Life Rituals and Customs

Name: Life Rituals and Customs
ISBN: 9787807240334

黄勇Jinghua Publishing House · ChinaMay 2016

3.3

Word count: 130K words
Chapters: 10
ISBN: 9787807240334

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Summary

This book is an observation of life rituals and a distillation of the folk life they embody. Life rituals are not merely a widely practiced form of ceremonial activity; they are also a kind of folk custom that no person can avoid. Every individual, in the course of a lifetime, inevitably participates in these rituals, which accompany the major passages of human existence. In examining and refining this aspect of folk life, the book highlights how such universal ceremonies shape and accompany us all, offering a clear reflection on practices that belong to everyone.

Editor's review

Life Rites and Customs, published by Jinghua Publishing House, is authored by Huang Yong, who with plain and systematic strokes outlines the traditional rituals and customs that run through a Chinese person's life. This is not a difficult academic monograph but a cultural primer for general readers, clearly sketching the rites and customs corresponding to key life milestones—from birth, coming of age, and marriage to birthday celebrations and funerals. In today's rapidly modernizing world, many traditional ceremonies have been simplified or are being forgotten; the value of this book lies in preserving a map of folk memory. It helps readers understand the cultural logic and emotional significance behind these rituals—why the zhuazhou (grabbing ceremony)? What exactly are the Six Rites in a wedding? Why is there a saying "celebrate nines, not tens" for birthdays? Understanding these is not only about knowing the past but also an important part of understanding our own cultural DNA. For an editor, the book's reading value lies in its balance of moderate knowledgeability and good readability. It provides solid folklore material while avoiding overly tedious textual research, allowing readers to easily build an overall cognitive framework of Chinese life rites. In today's fast-paced world, leafing through this book can calm the mind, allowing one to feel the solemnity and warmth marked by rituals in life, and to ponder how tradition can find new forms of expression in contemporary life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in traditional Chinese folk culture who wish to understand it systematically
People in culture, education, and social work who need relevant background knowledge
Those planning traditional ceremonies for themselves or family members and wanting to understand the whys
Creators who need details of traditional rites and customs for writing or artistic creation

Not a good fit for

Professional scholars seeking in-depth academic research or cutting-edge folklore theory
Readers expecting subversive viewpoints or strongly personalized interpretations

Reading tips

Read in the order of life stages to sense how rites and customs evolve with life
Reflect on your own experiences or regional differences while reading; do not be bound by a single description in the book
Use it as a cultural reference book, consulting specific sections when relevant occasions arise

About the publisher

Jinghua Publishing House China · Founded in 1993

Jinghua Publishing House is a comprehensive publishing institution based in China, founded in 1993, with 20 titles in the library collection. Judging from the available books, its publishing focus leans toward history and finance and management, while also covering biography, travel and culture. Its common categories include history, finance, biography, travel, management and culture. Representative titles include Meng Sen's The Great History of the Qing Dynasty, Chen Wei's Four Hundred Years of Japanese Business and its sequel, Liu Canrong's Idle Reflections on the Affairs of Wu and Yue, the Yongzheng Emperor title From Lonely Minister to Lonely Sovereign, The Amorous Einstein and 100 Holiday Paradises Around the World. Its author resources include Meng Sen, Chen Wei, A Meng, Liu Canrong, Mai Di, Li Zichi, the Dream Journey editorial board and Qiang Wei. The house shows a publishing character centered on historical narrative and business observation while also serving general reading and leisure culture; because public information is limited, other publishing details are not expanded here.

版权信息
一、引子：人生在世一线牵
二、生命的呼唤与祈愿——诞生礼
正文
三、社会的承认与接纳——成年礼
四、成长的纪念与庆贺——生日礼
五、两性的结合与欢好——婚姻礼
六、长生的祝福与希望——祝寿礼
七、告别的关怀与演出——丧葬礼
后记

FAQ

What is the book's Douban rating?

Upon checking, the book has no public rating on Douban. It is a relatively niche cultural title whose value lies more in its content than in market popularity.

Does the book cover customs from all regions of China?

The book mainly outlines the mainstream life rites and customs of the Han Chinese that are common and representative; it cannot cover all unique customs of every region and ethnic group in detail. It provides a core framework, and readers should understand that specific practices vary locally.

Is this book suitable as a gift?

It is very suitable as a gift for elders who have an affection for traditional culture or young friends curious about their cultural roots. With its plain binding and warm content, it is a gift rich in cultural meaning.

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About the author

黄勇 Author

Huang Yong is a credited author about whom limited public information is available; his nationality, dates of birth and death, and English name are not found in existing records. According to the library holdings, 59 works appear under his name, spanning the categories of foreign literature and medicine, which suggests a considerable range of subject matter. Among the more representative titles is The Dreamers (a three-volume set), which belongs to foreign literature, while the multiple volumes of the Huangdi Neijing, from Volume 4 to Volume 10, are classified as medical works. His credited works therefore include both literary translations or fiction and volume-by-volume editions of a classic of Chinese medicine. Because biographical information is lacking, the specific division of labor and the background of each book cannot yet be confirmed; readers may approach his publishing profile through the categories and volume structures of these works.