Folkrealm Studies
  • Folkrealm Studies
    • Eskimo Folktales: The Red Skeleton
    • Paiute Mythology: The Legend of the North Star
    • Scottish legends: The each-uisge
    • Scottish legends: The Cu Sith
    • The Last Song of Thomas the Rhymer
    • Legendary places: Dozmary Pool. Bodmin Moor, Cornwall
    • Legendary places: Wishing Wells
    • Mystery, Murder and Magic at the Rollright Stones
    • Joseph of Arimathea
    • Chalice Well, Glastonbury, Somerset
    • The Glastonbury Thorn
    • Victorian mysteries: Spring-heeled Jack
    • Brutus of Troy, first King of Britain
    • Beowulf - Hero of the age
    • The Mermaid of Blake Mere Pool, Staffordshire, England
    • A legend of the white hare
    • Sunken Bells: The Legend of the Kentsham Bell
    • Dartmoor folklore: Vixiana the Witch of Vixen Tor
    • Origins of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
    • Japanese folktales: The stonecutter >
      • Japanese folktales: The Bamboo cutter and the Moon-child
    • Russian folktales: The Fool and the flying ship
    • European Folktales: The Hunter and the Swan Maiden >
      • To love a Swan Maiden
      • The Swan Maiden's challenge
    • German Fairy Tales: The Six Swans
    • The Evolution of Christmas
    • Introduction to Chilote mytholgy >
      • Chilote mythology: The Royal Family of the Sea
      • Supernatural beings in Chilote mythology
      • El Caleuche: The ghost ship of Chilote folklore
    • Policies, Terms and Conditions, Disclaimers and Notices
  • Welsh mythology
    • Welsh legends: The Afanc of the River Conwy
    • Welsh legends: The Lady of Llyn y Fan Fach
    • Welsh legends: Mereid of Cantre’r Gwaelod
    • Welsh legends: King March's ears
    • Welsh legends: The birth of Taliesin
    • The Legend of the Church of the White Stag
  • Cornish folklore
    • Cornish legends: The tasks of Jan Tregeagle
    • Corineus, first Duke of Cornwall
    • Jack the Giant-killer fights Cormoran the Giant
    • Cornish legends: The Mermaid of Zennor
    • Cornish Folklore: The Witch of Treva
  • Lost Worlds
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Kenfig Pool
    • Lost Worlds: The drowning of the city of Ys
    • Lost worlds: The drowned Russian city of Kitezh
    • Lost worlds: Cantre’r Gwaelod of Wales
    • Lost worlds: El Dorado
    • Lost worlds: The sunken realm of Tyno Helig
    • Lost worlds: Semerwater
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Lake Bala
    • Lost Worlds: The Hidden Cherokees of Pilot Mountain
  • Folkrealm Tidings

Chinese traditions: The origin of eating zongzi at the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival

20/4/2016

0 Comments

 
PictureQu Yuan - Public Domain
The tradition of making and eating zongzi is strongly associated with the death of the great and much loved poet and patriot Qu Yuan. His suicide by drowning in a river was seen as a selfless act of patriotism by the people who loved him and who paid tribute to him by throwing rice balls into the river for his soul to eat. According to legend, his soul materialized before fishermen and began wailing that he was starving because the dragon in the river was eating the rice they threw to him.  Read more
0 Comments

The Importance of the Dragon in Chinese Culture

1/11/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dragons in Chinese legend

The dragon has played an important part in Chinese culture for thousands of years and is central to many myths, legends and traditions. This article briefly looks at how the dragon evolved to become such an essential part of Chinese culture.

In China from the earliest of times the dragon has been regarded as a lucky creature, bestowing fortune and blessing upon the lives people.   There is an ancient tradition that the Chinese people are descended from the dragon and it is a belief that still found deeply rooted in Chinese culture and the thinking.   Unlike western societies where dragons are often seen as evil, the Chinese people revere the dragon for its majesty and gravity and for its beneficial properties.  Read more
0 Comments

How the Dragon Dance Originated in China

1/11/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Colorful and spectacular!

The Chinese Dragon Dance is an extremely colorful and spectacular event that is traditionally performed at Chinese festivals around the word today. This article looks briefly at how it originated and evolved into the spectacular performances we see today.

A Divine Beast

In ancient Chinese culture the dragon was revered and venerated as a divine beast.  It was regarded as auspicious creature that brought good luck and enhanced the well being of people.   It became the symbol of honesty and decorum and was thought to control the waters of the earth especially rivers and the rainfall.  Read more
0 Comments

Madelon the shepherdess and the legend of the Christmas Rose

1/10/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureChristmas Rose - By Wildfeuer - CC BY 2.5
The legend of the Christmas Rose tells the story of how a young shepherdess named Madelon, through her love and devotion, came to give the baby Jesus a gift more precious than gold, frankincense or myrrh.

The tradition tells how the shepherds, while watching their flocks, were visited by an Angel who was leading the Magi to the birthplace of Jesus. The Angel told them of the birth of Jesus who would be known as the Prince of Peace, the King of Kings and the Saviour of their people. Overjoyed, the shepherds left their flocks to visit the new born king taking him such gifts as they could afford and were befitting of their status such as, honey, fruit and snow-white doves. 

But what could a Madelon, poor shepherd girl who possessed nothing give the King of Kings?   Read more
0 Comments

 The festival of Saturnalia  and the origin of Christmas

1/10/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureSaturnalia by Antoine Callet - CC0
Christmas in the modern world is a time of revelry, eating and overindulgence of drink, the giving of presents, carol singing and much more.  The Roman festival of Saturnalia is believed to have been a forerunner of the Christmas we know and celebrate today giving us many customs and traditions that we use and enjoy.

The Roman Festival of Saturnalia

An early forerunner to Christmas was the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia.  This festival was held in honour Saturn an agricultural deity who reigned during the Golden Age. This was a time of peace, when all was prosperous and plentiful.  A time when people’s needs were met with out having to work and every one lived in a state of social equality with one another.  The festival commenced on the 17th December to the 23rd of December. Saturnalia could be celebrated anywhere in the Roman Empire not just Rome.  Read more
0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Author

    zteve t evans

    Categories

    All
    British Folk Songs
    Celtic Mythology
    English Folklore
    Festivals
    Greek Mythology
    Hungarian Mythology
    Isle Of Man Folklore
    News
    North American Legend
    Symbols And Words
    Urban Legends
    Welsh Folklore
    World Mythology

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from trenchdroid, ferjflores, jarnocan, johan wieland, Muffet, Gwydion M. Williams, AlicePopkorn2, beggs, USFS Region 10