Jin's Info Space

Chinese traditional festivals, its activities and its food

2011-08-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

中国传统的古老节日, 都有其典故, 也有美食相衬. 在中国, 民俗和传统节日与其使用的农历年和二十四节气紧密相关.

I list 9 Chinese traditional festivals here. Each festival has its history and its special festival food. Chinese people use the lunar calendar (agriculture calendar), which divides sky into 24 segments based on the seasons of the year. The festivals closely link to the lunar calendar.

The 24 seasonal segments

Li Chun 立春 - Beginning of spring (Spring Festival)

Yu Shui 雨水 - Rain water

Jing Zhe 惊蛰 - Waking of insects

Chun Fen 春分 - Spring equinox (the 21^st day of Month 3)

Qing Ming 清明 - Pure brightness

Gu Yu 谷雨 - Grain rain

Li Xia 立夏 - Beginning of summer

Xiao Man 小满 - Grain full

Mang Zhong 芒种 - Grain in ear

Xia Shi 夏至 - Summer solstice (the 22^nd day of Month 6)

Xiao Shu 小暑 - Slight heat

Da Shu 大暑 - Great heat

Li Qiu 立秋 - Beginning of autumn

Chu Shu 处暑 - Limit of heat

Bai Lu 白露 - White dew

Qiu Fen 秋分 - Autumnal equinox (the 23^rd day of Month 9)

Han Lu 寒露 - Cold dew

Shuang Jiang 霜降 - Descent of Frost

Li Dong 立冬 - Beginning of winter

Xiao Xue 小雪 - Slight snow

Da Xue 大雪 - Great snow

Dong Zhi 冬至 - Winter solstice (the 22^nd of Month 12)

Xiao Han 小寒 - Slight cold

Da Han 大寒 - Great cold

Festivals

春节

农历正月初一

春节一般指除夕和正月初一。但在民间，传统意义上的春节是指从腊月初八的腊祭或腊月二十三或二十四的祭灶，一直到正月十五，其中以除夕和正月初一为高潮。春节是中国人民最隆重的传统节日，它象征团结、兴旺，对未来寄托新的希望的佳节.

特色: 全家团聚在一起吃年夜饭(年糕、水饺). 燃鞭炮, 贴年画、春联和门神, 迎接新的一年来临.

Spring Festival

Lunar calendar - The 1st day of the month 1 of the year

Chinese New Year, also called “Spring Festival”, is the most important festival for the Chinese people. In tradition, it starts the 8^th day of the month 12 or 23^rd day of the month 12 and ends the 15^th day of the month 1 in the new year. The Chinese New Year's Eve and the 1st day of Chinese New Year are the most celebrated days. In the Spring Festival, people make best wishes for a bright future and good luck for the New Year.

Activities:

All family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. People play fireworks and paste door panels with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper; on front doors, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance.

Typical seasonal food:

Dumplings, which have the shape likes gold ingot from ancient China, people eat them and wish for money and treasure.

(image from http://www.gdfs.gov.cn/jkys/UploadFiles_5120/200801/20080114100926887.jpg)

New Year Rice Cakes, made with yellow and white flour, dates and sugar, express people’s best wishes for improving in work and life year after year.

(image from http://pic5.nipic.com/20091222/841041_165102098932_2.jpg)

元宵节

农历正月十五

它是一年中第一个月圆之夜，也是一元复始，大地回春的夜晚，人们对此加以庆祝，也是庆贺新春的延续。

特色: 点起彩灯, 舞狮子，耍龙灯，演社火，游花市，逛庙会, 放焰火、喜猜灯谜、共吃元宵.

Lantern Festival

Lunar calendar - The 15th day of the month 1 of the year

The Lantern Festival is the first full moon of the New Year. It is a symbol the coming of the spring. People celebrate the New Year’s continuation.

Activities:

People go out to watch hundreds of decorative lanterns in public parks, play riddles; and watching the dragon dance or lion dance show in streets.
Typical seasonal food:

Sweet dumpling balls, has the "reunion" pronunciation, which is similar to taking the meaning of reunion. It is a symbol of family unity and happiness, harmony and happiness, and also, the memory of loved ones farewell, and good wishes for the future.

