{"id":6928,"date":"2011-12-24T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2011-12-24T13:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/?p=6928"},"modified":"2011-12-18T09:38:33","modified_gmt":"2011-12-18T14:38:33","slug":"chinesechristmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/","title":{"rendered":"A Chinese Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div id=\"attachment_6933\" style=\"width: 244px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/chinese_christmas\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6933\" aria-label=\"Chinese Christmas 300x225\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6933\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6933  \"  alt=\"\" width=\"234\" height=\"176\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/chinese_christmas-300x225.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6933\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christmas in China.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The holiday season is upon us yet again, and while most people don&#8217;t associate China with <strong>Christmas<\/strong> (\u5723\u8bde\u8282 &#8211; sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9), the holiday is becoming more and more popular in the Middle Kingdom. For the past month, the Christmas spirit has been alive and well here in Beijing &#8211; in subway stations, shopping centers, restaurants, and bars all across the city. Everywhere you go, the sounds of \u201cJingle Bells\u201d and &#8220;Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer&#8221; follow you. Department stores are stocked and ready to help people &#8220;deck the halls&#8221;, with Christmas trees, stockings, tinsel, ornaments, and any other Christmas trinket you could imagine prominently on display. In malls all over town, there are Christmas sales drawing throngs of holiday shoppers. While many people here do not know or understand the history and traditions of this holiday, one thing is clear \u2013 they sure love the shopping that accompanies it.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6932\" style=\"width: 180px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/chinachristmas_santamao_051206\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6932\" aria-label=\"ChinaChristmas SantaMao 051206\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6932\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6932\"  alt=\"\" width=\"170\" height=\"218\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/ChinaChristmas_SantaMao_051206.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6932\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We wish you a Mao-y Christmas.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Christmas in China\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-6rStxU5Seg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>A short video about how China celebrates Christmas.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In restaurants big and small, waiters and cooks have been wearing red and white hats, and the image of <strong>Santa Claus<\/strong> (\u5723\u8bde\u8001\u4eba \u2013 sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n l\u01ceo r\u00e9n \u2013 lit. Christmas old person) has been everywhere you look. For the fourth year in a row, a huge group of Santas paraded around the capital, spreading holiday cheer and lifting spirits &#8211; not in the making people feel good kind of way, but in the actual, literal lifting of glasses full of booze. Santa Con IV was bigger and better than ever this year, proving that Old St. Nick is here to stay in China.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6938\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/santa\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6938\" aria-label=\"Santa 225x300\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6938\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6938\"  alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/santa-225x300.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6938\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Santa Con still going strong in 2011.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_6930\" style=\"width: 220px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/c03_17417879-300x193\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6930\" aria-label=\"C03 17417879 300x193\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6930\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6930 \"  alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"135\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/c03_17417879-300x193.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6930\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bird&#039;s Nest Christmas tree.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>While Chinese children enjoy the fun that comes along with Christmas, they are quick to point out the fantastic aspects of the story \u2013 \u201cHow does he come down the chimeny? He\u2019s too fat!\u201d Even at landmarks like the <strong>Bird\u2019s Nest<\/strong> (\u9e1f\u5de2 \u2013 ni\u01ceo ch\u00e1o), there stands a giant, well-lit Christmas tree. If there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve noticed in my time living here in China, it\u2019s that people here love a reason to celebrate. That being said, it comes as no surprise that China has embraced Christmas. Plus, it\u2019s good for business. China makes 90% of the world&#8217;s plastic Christmas trees, <a href=\"http:\/\/usa.chinadaily.com.cn\/business\/2011-12\/17\/content_14281902.htm\">although the troubled world economy might hurt the lucrative business this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6929\" style=\"width: 220px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/378231-300x216\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6929\" aria-label=\"378231 300x216\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6929\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6929 \"  alt=\"\" width=\"210\" height=\"151\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/378231-300x216.