Welcoming New Year In Asia With Ancient Traditions

By John Chan

There are number of traditions which revived during Chinese New Year which we will discuss below.

The ancient custom and traditions are an essential part of China and as such they take a lot of pride in them. The whole of China together desire to preserve these activities related to their traditions and as such celebrate them from time to time with aim of carrying them forward.

The Chinese New Year is a time when you manage to see Chinese traditions in full bloom. A hub of traditional activity explodes onto the scene during the first few weeks of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese have a whole set of beliefs and traditional practices with regards to the welcoming of a new year. One can pretty much see how deeply the age old traditions are embedded in the Chinese culture by looking at all the traditional practices that are brought into light during New Year celebrations.

The celebrations are carried on in huge scale during the New Year in China for another reason. The mass media is very efficient in reporting all the happenings of this time to the whole world. The western people find these traditions strange with a mystical air about them. Their interest heightened they come to China in large number to witness these traditions thus giving a great push to the China's tourism industry.

The traditional celebrations officially begin a night or two before the actual New Year arrives and go up to the 15th day of the first month of the New Year. This is a great time to have fun and do business in China as people are happy and cheerful and willing to spend their money as well!

Every home receives a thorough cleaning for welcoming the New Year. The ill fortunes of last year are thrown away and the house is beautified and purified for welcoming the good fortune of the coming year.

Doors and windows are painted red as per tradition. Red is the color of New Year in China. The traditional belief is that it wards away all sorts of evil spirits and omens and keeps the house protected from any harm.

If you visit China during the New Year you will find a good number of decorations in all houses. There are couplets as well as paper cuttings which are the signs of happiness and wealth and so on. There are different wall papers, paintings and scrolls which people put up to decorate their homes.

The Chinese prefer to celebrate the New Years Eve with their complete family as is the tradition and it is done with a lot of enthusiasm. A special dish is cooked for this occasion known as jiaozi which is actually dumplings in boiled water and it is together with all family members.

Playing games and watching televisions are some activities that the Chinese enjoy in on the New Years Eve. They watch special programs all night long on the television to remain awake. They also keep the lights on the whole night as they believe that doing so their parents will receive long and healthy life.

The real day begins with good wishes, presents, lantern parades, Kung fu acts, concerts and other various forms of celebrations that last a whole two weeks and end with the dragon dance with the fireworks on the night of the first full moon putting an end to the show of ancient traditions in modern times. - 33385

About the Author:

Chinese new year customs have changed little over the centuries. If you are interested in attending Chinese new year street parades check out the preceding link.

The Capital Museum: A Worthwhile Destination for Tourist Staying in Beijing Hotels

By Efrenn Larson

The City of Beijing, previously known as Peking, is China's political capital. With more than 17 million people in its jurisdiction, Beijing is the second largest city in China after Shanghai. To facilitate the movement of its citizens, visitors and the goods they produce, the city is built with dozens of railways, motorways, seaports and a modern airport. This fact makes travelling to this great city a lot easier.

This ancient city never fails to amaze the eyes of a traveler since many significant tourist attractions dot its landscape. One cannot help but be inspired by how old-world buildings coexist side-by-side with modern structures. What's even better is that many Beijing hotels can be found within walking distances from these landmarks, helping visitors save time by visiting a number of spots in a day.

Chinese life sits side-by-side with their culture. This is the reason why a number of museums have been dedicated to the preservation of this unique characteristic. The Capital Museum, which opened in 1981 and renovated in 2007, is one of the biggest and more interesting. It now houses over 200,000 relics in its collection.

The faade of the museum is based on human and cultural heritage and underlines the harmonious integration of the past and the present, history and nature, art and modernism. The immense roof and the slope at the entrance are derived from traditional Chinese architectural style, and the stone exterior represents the city walls of ancient China. A large number of bronze, timber and stones are dispersed throughout the museum to represent a deeper sense of historicity. Also, a glass curtain wall, which gives a grand and transparent effect, reflects a sense of modernity.