(image from http://www.chinareports.org.cn/zhejiang/Upimages/201102/662PNJ_092849765622.jpg)

中和节

农历二月二

中和节, 俗称龙抬头。此时正值惊蛰前后，春归大地，万物复苏，蛰伏在泥土或洞穴中的昆虫蛇兽将从冬眠中醒来，传说中的龙也从沉睡中醒来，故名龙抬头。从节气上说，二月初正处在“雨水”、“惊蛰”、“春分”之间，这是个既需要雨水，又可能有降雨的时期，人们希望通过对龙的祈求行为来实现降雨的目的。

特色: 祭文昌神, 祈求风调雨顺、五谷丰登, 吃春饼. 剃头.

Dragon-Head-Raising Festival

Lunar calendar - The 2nd day of the month 2 of the year

Dragon-Head-Raising Festival is also commonly known as the “Dragon Heads-raising Day”. In the season, dormant creatures in the soil or insects in the cave wake up from hibernation, the legendary dragon wake up from sleep too, hence it’s called “Dragon Heads-raising Day”. In ancient China, especially in the Qin and Han and before, where as the 1st day of Month 1, the 2nd day of Month 2, the 3rd day of Month 3 like "heavy day", which is considered the world more sympathetic, heaven-interlinked day. Thus, in this day people need to do more praying, worship, or celebration, in order to achieve happiness, well-being and good fortune. As the ancient dragon is a sacred symbol, Most Chinese northern farmers believe that dragon will expel pests and bring rainfall, and with the help of that day, all stores, big and small, will be full of grains.

Activities:

People have shaved, worship, remember Wenchang God, eat noodles, fried Rick Cake, and pork, etc. They pray for the Land God to bless peace, good weather and grain harvest. People believe in this day, barber will make people take the lead and good fortune, therefore on this day, barbering is very common.

Typical seasonal food:

Spring cake is very thin baked bread. Eating a Spring cake is also known as "bite the spring", which implies that having hit the Spring at the beginning of Spring will bring people good fortune.

(image from http://www.108sp.com/UserFiles/Image/2008-11/FC914_1.jpg)

清明节

四月五日

清明节, 也叫“踏青节”. 与二十四节气有关, 清明一到，气温升高，雨量增多，正是春耕春种的大好时节. 同时, 这一天也是最重要的祭祀节日，是祭祖和扫墓的日子。

特色: 扫墓, 踏青, 清明之日不动烟火, 只吃凉的食品, 如枣饼, 青团和糯米糖藕。

The Qing Ming Festival

The April 5th; Lunar calendar – the Pure Brightness day

The Qing Ming Festival is also called “Pure Brightness Festival” and “treading on the greenery”. It is the “Pure Brightness” day of the 24 seasonal segments, which denotes a time for people to go outside and enjoy the greenery of springtime and visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors. It is an opportunity for celebrants to remember and honour their ancestors at grave sites.

Activities:

On the day, people visit the graves or burial grounds of their ancestors; pray before the ancestors, sweep the tombs and offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, paper money, and/or libations to the ancestors. After the worship, people go home and eat the food and drinks with a belief that they have got blessings from the ancestors. To show respect to the ancestors, people preserve the habit of not giving the fire to cook and eating cold. People also go picnic and play swing and enjoy the spring weather.

Typical seasonal food:

Qing Dumpling is made by Ai grass juice, glutinous rice and wrapped in red bean paste, date paste and other fillings. After steaming, it comes out with fresh green color, fragrant and not non-sticky.

(image from http://finance.eastday.com/consumption/m5/20110402/images/01894959.jpg)

Rice-stuffed Lotus-root is made from lotus root with glutinous rice, sweet osmanthus and honey. It’s sweet, sticky and has the fresh scent of lotus and osmanthus. It is a popular dessert in China now.

As people tend to eat cold food in the festival day, food such as Qing Dumpling and Lotus root stuffed with sweet sticky rice is suitable for afternoon tea and lunch as sticky rice is quite satiety.

(image from http://www.szeping.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/xihu_f-nmto.jpg)

Date cake

(image from http://jxzh.ccots.com.cn/userfiles/image/2009/06/20090611181103.jpg)

端午节

农历五月初五

端午也称端五，端阳。我国古代最早的爱国诗人屈原遭谗言被放逐后，目睹楚国政治日益腐败，又不能实现自己的政治理想，无力拯救危亡的祖国，于是自投汩罗江以殉国。此后，人们为了不使鱼虾吃掉其尸体，纷纷用糯米和面粉捏成各种形状的饼子投入江心，这便成为后来端午节吃粽子、炸糕的来源。

特色: 龙舟竞渡、吃粽子、喝雄黄酒.

