Chinese people's annual culture

Author: Hai Shang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Unique Geographical Environment
China is located in the eastern part of the Eurasian continent, facing the Pacific Ocean to the east, bordering the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the west, connected to the Mongolian Plateau to the north, and embracing the subtropical mountainous regions to the south. It is situated in a relatively isolated geographical environment, with its main part located in the temperate zone. The climate is mild, humid, with distinct seasons, making it suitable for plant and crop growth. The ancient Chinese people, after a long period of nomadic and semi-nomadic farming, transitioned into a settled agricultural society. Archaeological evidence shows that the Neolithic Age was approximately between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago, and Neolithic cultures across China had already developed in correlation.
In the northern Yellow River Basin, at the Peiliang and Cishan culture sites dating back to around 8,000 to 7,000 years ago, traces of villages, agricultural tools, and carbonized remains of large quantities of grain have been discovered. In the southern Yangtze River Basin, the Hemudu culture site has yielded numerous carbonized grains of artificially cultivated rice, as well as stone, wooden, and bone tools for agricultural production and hunting. Villages of various sizes are also scattered throughout the Hemudu culture site. From this, it can be inferred that ancient Chinese agriculture had reached a certain level during the Neolithic Age. The agrarian social structure of China had already taken shape about 10,000 years ago. The settled, village-based agricultural lifestyle had also formed a basic social system. This farming-based means of subsistence had a direct impact on the ancient Chinese people's experience of time and the development of their seasonal concepts.
Through long-term production and daily life, the ancients discovered that the annual cycle corresponded to the movement of Jupiter. Jupiter completes a 12-year orbit around the sky, and this period is divided into 12 equal parts called "star intervals." Jupiter moves through one star interval each year, hence it is known as the "Year Star." The transformation of a labor tool "year" into a term for harvest and worship, and then into a time marker for the annual cycle, reflects the naming characteristics of traditional Chinese culture. That is why the Chinese calendar (lunar calendar) is still called the "lunar calendar" today.
Cultural Connotation of Seasonal Festivals
The fundamental cultural feature of seasonal festivals is their naturalness. This naturalness has two meanings: first, it originates from the understanding of natural rhythms and follows the natural order; second, the primary function of seasonal festivals in the pre-Qin period was to regulate and improve the relationship between humans and nature. By establishing seasonal festivals and solar terms, people adapted to the natural order, which was beneficial for agriculture and daily life. Ancient lifestyles were often closely tied to production, and production deepened people's perception of seasonal festivals. Therefore, seasonal festivals are a product of ancient culture, yet they are also an important part of it. Their creation evolved from myths and legends to experience, from the will of the divine heaven to the natural order, and ultimately became a human cultural creation that adapted to the natural cycle, effectively