Chinese culture has a very long history, with nearly 4000 years. Chinese culture has experienced the evolution and development of many dynasties and has accumulated rich cultural connotations and brilliant cultural achievements.

Let’s talk about the festivals of Chinese culture. The Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. This isn’t our ordinary New Year’s bash. It’s a grand celebration that lasts for 15 glorious days. We will witness a burst of red lanterns and hear the thunderous crackling of firecrackers as people strive to chase away evil spirits and usher in good luck for the coming year. Families gather for lavish feasts, exchange red packets filled with money, and pay respect to ancestors. The lion and dragon dances take center stage with vibrant colors.

The Dragon Boat Festival is also an exhilarating event that commemorates the legendary poet Qu Yuan. There will be furious paddling, the rhythmic beating of drums, and the roar of the crowd. It’s all about the dragon boat races. Teams compete fiercely to row these boats, channeling the spirit of the mythical dragon. The air is electric with excitement as spectators cheer on their favorite teams.

We also have a rich cuisine culture. China has a rich and diverse traditional cuisine, and each region has its own unique cooking style and specialties. Peking duck is a specialty of Beijing, famous for its crispy skin and tender meat. It is usually served with pancakes, green onions, cucumbers, and sweet noodle sauce.

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao is a specialty of Shanghai, which are small dumplings filled with fresh meat and soup. They are usually steamed in bamboo cages, and you have to be careful not to burn your mouth when eating them.

Sichuan Spicy Hot Pot is a specialty of the Sichuan region, famous for the unique flavor of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. It is a soup-based hot pot in which various meats, vegetables, tofu, and other ingredients can be cooked.

The Guangdong region is famous for its exquisite dim sum, including shrimp dumplings, siomai, glutinous rice chicken, and more. These snacks are usually eaten with morning or afternoon tea.

It can be seen that Chinese culture has distinctive characteristics in various aspects, which is a culture we can be proud of.

S5 Second Runner-up, Chinese Culture Week 2023-24 English Writing Competition