Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund, Who Was Confucius? Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund. Any religion other than Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism are illegal, even though the Chinese constitution states that people are allowed freedom of religion. The Great Silk Road played an important role in formation of Chinese culture, because it was the route, by which Buddhism, one of the main religions of Chinese civilization, found its way to the Heavenly Empire. Chinese culture exerted great influence on the development of culture of numerous neighboring countries, and a great number of leading nations of the medieval world. unique to Chinese culture: Chinese celebrations are rich in tradition and history, great food, dazzling decorations and fireworks. Crossing cultures for business can be frustrating when it interferes with getting the … In Chinese Culture it is believed that there are two basic forces that rule all that exists. The color red symbolizes the revolution. These forces are at the core of many Chinese concepts such as Feng Shui, Chinese Medicine and Taoism. It is this road, by which China exported paper, silk, gun powder, precious stones, oriental spices to Europe. For example, various marriage customs  are found among different minority groups. Today Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used in China and is becoming increasingly prevalent in Europe and North America. From food to festivals, to dragons and rats. China became a birth-place of gun powder and paper. Read more... Chinese writing characters go back more than 3,000 years. So how long is this dragon? Are Chinese Dragons evil? The Dragon Parade is a highlight of any festivity. However, as they reaches 30 years old they face increasing pressure from their parents to marry and move back to their hometown. The symbols began as pictures. Many ethnic groups, though merge into Han identity, have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. Learn about the teachings of Confucius and popular quotes attributed to him. Perhaps due to the turmoil and injustices he saw, he set himself to develop a new moral code based on respect, honesty, education, kindness and strong family bonds. There is actually a museum that features marriage customs of ethnic groups-Guizhou Museum of Marriage Customs. Fortune cookies are not a thing in China — but food really is. Chinese Food-The history of Chinese food in China stretches back for thousands of years and has changed from period to period in each region according to climate, imperial fashions, and local preferences. Chinese Zodiac So you might find that in some places the number 4 might be a lucky number. 1661 Hanover Road, Suite 218, City of Industry Coming soon... What is Feng Shui? Chinese culture is diverse and unique, yet harmoniously blended — an invaluable asset to the world. There is actually a museum that features marriage customs of ethnic groups-Guizhou Museum of Marriage Customs. Our China culture guide contains information divided into Traditions, Heritage, the arts, Festivals, Language, and Symbols. Lion troupes play out during street celebrations to the sound of drums, gongs and cymbals and are a must of every Chinese celebration. Recent surveys estimated that some 80% of Han Chinese practice some kind of Chinese folk religion and Taoism; 10-16% are Buddhists; 3-4% are Christians; and 1-2% are Muslims. Yin is the softer Read more... Confucius was China's most famous Philosopher. Lion Dances are highly charged performances by teams of two very agile dancers, one holds the head and the other the body of the Lion. For those already in China, this is a great time to check out some of the most popular destinations... without the crowds! Culture; Chinese Culture China - the most ancient civilization in the world. The Beijing Summer Olympics started on 08/08/08 at precisely 08:08:08 p.m. Starting from Sian, the former capital of ancient China, the Great Silk Road ended at the Mediterranean seashore. Many of the achievements of the mankind date back to the Chinese civilization. Rats? Peking duck and dim-sum are other popular dishes well know outside of China. Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists. Hairy crab is a highly sought-after local delicacy in Shanghai, as it can be found in lakes within the region. It is here where the Great Silk Road sprang from, becoming a sui generis linking bridge between the East and the West. 2020 It was there, where a book was printed in the X century for the first time, several centuries before the first book - the Johannes Gutenberg Bible, printed in Europe. Because of the focus on family, it is common for Chinese, even when fully grown with children of their own, to have many living generations of a family living under the same roof. It's like Christmas and the most anticipated festival. There are many styles attributed to the different regions from which they come from, all using their own unique ingredients and cooking methods. Time Sensitivity. Your email address will not be published. Read more... Chinese love their food. Confucius was a government official who during his lifetime saw growing disorder and chaos in the system. Yes! an Asian-themed birthday party. Now many Chinese families face challenges and contradictions to the old way of life that threaten its traditional stability. Chinese family structure has traditionally been rigid and hierarchical. Many young workers have been drawn to bigger cities in the more prosperous regions in China to find better jobs with higher salaries. Travel Insurance, Mid-Autumn Festival - October 1st, 2020 Its philosophy is based on Yinyangism,(the combination