Dragon Boat Festival

Lunar calendar – the 5th day of Month 5

One main legend of the festival is about Qu Yuan, a famous poet and a minister lived in the pre-imperial Warring States period (475-221 BC). Known for his patriotism, Qu Yuan tried unsuccessfully to warn his king and countrymen against the expansionism of their Qin neighbors. However, he was set up and exiled by crafty sycophants, and felt disappointed with the upcoming devastation of his state from invasion by a neighbouring Warring State. Qu Yuan was said to have waded into the Miluo river which drains into Dongting Hu (lake) in today's Hunan Province. Considering his ritual suicide as a form of protest against the corruption of the era, the common people rushed out on the water in their fishing boats to the middle of the river and tried desperately to save Qu Yuan. They beat drums and splashed the water with their paddles in order to keep the fish and evil spirits from his body. Later on, they scattered rice into the water to prevent him from suffering hunger. Another belief is that the people scattered rice to feed the fish, in order to prevent the fishes from devouring the poet's body.

Activities:

The celebrations include: dragon boat racing, eating Zongzi, and drinking traditional wine.

Typical seasonal food:

Zongzi , also called “Chinese rice-pudding”, is made by sticky rice, filled in dates, peanuts, meat, dry grapes or green beans etc. and wrapped in bamboo/reed leaves. The unique smell and flavor of leaves will go into the rice. Making Zongzi is traditionally a family event of which everyone helps out.

(image from http://news.xinhuanet.com/food/2009-05/20/xinsrc_0620506201439484390292.jpg)

七夕

农历七月初七

七夕又称“乞巧节”或“女儿节”. 民间传说牛郎织女此夜在天河鹊桥相会，后有妇女于此夜向织女星穿针乞巧等风俗。所谓乞巧，即在月光下对着织女星用彩线穿针，如能穿过七枚大小不同的针眼，就算很“巧”了。

特色: 祈求心灵手巧和美满的姻缘, 吃巧果(以瓜果和蜜为主,其中多饺子、面条、油果子、馄饨等为此节日的食物).

Qi Qiao Festival

Lunar calendar – the 7th day of Month 7

Qi Qiao Festival, known as “Seven Maiden’s Festival”, revolves around the mythological love story between the Cow herder (Niu Lang) and the Weaving Maiden (Zhi Nu). Zhi Nu was the 7th daughter of Jade Emperor living in the heaven. One day whilst visiting Earth, she met and fell in love with Niu Lang. They got married, but they were soon discovered by her mother, the Jade Empress. According to the rules of the heaven, a goddess cannot marry a mortal. The Jade Empress was angry, and ordered her to return to heaven. But she took pity on the couple, and allowed them to meet once a year. So on the 7th night of every 7th lunar month, they meet on a bridge formed by magpies. The purpose of this festival is for females to pray for the highly skills of weaving from Zhi Nϋ and also to pray for a happy marriage like hers whose husband is faithful to her and loving her deeply.

Activities:

Girls pray for a good spouse and a happy marriage. There is also the practice of airing clothing, needle-threading and "spider web" contest. Exhibitions of miniature clothes, shoes, sewing works.

Typical seasonal food:

Qiao fruit Cake, is made by flour, oil, sugar and honey and was used to be offered to Zhi Nu for praying for weaving “skills”. There are other 5 types of sweet food to feast together, namely dried lychees, red dates, hazelnuts, peanuts and melon seeds.

(image from http://a4.att.hudong.com/32/56/01300000354981125108568392372_s.jpg)

中秋节

农历八月十五

这一天正当秋季的正中，故称“中秋”。到了晚上，月圆桂香，旧俗人们把它看作大团圆的象征，要备上各种瓜果和熟食品，是赏月的佳节。

特色: 赏月, 吃月饼.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Lunar calendar – the 15th day of Month 8

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the “Moon Festival” and “Lantern Festival” is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. Farmers celebrate the end of the fall harvesting season on this date. Celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival is strongly associated with the legend of Houyi and Chan E, the Moon Goddess of Immortality. There are many variants and adaptations of the legend of Chang'e that frequently contradict each other. However, most versions of the legend involve some variation of the following elements: Houyi, the Archer, an emperor, either benevolent or malevolent, and an elixir of life.

