When Valentine's Day meets Spring Festival
- Source: Global Times
- [04:19 February 12 2010]
- Comments
In another 24 hours, all of China will be in a festive mood for the most important holiday of the year.
This year the Chinese Lunar New Year falls on February 14, Valentine's Day.
Every year, if a holiday that originated in another country is celebrated here, historians and social commentators fret that Chinese are being captivated by foreign culture and traditional customs are losing ground.
This year's Spring Festival may worry many cultural conservatives. But other than some couples splitting New Year's Day between family and their romantic partners, and flower sellers bemoaning the loss of sales because the two holidays fall on the same day, there are few signs of clashes.
New business opportunities have emerged from the festive convergence: Wine sales are up and heart-shaped fireworks look to be a new hit.
The last time Spring Festival fell on Valentine's Day was 1953 when China was defensive against Western influence. In those days, the Chinese words for "tomato" had to be changed because it contained a Chinese character meaning "west." Back then, no one could have imagined Chinese would ever celebrate Western festivals with ease and confidence.
Opening up to the foreign world didn't dilute local culture as feared. People have been given more holidays to celebrate, and opening up to other cultures actually strengthens local ones. It stimulates creativity and imagination through exchange and blending.
Western holidays and customs capture our hearts because they resonate in our minds. The stress on family values and spiritual richness found in foreign holidays is nothing new to China. These holidays help us rediscover the very best of our own culture, evidenced by the reemergence of traditional thinking and philosophy.
An open mindset has allowed China to achieve prosperity as it integrates with the rest of the world and contributes globally.
There is no reason to be frightened by the sight of Christmas trees in China. In New York City, the Empire State building is lit every Chinese Lunar New Year. The real power of culture transcends territorial boundaries and language barriers.
In recent years, Chinese are finding themselves often at odds with the West, and things especially do not look good at the beginning of this year. The clashes may last for a long time. But China won't shut its door and reverse its opening-up policy. Isolation means giving up the future.
Let's not miss the opportunity to doubly enjoy February 14, when we celebrate the Spring Festival – and Valentine's Day.
