Chinese Birthday Custom


It is very important for Chinese people to keep the family blood stream continuously running. There is a Chinese saying that of all who lack filial piety, the worst is who has no children. They regarded that  the running family blood stream maintains the life of the whole nation. That is why children production and breeding in China becomes a focus of all members of families. It is even accepted by them as an essential moral duty.

The traditional Chinese way to count age is different from the Western way. In China, people take the first day of the Chinese New Year in the lunar calendar as the starting point of a new age. No matter in which month a child is born, he is one year old, and one more year is added to his age as soon as he enters the New Year. So what may puzzle a Westerner is that a child is two years old when he is actually two days or two hours old. This is possible when the child is born on the last day or hour of the past year.
Traditional Birthday Foods
Western-style birthday celebrations with neatly wrapped gifts, colorful balloons, and sweet cakes with candles are becoming more popular in China, Hong Kong, Macau, ​and Taiwan. However, Chinese culture has some distinct Chinese birthday customs.
Regardless of the celebration's scale, peaches and noodles--both signs of long life--are required. When the noodles are cooked, they should not be cut short, as shortened noodles can have a bad implication. Everyone at the celebration eats the two foods to extend their best wishes to the long-life star.
The typical birthday presents are usually two or four eggs, long noodles, artificial peaches, tonics, wine and money in red paper.

Have baby = have hppiness
The fact that Chinese people pay great attention to children production and breeding can be supported by many customary practices. Many traditional customs about preproduction of children are all based on the idea of children protection. When a wife is found to be pregnant, people will say she "has happiness," and all her family members will feel overjoyed about it. Throughout the whole period of pregnancy, both she and the fetus are well attended, so that the fetus is not hurt in any way and the new generation is born both physically and mentally healthy.

The first important event for the newly born baby is the one-month celebration. In Buddhist or Taoist families, on the morning of the baby's 30th day, sacrifices are offered to the gods so that the gods will protect the baby in his subsequent life. Ancestors are also virtually informed of the arrival of the new member in the family. According to the customs, relatives and friends receive gifts from the child's parents. In the evening, the child's parents give a rich feast at home or a restaurant to the guests at the celebration.

Like  the one-month celebration, it is also very important for 1 year and 12 years old birthday celebration. It is becoming more popular to celebrate each birthday with a small celebration with family and friends that may include a home cooked meal, cake, and presents. Some parents may host a Chinese birthday party for their children which includes party games, food, and cake. Teenagers and young adults may opt to go out to dinner with friends and may receive small gifts and a cake as well. No matter if a birthday celebration is held or not, many Chinese will slurp one long longevity noodle for longevity and good luck.


36 years old birthday celebration
People in rural areas of China think 36 is an unlucky number. In order to avoid profit and misfortune, Chinese people are used to holding a celebration one year in advance, that is celebrating their 35th birthday. The day before the birthday, relatives and friends come to his house to set off firecrackers,  it is called "Chongxi". On the birthday, the host invited friends and relatives to dinner at home. And he will get many giftd from other people.  It is said that after this birthday party, the host will be good lucky in the next years.


60 years old birthday celebration
While some families opt to celebrate a person’s birthday annually, the more traditional approach is to start celebrating when a person turns 60.

It is often the grown-up sons and daughters who celebrate their elderly parents' birthdays. This shows their respect and expresses their thanks for what their parents have done for them. According to the traditional customs, the parents are offered foods with happy symbolic implications. On the birthday morning, the father or mother will eat a bowl of long "long-life noodles." In China, long noodles symbolize a long life. Eggs are also among the best choices of food taken on a special occasion.

To make the occasion grand, other relatives and friends are invited to the celebration. In Chinese culture, 60 years makes a cycle of life and 61 is regarded as the beginning of a new life cycle. When one is 60 years old, he is expected to have a big family filled with children and grandchildren. It is an age to be proud of and celebrated.


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