Hong Kong is a metropolis where Chinese and Western cultures meet. In the past, under the influence of British colonial rule, people's living habits and ideas were increasingly westernized. How much can we find about China's traditions in this metropolis? In fact, this cosmopolitan city exudes the charm of an international city, which is an out-and-out China place in its bones. It is not difficult to find traces of China tradition in the streets and lanes inside and outside the city. Among them, the celebration of traditional festivals, including the Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, can best express the importance that Hong Kong people attach to China tradition. Lunar New Year Lunar New Year is a traditional festival with a long history in China. Since the Yao and Shun era, people have had the folk custom of celebrating the harvest and welcoming the new year, and it has gradually become an established traditional festival. The origin of the Lunar New Year begins with a story about Nian Beast. In ancient times, there was a unicorn named Nian Beast, whose head was like a lion and body was like an ox. It was locked in the mountains by the gods, and it was only 3 days late every year. Every night, Nian Beast went to the people to pound around. Once, people found that Nian Beast ran wildly when he came to a house with a big red cloth hanging in front of it. On the other hand, they found that Nian Beast was afraid of the blazing fire and the loud noise of firecrackers, so they started to put up red paper, hang headlights and burn firecrackers during the New Year. The custom of New Year's greetings on the first day of the Lunar New Year also means to avoid "Nian beast" or "bad luck" and congratulate each other. Like the Western New Year, the Lunar New Year begins in January of the lunar calendar, while celebrations generally last for several days from the end of December of the lunar calendar. In Hong Kong, the first day to the third day of the Lunar New Year is a public holiday, and people's activities to celebrate the Lunar New Year are generally as follows: 28th-carry out household cleaning to welcome the beginning of the new year. On the last day of December, on the Lunar New Year's Eve, families get together for dinner. This custom is called reunion, which is the most important festival in the whole year. After the reunion dinner, people will go to the flower market. In the past, the flower market only sold flowers, but today's flower market is all-encompassing, and the most popular ones are peach blossoms, oranges and daffodils. In addition, young people like to buy or sell some new things, such as balloons and blow dolls, to add joy to the flower market. On New Year's Eve, some faithful men and women also went to Wong Tai Sin Temple, hoping to burn incense in the early morning (that is, on the first day of the lunar new year) and pray for their loved ones. It is generally believed that the first incense in the New Year has the greatest merit and can benefit the most. The first day of the new year is the first day of the new year. On this day, people will wear new clothes to their elders' homes to pay New Year greetings, and elders will also send red packets to their younger generations to represent good luck. On the second day of the lunar new year, the married daughter will bring her husband and children back to her family. On the second day of the New Year, there is a fireworks display in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, which attracts 1, people and is very lively. On the third day of New Year's Day, it is Chikou. People believe that if relatives and friends meet, they will quarrel, so many people will choose this day to hit the Universiade in the suburbs or participate in the horse racing activities on that day to make a new year's fortune. Dragon Boat Festival The Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month is a day to commemorate the patriotic poet Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was the third doctor of Chu State in the 4th century BC. Seeing that the treacherous court official was in power, he wrote about it, but he was exiled. In fear of national hatred, Qu Yuan died by drowning in the river. At that time, in order to protect Qu Yuan's body from being bitten by fish and shrimp, people rowed dragon boats in the river, while looking for Qu Yuan's body, they made zongzi with glutinous rice wrapped in zongzi and threw them into the river to feed the fish and shrimp. Since then, rowing dragon boats and eating zongzi have become folk customs. Today in Hong Kong, the custom of rowing dragon boats and eating zongzi is still maintained, and the dragon boat race has been promoted to an international event by Hong Kong people, so the Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most popular festivals in Hong Kong. At first, local fishermen and athletes participated in the dragon boat race. Later, in the mid-195s, two foreigners initiated the dragon boat race. Although they still failed in the end, it opened the way for foreigners to participate in the dragon boat race. In 1976, the Hong Kong Tourist Association felt the potential of this kind of competition and held the first International Dragon Boat Invitational Tournament. Now there are more than 1 international teams participating in the competition every year, and many parts of the world also hold their own dragon boat races. Mid-Autumn Festival The Mid-Autumn Festival on the 15th day of August in the lunar calendar is a time for people to celebrate the autumn harvest, hold abundant sacrifices and worship the moon god, and it is also a time for family reunion. In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, due to the corruption of the court, patriots protested against the Yuan Dynasty. They left a note with the words "Kill the Tartars on the 15th night of August" on the moon cake. When everyone saw this note while eating the moon cake, they all killed the Tartars together, so the Yuan Dynasty pushed it to broadcast. Coupled with this tradition of eating moon cakes to kill Tartars, the Mid-Autumn Festival has become a festival of national significance. From ancient times to the present, the main activities of the Mid-Autumn Festival are to enjoy the moon and eat moon cakes. People believe that the moon is the brightest on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. In Hong Kong, people usually have dinner as a family, and after dinner, they will go outdoors or enjoy the moon. Children will play with their beloved lanterns. What a joy! In recent years, some Hong Kong people have added celebrations to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which are called "welcoming the moon" and "chasing the moon". In addition, a slightly distinctive local activity was selected as the dragon dance performance in Tai Hang, Causeway Bay, and this custom has a history of over 1 years. Legend has it that a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival in 188, a severe typhoon occurred in Hong Kong. After the disaster, a poisonous snake was found in Dakeng Village, so the villagers worked together to kill it. However, the next day, I found that the cockroach was missing. A few days later, a cholera epidemic occurred in the village. Some people say that Ju Bi is the son of Neptune, and Neptune punished the villagers for killing his son with epidemic disease, while a father in the village claimed that he had been rewarded with a dream by an immortal, and was granted a way to eliminate disasters and solve urban problems. Because Neptune is afraid of fire. As long as the villagers dance the dragon for three nights around the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, the Neptune will be frightened by the town and the plague will stop. As a result, the villagers were instructed to form a big fire dragon with straw and other materials, and the first fire dragon was finally born with the finishing touch of his father and the incense thread. Immediately, he found a strong man dancing and caught fire, and the villagers also set off firecrackers, which was very lively. Shortly after dancing for three days, cholera gradually disappeared. In order to ensure safety, the villagers continue to dance the fire dragon for three days in the Mid-Autumn Festival every year. This traditional custom has been followed up to now. In addition to the festivals mentioned above, there are many traditional festivals in Hong Kong, such as Tomb-Sweeping Day and Chung Yeung Festival, and various local festivals such as Queen's Day, Public Day, Wong Tai Sin Day, Tan Gong Birthday and Yulan Festival, all of which have their own characteristics, and the celebrations held by people are also colorful! Although Hong Kong people are deeply influenced by western culture, they have not forgotten to preserve and carry forward China's cultural traditions. Hong Kong can also be regarded as a window and unique for western tourists to learn about China culture!