ENGLISH PRESENTATION

CHINESE

CULTURE

CHINESE CULTURE

Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest

cultures.[1][2] The area in which the culture is

dominant covers a large geographical region

in eastern Asia with customs and traditions

varying greatly between provinces, cities, and

even towns. Important components of Chinese

culture include literature, music, visual arts,

martial arts, cuisine, etc.

IDENTITY

Today there are 56 distinct recognized ethnic groups in

China.[3] In terms of numbers however, Han Chinese is by

far the largest group. Throughout history, many groups

have merged into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared.

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[citation needed]. Much of the traditional identity

within the community has to do with distinguishing the

family name.

CHINESE CUISINE

Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating from regions of China, some of

which have become increasingly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to

the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa. The history of Chinese

cuisine stretches back for many centuries and produced changes from period to

period and in each region according to regional climate, imperial fashions, and local

preferences. Over time, techniques and ingredients from the cuisines of other

cultures were also integrated into the cuisine of the Chinese peoples due both to

imperial expansion and from the trade with nearby Asian nations states in ancient

times as well as the Europeans during the modern period. This led to a variety of

dishes and preparation in what could be called traditional Chinese food, leading

Chinese to pride themselves on eating a wide range of foods..

CHINESE CUISINE

REGIONAL

Traditional Chinese Culture covers large geographical territories, where each region is usually divided into distinct sub-cultures. Each region is often represented by three ancestral items. For example Guangdong is represented by chenpi, aged ginger and hay.[4][5] Others include ancient cities like Lin'an (Hangzhou), which include tea leaf, bamboo shoot trunk and hickory nut.[6] Such distinctions give rise to the old Chinese proverb: "十里不同風 ,百里不同俗 /十里不同风 ,百里不同俗 " (Shí lǐ bùtóng fēng, bǎi lǐ bùtóng sú), literally "the wind varies within ten li, customs vary within a hundred li."""

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. From the late Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE)

onwards, traditional Chinese society was organized into a hierarchic system of socio-

economic classes known as the four occupations.

~However, this system did not cover all social groups while the

distinctions between all groups became blurred ever since the

commercialization of Chinese culture in the Song Dynasty (960–1279

CE). Ancient Chinese education also has a long history; ever since the

Sui Dynasty (581–618 CE) educated candidates prepared for the

Imperial examinations which drafted exam graduates into

government as scholar-bureaucrats.

~This led to the creation of a meritocracy, although success was

available only to males who could afford test preparation. Imperial

examinations required applicants to write essays and demonstrate

mastery of the Confucian classics. Those who passed the highest

level of the exam became elite scholar-officials known as jinshi, a

highly esteemed socio-economic position.

Those who passed the highest level of the exam became

elite scholar-officials known as jinshi, a highly.Trades and

crafts were usually taught by a shifu. The female historian

Ban Zhao wrote the Lessons for Women in the Han Dynasty

and outlined the four virtues women must abide to, while

scholars such as Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi would expand upon

this. Chinese marriage and Taoist sexual practices are

some of the rituals and customs found in society.

SOCIETY

SOCIETY

Values

~Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism. 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 after-life. In

Chinese business culture, the concept of guanxi, indicating the

primacy of relations over rules, has been well documented.

~Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most

of Imperial China's history, and mastery of Confucian texts

was the primary criterion for entry into the imperial

bureaucracy. A number of more authoritarian strains of

thought have also been influential, such as Legalism.

~There was often conflict between the philosophies, e.g.

the Song Dynasty Neo-Confucians believed Legalism

departed from the original spirit of Confucianism.

Examinations and a culture of merit remain greatly valued

in China today. In recent years, a number of New

Confucians (not to be confused with Neo-Confucianism)

have advocated that democratic ideals and human rights

are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian

values".

~With the rise of European economic and military power

beginning in the mid-19th century, non-Chinese systems of

social and political organization gained adherents in China.

Some of these would-be reformers totally rejected China's

cultural legacy, while others sought to combine the

strengths of Chinese and European cultures. In essence,

the history of 20th-century China is one of experimentation

with new systems of social, political, and economic

organization that would allow for the reintegration of the

nation in the wake of dynastic collapse.

LANGUAGE

The ancient written standard was Classical Chinese. It was used for thousands of

years, but was mostly reserved for scholars and intellectuals which forms the

"top" class of the society called "shi da fu (士大夫） ". Calligraphy later became

commercialized, and works by famous artists became prized possessions. Chinese

literature has a long past; the earliest classic work in Chinese, the I Ching or

"Book of Changes" dates to around 1000 BC. A flourishing of philosophy during

the Warring States Period produced such noteworthy works as

Confucius's Analects and Laozi's Tao Te Ching. (See also: the Chinese classics.)

Dynastic histories were often written, beginning with Sima Qian's

seminal Records of the Grand Historian, which was written from 109 BC to 91 BC.

Chinese philosophers, writers and poets were highly respected and

played key roles in preserving and promoting the culture of the

empire. Some classical scholars, however, were noted for their daring

depictions of the lives of the common people, often to the displeasure

of authorities.

By the 20th century, millions of citizens, especially those outside of

the "shi da fu" social class were still illiterate.[7] Only after the May

4th Movement did the push for written vernacular Chinese begin.

This allowed common citizens to read since it was modeled after the

linguistics and phonology of the standard spoken language.

Nowadays there are many different dialects among different regions.

