Chinese Opera, one of the many aspects of traditional Chinese culture
The 'Culture of China' (Chinese: 中國文化) is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex
civilizations covering a history of over 5,000 years. The nation covers a large geographical region with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and
provinces. '''Chinese culture''' (Chinese: 中華文化) is a broad term used to describe the cultural foundation, even among Chinese-speaking regions outside of
mainland China.
People in the culture
People in imperial China - Qing dynasty
Identity
Main articles: Ethnic groups in Chinese history,
Ethnic minorities in China
Many
ethnic groups have existed in China. In terms of numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the
Han Chinese. Throughout history, many groups have been assimilated into neighbouring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. At the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. The term
Zhonghua Minzu has been used to describe the notion of
Chinese nationalism in general. Much of the traditional cultural identity within the community has to do with distinguishing the
family name.
Regional
Traditional Chinese Culture covers a large geographical territories, each region is usually divided into distinct sub-cultures. Using modern names, here are some distinction:
★ The
Yellow River basin areas include
Henan,
Shanxi,
Shaanxi,
Hebei and
Shandong
★ The
Yangtze River areas include
Sichuan,
Yunnan,
Guizhou,
Hunan,
Hubei,
Jiangxi,
Anhui,
Zhejiang and
Jiangsu.
Society
Structure
Since the
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, some form of
Chinese monarch has been the main ruler above all. Different periods of history have different names for the various positions within society. Conceptually each imperial or feudal period is similar, with the government and military officials ranking high in the
hierarchy, and the rest of the population under regular
Chinese law[1].
Ancient Chinese education also has a long history especially with the
Imperial examination. Trades and crafts were usually taught by a
sifu. The female historian
Ban Zhao wrote the
Lessons for Women in the han dynasty and outlined the four virtues women must abide to.
Chinese marriage and
Taoist sexual practices are some of the customs and rituals found in society.
Values
Main articles: Chinese philosophy,
Religion in China
Most social values are derived from
Confucianism and
Taoism with a combination of
conservatism. The subject of which school was the most influential is always debated as many concepts such as
Neo-Confucianism,
Buddhism and many others have come about.
Reincarnation and other
rebirth concept is a reminder of the connection between real-life and the next-life.
Language
Main articles: Chinese language,
History of Standard Mandarin
Spoken Chinese consisted of a number of
Chinese dialects throughout history. In the
Ming Dynasty standard Mandarin was nationalized. Even so, it wasn't until the
Republic of China era in the 1910s when there was any noticeable result in promoting a common unified
language in China.
The ancient written standard was
Classical Chinese. It was used for thousands of years, but was mostly reserved for scholars and intellectuals. By the 20th century, millions of citizens, especially those outside of the imperial court were
illiterate1. Only after the
May 4th Movement did the push for
Vernacular Chinese begin. This allowed common citizens to read since it was modeled after the linguistics and phonology of a
spoken language.
Mythology and spirituality
Luohan, one of the spiritual figures shared between Chinese and India Culture across different types of
buddhism ,
Chinese folk religion,
Traditional Chinese holidays
A large part of Chinese culture is based on the notion that a spiritual world exists. Countless
methods of divination have helped answer questions, even serving as an alternate to medicine.
Folklores have helped fill the gap for things that cannot be explained. There is often a blurred line between myth, religion and unexplained phenomenon. While many
deities are part of the tradition, some of the most recognized holy figures include
Guan Yin,
Jade Emperor and
Budai. Other concepts have extended to outside of mythology into spiritual symbols such as
Door god and the
Imperial guardian lions. Along with the belief of the holy, there is also the evil. Practices such as Taoist
exorcism fighting
mogwai and
jiang shi with peachwood swords are just some of the concepts passed down from generations. A few
Chinese fortune telling rituals are still in use today after thousands of years of refinement. ...
Health
A large part of traditional Chinese culture is about finding the balance of
Yin and Yang in relation to
Qi, health and
the meridian system in order to find harmony.
Traditional Chinese medicine consists of a number of treatments including
Chinese herbology and
acupuncture. Other less intrusive forms of health improvement include
qigong and
meditation.
Literature
Main articles: Chinese literature
The extensive collection of books that have been preserved since the
Zhou Dynasty demonstrate just how advanced the intellectuals have been at one time. Indeed, the era of the Zhou Dynasty is often looked to as the touchstone of Chinese cultural development. The
Five Cardinal Points is the foundation for almost all major studies. Concepts covered within the
Chinese classic texts present a wide range of subjects including
poetry,
astrology,
astronomy,
calendar,
constellations and many others. Some of the most important early texts include
I Ching and
Shujing within the
Four Books and Five Classics. Many Chinese concepts such as
Yin and Yang,
Qi,
Four Pillars of Destiny in relation to heaven and earth were all theorized in the dynastic periods.