Three permanent exhibitions are showcased by the museum. The first one, "Ancient Capital: Chapter on the History and Culture of Beijing" shows the niceties of art, architecture, dance, trade, commerce and transportation of the early Chinese under imperial rule.

The second exhibition, dubbed "Ancient Capital: Urban Construction" emphasizes the movement from the old to the new world. It also highlights the adoption of new-age technologies which brought the nation to its present state. China's urbanization is also included in this set.

The last exhibition, known as the "Stories of the Capital City - Old Beijing Folk-customs" portrays the importance of folklores and folkways in Chinese life. Also, the means to find and maintain luck and their relationship to a Supreme Being are also explained here.

The museum, aside from its exhibitions, also functions as a cultural heritage storehouse, conference and reception hall, and a digital movie hall where a super wide screen with the state-of-the-art technology are installed to display high-definition films. For visitors to enjoy the wonders of this site, they can earlier purchase their tickets in Beijing hotels or any travel agency to avoid the usual hustle and bustle. - 33385

About the Author:

E. Larson is a long-time resident of Beijing, China. He works closely with the Jiangxi Grand Hotel Beijing and many other hotels in Beijing. Check out his website about the Jiangxi Grand Hotel Beijing here.

Simple Facts Of Traditional New Year Greetings From Orient

By John Chan

In the following article you will get some information about wishing a happy and prosperous New Year in ancient and modern day China.

Are you getting a lot of Guo Nian Hao from people as you near China in the beginning of the year? It only means Happy New Year in Chinese language. You will also get a number of New Year greetings in February in China as conventional Chinese New Year falls in the beginning of February which is absolutely different from western concept and comes as a surprise to many.

The difference in date regarding New Years is all because Chinese follow lunar calendar. Their New Year depends on the moon cycle rather than the date like 1st of January. The Chinese people celebrate their New Year in a traditional manner where they follow a lot of old customs and it's a time for joyful celebrations.

The lunar New Year brings with it a sensation of joyful celebration to the minds of the people and China as a whole becomes a part of it. You will be wished a Guo Nian Hao by anyone you come across whether they know you or not. For example even in the market you will be wished a Happy New Year by all the people working there.

According to Chinese tradition the New Year is celebrated for five days in the beginning of the year. As such the greeting like Guo Nian Hao is used only for this time period after which it is traditionally not correct to wish anyone. Also there are other Chinese words which means New Year too which are used for wishing at this time.

The New Year for Chinese is a time when people hope and pray for abundance in future for everyone including themselves for the rest of the year. The Chinese people demonstrate their happiness by using terms like Hokkien Keong hee huat chye, Gonxi Facai for best wishes and success in life to others.

Another most important thing in Chinese society is a good harvest so the traditional Chinese greeting include some terms to wish plentiful crops in the New Year as a part of Chinese traditional greeting.

There is another form of Chinese New Year greeting which is known as red envelop. According to this the children are given some money in envelop instead of saying any greeting. Red envelop is known to keep evil away from your life in future.

With the coming of modernity the form of New Year greeting is also changing in China. There is no exact way of greeting and people wish each other in their own ways. Unlike the ancient times New Year card has become pretty regular form of greeting in today's China.

The influence of Internet has slowly changed the concept of New Year in China and now people send e-card for wishing New Year to one another. As for the government, it wishes the entire population by holding firework display. - 33385

About the Author:

The traditional Mandarin Chinese new year greeting has been in use for centuries. If you are looking for info on Chinese new year for children please click on the hyperlinks.

Cool Club Toys For Rave Parties

By Bob Mercer

With the increase of club culture these days, new trends are developing. Teenagers can now be seen at clubs with shiny light emitting toys that look catchy making the club atmosphere groovier. Most teenagers are now proud owners of club toys that not only make them look cooler in the club, but also serve as a souvenir.

