Nowadays,westernfestivalsarepopularinchina,especiallyamongteenagerswhoareinterestedinfreshthings.Thatwesternfestivalsaremoreandmorepopulararouseshotdiscussion.
Somepeopletakeitforgrantedthatthiskindofphenomenaisnotgood.Itcanbringmuchbadeffectswhichwecannotrealize.Theythinkwe,asteenagers,arecuriousaboutwesternfestivalsandpreferspendingtimeandmoneycelebratingtheseforeignfestivalsratherthanchinesetraditionalfestivals.Ifweallfocusedonwesternfestivalsandignoredchinesefestivals,ourtraditionalfestivalswouldnotbedevelopedfurther.However,therearesomepeopleholdingthatcelebratingwesternfestivalsisbeneficialtoculturalcommunication.Notonlycanitenrichthelifeofourpeople,butalsoitcanhelpuslearnmoreabouttheworld.Besides,whenpeoplecelebratewesternfestivals,wecanmakecomparisonsbetweenwesternandchinesefestivals.Bythisway,traditionalfestivalsmaybedevelopedintomultilateralfestivalswhichcanattractmorepeople.
AsfarasIamconcerned,celebratingwesternfestivalsmaybegood,whichcancontributetoculturalcommunicationandexpandourhorizons.Butwecannotdespisechinesetraditionalfestivals.WeallknowthatChinesefestivalsarethecrystallizationofChineseculture.AsaChinese,shouldwedropourownculture?So,weneedpayattentiontoourfestivals.Atthesametime,wecancelebratewesternfestivalstoimproveourstyles.
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NoonecanhavefailedtonoticethefactthatWesternfestivalsgainever-increasingpopularityinChina.AnincreasingnumberofChinesearefondofcelebratingWesternfestivalstoday.OnValentine’sDay,manypeople,especiallytheyoung,giveflowersorchocolatetotheonetheylove;whenChristmasapproaches,nearlyeverystoreputondecorationslikeSantaClaus,snowflakesandevenChristmastrees,nottomentionthemillionsofpeopleimmersedinthethrillingatmosphereoffestivalonChristmasEve;evensuchholidaysasHalloweenandtheEasterDayarebecomingknownandcelebratedbymoreandmoreChinese.Incomparison,suchtraditionalChinesefestivalsastheSpringFestival,theFestivalofLanternsandtheMid-AutumnDayseemtobelosingtheirattraction.
Inviewofsuchasituation,manyareworriedthatChineseculturewillbeignoredorevenruinedbytheinvasionofWesternfestivals.Personally,Ibelievethatweneedn’tbeoverworried.Actually,theincreasingpopularityofsomeWesternfestivalsinChinaisnothingaccidental,butsomethingjustifiable.
First,itisapartofculturalglobalization.Withthedevelopmentofcommunicationscienceandtechnologyandalongwithmoreandmorenationsopeninguptotheoutsideworld,theworldtodayhasturnedintoaglobalvillage,withmanynationalthingsbecominginternational.Chinaisnoexception.Whileweareabsorbingadvancedscienceandtechnologyfromforeigncountries,wearealsotakingindifferentcultures.
Secondly,itisasignofChina’srejuvenating.Asanationboastingacivilizationof5,000years,Chinesehavebeenknownfortheirspiritofaccommodationoropen-mindedness.ChinausedtobeameltingpotofculturesastheU.S.istoday.IntheprosperousTangdynasty,Chinawashosttotravelersandsettlersfromovertheworld.Actually,beingaccommodatingisasignofanythrivingnation.Therefore,weshouldbepleasedratherthanupsettoseeChinesepeopleembracingforeignfestivals.
ItistruethatsometraditionalChinesefestivalsarelosingtheirappealtomanypeople,butthisdoesnotnecessarilytheruinofChineseculture.Actually,acloserinspectionrevealsthatmostChinesecelebrateWesternfestivalsmerelyoutofthewishtoseeknovelty,tofindanewwaytoentertainthemselvesortoexpresstheiridentityinthefaceoftheoldergeneration.Ontheotherhand,mostChinesehavenotignoredtheirnativefestivals.AconvincingproofisthattheSpringFestivalstillseesthelargestflowofpopulationintheworldasmostChineserushtotheirhomesforfamilyreunion.
Inaword,whilewearegivingprioritytothepreservationanddevelopmentoftraditionalChineseculture,weneedn’tworrytoomuchabouttheinflowofforeignculture.
