CHINA

Culture
&
Traditions
  5 Religion and
spirituality
Content
s
 1 Identity
 2 Regional  6 Music and
 3 Society dance
o 3.1 Structure  7 Arts
o 3.2 Values  8 Martial arts
 4 Language  9 Architecture
 10 Gallery
 IDENTITY
There are 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China. In
terms of numbers however, Han Chinese is by far the largest
group.[3]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
ofChinese nationalism in general.[citation needed] Much of the
traditional identity within the community has to do with
distinguishing the family name.
 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 bù tóng fēng, bǎi lǐ bù tóng sú),
literally "the wind varies within ten li, customs vary within a
hundred li.""

SOCIETY
Structure
 -Gold detailing on a throne used
by the Qianlong Emperor.
The Chinese dragon was a symbol
reserved for theEmperor of China or
high level imperial families during
the Qing Dynasty

Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, some form of 

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.
[7]
 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.

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.[8]
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.

LANGUAGE
The ancient written standard was Classical Chinese. It was
used for thousands of years, but was mostly used by scholars
and intellectuals which forms the "top" class of the society
called "shi da fu (士大夫）". It is difficult but possible for
ordinary people to become the "top" class by passing written
exams. 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.

RELIGION &
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.
 MUSIC & DANCE
Music and dance were closely associated in the very early
periods 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 BCE - 256 BCE). The
earliest music of the Zhou Dynasty recorded in ancient
Chinese texts includes the ritual music called yayue and each
piece may be associated with a dance. 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.
 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 Palaeolithicperiod. Early
Chinese music and poetry was influenced by the Book of
Songs, and the Chinese poet and statesman Qu Yuan.

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.

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.

GALLERY
-A traditional Chinese tea
culture (茶藝) set and three gaiwan

-Jichang Garden in Wuxi(1506-
1521), built during the Ming Dynasty,
is an exemplary work of Chinese
gardening art.
 - A traditional red Chinese door
with Imperial guardian lion knocker,
resemble number 8 (good luck or
fortune) inChinese culture.

-
The Chinese Dragon,Guardian
Lions andincense comprise three
symbols within traditional
Chinese culture.