TOPIC: ISSUE207 - "Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are."
WORDS: 506 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008-7-18 19:59:09
The speaker alleges that without rituals and ceremonies, societies or groups of people have a decreased sense of who they are, since they can give the definition of a culture. I agree with the statement insofar as rituals and ceremonies can help people to understand their own culture; however, they are not the only way to achieve the purpose.
To begin with, rituals and ceremonies would serve useful to people have a sense of who they are in a number of respects.
First of all, by taking part in rituals and ceremonies help people, especially children, to understand mean of a certain ritual or ceremony, which is a part of culture, because people can learn some knowledge about background, cause and so forth from them. It is well known that dragon boat festival is a traditional ceremony in China, and the purpose of holding this ceremony is to memorize Quyuan, a prestigious person in ancient China. When the ceremonies comes, parents always tells the fact to their children that why we should remember Quyuan. And as a result the patriotism and heroism of Qu passed down from generation to generation and have been deeply rooted virtues of Chinese people. Thus, the way of joining ceremonies and rituals is one of best methods to pass the history of a culture.
Secondly, rituals and ceremonies can help people to know some custom of a culture. Spring festival is a telling example. Spring festival is the most important ceremony and ritual in China, because it is the time of a year for whole family review again, and it is just like Christmas means to western people. The most important celebration on Spring Festival eve is to have a diner with whole family. This is tradition to have a fish dish on this night, because Chinese believe that if you eat fish on this night, the whole family will have a good fortune on this night. There are many interesting custom on this night that children are encouraged to break some dishes, for Chinese believe this action can bring security to family in coming year. In a word, rituals and ceremonies can help people understand some custom of a culture.
While rituals and ceremonies can help people to know a culture, but this is not only way. Studying history of a culture is also a very helpful way and history also could define a culture. China has a history more than five thousand years, by studying them Chinese can discover the development of their nation and how their cultures were created. They would know that the goal of constructing the Great Wall is to protect nation and it is the symbol of wisdom of Chinese people. Thus, studying history is also a useful and very vital way to understand a certain culture.
To sum up, rituals and ceremonies can bring some benefits, understanding mean of them and custom of culture, to people have a sense of what they are, but not the sole method, and studying history is also useful.作者: 无尘小钢炮 时间: 2008-7-27 22:57:49
TOPIC: ISSUE207 - "Rituals and ceremonies help define a culture. Without them, societies or groups of people have a diminished sense of who they are."
WORDS: 506 TIME: 00:45:00 DATE: 2008-7-18 19:59:09
The speaker alleges that without rituals and ceremonies, societies or groups of people have a decreased sense of who they are, since they can give the definition of a culture. I agree with the statement insofar as rituals and ceremonies can help people to understand their own culture; however, they are not the only way to achieve the purpose.
To begin with, rituals and ceremonies would serve useful to people have a sense of who they are in a number of respects.
First of all, by去掉 taking part in rituals and ceremonies help people, especially children, to understand the meaning of a certain ritual or ceremony, which is a part of culture, because people can learn some knowledge about background, cause and so forth from them. It is well known that dragon boat festival is a traditional ceremony in China, and the purpose of holding this ceremony is to memorize Quyuan, a prestigious person in ancient China. When the ceremonies comes, parents always tells the fact to their children that why we should remember Quyuan. And as a result the patriotism and heroism of Qu passed down from generation to generation and have been deeply rooted virtues of Chinese people. Thus, the way of joining ceremonies and rituals is one of the best methods to pass the history of a culture.
Secondly, rituals and ceremonies can help people to know some custom of a culture. Spring festival is a telling example. Spring festival is the most important ceremony and ritual in China, because it is the time of a year for whole family review again, and it is just like Christmas means to western people. The most important celebration on Spring Festival eve is to have a diner with whole family. This is tradition to have a fish dish on this night, because Chinese believe that if you eat fish on this night, the whole family will have a good fortune on this night. There are many interesting custom on this night that children are encouraged to break some dishes, for Chinese believe this action can bring security to family in coming year. In a word, rituals and ceremonies can help people understand some custom of a culture.
While rituals and ceremonies can help people to know a culture, but this is not only way. Studying history of a culture is also a very helpful way and history also could define a culture. China has a history more than five thousand years, by studying them Chinese can discover the development of their nation and how their cultures were created. They would know that the goal of constructing the Great Wall is to protect nation and it is the symbol of wisdom of Chinese people. Thus, studying history is also a useful and very vital way to understand a certain culture.
To sum up, rituals and ceremonies can bring some benefits, understanding mean of them and custom of culture, to people have a sense of what they are, but not the sole method, and studying history is also useful.