Notable confucianists,
taoists and scholars of all class have made significant contributions from documenting history to authoring saintly concepts that seem hundred of years ahead of time. Many novels such as
Four Great Classical Novels spawned countless fictional stories. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, Chinese culture would embark on a new era with
Vernacular Chinese for the common citizens.
Hu Shih and
Lu Xun would be pioneers in modern literature.
Music
Main articles: Music of China
The '
music of
China' dates back to the dawn of
Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the
Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC). Some of the oldest written music dates back to
Confucius's time. The first major well-documented flowering of Chinese music was for the
qin during the
Tang Dynasty, though it is known to have played a major part before the Han Dynasty.
Arts
Different forms of art have swayed under the influence of great philosophers, teachers, religious figures and even political figures. Chinese art encompasses all facets of
fine art,
folk art and
performance art.
Porcelain pottery was one of the first form of art in the
Palaeolithic period. Early Chinese music and poetry was influenced by the ''
Book of Songs'',
Confucius and the Chinese poet and statesman
Qu Yuan.
Chinese painting became a highly appreciated art in court circles encompassing a wide variety of
Shan shui with specialized styles such as
Ming Dynasty painting. Early
Chinese music was based on percussion instruments, which later gave away to string and reed instruments. By the
Han dynasty papercutting became a new art form after the invention of paper.
Chinese opera would also be introduced and branched regionally in additional to other performance formats such as
variety arts.
Martial arts
Main articles: Chinese martial arts,
List of Chinese martial arts
China is the original birth place of Eastern martial arts. The names of martial arts were called Kung Fu or its first name Wushu. China also includes the home to the well-respected
Shaolin Monastery and
Wudang Mountains. The first generation of art started more for the purpose of survival and warfare than art. Overtime, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has brewed some of the most renowned martial artists including
Wong Fei Hung and
many others. The art have also co-existed with a variety of including the more standard
18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like
Dim Mak are also praised and talked about within the culture.
Fashion
Main articles: Fashion of China
Different social class in different time eras boast different fashion trends. China's fashion history covers thousands of years with some of the most colorful and diverse arrangements. Fashionable but questionable practices such as
footbinding have also been part of the culture. Many symbols such as
phoenix have been used for decorative as well as political purposes.
Architecture
Main articles: Chinese architecture
Chinese
architecture, examples of which can be found from over 2,000 years ago, has long been a hallmark of the culture. There are certain features common to Chinese architecture, regardless of specific region or use. The most important is its emphasis on width, as the wide halls of the
Forbidden City serve as an example. In contrast, western architecture emphasize on height, though there are exceptions such as
pagodas.
Another important feature is
symmetry, which connotes a sense of grandeur as it applies to everything from palaces to farmhouses. One notable exception is in the design of gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow, to let the patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself.
Feng shui has played an important part in structural development.
Cuisine
Main articles: Chinese cuisine
The overwhelmingly large variety mainly comes from the
emperors hosting a banquet of 100 dishes each meal
[2]. Countless number of imperial kitchen staff and concubines were involved in the food preparation process. Overtime, many dishes became part of the everyday-citizen culture. Some of the highest quality restaurants with recipes close to the dynastic periods include
Fangshan restaurant in
Beihai Park Beijing and the Oriole Pavilion
2. Arguably all branches of
Hong Kong eastern style or even
American Chinese food are in some ways rooted from the original dynastic cuisines.
Leisure
A number of and past-times are popular within Chinese culture. The most common game is
Mah Jong. The same pieces are used for other styled games such as
Shanghai Solitaire. Others include
Pai Gow,
Pai gow poker and other
bone domino games.
Go proverb and
Xiangqi is also popular. Ethnic games like
Chinese yo-yo are also part of the culture.
See also
★
Sinology
★
★
★
Science and technology in China
:
★
Chinese astronomy
:
★
Chinese calendar
:
★
Chinese mathematics
:
★
Chinese units of measurement
:
★
Chinese measure word
External links
★
Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home explored
★
Chinese Culture Articles
References
1. Mente, Boye De. [2000] (2000). The Chinese Have a Word for it: The Complete Guide to Chinese thought and Culture. McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 0658010786
2. Kong, Foong, Ling. [2002] (2002). The Food of Asia. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0794601464
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