Chinese Birthdays and Customs for Newborn Babies

Chinese people put their family in a very important position as they regard it as a means to continue the family bloodline. The continuation of the family bloodline maintains the life of the whole nation. That is why reproduction and family planning in China truly becomes a focus of all members of families -- it is, in essence, an essential moral duty. There is a Chinese saying that of all who lack filial piety, the worst is who has no children. Traditions Surrounding Pregnancy and Childbirth The fact that Chinese people pay great attention to beginning and growing a family can be supported by many customary practices. Many traditional customs about the reproduction of children are all based on the idea of protecting the child. When a wife is found to be pregnant, people will say she has happiness, and all her family members will be overjoyed. Throughout the whole period of pregnancy, both she and the fetus are well attended, so that the new generation is born both physically and mentally healthy. To keep the fetus healthy, the expectant mother is offered sufficient nutritious foods and  traditional Chinese medicines believed to be beneficial to the fetus. When the baby is born, the mother is required to zuoyuezi or stay in bed for a month in order to recover from childbirth. In this month, she is advised to not even go outdoors. Cold, wind, pollution and tiredness are all said to exert a bad effect on her health and thus her later life. Choosing the Right Name A good name for a child is considered equally important. The Chinese think a name will somehow determine the future of the child. Therefore, all possible factors must be taken into account when naming a newborn. Traditionally, two parts of a name are essential -- the family name or last name, and a character showing the generation order of the family. Another character in the first name is chosen as the namer pleases. The generation signing characters in the names are usually given by the forefathers, who chose them from a line of a poem or found their own and put them in the genealogy for their descendants to use. For this reason, it is possible to know the relationships between the family relatives by just looking at their names. Eight Characters Another custom is to find the newborn babys Eight Characters (in four pairs, indicating the year, month, day and hour of a persons birth, each pair consisting of one Heavenly Stem and one Earthly Branch, formerly used in fortune-telling) and the element in the Eight Characters. It is traditionally believed in China that the world is made up of five principal elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. A persons name is to include an element that he lacks in his Eight Characters. If he lacks water, for example, then his name is supposed to contain a word like river, lake, tide, sea, stream, rain, or any word associating with water. If he lacks metal, then he is to be given a word like gold, silver, iron, or steel. The Number of Strokes of a Name Some people even believe that the number of strokes of a name has a lot to do with the owners fate. So when they name a child, the number of strokes of the name is taken into account. Some parents prefer to use a character from an eminent persons name, hoping that their child inherits that persons nobility and greatness. Characters with noble and encouraging connotations are also among the first choices. Some parents inject their own wishes into their childrens names. When they want to have a boy, they may name their girl Zhaodi meaning expecting a brother. The One-Month Celebration The first important event for the newborn baby is the  one-month celebration. In Buddhist or Taoist families, on the morning of the babys 30th day of life, sacrifices are offered to the gods so that the gods will protect the baby in his subsequent life. Ancestors are also virtually informed of the arrival of the new member in the family. According to the customs, relatives and friends receive gifts from the childs parents. Types of gifts vary from place to place, but eggs dyed red are usually a must both in town and the countryside. Red eggs are chosen as gifts probably because they are the symbol of the changing process of life and their round shape is the symbol of a harmonious and happy life. They are made red because red color is a sign of happiness in Chinese culture. Besides eggs, food like cakes, chickens, and hams are often used as gifts. As people do in the Spring Festival, gifts given are always in an even number. During the celebration, relatives and friends of the family will also return some presents. The presents include those which the child may use, like foods, daily materials, gold or silver wares. But the most common  is money wrapped in a piece of red paper. Grandparents usually give their grandchild a gold or silver gift to show their deep love for the child. In the evening, the childs parents give a rich feast at home or a restaurant to the guests at the celebration.

