Traditions
Bound feet: Adelines grandmother Nai Nai has bound feet. Foot binding was compulsory for Chinese girls for thousands of years in China since the Tang dynasty. When Nai Nai was three years old, a tight bandage was wound around her feet, bending the toes under the sole of her feet and crushing the arch so that her feet would remain small for her entire life. The point of foot binding was to make the female foot smaller, as small feet were considered feminine and beautiful. Large unbound feet were considered so unattractive that in that time no man would marry you - this was the custom.
Death and funeral rituals for Buddhist Chinese: When Adeline's grandmother Nai nai passed away her body was placed in a tightly sealed coffin in the parlour of their home. Buddhist monks dressed in long robes chanted mantras. The children spent the night sleeping on the floor next to the coffin to keep Nai Nai company. The following day there was a grand funeral. The coffin was draped with white sheets and placed on a hearse pulled by four men. The family dressed in white robes with white headbands for the boys and white ribbons for the girls. Big Brother acted as chief mourner in her Father's absence. Hired musicians extolled Nai Nai's virtues. They tossed white paper coins into the air while making music and singing prayers. The hearse stopped six times so Big Brother could fall to his knees, and wail Nai Nai's loss in a loud voice as it was his job to do so as Chief mourner.
At the Buddhist Temply the monks held a solemn ceremony with hymns and incense and the family burned articles of paper or cardboard for Nai Nai's needs in the next world. There were cardboard beds, tables, chairs, pots and pans and a mah-jongg set.
At the Buddhist Temply the monks held a solemn ceremony with hymns and incense and the family burned articles of paper or cardboard for Nai Nai's needs in the next world. There were cardboard beds, tables, chairs, pots and pans and a mah-jongg set.
Naming of Chinese Children: In Chinese families, a child is called by many names.
1. Using the father's surname - in Adeline's case Yen. Her siblings and her inherited his surname. Chinese surnames come at the beginning of a person's name.
2. At birth, a baby is given a name by his or her parents. Adeline's given name was Jun-ling. Thus Adeline's chinese birth name is Yen Jun-ling.
3. At home, a child is called by a name dependent on the order of his or her birth. The oldest daughter is called Big Sister, the second daughter Second Sister and so on. There are separate Chinese words for older sister, and younger sister, older brother and younger brother. Since Adeline was the fifth child in her family, her name at home was Fifth Younger Sister (We Mei). However, her younger siblings caller her Wu Jie which means Fifth older sister.
4. When the oder generation calls her Wu Mei, the word mei takes on the meaning of daughter. Wu Mei now means Fifth daughter.
5. The same goes for the word di. Er Di can mean Second Younger Brother or Second Son.
6. Their Stepmother gave them European names when she married their father. When her brothers and her attended schools in Hong Kong and London where English was the main language, her name was Adeline Yen.
7. Following her marriage, Adeline adopted the surname of her Chinese American husband, Bob Mah, and her name then become Adeline Yen Mah.
1. Using the father's surname - in Adeline's case Yen. Her siblings and her inherited his surname. Chinese surnames come at the beginning of a person's name.
2. At birth, a baby is given a name by his or her parents. Adeline's given name was Jun-ling. Thus Adeline's chinese birth name is Yen Jun-ling.
3. At home, a child is called by a name dependent on the order of his or her birth. The oldest daughter is called Big Sister, the second daughter Second Sister and so on. There are separate Chinese words for older sister, and younger sister, older brother and younger brother. Since Adeline was the fifth child in her family, her name at home was Fifth Younger Sister (We Mei). However, her younger siblings caller her Wu Jie which means Fifth older sister.
4. When the oder generation calls her Wu Mei, the word mei takes on the meaning of daughter. Wu Mei now means Fifth daughter.
5. The same goes for the word di. Er Di can mean Second Younger Brother or Second Son.
6. Their Stepmother gave them European names when she married their father. When her brothers and her attended schools in Hong Kong and London where English was the main language, her name was Adeline Yen.
7. Following her marriage, Adeline adopted the surname of her Chinese American husband, Bob Mah, and her name then become Adeline Yen Mah.
Chinese New Year celebrations: Chinese New Year is an exciting holiday celebration for all ages in Chinese culture. It is celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar. In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, the literal translation of the modern Chinese name. Celebrations traditionally run from Chinese New Year's Eve, the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar, to the lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month, making the festival the longest in the Chinese calendar. because the Chinese calendar is lun-isolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year". Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely. Often the evening preceding Chinese New year's Day is an occasion for Chinese families to gather for the annual reunion dinner. it is also traditional for every family to thoroughly cleanse the house, in order to sweep away any ill-fortune and to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red coloured paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of "good fortune" or "happiness" or "wealth", and "longevity". Other activities include lighting firecrackers and giving money in red paper envelopes.
The Story of Ye Xian: The Original Chinese Cinderella
Written during the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD).
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Ye Xian who lived during the Tang dynasty in China. Her father had two wives and two daughters, one by each wife. Ye Xian's mother died, followed by her father. her stepmother mistreated her, showing preference for her own daughter.
Ye Xian was a talented potter and spent her time at the wheel perfecting her skill. People came from far and wide to purchase her pots. her only friend was a goldfish, which she loved. her stepmother became jealous, caught the fish and ate it, hiding the fish bones under a pile of manure. Ye Xian found the bones and hid them in her room. The presence of the fish bones gave off magical rays that imparted a special sheen to her pots.
A great festival was being held, but Ye Xian was forbidden by her stepmother to attend. After her stepmother and sister left, Ye Xian dressed herself in a beautiful cloak of kingfisher feathers and a pair of gold shoes that were light and elegant.
At the festival she spoke briefly to the local warlord, who was much struck by her beauty. her stepmother recognised her and gave chase. Y Xian ran home but lost one of her shoes, which was found by the warlord. he ordered all the girls in his kingdom to try it on, but it was too small. The cobbler who made the shoes came forward and told the warlord of Ye Xian, who had traded one of her pots for the gold shoes. Through her own talent and effort, Ye Xian had bought the shoes that led eventually to marriage with the warlord. They lived happily ever after.
Written during the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD).
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Ye Xian who lived during the Tang dynasty in China. Her father had two wives and two daughters, one by each wife. Ye Xian's mother died, followed by her father. her stepmother mistreated her, showing preference for her own daughter.
Ye Xian was a talented potter and spent her time at the wheel perfecting her skill. People came from far and wide to purchase her pots. her only friend was a goldfish, which she loved. her stepmother became jealous, caught the fish and ate it, hiding the fish bones under a pile of manure. Ye Xian found the bones and hid them in her room. The presence of the fish bones gave off magical rays that imparted a special sheen to her pots.
A great festival was being held, but Ye Xian was forbidden by her stepmother to attend. After her stepmother and sister left, Ye Xian dressed herself in a beautiful cloak of kingfisher feathers and a pair of gold shoes that were light and elegant.
At the festival she spoke briefly to the local warlord, who was much struck by her beauty. her stepmother recognised her and gave chase. Y Xian ran home but lost one of her shoes, which was found by the warlord. he ordered all the girls in his kingdom to try it on, but it was too small. The cobbler who made the shoes came forward and told the warlord of Ye Xian, who had traded one of her pots for the gold shoes. Through her own talent and effort, Ye Xian had bought the shoes that led eventually to marriage with the warlord. They lived happily ever after.