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08

Dec

Culture Smart: Wrap a Gift and Don’t Forget the Feather

by Sheron Long on December 8, 2013

Swan standing on planet Earth, representing a Chinese gift giving legend. Image © Denis Zaporozhtsev / Hemera.

China’s swan feather legend is a gift to the world.
© Denis Zaporozhtsev / Hemera

In Chinese tradition, the legend of the swan feather dates to the Tang Dynasty (618-906 CE) and is still relevant today, especially during this gift-giving season.

According to legend,  a local official in a far-away vassal state asked Mian Bogao to take two swans to the emperor as a gift. Such gift-giving was customary to show respect to the emperor, and swans (rarely found in China) were the most precious of gifts.

Swan feather, symbolizing gift giving with sincerity and respect in Chinese tradition. Image © Lendy 16 / iStock.

A single swan feather sends a significant message.
© Lendy 16 / iStock

Mian set out on the long journey. As he neared his destination, he stopped by a lake to wash the swans. Freed from their cage, however, the two swans escaped and left only a feather behind.

Though Mian had now lost the precious gift for the emperor, he knew he had to complete his mission. He wrapped the swan feather in a white silk cloth and wrote a poem (as translated by CozyChinese.com):

千里送鵝毛 (qiān lǐ sòng é máo)—A swan’s feather from a thousand miles away
禮輕情意重 (lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng)—An insignificant gift, with it the sincere wishes of the sender.

When Mian arrived at the palace, he watched as others offered jewelry and great riches to the emperor. When his turn came, he presented his simple gift and explained his story. And the emperor, impressed with Mian’s honesty and diligence to complete his mission, rewarded him greatly.

From this legend came a Chinese saying about walking a thousand miles and presenting a swan feather as a gift. It recognizes the value of the thought and sincerity behind a gift over its cost.

Today, you can honor this Chinese tradition and show sincere sentiments to your friends—just add a beautiful feather to their gifts.

Present tied up with feathers in the bow, showing a Chinese tradition in which a feather symbolizes gift-giving with great sincerity and respect. Image © Studio-Annika / iStock

A feather on a gift is such a thoughtful touch!
© Studio-Annika / iStock

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

China/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Cultural Symbols/Literary World

01

Dec

Culture Smart: How Did Thanksgivukkah Happen?

by Sheron Long on December 1, 2013

The hands on the dial of Prague's astronomical clock feature the Moon and the Sun, which are also the basis for calendars created by different cultures. Image © Lucertolone/iStock.

The Moon and the Sun figure prominently in the way different cultures mark time, serving as the
basis for their calendars and gracing old clocks like this one on City Hall in Prague.
© Lucertolone/iStock

Hanukkah and Thanksgiving Day converged in 2013, both falling on November 28 per the Gregorian calendar, creating Thanksgivukkah. And it all happened because of a once-in-a-lifetime calendar mash-up.

Different cultures and religions have created unique ways of marking the passage of time, basing the calendar on the Sun, the Moon, or both.

  • Solar Calendar:  Gregorian

The Gregorian calendar, sometimes known as the western or Christian calendar, is the most commonly used internationally. It is tied to the time it takes Earth to make a revolution around the Sun, which is 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds.

Most years on the Gregorian calendar have 365 days. Since almost 6 hours are lost in these years, one day is added to the calendar almost every four years (Leap Years) to keep the calendar in alignment with Earth’s revolutions around the Sun.

  • Lunar Calendar: Islamic 

The moon takes 29.5 days to go from a new moon to a full moon and back again to a new moon. Following this lunar cycle, the Islamic calendar has 12 months which add to a 354-day year.

  • Luni-Solar Calendars:  Hebrew and Chinese 

A luni-solar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon with periodic corrections that bring the calendar in line with solar approaches. For example, both the Hebrew and Chinese calendars add a month every 2-3 years. Even with the periodic corrections, though, the number of days in a year on a luni-solar calendar and a Gregorian calendar do not match.

But days can coincide, and so it happened that in 2013 Hanukkah on the Hebrew calendar occurred on the same day as Thanksgiving on the Gregorian calendar.

A rare connection, not expected to occur again for 77,000 years. But, as so often happens when cultures meet up in celebration, it was a joyous occasion!

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You can submit photographs of your Thanksgivukkah celebration here. 

Learn more about different calendars at InfoPlease: Chinese, Hebrew, Islamic. Hebcal offers lists of Jewish holidays for any year, a date converter between Gregorian and Hebrew calendars, and more. 

Time and Date offers printable Gregorian calendars with holidays and observances for any year and most countries. You can vary the display to show a combined selection of holidays and events from different cultures and religions.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Cultural Diversity/Cultural Heritage & Traditions

25

Nov

Crossing Cultures: Happy Thanksgivukkah!

by Meredith Mullins on November 25, 2013

Menorah and turkey equation, crossing cultures of Hanukkuh and Thanksgiving by creating Thanksgivikkuh and the Menurkey

What happens when you cross a menorah and a turkey?
© Carly Hennigan/Thinkstock

Thanksgiving Meets Hanukkah

Once in a lifetime

The very words—once in a lifetime— stir the creative spirit.

An exceptional comet. The first moon landing. A rare transit of Venus across the face of the sun. A new millenium.

We are inspired to celebrate these rare moments and to capture them in some special way.

This year, this week, for the first time in recorded history since President Lincoln established Thanksgiving in 1863—and for the only time until around 77,000 years from now—Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fall on the same day. Crossing cultures in the best possible way.

Gobble tov. Happy Thanksgivukkah. Mazel turk.

 

Clever Ideas/Crossing Cultures/Cultural Heritage & Traditions

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