Much of the population, whom were farmers, had to
work from daybreak to nightfall every day of the week. However,
they took breaks on the major holidays to enjoy a fun-filled day
at the festival. During holidays, the streets were bubbling with
excitement and bursting with people. Even though electricity did
not exist back then, the streets were illuminated with light from
lanterns that were decorated with pictures or calligraphy. The most
important and widely celebrated holiday was New Year, or Guonian,
which stood for the beginning of Spring. It was a 15-day celebration
with parades, kite flying, and family gatherings. The ancient Chinese
would put red pieces of paper with lucky sayings on their doors
and watched the firework displays and processions in the streets.
The celebration ended with the Feast of Lanterns. Before New Year,
families all over the country would burn the picture of the Kitchen
god hoping that he would give a good report to heaven about the
family's behavior over the year. A new picture of him was introduced
in the kitchen the day before New Year.
Chinese New Year was (and still is) celebrated with
the traditional lion dance that came about during the Han dynasty
(205 B.C. - 220 A.D). In ancient times, a strange beast appeared
in China and ate the people and animals; the lion was called on
to defeat the "nien". The lion hurt the creature, but the nien vowed
to return a year later for his revenge and he did. The lion was
busy guarding the emperor so the villagers made a lion out of bamboo
and cloth and scared the nien away. This dance is always performed
on New Years Eve to scare away evil spirits.
Following New Year came Family Festival, or Qingming,
which occurred on the fifth day of the fourth month every year.
On this day people visited their ancestor's graves to honor them,
clean their graves, and offer food. Next, came the Dragon Boat festival,
which occurred on the fifth day of the fifth month. Harmonizing
yin and yang, dragon decorated boats raced each other on rivers.
Rice cakes and sweets were eaten on this occasion. The last major
holiday celebrated was the Full Moon festival celebrated every 15th
day of the 8th month. This holiday marked the end of the growing
season and the start of autumn; the Chinese ate moon cakes on this
day.
The Tang people took pleasure in many games such as
kite flying. The nobles liked to hunt and listen to music in their
spare time, but all classes enjoyed both. A game similar to European
football was played and was even considered a good military exercise.
Popular activities included watching acrobatic acts or cricket fights,
gambling, or playing cards. Leisure time was also taken up playing
chess, betting on chicken fights and other contests. The upper gentry
used their leisure time learning, composing, and practicing calligraphy
or poetry.