Most clubs are dark and the dance floor is lit only by the sparkles and beams of the disco balls and other hidden lighting systems that the clubs have. In this atmosphere you will barely be seen unless you are an exceptionally good dancer or you stand out in some manner. But a new way that people have found out to make their presence felt in the clubs are though the club toys. When you see a person sporting a club toy, you will notice them. The club toys glow and display enticing patterns of colors.

There are numerous varieties of toys that are appearing on the club scenes these days. Happy spin balls that display vibrant sets of colors when you are grooving with the music, light sticks that you can just hold in your hands, glowing caps, belts, glasses and there even are toys that you can keep in your mouth that makes your mouth look shiny. The crazy club culture has a path of its own and now it has added a big set of shiny, glowing toys to its collection.

Bright hand glow gloves: When you wear these gloves they automatically express your immense passion for club culture. These are gloves you wear that are made of a new generation of glowing material. The material used these days glow for a rather long time. The coolest part of this toy is that it glows in the dark, making your presence felt when the disco lights flash in the club. This club toy is reusable and is a great new invention.

Body lights: These toys maybe some of the most common toys you have seen in clubs around you. This consists of all kinds of illuminated jewellery that can be worn of different parts of the body. You can use these on your arms, ears, hair, belly and so on. There are clip-on toys that you a simply clip on anywhere. This comes in vivid colors and styles. The sizzling look of these toys has made them one of the favorite toys in the club scene in the recent days. You can purchase these at most online fashion stores or club stores.

You could buy these toys online at most fashion and club stores. Clubs also sell these are rather high prices with a logo of their club or something similar. When you wear these on you, you will be showing your passion for club culture. Unless you want to advertise for a club by paying a high price for their marked toys, you could buy them for cheaper online. After all it is the spirit of club culture that matters. - 33385

About the Author:

Meet the author: Bob Mercer is the best fashion reviewer on Urban Style, which write about Club Toys, Rave Lights, Urban Clothes for this year.

Look-up Marriage License Records

By Angelo Vasquez

Various reasons are behind the effort of maintaining the Public Marriage Records by some designated records offices in the government. The most usual reason why people are after of such relevant public documents is to verify whether or not their future companion had been married in the past. The records show what happened in the previous relationship which ended up to separation. This kind of information definitely helps you decide if you want to get married with this certain person or not.

The legal files on Marriage License Records are compiled meticulously at each state level, as well as to all the statistics departments anywhere. Like the other public records, marriage reports can be accessed or obtained by the public since they fall under public domain. Nevertheless, though they are public properties, individuals should still follow particular policies and regulations in the process of retrieving such vital files. Everyone must not feel reluctant of conducting the search because it has been provided by law that such access to public documents is certainly legitimate.

The details that are included in the marriage reports are pertinent in many areas. The normal pieces of information that can be derived from the records contain the necessary details about the married individuals, witnesses and the person who spearheaded the marital ceremony. Together with the legal documents are the marriage license records, which certify that the proceeding had taken place. License records are given to the couple, solemnizing officer and the local government for legal documentation purposes.

Conducting a Marriage Records Search is not a serious concern anymore these days because various options are made available for everyone. The retrieval procedure can be executed both online and offline depending on what is accessible to the people. The process done at the offices though is time consuming because of the paper requirements that are to be complied. The Internet is the most popular medium to get hold of the legal documents today.

With the emergence of modern computerization and the Internet nowadays, the retrieval on public marriage files can be easily accomplished. Online record providers are the fad in terms of providing reliable sources of legitimate information these days. They are usually available in two methods; the free and the fee-based methods. The latter is more viable and useful for whatever serious and legal matters.

The retrieval of legal documents back in the old days is definitely different from what the people are experiencing nowadays. It only takes a few minutes of your time to finally get hold of the essential documents that you are after of. The advancement of computerization and the Internet has completely made the entire process convenient and fast. Plus, you can absolutely do it on your own at the privacy of your own home. - 33385

About the Author:

Free Marriage Records or Paid marriage Records? The answer lies within your self. Learn all about them and make the right choice by visiting us at Free Public Marriage Records.

