Cultural Traditions

In Chinese culture, the core value is harmony. Harmony means “proper and balanced coordination between things” and encompasses rationale, propriety, and compatibility. Rationale refers to acting according to objective laws and truths. Propriety indicates suitability and appropriateness. The value of harmony advocates “harmony but not uniformity.” Properly coordinating different things by bringing them together in the appropriate manner allows them to develop from an uncoordinated state to one of coordination; from asymmetry to symmetry; and from imbalance to balance. Modern Chinese society tries to maintain harmony between humankind and nature; between people and society; between members of different communities; and between mind and body.

Benevolence, the core value of Confucianism, extends from the importance of familial ties and blood connections and is held in high esteem by the Chinese. “A peaceful family will prosper ” is a famous and widely embraced saying. This benevolence, although based in familial ties, extends to friendships and social relationships, producing a full set of values that include justice, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, loyalty, self-discipline, and commitment.

Righteousness refers to justice and correctness. As Confucius said, “the gentleman understands what is moral; the small man understands what is profitable”. (carnegtsinghua)

 

Proverbs:

“The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ”

 

“A man should choose a friend who is better than himself. There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends. ”

 

“Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time. ”

 

“Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still. ”

 

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember. I do and I understand. ”

 

“When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people. ”

 

“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. ”

 

“Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself. ”

 

(proverbia)

 

Cultural Traditions

Chinese Folklore and Mythology

In such a diverse set of regional culture throughout China it is no surprise that the amount of Chinese folklore folk songs and myths are vast and diverse.  Over the years the Chinese government and Universities have been collecting folklore stories and songs from all over China since 1949.  This Collection now boasts over 1.8 million stories and over 3 million folksongs.

Oral folklore Traditions

Even though local tradition varies on how the different ethnic groups around China classify these narratives they can be classified many different groups that are to be sung or to be spoken.  These include folk songs categorized as epics (Shishi), and naritive poems (Xushishi) similar to long ballads or lyrical fairy tales. There are also wedding songs (kujiage), drinking songs (jiuge), love songs (quingge), and work songs (laodongge). As Well as the Spoken narritives such as folktales (minjian gushi), myths (shenhua), legends (chuanshuo), animal tales (dongwu gushi) and many more different styles of stories.

Musical folklore:

China has a rich written history of folksongs dating back to the 5th century BC.  This collection can be found in The Book of Songs (Shijing), these are based on local folksong traditions, and also the Yuefu folk ballads that date back to the Han Dynasty (220BC-220 AD).  There is also a large collections of folksongs called the Feng Menglong that date back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). These folk songs have been incorporated in to modern films, orchestral music, and other new types of media.

Chinese mythology:

Mythology in China has been gathered from the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups that are recognized by the current Chinese government.  These include myths about: Creation, legend, Religion, deities and mythological figures, cosmology, mythical places, plants, substances, and creatures such as abstract(omens the four friends: chaos, gluttony, ignorance, deviousness), birds, dragons, fish like, humanoid, mammalian, simian, snake like and reptilian.

Some of the most important figures in chinese mythology are:

            The Chinese Dragon– considered to be the most powerful and divine creature as well as the controller of the waters.

320px-Dragon_gods_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_15250

Dragon-gods, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner

           

The Jade Emperor– He was charged with running the three realms: heaven hell and the realm of the living.

Jade_Emperor._Ming_Dynasty

“Jade Emperor. Ming Dynasty” by Anonymous – Daoist deity: Jade Emperor. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts.. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons -https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jade_Emperor._Ming_Dynasty.jpg#/media/File:Jade_Emperor._Ming_Dynasty.jpg

            Nüwa and Fuxi– Sometimes worshiped as the ultimate ancestors of all humankind, often represented as half human half snake. Nüwa created humans from clay for companionship.

nuwa and fuxi

Nüwa and Fuxi (open source media)

            Pangu– was claimed to be the first sentient being and creator, “Maker of the heavens and the earth.”

Pangu

“Pangu” by Wang Qi (1529 – 1612) – A copy of w:Sancai Tuhui from the Asian Library in the University of British Columbia. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pangu.jpg#/media/File:Pangu.jpg

            The Eight Immortals– Cao Guojiu, Han Xiangzi, Han Zhongli, He Xiangu, Lan Caihe, Lü Dongbin, Tie Guaili, Zhang Guolao: each of these immortals had powers that could be transferred to a tool that could bestow life or destroy evil, these eight tools were call the “Covert Eight Immortals.”