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6929\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christmas cheer keeps you warm!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_6939\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/china_church_1792716c\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6939\" aria-label=\"China Church 1792716c 300x187\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6939\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6939\"  alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"187\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/china_church_1792716c-300x187.jpg\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6939\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Midnight Mass in Beijing.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s not just the pretty decorations and presents that have peaked China\u2019s curiosity, though. Many of my students have asked me about the story behind Christmas. After all, Christmas in Chinese, or \u5723\u8bde\u8282 (sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9) literally translates as \u201choly birth festival.\u201d I\u2019ve noticed more and more that people here are curious about the story of <strong>Jesus<\/strong> (\u8036\u7a23 \u2013 y\u0113 s\u016b), and not just the secular traditions Christmas has to offer. There are many <strong>Christians<\/strong> (\u57fa\u7763\u6559\u5f92 \u2013 j\u012b d\u016b ji\u00e0o t\u00fa) here in China, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/worldnews\/asia\/china\/8224841\/Christians-celebrate-Christmas-against-the-odds-in-China.html\">they go to <\/a><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/news\/worldnews\/asia\/china\/8224841\/Christians-celebrate-Christmas-against-the-odds-in-China.html\">midnight mass<\/a> <\/strong>(\u5348\u591c\u5f25\u6492 \u2013 w\u01d4 y\u00e8 m\u00ed s\u0101) just like folks back in the US. <strong>According to Christians, Christmas is an important holiday <\/strong>(\u5723\u8bde\u8282\u5bf9\u57fa\u7763\u6559\u5f92\u6765\u8bf4\u662f\u4e2a\u91cd\u8981\u8282\u65e5 \u2013 sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9 du\u00ec j\u012b d\u016b ji\u00e0o t\u00fa l\u00e1i shu\u014d sh\u00ec g\u00e8 zh\u00f2ng y\u00e0o ji\u00e9 r\u00ec). While Christmas still isn\u2019t a national holiday, it\u2019s clear that this is one holiday that is here to stay in China.<\/p>\n<p>From all of us here at Transparent Chinese, <strong>we wish you a Merry Christmas<\/strong> (\u6211\u4eec\u795d\u4f60\u5723\u8bde\u5feb\u4e50 &#8211; W\u01d2 men zh\u00f9 n\u01d0 sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ku\u00e0i l\u00e8)!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6934\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter post-item__attachment\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/merry_christmas_chinese_post_card_postcard-p239787952720709618qibm_400-300x300\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-6934\" aria-label=\"Merry Christmas Chinese Post Card Postcard P239787952720709618qibm 400 300x300\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6934\" class=\"size-full wp-image-6934\"  alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/ src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/merry_christmas_chinese_post_card_postcard-p239787952720709618qibm_400-300x300.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/merry_christmas_chinese_post_card_postcard-p239787952720709618qibm_400-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/merry_christmas_chinese_post_card_postcard-p239787952720709618qibm_400-300x300-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-6934\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Merry Christmas to all!<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<img width=\"350\" height=\"218\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/china_church_1792716c-350x218.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image tmp-hide-img\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/china_church_1792716c-350x218.jpg 350w, https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2011\/12\/china_church_1792716c.jpg 460w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><p>The holiday season is upon us yet again, and while most people don&#8217;t associate China with Christmas (\u5723\u8bde\u8282 &#8211; sh\u00e8ng d\u00e0n ji\u00e9), the holiday is becoming more and more popular in the Middle Kingdom. For the past month, the Christmas spirit has been alive and well here in Beijing &#8211; in subway stations, shopping centers&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/chinesechristmas\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":6939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[115727,43,115723,115728,3651,115726,115729,115725,13166],"class_list":["post-6928","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-christianity-in-china","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-in-china","tag-midnight-mass","tag-santa-claus","tag-santa-con-beijing","tag-115729","tag-115725","tag-13166"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6928"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6945,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6928\/revisions\/6945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/chinese\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}