Abstract:  The Spring Festival is one of the most important and traditional Chinese festivals. It has a long history and rich and colorful folk-custom characteristics, such as the family reunion, eating dumplings, setting off firecrackers, pasting the spring couplets, etc. Those characteristics are the reflections of traditional Chinese thinking ways and the thoughts of Confucianism. For Passover, it is like the twin-brother of the Spring Festival. During Passover, the Jewish people gather and commemorate the grace of God and the hardship of the ancestors. Passover opens a door for the further study on the thoughts and culture of the ancient Israelites, and their view on God. Their folk customs including family reunion, brushing the lamb blood on the door frame, eating  unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and some other folk events that are similar to those of the Spring Festival. But to some extent , like the meaning of the festival and religiosity, they are very different. By comparing those differences and similarities, it is beneficial to the cross-cultural communication between the two nations and the study of Bible and has the positive effect on understanding the different cultures, histories, values, and backgrounds to avoid the misunderstanding.

Key word: the Spring Festival; Passover; culture; similarity; difference

Content

摘要：

Abstract:

Introduction1

Chapter One Cultural Backgrounds1

1.1 Cultural Soil of the Spring Festival1

1.2 Cultural Background of Passover2

Chapter Two Spring Festival Features3

2.1 The Folk-Custom Characteristics.3

   2.1.1 Kitchen God Worship3

   2.1.2 Pasting the Spring Couplets4

   2.1.3 “Shousui”, Staying up on the Chinese New Year’s Eve.4

   2.1.4 Setting off Firecrackers.4

   2.1.5 Eating Dumplings5

   2.1.6 “Bainian”, the New Year’s Visit.5

2.2 The Reflection of the Traditional Chinese Thinking Ways.5

   2.2.1 Obeying the Law of Nature.6

   2.2.2 Advocating the Balance.6

   2.2.3 Seeking for the Harmony6

Chapter Three Characteristics of Passover.7

3.1 The Folk-Custom Features7

3.2 Religious Overtones-the Relationship with God.9

Chapter Four The Similarities and Differences Between the Spring Festival and Passover.10

4.1 Time11

4.2 Mores11

4.2.1 Cleaning the House and Putting away the Yeast12

    4.2.2 Pasting Spring Couplets and Brushing the Lamb’s Blood.13

    4.2.3 Reunion: Family Reunion and Ancestor Reunion14

    4.2.4 Eating and Drinking Customs15

    4.2.5 Monster “Nian” and Staying up at Night.17

    4.2.6 Holy Convocations and Temple Fairs18

    4.2.7 Gift Money.18

4.3 The Core Ethos-Love and Benevolence.19

4.4 Religiosity21

Conclusion.21

Notes22

Bibliography22

Acknowledgements.23