The Crucible Conformity Essay - 1041 Words

Conformity is a belief that has conflicted people since the beginning of time. Conformity is the inner feeling that will make you second guess everything you do: should I go to my friends party or should I resist temptation and stay home and study, should I change my beliefs or stand alone in the crowd. Conformity is all around you and it is up to you to make the right choices. In Arthur Miller’s 1953 drama, The Crucible, Miller uses conformity by forcing the people of Salem to choose between being an outcast or being accepted but forced to live a life not true to themselves. Conformity plays a key role in the play because it shows the reader that everyone is hiding something and it gives a deeper meaning to some of the characters†¦show more content†¦Mrs. Putnam used fear to conform everyone’s thought’s towards Tituba. In a similar situation, Abigail was peer pressing the girls into turning against Tituba. â€Å"She sees nothing. Abigail and all the girls: are transfixed. Abby, you must! Mary Warren: to all the girls I’m here, I’m here. Girls: I’m here I’m here† (Miller 127). The girls were being peer pressured into believing that Tibia was evil and the root of their problems. Lastly, in the beginning of the play, you see how easy it is to convince someone and wrongly judge them as Abigail did to Tituba. â€Å"ABIGAIL: She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer! PARRIS: She have often laughed at prayer! ABIGAIL: She comes to me every night to go and drink blood! TITUBA: You beg me to conjure! She beg me make charm ABIGAIL: Don t lie! (To Hale:) She comes to me while I sleep; she s always making me dream corruptions! TITUBA: Why you say that, Abby? ABIGAIL: Sometimes I wake and find myself standing in the open doorway and not a stitch on my body! I always hear her laughing in my sleep. I hear her singing her Barbados songs and tempting me with TITUBA: Mister Reverend, I never HALE, resolved now: Tituba, I want you to wake this child. TITUBA: I have no power on this child, sir. HALE: You most certainly do, and you will free her from it now! When did you compact with the Devil? TITUBA: I don t compact with no Devil!.† You can tell from this quote that AbigailShow MoreRelatedEssay On Conformity In The Crucible988 Words   |  4 Pagesplay, The Crucible; a story of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. In this case, because people conformed to what people around them were saying and doing--accusing people of witchcraft and executing them--twenty two lives were lost. After considering how the events of The Crucible portray conformity and the place in society conformity occupies, it becomes quite clear that conformity, while it has it virtues, can result in many societal issues that can be easily addressed. In The Crucible, almost allRead MoreAnalysing the Historical Content of the Crucible1409 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay, I intend to analyse the historical content of The Crucible and its relevance in today s society. I believe that Arthur Miller s life and his experience of McCarthyism strongly influenced the writing of The Crucible. McCarthyism, named after Joseph McCarthy was a period of intense anti-communism, which occurred in the United States from 1948 to about 1956. During this time the government of the United States persecuted the Communist party USA, its leadership, and many others suspectedRead MoreThe Witch Hunt in The Crucible and During the Time of McCarthyism1356 Words   |  6 Pages In this essay, I intend to analyse the historical context of The Crucible and its relevance in today’s society. I believe that Arthur Miller’s life and his experience of McCarthyism strongly influenced the writing of The Crucible. McCarthyism, named after Joseph McCarthy was a period of intense anti-communism, which occurred in the United States from 1948 to about 1956. During this time the government of the United States persecuted the Communist party USA, its leadership, and many others suspectedRead More The Problems of Individuallity and Conformity Within a Society1688 Words   |  7 Pagesto pull away from conformity and pushes for individuality. Many family TV shows and several media outlets propagate individuality as a source of pride and evidence of personal growth. In the American society, children are taught at a young age that individuality creates personality. However, as an individual grows, they are forced to choice sides on issues, thus placing them in a position where they must choose to either conform or rebel within their given society. While conformity in the AmericanRead MoreThe And The Great Gatsby877 Words   |  4 Pagessomewhat intriguing and given a list of essay topics that were bro ad enough to apply to any of the novels. I chose mostly classics because I thought they would help me in junior year for the New York State english regents exam. I read standard novels such as Frankenstein, Les Miserables and The Great Gatsby which at the time I considered relatively difficult to analyze because I usually struggled with development of themes and symbols. My solution was to read more essays and take notes of their developmentRead MoreThe Edwardian Era Of Great Britain2623 Words   |  11 Pagesentering a world of confusion. In Boes’ and On the Nature of â€Å"Bildungsroman† they explain how Bildungsroman represents a novel of formation and how it ties in to modern literature. Boes provides trends in Bildungsroman studies with a three-part essay. The first is a historical overview and exploration of the problems raised. The second describes the rise of feminist modese of inquiry. The final inquires the more recent contributions to the genre. As trends of transformation are represented throughoutRead More8 stages of social development6628 Words   |  27 Pagesopposite pole. Me decades become us epochs as we constantly spiral up, or spiral down in response to life conditions. Some social stages stress diversity generators that reward individual initiatives and value human rights. Other social stages impose conformity regulators and reward cooperative, collective actions. Societies will zigzag between these two poles, thus embracing different models at each tilt. Once a new social stage appears in a culture, it will spread its instructional codes and life priorityRead MoreCRM 1301 Midterm uOttawa Carolyn Gordon Essay10218 Words   |  41 PagesPerspective Trephining Individual who were having illusions or were delusional had a hole drilled in their skull in order to get rid of the spirits. If that person was still alive, the procedure was successful Witchcraft Correlated with ‘The Crucible’ where Tituba, Sarah Good Sarah Osborne are accused of witchcraft in Salem, 1692 What to do with the witches?! Exodus 22:18- Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live Leviticus   20:27- A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that isRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesperformance and satisfaction are likely to be higher if their values fit well with the organization. The person who places great importance on imagination, independence, and freedom is likely to be poorly matched with an organization that seeks conformity from its employees. Summary and Implications for Managers 155 Millennials Are More Narcissistic POINT hose in college today have many good qualities: they are more technologically savvy, more socially tolerant, and more balanced in their