These dialects are just like "local codes". People could not

understand each other if they are not from related areas.

LANGUAGE

THE MOON FESTIVAL 

On the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar, the moon is round and the Chinese people mark their Moon (or Mid-autumn) Festival.

CHINESE SPRING FESTIVAL

Far and away the most important holiday in China is Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year

 DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL 

The 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar year is an important day for the Chinese people.

MYTHOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY

Chinese religion was originally oriented to worshipping the supreme

god Shang Di during the Xia and Shang dynasties, with the king and

diviners acting as priests and using oracle bones. The Zhou dynasty

oriented it to worshipping the broader concept of heaven. 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 Buddha. Many of the stories have since

evolved into traditional Chinese holidays. 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.

MYTHOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY

CHINESE SCHOOL

In Western countries, a Chinese school is a school established explicitly

for the purpose of teaching the Chinese languages and dialects

(Mandarin and Cantonese are the most commonly taught) to Americans

with Chinese ancestry, Canadians with Chinese ancestry, Americans with

Taiwanese ancestry, Canadians with Taiwanese ancestry, Australians

with Chinese ancestry and Australians with Taiwanese ancestry.

Typically, American, Canadian and Australian children attend Chinese

school either after school (that is, elementary or middle school) on

weekday afternoons, or on weekend mornings and afternoons.

CHINESE SCHOOL

Anglo Chinese School

LITERATURE

Chinese literature began with record keeping and divination on Oracle Bones. The

extensive collection of books that have been preserved since the Zhou Dynasty

demonstrate just how advanced the intellectuals were 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 are 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.

LITERATURE

The Song Dynasty was also a period of great scientific literature,

and saw the creation of works such as Su Song's Xin Yixiang Fayao

and Shen Kuo's Dream Pool Essays. There were also enormous works

of historiography and large encyclopaedias, such as Sima Guang's

Zizhi Tongjian of 1084 AD or the Four Great Books of Song fully

compiled and edited by the 11th century. Notable confucianists,

taoists and scholars of all classes have made significant contributions

to and 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

written vernacular Chinese for the common citizens. Hu Shih and Lu

Xun would be pioneers in modern literature.

MUSIC

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 BCE - 256 BCE). 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, although the instrument is known to have played a major part

before the Han Dynasty.

There are many musical instruments that are integral to Chinese

culture, such as the Xun (Ocarina-type instrument that is also integral in

Native American cultures), Guzheng (zither with movable bridges), guqin

(bridgeless zither), sheng and xiao (vertical flute), the erhu (alto fiddle or

bowed lute), pipa (pear-shaped plucked lute), and many others.

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 forms of art in the Palaeolithic period.

Early Chinese music and poetry was influenced by the Book of Songs, 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 stringed 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.

ARTS

MARTIAL ARTS

China is one of the main birth places of Eastern martial arts. Chinese

martial arts are collectively given the name Kung Fu ((gong)

"achievement" or "merit", and (fu) "man", thus "human achievement") or

(previously and in some modern contexts) Wushu ("martial arts" or

"military arts"). 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. Over time,

some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct

Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has produced some of the most

renowned martial artists including Wong Fei Hung and many others. The

arts have also co-existed with a variety of weapons including the more

standard 18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like Dim Mak are

also praised and talked about within the culture.

MARTIAL ARTS

Lion dance {http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BftIBp-U5jc}

~Lion dance (simplified Chinese: 舞狮 ; traditional Chinese: 舞獅 ; pinyin:

wǔshī) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which

performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance

is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the

difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs

many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered,

since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be

seen since the dragon is held upon poles.

MARTIAL ARTS

CHANG PAO

The traditional Chinese dress for men has come a

long way. Even today you will find men to be sporting

a refined version of the traditional Chinese gown for

social events. Amongst the variety of dresses native

to China is the Chang pao which was most popular

amongst the men

CHANG PAO

CHEONGSAM

The cheongsam is a body-hugging one-piece

Chinese dress for women; the male version is the changshan. It

is known in Mandarin Chinese as the qípáo (旗袍 ; pronounced [tWɕʰǐ pʰɑ̌\ʊ]) Wade-Giles ch'i-p'ao, and is also

known in English as a mandarin gown. The stylish and often

tight-fitting cheongsam or qipao (chipao) that is most often

associated with today was created in the 1920s in Shanghai and

was made fashionable by socialites and upperclass women.

CHEONGSAM

ARCHITECTURE

Chinese architecture, examples for 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.

ARCHITECTURE

Forbidden City

CUISINE

The overwhelmingly large variety of Chinese cuisine comes mainly

from the practice of dynastic period, when emperors would host

banquets with 100 dishes per meal.[10] A countless number of imperial

kitchen staff and concubines were involved in the food preparation

process. Over time, 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.[10] Arguably all branches of Hong Kong eastern

style are in some ways rooted from the original dynastic cuisines.

LEISURE

A number of games and pastimes 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.

weiqi and xiangqi are also popular. Ethnic games like

Chinese yo-yo are also part of the culture.

LEISURE

The most common game is Mah Jong

GALLERY

The Chinese Dragon, Guardian Lions and incense comprise three symbols within traditional Chinese culture.

GALLERY

No. 4 of Ten Thousand Scenes (十萬圖之四 ). Painting by Ren Xiong, a pioneer of the Shanghai School of Chinese art circa 1850

GALLERY

A koi pond is a signature Chinese scenery depicted in countless art work.