(LI SHIGONG)

On May 13, this year's Mother's Day, mothers in China received an outpouring of gifts and greetings from their children. For the past years, along with many other Western festivals, Mother's Day has become popular with the Chinese. However, some people believe China should draw on its own traditions to express gratitude and respect to mothers in a Chinese way, rather than borrow from a Western custom.

This is not a new topic. Many think that the Chinese are widely regarded for stressing family bonds, and filial piety is an old virtue here. Thus, it's natural to select a day as Chinese Mother's Day. It is suggested by some scholars that the second day of the fourth lunar month should be designated as China's Mother's Day, because it is the day that Mencius' mother gave birth to him. Mencius (372-289 B.C.), a great Chinese philosopher, was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself. There are many excellent mothers in Chinese history, with Mencius' mother as a prime example. She is famous for her efforts to provide Mencius with a peaceful and sound life and studying environment by moving the family three times until a perfect place was found. This year, the topic of Chinese Mother's Day again sparks heated debates.

Supporters

Mi Zhenyu (www.eastday.com): The second Sunday of May is not the universally recognized Mother's Day in the world, but the U.S. Mother's Day. To take this day as China's Mother's Day is improper. China is a great nation of excellent cultural heritage, so we Chinese need our own Mother's Day that can best reflect the greatness of Chinese mothers and Chinese culture.

Li Hanqiu (www.eastday.com): It's ridiculous to take it for granted that U.S. Mother's Day is the global Mother's Day. Many countries have already had their own Mother's Day. For example, France's Mother's Day came 14 years later than the U.S. one, and on the last Sunday of May. In Thailand, Mother's Day is on August 12; and in the Arab region, Mother's Day is generally on March 21 at the vernal equinox.

We need to safeguard the dominant position of Chinese culture in China. Besides, Chinese need to contribute to the founding of our own Mother's Day with enough confidence in Chinese culture, bearing in mind the strategic importance of doing so.

Yu Yuan (www.xinhuanet.com): Chinese tradition puts filial piety ahead of all other good merits. How to encourage the Chinese to cherish their own Mother's Day is a big issue related to the nation's cultural identity. Only with a strong cultural identity can we expect to see real revitalization of the Chinese nation. China should prefer its own traditional festivals to Western festivals.

Sun Feng (www.xinhuanet.com): The American people have their Mother's Day and we Chinese need our own Mother's Day, too.

Chinese mothers are industrious, caring and tolerant. But for so many years, China hasn't celebrated its own Mother's Day. Nowadays, young Chinese like to follow Western fashion, celebrating Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

It's not just a simple question of festival, but it relates to the heritage of Chinese culture and the young generation's personal development. To set up a Chinese Mother's Day or Father's Day will help to promote the nation's filial piety in the whole society, and also, it will encourage the young generation to love their country and national culture.