How Does Steinbeck present the character of Lennie in Of Mice and Men Essay Example For Students

How Does Steinbeck present the character of Lennie in Of Mice and Men? Essay In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck presents Lennie as a childlike character who relies on George. Although the reader quickly learns that Lennie aint smart, the reader also learns later in the novel that hes a God damn good worker. Lennie, just like many itinerant farm workers from 1930s America, wants to achieve the American dream and tend the rabbits. When we are first introduced to Lennie in Section One of the novel, we learn that Lennie is both strong but, at the same time, unintelligent. Steinbeck refers to Lennie as a bear. A bear is an animal which has a lot of strength. This characteristic of a bear is one of the characteristics that Lennie has: strength. However, most bears are unsure of when to use that strength. This shows us that Lennie, in addition to having a lot of strength, is unintelligent. This makes the reader feel slightly uneasy as it hints that Lennie may use his strength unwisely later in the novel. Steinbeck also presents Lennie as being childlike. Lennie looks timidly at George when George is in a bad mood, and Lennie asks a lot of questions. When a parent is in a bad mood, a child tends to be scared to approach that parent because of fear at being shouted at. This is why Lennie looks timidly at George-because he is scared that he will be shouted at, just like a child. In addition to this, Lennie asks a lot of questions; something which children tend to do a lot. Again, this makes the reader feel slightly uncomfortable. This is because the reader may feel as though Lennies childishness will result in him doing a bad thing later in the novel. Steinbeck makes it clear to the reader that Lennie relies on George for almost everything. For example, George tells Lennie he aint say a word in the conversation with the boss and to just let George do all the talking. The reason why George tells Lennie to keep quiet is so that they can get the job. This shows the reader that if Lennie attempted to do anything on his own, he would get into trouble and be unable to cope. Therefore, the reader can tell that Lennie relies on George. Lastly, Steinbeck shows the reader that Lennie is a careless character. For example, in Section Five of the novel, Lennie accidentally, through his carelessness, kills Curleys wife. Although this carelessness may make the reader feel angry towards Lennie, I would argue that the majority of readers would feel sympathetic towards Lennie. This is because Lennie is in a panic and, as explained previously in the novel, Lennie is childlike and has no idea how his actions will lead to consequences. In this way, I think its fair to say that the reader feels sympathetic towards Lennie. The readers sympathy towards Lennie increases further in Section Six when Lennie, through his carelessness, saves a water snake from being eaten by a heron. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck presents Lennie as a childish character who is unintelligent. Although Lennie is unintelligent, he constantly works hard to achieve the American Dream, something which many men seeked to achieve in America in the 1930s.