Chinese_-_The_Eight_Immortals_-_Walters_3535

“Chinese – The Eight Immortals – Walters 3535” by Anonymous (China) – Walters Art Museum: Home page  Info about artwork. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_-_The_Eight_Immortals_-_Walters_3535.jpg#/media/File:Chinese_-_The_Eight_Immortals_-_Walters_3535.jpg

            The Three Pure ones (the Taoist trinity)- Daode Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, Yuanshi Tianzun. These are the three highest gods in the Taoists pantheon. They are considered to be the purest forms of the Tao and the origin of sentient beings.

220px-Taoist_Triad

“Taoist Triad” by Illustration of Taoist Triad on page 124, in the book “Myths & Legends of China” by E.T.C. Werner, taken from Project Gutenberg. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taoist_Triad.jpg#/media/File:Taoist_Triad.jpg

These are some of the more prominent mythological features.  There are many more that are derived from the many different ethnical regions of China. These myths and generally inform about moral issues and informs people about their cultures and values.  Like many mythologies these myths are thought to be in part factual truths.

 

Games –

China is home to some of the oldest and most widely played known games in recorded history. Below you will find three of the most famous of those games, a brief description of their rules, and the ways in which Chinese culture can be seen in them.

Xiangqi –Screen Shot 2015-11-09 at 3.56.04 PM

(Xiangqi game)

(http://www.xqinenglish.com/)

Background: This game is commonly known as Chinese chess, or the elephant game, and appears to be the inspiration behind at least two other famous games: international chess and shogi. The object of Xiangqi is to capture the other players General, much like a king in international chess. The game is similar in play to other forms of chess and involves the use of different pieces that each have their own method of movement across the board, but differs in the way those pieces move as well as the fact that play is done on the lines of the board, not inside the squares. The game also has an area of the board that affect pieces differently. This game shows the value of strategy in Chinese culture and doesn’t involve luck, rewarding players that can think ahead and outwit their opponent.

History: There are two different theories on the history of the game. The first theory goes that the original form of this game emerged in China at around 200 BC. The game was created in an attempt to anticipate a battle between two rival forces, Hán Xin and Xiang Qi. The game would eventually fall out of favor before finding a revival, and redesign, during the Tang Dynasty. The other theory states that the game is an offshoot of another famous game, Chaturanga, and made its way into China before the Southern Song Dynasty

Weiqi –

Screen Shot 2015-11-09 at 3.55.57 PM

(Weiqi Game Board) (https://shop.gogameguru.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/d/e/deluxe-go-set-t.jpg)

Description: This game, better known as Go, Baduk, or the surrounding game, is a game widely played across the world and requires the use of a gridded 19×19 board. The point of the game is to capture territory which involves player placing down their pieces, known as stones, on the intersecting lines of the board. Extra points can be earned by killing your opponent’s stones via surrounding them but, unlike chess or Xiangqi, killing an opponent’s piece is not the goal of the game. The game ends when both player decide that there is no more territory left to fight over. This game also puts a value on strategy but, more than that, is concerned with the idea of balance in play. The game stresses that only those who can strike a balance between actual territory and influence over the board can hope to win at the game. It also stresses that one must learn to live with their opponent and that total defeat of a foe is not an option. The game also holds the honor of being the oldest game still played using its traditional rule set.

History: The history of Weiqi is said to find it’s origin with the great Emperor Yao. It is said that Yao created the game as a way of instilling good values on his eldest son, an attempt that would ultimately fail. The game is known to have been created before the time of Confucius, who showed some disdain for the game, and at the time was known as one of the four things a man had to master if they truly wished to become a gentleman. Despite originating in China Weiqi became more famous in Japan and from their has spread its way throughout the world.

Mahjong –

Screen Shot 2015-11-09 at 3.55.50 PM(Game of Mahjong)

(http://blog.chinatraveldepot.com/tag/mahjong/)

Description: This game is played with four players and involves the use of different valued tiles. Players roll dice to determine the order of play and than attempt to get the highest point total by drawing and discarding tiles from their hand and placing matching combinations on the table in front of them. The game ends when all tiles are drawn or if a player manages to draw five sets of three tiles and an additional one pair, or four sets of three, one four-of-a-kind, and an additional one pair.

