The
Culture of China (traditional Chinese: 中國文化; simplified Chinese: 中国文化; pinyin: Zhōngguó wénhuà) is one of the world's oldest and most complex cultures. The area in which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and
provinces.
People in the culture
People in imperial China - Qing dynasty
Identity
Today there are 56 distinct
ethnic groups in China. In terms of numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the
Han Chinese. Throughout history, many groups have been assimilated into neighboring 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 large geographical territories with 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. Others include ancient cities like Lin'an (
Hangzhou), which include
tea leaf,
bamboo shoot trunk and
hickory nut.
[Xinhuanet.com. "." 說三與三寶. Retrieved on 2009-06-20.]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.
[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] Since the late
Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE), 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 that drafted exam graduates into government as
scholar-bureaucrats. 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 customs and rituals found in 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.
Language
The first 4,000 years of
Spoken Chinese encompassed both
Old Chinese and
Middle Chinese, after which it began to split into various
dialects and languages about 1,000 years ago. In the
Ming Dynasty standard Mandarin was nationalized. Even so, it wasn't until the
Republic of China era in the 1900s 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
illiterate. 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
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.
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.
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
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, 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 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 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
thumb|left|220px|Demonstrating [[Kung Fu at Daxiangguo Monastery,
Kaifeng,
Henan.]]
China is one of the
main birth places 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. 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.
Fashion
A north corner of
Forbidden City, featuring classic construction style
Different social classes in different eras boast different fashion trends. China's fashion history covers hundreds 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 economic purposes.
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
The overwhelmingly large variety mainly comes from the
emperors hosting a banquet of 100 dishes each meal
[Kong, Foong, Ling. [2002] (2002). The Food of Asia. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 0794601464]. 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
. 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
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.
Gallery
See also
