英文摘要
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This article analyzes the meanings of women's activities in Chinese festivals. The discussion is based on the customs of ”tzoou-chyou”(走橋), ”jih-ching”(忌針), ”tou-ching”(偷青), ”mho-chiou”(摸秋) and ”jih-tzaw”(祭), through which the characteristics of women's festival culture are explored, in terms of women's space, women's leisure time, women's marriage wish and women's identity. The four characteristics of women's festival culture are as follows. First, the festival custom allows women to enter the public space and enjoy the holy space and carnival. Second, the festival custom sets up women's leisure time by no stitching or sewing in order to pray for being smart. Third, the festival custom, especially the special custom called ”tou-ching” or ”mho-chiou” that means stealing vegetables or stealing a pumpkin from others' farm, reflects women's deep wish in having a baby. Fourth, the festival custom usually has gendered divides. For example, there is an old saying that ”men don't pray to the moon while women don't pray to the God of kitchen”. It really hints that women's social position is petty and low. In the end, these analyses demonstrate the clear abundance of women's festival culture.
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