Activities:

Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos under the moon together.

Typical seasonal food:

In the festival, Mooncakes are for lunar worship and moon watching. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. Most Mooncakes consist of a thin, tender skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in its centre to symbolise the full moon. Traditional Mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony", as well as the name of the bakery and the filling inside.

(image from http://image.rayli.com.cn/0005/2008-09-10/images/2008910213633458.jpg)

重阳节

农历九月初九

中国古代以九为阳，九月九日正是阴月阳日，故名“重阳”。相传东汉时汝南人桓影，听到费长房对他说，九月九日汝南将有大灾难，赶快叫家里人缝制小代，内装茱萸，缚在臂上，登上高山，饮菊花酒，借以避难。

特色: 做茱萸代、饮菊花酒、吃重阳糕, 举行庙会、登高。

Double Ninth Festival

Lunar calendar – the 9th day of Month 9

The Double Ninth Festival is also known as the "Festival for the Elderly". According to the "Book of Changes", "nine" is a young (positive) number; the ninth day of the ninth lunar month (or double nine) has too much yang (a traditional Chinese spiritual concept) and is thus a potentially dangerous date. Hence, the day is also called "Double Yang Festival". To protect against the danger, it is customary to climb a high mountain, drink chrysanthemum wine and wear the Zhuyu. In Chinese, "99" is a homonym of "long", which means everlasting, so on this holiday, some Chinese also visit temples and the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects. One of the legend is about a man called Huan Ying. One day, he knew that a monster of pestilence would come, so he asked people in his village to wear Zhuyu and climb to a hill to hide from the disaster. People then use the Double Ninth Festival to celebrate the victory of Huan Ying.

Activities:

Family will be together all that day and to climb heights; normally climbing a mountain, a tower or a high hill. This activity is regarded as "disaster prevention". Many locations also host a chrysanthemum exhibit and mountain climbing races.

Typical seasonal food:

Chrysanthemum tea/wine is popular because in ancient times as "auspicious wine" that people must drink on the Double Ninth Festival to prevent disasters and pray for blessings, and also chrysanthemum implies the flower longevity.

(image from http://www.china5080.com/leling/userfiles/image/1231146959406.jpg)

Chongyang Cake is also called “Hua Gao”. In Chinese, “Gao”, as a type of cake, has the same pronunciation of the character “height”. Therefore, people replaced height climbing custom with eating Chongyang cake. The partial tone suggests promotion and high rank.

(image from http://guide.lvmama.com/uploadfile/2011/0519/20110519021236598.jpg)

腊八节

农历腊月初八

古代十二月祭祀“众神”叫腊，因此农历十二月叫腊月。相传腊八节是佛祖“成道”之日,佛寺要仿效牧女献糜的故事，取八种香谷和果实制粥供佛. 一年到头, 是祈求人体安康，合家兴旺之意.

特色: 喝腊八粥(八宝粥, 糯米、芝麻、苡仁、桂元、红枣、香菇、莲子等8种食物合煮“八宝粥”).

Laba Festival

Lunar calendar – the 8th day of Month 12

Laba Festival, also known as Laba Rice Porridge Festival, was tradition originated from Buddhism. Legend has it that Sakyamuni became a Buddhist under a banyan on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Afterwards, people would have rice porridge on this day in memory of the Buddha's sufferings. Laba Rice Porridge would be cooked on this day in temples, with rice, nutlet, millet, etc. as the raw material. It would be sacrificed to the Buddha first and then given out to disciples and the poor. Also, it is an occasion for people to give sacrifices to their ancestors and the end of a year, and to pray to heaven and earth for a good harvest and good luck for the family.

Activities:

People celebrate the original ancestors of agricultural harvest rewards of the ceremony. Activities focus on Buddha worship, worship ancestral spirits, celebrating the harvest and drive epidemic asserting disaster.

Typical seasonal food:

Laba Rice Porridge is made of diversified rice (glutinous rice, oats, corns etc.), beans (soy beans, mung beans, kidney beans, cowpeas etc.), dried nuts (chestnuts, almonds, peanuts, etc.), bean curd and meat. Melon seeds, lotus seeds, pine nuts, sugar, and other preserved fruits are added to give more flavours. Since Laba Rice Porridge was believed to be blessed with good fortune and longevity, it was also called "Longevity Blessing Porridge" and "Virtue Blessing Porridge". Laba porridge is now regarded as a very nutritious food in winter that has the function of strengthening the spleen, stimulating the appetite, and soothing the nerves. It is welcomed by people of different ages.

