What do ancestors eat on CNY? Why is there lettuce in the traditional lion dance? Why are there red scraps all over the ground? Where can you find some corners of traditional culture in ultra-modernized ultra-urbanized Shenzhen, a city of 12 million inhabitants? Join us and find out! 🎇
Katherine experiences a unique Lunar New Year in Shenzhen, witnessing ancient traditions amidst modern marvels. Lion dances, ancestor worship, and artistic villages create a memorable and culturally rich journey.
Travel Guides & Tips in this video
Katherine's Lunar New Year adventure in Shenzhen, China, reveals a vibrant blend of modern skyscrapers and ancient traditions. Explore unique cultural practices, from ancestor worship with unusual offerings to the lively lion and chilean dances, filled with symbolism and community spirit. Discover how art revitalizes preserved villages, showcasing China's rich rural heritage amidst the urban landscape. A captivating journey into the heart of a mega-city's hidden cultural gems!
Next travel video:
6 min
2021
Shenzhen Lunar New Year: Culture and Modernity
What do ancestors eat on CNY? Why is there lettuce in the traditional lion dance? Why are there red scraps all over the ground? Where can you find some corners of traditional culture in ultra-modernized ultra-urbanized Shenzhen, a city of 12 million inhabitants? Join us and find out! 🎇
Spring...
Shenzhen Lunar New Year: Traditions & Villages
Katherine's Lunar New Year adventure in China unveils the captivating blend of ancient traditions and modern urban life. Witness the vibrant lion dance, explore the unique culinary customs, and discover hidden pockets of traditional culture amidst the bustling metropolis of Shenzhen. A journey that's both enlightening and entertaining!
Attractions in this video: Buddhist Temple, Tsutong Village
More about the current video:(Published on 2021-02-17)
This video, "MY FIRST LUNAR NEW YEAR IN CHINA 🐲🍊🎇," follows Katherine's journey through Shenzhen during the Lunar New Year. It challenges the typical perception of Shenzhen as solely a city of skyscrapers, revealing a rich tapestry of traditional culture hidden beneath the modern façade. Katherine's exploration begins at a Buddhist temple where ancestors are worshipped with offerings that vary widely by family and village, including geese, alcohol, and tangerines.
The video then delves into the significance of firecrackers, a tradition aimed at warding off evil spirits. Katherine's interaction with friendly locals in the Tsutong village offers a glimpse into the preservation of historical relics and cultural practices. She's invited into a home to witness firsthand the continuation of ancestor offerings, including symbolic items like gold, money, and even US dollars.
The vibrant lion dance performance is a highlight, showcasing its symbolism and purpose in scaring away evil spirits. The inclusion of spring onions and lettuce in the performance adds another layer of cultural intrigue, representing new beginnings and wealth. Katherine also observes a smaller, local troupe performing a chilean dance, a unique cultural aspect of the region. The video then shifts to showcasing the preserved villages within Shenzhen, highlighting how artists have revitalized these areas, creating a symbiotic relationship between art, tourism, and the preservation of rural culture. The video concludes with Katherine's reflections on the beauty and uniqueness of the preserved villages and her wishes for a happy Lunar New Year.
The unique details highlighted in Katherine's journey include the variety of ancestor offerings, the surprising inclusion of US dollars in the offerings, the detailed explanation of the symbolism in the lion dance, and the preservation of villages through art. These elements, combined with Katherine's personal interactions and observations, create an engaging narrative that showcases both the modern and traditional aspects of Shenzhen during the Lunar New Year.
