New－born baby girl celebrations

CCTV.COM (04.10 2003 11:15)

    A month after a baby was born，the family would host a banquet for all the people in the earth building. Pink dumplings （see picture on the right）are cooked. They're only prepared at festive times. The table is being set in the Middle Hall，the building's communal heart.

    At 11 am�?the birthday celebrations start. The grandfather pays the family's respect to heaven and earth in front of the table and then the grandmother parades the baby around the village. It's the first time the little baby has been allowed to leave the building.

    As the grandmother shows off her new treasure to the community�?she murmurs encouragement such as "grow fast�?be good" to the soundly sleeping little girl.

    The celebration is quite an important event and each guest gives some money wrapped in red paper as a blessing for the little girl（see picture on the top�?

    It's the spirit of giving that's important rather than the amount.If it were a boy's birthday�?the whole village would be invited and the tables would spill out into the courtyard.

    That night�?the excitement of a puppet show punctured the usual evening quietness in the building. All of the families have TV sets�?but the box still can't compete with real�?in－house theater. It's hard to say who enjoyed the show most�?the people watching�?or the performers.

Editor:Inner