(image from http://cul.shangdu.com/wikipedia/20101231/P_168616_0__1801628286.jpg)

Educational Mission Chinese Students over 100 years ago

2010-06-06T03:17:00.000-07:00

昨夜,偶尔看到这个五集的记录片《幼童》, 于是不能停下, 看到了半夜2点。今天查了一下, 原来是出自CCTV国家地理, 源于钱钢、胡劲草所著的书《留美幼童——中国最早的官派留学生》。一定是本好书, 能让我们从另外一个角度看中国近代历史的兴衰。

I came across this five-episode videos about the earliest Chinese students studying abroad on YouTube. It attracted me immediately. It tells me the Chinese history that was unavailable through traditional textbook when I studied in school. Quickly searched on Google, found
a CEM Connections website and the book
China's 《First Hundred: Educational Mission Students in the United States》. But I cannot find the English version of the original book by Qian Gang and Hu JinCao.

Chinese characters (2)

2010-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

There are about 7,000 usual Chinese characters. However, according to the recorded history, there are more than 90,000 Chinese characters. The list below enumerates some interesting Chinese characters that are composed of three same characters.

中国的常用汉字有7000个左右，而有记载的汉字则有90000多个. 下面这些有趣的汉字是由三个相同的字所组成的另外一个字.

三个金 - 鑫（xīn）
三个木 - 森（sēn）
三个水 - 淼（miǎo）
三个火 - 焱（yàn）
三个土 - 垚（yáo）
三个士 - 壵（zhuàng）
三个日 - 晶（jīng）
三个石 - 磊（lěi）
三个人 - 众（zhòng）
三个女 - 姦（jiān）
三个口 - 品（pǐn）
三个牛 - 犇（bēn）
三个手 - 掱（pá）
三个目 - 瞐（mò）
三个田 - 畾（lěi）
三个马 - 骉（biāo）
三个羊 - 羴（shān）
三个犬 - 猋（biāo）
三个鹿 - 麤（cū）
三个鱼 - 鱻（xiān）
三个贝 - 赑（bì）
三个力 - 劦（lie）
三个手 - 毳（cuì）
三个耳 - 聶（niè）
三个车 - 轟（hōng）
三个直 - 矗（chù）
三个龙 - 龘（tà、dá）
三个原 - 厵（yuán）
三个雷 - 靐（bìng）
三个飞 - 飝（fēi）
三个刀 - 刕（lí）
三个又 - 叒（ruò）
三个小 - 尛（mó）
三个子 - 孨（zhuǎn）
三个止 - 歮（sè）
三个风 - 飍（xiū）
三个吉 - 嚞（zhé）
三个言 - 譶（tà）
三个舌 - 舙（qì）
三个香 - 馫（xīn）
三个泉 - 灥（xún）
三个心 - 惢（suǒ）
三个白 - 皛（xiǎo）
三个屮(chè, cǎo) - 芔 (hū、huī)
三个厶(sī, mǒu) - 厽 (lěi)
三个隹(zhuī, cuī, wéi) - 雥（zá）

Chinese characters (1)

2010-06-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

Some interesting Chinese characters - if you reverse it, the character is same.

倒着和正着看是一样的汉字:

一二三十工王丰中口回日目非田申串井吕昌爻米噩互

folk prescriptions for cough relief

2008-11-26T13:05:00.000-08:00

I got flu severely, including almost every symptom. I took some medicine according to GP’s prescription, but my cough doesn’t get better, especially at night.

Therefore, I sought online and got some useful folk prescriptions. There are too many options. I list some very simple ones:

Prescription 1
(1)Prepare a cup of white vinegar.
(2) Pour the white vinegar into a pot, boiling it.
(3) After the vinegar boiled, pour it back into the cup.
(4) Wait until the cup of vinegar becomes cold thoroughly, take a small spoon of vinegar, put it in your mouth and slowly swallow.
(5) Drink 4-5 times per day.
(6) When your cough diminishes, you should stop drink it.
NB. It is not good for people who have arthritis or have a disease of the splenic organ.

Prescription 2
(1) Prepare 5 pieces of white turnip; 3 pieces of fresh ginger; 3 dates; honey 30 grams
(2) Put white turnip, fresh ginger and dates into water, boiling about 30 minutes.
(3) Remove the dregs
(4) Put honey into it and boil up
(5) Drink it 1-2 times per day.