of Five Phases theory with Yin-Yang theory) which was later absorbed by Daoism. Currently, there are only five official religions. The Chinese Communist Party that rules the nation is officially atheist, though it is gradually becoming more tolerant of religions, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Many parents and grandparents now still expect their children/grandchildren to do as they are told. The twelve animals however, correspond to each of the twelve years in the lunar cycle rather than a particular month. The large star stands for the Communist Party, and the four small stars symbolize the Chinese people; the position of the stars stands for a populace united in support of the state. Ethnic Groups-Officially there are 56 recognized ethnic groups in China, Han Chinese being the largest group. Lion troupes play out during street celebrations to the sound of drums, gongs and cymbals and are a must of every Chinese celebration. "Good" Feng Shui promotes health, happiness in your relationships, wealth and success. With the advent of book printing, China made a considerable leap in the development of literature and scientific knowledge. Early "Stone Age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. Typically each minority group has their own costumes, festivals and customs. You might be surprised to discover this, … Therapy is based on which “pattern of disharmony” can be identified. Check out how it all started and evolved with some simple characters for you to try. You will definitely encounter them if traveling through China. The “Eight Cuisines” of China are Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, and Zhejiang cuisines. Here we teach you how to make your own lucky red envelopes, how Let's start with some basics like the common traditions and celebrations as well as the many symbols that are These styles are distinctive from one another due to factors such as availability of resources, climate, geography, history, cooking techniques and lifestyle. Coming soon... You can decorate easily with traditional or battery-operated lanterns, paper cuttings, lucky coins and banners to add a splash to the celebrations! side while Yang is strong and energetic. Lion Dances. Your email address will not be published. Do kids get presents? But... aren't dragons supposed to be bad? In general, disease is perceived as a disharmony or imbalance in the functions or interactions of yin, yang, meridians etc. Of special note is Chinese written language. China is not only the birth-place of paper, but also of book printing. A great many works in different fields of history and archeology were published, demonstrating the great interest of the Chinese people in their past. CA, 91748. Chinese Family-Family has been a key component in society for thousands of years in China. Important components of Chinese culture includes ceramics, architecture, music, literature, martial arts, cuisine, visual arts, philosophy and religion. Religion-Confucianism and Taoism, later joined by Buddhism, constitute the “three teachings” that historically have shaped Chinese culture. The Chinese art in the Republic of China (Taiwan) and that of overseas Chinese can also be considered part of Chinese art where it is based in or draws on Chinese heritage and Chinese culture. Today, many aspects of Chinese life can be tied to honoring one’s parents or ancestors. You will notice the number 4 is missing... yes, Chinese consider this a "bad luck" number as the pronunciation "suh" sounds similar to the Chinese character for "death". Required fields are marked *. between the human body and the environment. May the New Year turn out to be a very special one for you and your family... Coronavirus in China - Travel Restrictions. During the period fundamental elements of a theology and spiritual explanation for the nature of the universe emerged. Even within one ethnic group, there are probably diverse groups of people. When is it? After this early period Chinese art, like Chinese history, is typically classified by the succession of ruling dynas… Wide spread of book printing encouraged written reflection of folk creativity works. The Chinese culture features an abundance of the material and spiritual values, unchanged over millennia. First the Chinese were writing on wooden plates, then on silk and at the turn of our era, they invented paper. Book with confidence! to write Chinese New Year greetings, make a paper fan, firecrackers, and many shapes of lanterns. They are prominent as decorations and artwork, at parades and celebrations, in poetry, legends and folklore, and even in the Chinese Zodiac. If you get on an elevator, what's the missing number For example, Jiangsu cuisine favours cooking techniques such as braising and stewing, while Sichuan cuisine employs baking. Read more... Dragons are found everywhere in everyday Chinese life. Various groups of the Miao minority, for example, speak different dialects of the Hmong-Mie languages, Tai-Kadai languages, and Chinese, and practice a variety of different cultural customs. Chinese culture is one of the world’s oldest cultures, tracing back to thousands of years ago. A considerable contribution to the development of world culture was made by Chinese culture. China along with India, Egypt and Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Iran) is an ancient civilization aged more than 5,000 years old. We will be learning more about simple ways to practice Feng Shui. Yin symbolizes the moon, Yang the sun. The Chinese written language, one of the world’s ancient languages is unique in its own way, since even now the Chinese write with the help of the same alphabet that was used five thousand years ago.