my creativity in a dress to others.”
“Respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them.” This sentence was written 2200 years ago in Lunyu — the Chinese bible. At least for 1950 years, most of the Chinese people obey this old saying.
For showing respect, most of the Chinese people have there owned Halloween — Hungry Ghost Festival.
Like Western Halloween, the Chinese ghost day are regarded as the day while ghosts, including their dead ancestors, have a trip to the human world.
For preventing attack by ghosts, at that day Chinese people usually not to go out at night. Though burning spiritual paper, prepare wine and food for ghost, both sides have a deal of not disturb each other.
“Although we have atheism education for each of Chinese mainlander,” Li Jun, 38, born in a rural area at Southern China, is a public servant working at countrysides of Southern China, “this kind of folk religion is still very popular when I was young.”
“Topics about death are a taboo of traditional Chinese culture. Most of elder generation usually avoid talking about that, not to dress like a ‘dead man’ ”he said.
However, celebrations of Halloween now is undoubtedly common in China. Especially in big cities, pump lanterns are common to find, no matter small or huge one.
Many young generations are not afraid to dress like a ghost or devil nowadays. Last year, two young ladies were cross-dressing as a snake monster at Holloween, triggered a huge discussion of Chinese social media, with most positive responded.
“More than ten years ago, we start to celebrate the western festival at primary school,” said Chen Feng, 24, Shenzhen citizen who graduated from university last year, now work at the chemical enterprise.
He memorized his first time to know Chinese Hungary Ghost festival when he was 15. “ We have been educated there is not god and ghost on the world, that’s probably the reason why nobody told us this festival,” he said: “In my observation, fewer and fewer people sacrifice at Hungary Ghost festival. ”
The widespread of the festival is lead to the query from the elder generation. Li Yin,39, a mother of kindergarten kids received a message of what from the teacher, saying there is a Halloween celebration on October 31.
“I keep my attitude about the spiritual beings,” she said: “ But I think Halloween provides an opportunity of unnecessarily sending money to merchants with no return.”
For seventy years old gentleman Zhang Wenge, Halloween is another day to not to go out except the Chinese Hungary ghost festival.
“It was dreadful for me to look at those pale faces.” Seventy years old man Zhang Wenge said: “Once some children knocked on my door. I opened it then saw some ‘imps’. I was seriously scared to fall down on the ground.”
“It was dangerous for those children to knock out stranger’s door. Any situation would happen.”
Lu Peng, a communications specialist at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said to South China Morning Post that Western festival saw as more fun and modern by young Chinese. However, traditional festivals are usually closely connected to lessons in morality and involve big family gatherings.
In the contemporary China, Halloween caters to a desire for novelty and individualism. Compare with sacrifice the ghost and lock yourself at home, go out and “be a ghost” are more likely to have more fun.
Built on the agriculture society, Chinese traditional culture emphasizes family solidarity and respect of nature. Spiritual beings were considered as a part of nature.
China is now advancing from a rural, feudal society to an urban, industrial superpower. “The social and economic factors supporting Chinese traditional festivals have disappeared.” Social scientist Ding Xueliang said to BBC: “It’s hard for young people to understand the traditional festivals built in the traditional Chinese farming civilization.”
However, by the developed of economics and education, high asking of efficiency makes people have new pressure like worktimes increasing.
According to Chinese national Bureau of Statistics, the work time of Chinese employee people was increased by 22% since the last decades.
In the so-called “prisons of ration”, the emotional vent is needed by people in there. Halloween and other western festival are precisely becoming a ven point.
Hu Xijin, the chief editor of Global Times said: “By the developing of living standard, Chinese people need more rest time that publicly affirmative for the increasingly busy life, to relax individualism underneath the atmosphere of the collective.”
“No matter what originally western festival is, in China, it was being redefinition as “ have fun” by Chinese young people,” he said.
The graduate students Chen Feng have a deep experience about it: “As an Atheist, I don’t need to Show respect of ghost,”
“Otherwise, dress as a frightening devil and pretend to be terrified are making me feel much better.” he said.