Prescription 3
(1) Prepare white sugar 50 grams; 1 egg; fresh ginger
(2) Crack the eggs into a bowl, stir it well
(3) Mixed sugar into a half bowl of water, steam this bowl of water
(4) Until it boils up, pour the stirred egg into the boiled water
(5) Pour a little ginger juice, stir it well
(6) Drink it once in the morning and once in the evening.

Prescription 4
(1) 1 Chinese White Pear, big alum crystal sugar 30-60 grams
(2) remove the skin and the core of the pear
(3) filling big alum crystal sugar in the middle of the pear
(4) put pear into a bowl, steam it until the sugar melt completely
(5) drink the soup and eat the steamed pear every night after dinner

最近得了感冒,来的快,一周之内把大部分症状都试了一边: 偏头痛, 浑身无力, 嗓子痛,咳嗽, 流鼻涕, 打喷涕.看了英国医生,说不能打针,给了药方. 可是到现在嗓子痛,咳嗽, 流鼻涕, 打喷涕等症状还在. 于是决定自己找办法. 一定要在下周一前好起来.

这里是一些有用的建议: 1 and 2. 我试一下最简单的方法(没有那么多食物).

12 animal signs

2008-03-05T11:25:00.000-08:00

Many of my colleagues are interested in the Chinese 12 animal signs and their order. I think here is an English introduction. This is a legend of the signs in Chinese, I haven't found the English version of it on this website.

Discourse videos

2008-01-26T03:53:00.000-08:00

Recently, I watched the presentation videos of two famous people in China, one is Mr. Ao Li, a liberal, a writer in Taiwan and the other is Prof. Qiang Zheng at the Zhejiang University. I know it's a bit out of date, but for me, it's not too late to watch. It's in Chinese. So I don't know if there are any English version of these presentations. No time to search online.

Actually, I like the one that Mr. Li made in Peking University most over the three discourses in Peking University, Tsinghua University and Fudan University. I feel the words he used to describe the attitudes of people to government are very vivid. It's the power and art of Chinese really. Also, his attitudes to and means of facing life and country are worthy of considering and some of his acts are admirable.

Prof. Zheng's presentations make me feel I more like young generation educators than the traditional old educators. This is not the primary thing, the key point for me is I feel the changes, the justice and the improvement which I always care.

最近,忙里偷闲地在网上看了李敖先生(台湾自由主义者,作家)和郑强教授(浙江大学教授)的演讲. 觉得现在国内的大学生还是有很多好机会, 能听到看到一些有份量的东西. 想想自己, 在大学时并没有很多这样的机会,冲击和反思. 教育,文化,经济,中国缺少什么?又具备什么? 也许这问题不够好, 应该问自己, 你缺少什么又具备什么? 你又能做点什么?怎样做?

Charity help

2007-10-15T10:19:00.000-07:00

There is a long list of charity help needs in China from a Chinese forum. I think it is a good idea. I occasionally put my old stuff into the box near the big Tesco (Sheffield) because I do not have many stuff to throw away. Now, I feel I should post them back to China if I have more.

从英华园论坛里看到的很有意义的捐助倡议. 其实在英国, 我都是把旧衣物捐给小区的收购站的. 现在想想是邮给国内需要的人更好.

Primary Chinese information

2007-09-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

China Style is a good website, providing primary Chinese information. (It is not created by the high authorities in China, it says the authors are three teenagers, but I like the idea and desgin.) [一个不错的介绍中国的网站, 虽然不是官方或权威人士的, 立意不错, 希望看到更多好的内容]

This is a detailed Chinese calendar year. (It is Chinese) [中国年代表]

Recipe of ginger sugar water

2007-09-23T01:52:00.000-07:00

I often cook ginger sugar water if I feel not well or catch a flu. It is an easiler and much better way than take medicine. I rarely take medicine. I think most of Chinese know it. In the UK, I recommend this method to many friends already.

[Ingredients]

fresh ginger (e.g., 150 grams), dark brown sugar (e.g., 250 grams), spring onion (optional), water

[Process]

(1) Cut fresh ginger into small pieces

(2) Put fresh ginger into water, boiling

(3) After water boiled, put into a small amount of brown sugar. Using small flame and continue boiling about 10 minutes.

(4) Taste, if need, can put more brown sugar.