Choosing Language Courses For Your Employees

By Frances Pallett

If your company does business overseas or you have international employees then your ability to communicate with these contacts effectively could be massively improved with the right language courses.

Businesses often ignore the relevance of languages when selling internationally but it is this understanding of the local culture and language that can attract new customers and complete sales. If your competitors have engaged employees in language courses and can confidently sell in the language of their customer, they are immediately at an advantage, which means you are falling behind.

You will need to be clear on why you need languages before you invest in language training. It could be you need languages to answer emails from foreign speaking clients or you might need to be able to meet and greet overseas customers face to face, in which case the type of language courses you require will differ. You will also need to decide which employees will require these skills so you know who to enrol on the relevant course.

You will also have to think about the kind of language courses you require. Language training delivered on a one-to-one basis is best for an individual who needs to make quick progress but if you have more than one potential learner, group training will be more cost effective. Open or distance learning is another option but given that learners will need to work in their own time from books, CDs and online content, self discipline and motivation will be crucial.

Timing and logistics are crucial to the success of language courses. Employees may be more willing to give up their time to learn a language if lessons can be arranged during their lunch hour rather than at the end of the working day, so language trainers could be booked to deliver sessions at the company premises - causing minimum disruption to the working day.

Setting targets for learners will enable them to get the most out of language courses but in doing this you need to be realistic - nobody will become fluent in a language after just one course - but by setting smaller, achievable targets your employees will be motivated to continue with their language learning.

Finally, to complement their language courses, learners should be encouraged to put their skills into practice. Language learning improves with regular immersion so tuning in to the radio, reading a newspaper or just taking every opportunity to use the language will help the learning process. After all, practice makes perfect! - 33385

About the Author:

Find out more on language courses head over to RLN West Midlands

Show off Your Love of the Old West and Your Heritage with Native American Checks

By Alan Plastin

Are you proud of the Native American traditions that your family still carries out? Or are you just enthralled by the legends of the Old West? If you are then you might want to consider buying Native American personal bank checks. Regardless as to whether or not you want to show the world how proud you are of your heritage, or you merely find style and magnificence in the history of the American Indian, you will be sure to find an assortment of check series to pick from.

There are many different tribes of Native Americans, but one thing they all have in common is that they represent a way of life that, unfortunately, no longer exists. The romance of the American Indian is felt by many people, even those that have no biological ties to the tribes that once roamed the vast deserts and the lush woodlands and mountains of the United States.

You will be able to bring back some of that romance and history and take it with you if you purchase Native American checks.

No matter where your interests lie, there is bound to be a Native American check series that will appeal to you. Take, for instance, the elegant American Indians series. The 4 rotating images in this series feature illustrations of Native Americans in a muted, sandstone background. The colors themselves are reminiscent of the old west and the desert, giving the checks a touch of class in a subdued way.

On the other hand, if you would like something a little more colorful then you might be interested in the Mystic Maidens check series. These also come in 4 rotating images, each one showing a beautiful Native American princess set against a backdrop of mountains, clouds, and trees.

Conversely, the Petroglyphs checks don't actually show images of people at all, but instead focus on the cave art and other drawings of Native Americans that have been discovered over the years. These Petroglyphs tell a story and were the only form of written language during the time that they were written. Their significance in history, as well as in the culture of Native Americans, cannot be overlooked.

Likewise, the Southwest Art series are vibrant, beautiful checks that contain images of drawings that have been discovered in the caves and sandstone of the west.

If you would like to buy Native American checks then you should know that by purchasing them online from a safe site you can save as much as 50% off the cost that your bank might charge you. You will also have an assortment of checks to select from, in contrast to the limited selection of checks that your bank might have made available to you.

When buying your checks, ensure that you have your routing number and checking account number handy so that they can be printed onto the checks. You should get them in about 5 days, which might even be quicker than you got them in the past. - 33385

About the Author:

Before you order Native American checks, go to NativeAmericanChecks.net to get coupon codes and to save 50% off your next order of Native American personal checks.