Festivals have to evolve with time

Traditional food of Dragon Boat Festival:Zongzi.[Photo/IC]

Although people celebrated Dragon Boat Festival, one of the four most important traditional festivals in China, just a couple of days ago, many complained that the old feeling about traditional festivals is fading with commercialization eating into celebrations. But there is nothing to worry about, says Guangming Daily, because traditions can never be rigid.

It seems we have given up (or forgotten) most of the traditional ways of celebrating Dragon Boat Festival. Most of us neither take part in dragon boat races nor play with dragon boats. Many don't even eat the traditional rice puddings, let alone holding traditional sacrificial ceremonies.

We prefer shopping and traveling, instead, which make the festival seem commercial.

But such a change does not mean our traditional festivals are dying. It is natural for humans to change the ways they celebrate festivals, adding new elements to the cultural memory that these festivals are supposed to carry.

These changes are rather practical and logical. Given today's fast pace of urbanization, it is no longer possible to play with dragon boats. Since the pace of life is becoming increasingly faster, a three-day holiday is especially important for us and we enjoy it by traveling and visiting places.

Some "experts" say we should "protect our traditional festivals". But protection does not mean rigidly following ancient customs. Protection means altering our habits to suit present-day social needs, so as to make traditional festivals more appealing to people.

The true vitality of a festival lies in being celebrated by the majority of society in their own ways.

Only when people really enjoy a traditional festival can it stay alive.