(5) Drink the hot boiled ginger water and have a good sleep.

[Usability]
It helps to prevent flu and fever. Ginger has sweating detoxification and reducing temperature functions. Brown sugar and spring onion combination have the role of reducing the feeling of cold. Ginger sugar water also helps menstrual women in the smooth, physical warmth, to increase energy, active qi, accelerate blood circulation and will row in the menstrual more smoothly.

[原料]

红糖20克，鲜生姜若干片，葱白3段(可放,可不放)，水适量。

[制法]

(1) 沙锅内加入生姜、葱白和水，上火煮开。

(2) 加入红糖再煮开10分钟。

(3) 趁热喝, 然后好好睡一觉。

[特点]

汤甜辣适口，趁热喝下，可去风寒、止呕吐。生姜有发汗解毒、温中止呕的功用，与红糖、葱白合用，祛风寒的作用尤佳。姜糖水对妇女月经顺畅也有帮助，可让身体温暖，增加能量，活络气血，加快血液循环，月经也会排得较为顺畅。经后若感觉精神差，气色不好，可以在每天中餐前，喝一杯浓度约20％的红糖水。不适症状较重时则可在晚餐前再加饮一杯，持续一星期即可有效改善。

另：姜，葱熬粥有几乎同等功效

Resolutely not mixed the food we eat

2007-09-23T01:23:00.000-07:00

If the match due to improper mixing the following food consumption, will harm human health, serious or even life-threatening.

Seafood + Beer -- induced gout 海鲜+啤酒 -- 诱发痛风
Cucumber + Peanut -- poisoning 花生+黄瓜 -- 会伤身
Orange + Spinach -- risk calculus 菠菜+橘子 -- 易患结石
Persimmon + Liquor -- poisoning 白酒+柿子 -- 中毒
Bee honey + Onion -- harm to eyes 洋葱+蜂蜜 -- 伤眼睛
Taro + Bananas -- abdominal lead bulging 香蕉+芋头 -- 导致腹胀
Chestnut + Beef -- vomiting 牛肉+栗子 -- 呕吐
Celery + Rabbits or Chicken -- debilitating 兔肉+芹菜 -- 伤元气
Sweet potato + Persimmon -- will receive stone 红薯+柿子 -- 会得结石
Tofu + Bee honey -- deafness 豆腐+蜂蜜 -- 耳聋
Lamb + Watermelon -- debilitating 羊肉+西瓜 -- 伤元气
Fruit + Seafood -- not digest 水果+海鲜 -- 不宜消化
Pork + Water chestnut -- abdominal pain 猪肉+菱角 -- 肚痛
Potato + Bananas -- facial Health grouper 马铃薯+香蕉 -- 面部生斑
Radish + fungus -- triggered dermatitis amaranth 萝卜+木耳 -- 引发皮炎
Ham + Lactic acid drinks -- easy carcinogenic 火腿+乳酸饮料 -- 易致癌
Fruit (e.g., orange) + turnip -- goiter brown 萝卜+水果 -- 甲状腺肿大
Milk + Chocolate -- diarrhea 奶+巧克力 -- 易腹泻
Persimmon + Crab -- diarrhea 螃蟹+柿子 -- 腹泻
Eggs + Soya milk -- lower protein and absorption 鸡蛋+豆浆 -- 降低蛋白质吸收
Goose + Eggs -- debilitating 鹅肉+鸡蛋 -- 伤元气
Licorice + Carp -- poisoning 鲤鱼+甘草 -- 中毒
Shrimp + Vitamin C -- can be addressed arsenic poisoning 对虾+维生素C——可致砷中毒

一.蔬菜类：
1.萝卜：忌桔子、胡萝卜、何首乌、地黄、人参。
2.胡萝卜：忌西红柿、辣椒、石榴,莴苣、木瓜，最好单独吃或肉类烹调。
3.甘薯(红薯,白薯,地瓜,山芋)：忌柿子、香蕉。
4.黄瓜：忌含维生素C含量高的蔬菜,如西红柿、辣椒等同时烹调。
5.茄子：忌黑豆、蟹。
6.韭菜：忌菠菜。
7.小白菜：忌黑豆、花生、毛豆、苋菜、猪肉。
8.菠菜：忌豆腐、韭菜。
9.南瓜：忌与含维生素C的蔬菜、水果同食，忌羊肉。
10.香菜：忌与补药同食，忌白术、牡丹皮。
11.苦菜：忌蜂蜜。
12.辣椒：忌羊肝、南瓜。
13.芹菜：忌黄瓜。
14.花生：忌蕨菜、毛蟹、黄瓜。
15.豆腐：忌牛奶、菠菜；忌用豆浆冲鸡蛋；忌与四环素同食。

二.肉禽蛋类：
1.猪血：忌黄豆、地黄、何首乌。
2.猪肝：忌黄豆、豆腐、鱼肉、雀肉、山鸡、鹌鹑肉。
3.猪肉：忌鹌鹑、鸽肉、鲫鱼、菱角、黄豆、蕨菜、桔梗、乌梅、百合、巴豆、大黄、黄连、牛肉、驴肉、羊肝。
4.羊肉：忌豆腐、荞麦面,、乳酪、南瓜、醋、赤豆、梅干菜、铜、丹砂。
5.猪脑髓：忌酒、盐。
6.鸡肉：忌菊花、芥末、糯米、李子、大蒜、鲤鱼、鳖肉、虾、兔肉。
7.牛肉：忌与鱼肉同烹调；忌栗子、蜂蜜、韭菜、白酒、生姜。
8.牛肝：忌与含维生素的食物同食；忌鲍鱼、鲇鱼。
9.鸭肉：忌木耳、胡桃、鳖肉。
10.狗肉：忌绿豆、杏仁、菱角、鲤鱼、泥鳅、大蒜；忌用茶。
11.鹅肉：忌与鸭梨同食。
12.鸡蛋：忌柿子、兔肉、鲤鱼、豆浆。

三.水产类：
1.海鳗鱼：不宜与白果、甘草同食。(凡海味都忌甘草)
2.鲤鱼：忌朱砂、狗肉。
3.鳝鱼：忌狗肉、狗血、芥末。
4.海带：不宜与甘草同食。
5.泥鳅：不宜与狗肉同食。
6.青鱼：忌用牛、羊油煎炸；忌芥末、白术、苍术。
7.带鱼,黄花鱼：忌用牛、羊油煎炸。
8.虾：忌同时服用大量维生素C；忌与猪肉、狗肉、鸡肉同食；忌糖。

四.水果类：
1.枣：忌海鲜、葱。
2.桃子：忌鳖肉、龟肉。
3.芒果：忌大蒜等辛物。
4.鸭梨：忌鹅肉、蟹；忌多吃；忌与油腻、冷热之物杂食。
5.山揸：忌海鲜、鱼类。
6.石榴：服人参是忌用。
7.葡萄：忌与四环素同食。
8.苹果：忌海味。
9.香蕉：忌白薯。
10.柿子：忌蟹、水濑肉、红薯、酒。
11.杨梅：忌生葱、羊肚、,鳗鱼。
12.柑子：忌蟹。
13.杏：忌小米。
14.桔子：忌与萝卜、牛奶、蟹、蛤同食。
15.银杏：严禁多吃，忌与鱼同食。

五.谷物类：
1.黄豆：忌猪血、蕨菜；服四环素是忌用。
2.大米(梗米)：忌马肉、苍耳。
3.小米：忌杏。
4.绿豆：忌狗肉、榧子。
5.黑豆：忌厚朴、蓖麻籽、四环素。
6.红豆：忌与米同煮；忌羊肉；蛇咬伤，百日内忌食；多尿者忌用。

六.调料饮品类：
1.蒜：一般不与补药同食；忌蜂蜜、地黄、何首乌、牡丹皮。
2.葱：不宜与杨梅、蜜糖同食；忌枣、常山、地黄。
3.醋：忌丹参、茯苓、海参、羊肉、奶粉、壁虎。
4.糖：忌虾、竹笋、牛奶、含铜食物。
5.蜜：忌葱、蒜、韭菜、莴苣、豆腐、地黄、何首乌。
6.花椒：忌防风、附子、款冬。
7.酒：忌与汽水、啤酒、咖啡、奶、茶、糖同饮；忌与牛肉、柿子同食。
8.茶：不宜与狗肉同食；贫血病人服用铁剂时忌用；服用人参等滋补药品时忌用。
9.牛奶：忌牛奶中放钙粉；勿用牛奶冲鸡蛋；不宜与酸性饮料、糖、巧克力、四环素同食。

(part from http://www.xici.net/b749259/d55563504.htm)