History:

The game of Mahjong was invented relativity recently in comparison to the rest of the games discussed on this page. Evidence suggests that the game was created in Kiangsu, Anhwei and Chekiang as these locations contain the earliest mentions of the game. Theories attribute the game to many different creators from Hung Hsiu-Ch’uan, to a pair of brothers in Ningpo, to a nameless citizen of Ningpo. We do know that the game was created sometime before the 1900’s but only really began to see play outside of its original areas after 1905. The game would spend the next fifteen years evolving as it made its way through China, before eventually becoming the modern Chinese version. Mahjong is both a game of luck and strategy and is a popular gambling game that shows the importance of both luck and skill for successful play.

 

 

Art –

 

China has had a long history of creating elegant and awe-inspiring art. From jade carving to painting to music it is difficult to ignore the many classic works of art that have arose out of China. Below you can see some examples of this amazing artwork as well as a brief history on the different subjects.

 

The Four Arts of a Scholar

In China’s past their existed the idea of the four scholarly pursuits. These four arts were considered necessary for any scholar to master. These four arts are: Calligraphy, WeiChi, Painting, and learning to play the Guqin.

 

 

Jade Carving:

Jade carving, the practice of carving jade into different figures, has an interesting history in China. Jade was once the most valuable material in China, being considered more valuable the gold or silver, and was thought to be filled with positive energy.  Over the years many artists would create intricate works of art out of Jade to represent everything from the concept of balance, to Gods, to family symbols. These pieces of art are highly revered and a few examples can be seen below.

 

han_jade-bixiehan_jade-wine-cup-in-the-shape-of-rhino-horn

http://www.comuseum.com/jade/shang-to-han/

 

 

Chinese movies

Film in China has had to travel a rocky road to get to where it is today. China was introduced to film in the late 1800’s and would receive much of their training and film techniques from foreign film workers, particularly those from the United States. China would soon begin to make their own locally made films but this was cut short due to World War 2. After the war the Chinese government saw the potential in using film to spread its ideals and would continue to do so until the famed cultural revolution of China. During the revolution filmmaking in China ground to a halt, in an attempt by the government to better control the country, and it would take years for film to reach the height it had once been at. The next era of film in China began in the 1980’s. This era is known for helping make available Chinese cinema throughout the world as well as abandoning some traditional film techniques and instead adopting a more freeform style. The modern era of film in China is the age of the amateur. In this era amateur filmmaking is on the rise and the international reach of Chinese media has never been as widely felt with films like “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” being international hits.

CTHD-poster

http://www.learn-chinese-from-movies.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CTHD-poster.jpg

 

Calligraphy:

Considered the most impressive of all visual arts is calligraphy. Calligraphy is the art of writing and has always been considered one of the most important arts for any artist to master. In practice calligraphy is word art, the ability to write words in such a way as to convey the emotions of the writer to the reader. In theory calligraphy should allow even one who cannot read to have an idea of what is written by simply looking at the art. Chinese calligraphy puts emphases on individualism and expression of the artist with each stroke unlike western penmanship which strives for conformity in the writing of text.

 

wang-xizhi_orchid-pavilion-preface

http://www.comuseum.com/product/wang-xizhi-orchid-pavilion-preface/

 

Painting

The history of painting in China is rich and full of masterpieces. Painting was considered one of the four Scholarly pursuits and so the skill was held in the upmost respect. Many classic and beautiful paintings hail from China and those paintings have a style all their own. During the Jin dynasty paintings of works other than calligraphy began to emerge, showing of life in China at the time. It was in the Tang dynasty that art in China flourished. Famous artist were employed by the royal court and allowed to create stunning works. It was during this time that ink drawings, work lacking colors, would emerge. Soon this style of art would be adopted by various masters of the trade. Art would continue to advance during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, having an increased focus on drawing landscapes and ink paintings. Traditional painting techniques would reign in China until the late Imperial age, where western inspired artist would begin to clash with traditional artist. This scene would soon change as artist were told to create artwork for the government to help and spread its influence. This continued for a time until the cultural revolution. During the cultural revolution advancement of art in China was halted and many institutions dedicated to the arts closed down. After the revolution art was once again allowed to march forward. Modern art in China has a clear western influence but still places a value on traditional Chinese artistry techniques.

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http://artisticselection.blogspot.com/

 

Music

Modern music in China tends to be the kind of songs you could expect to find in a karaoke bar. Catchy and with lyrics that beg to be sung along with this type of music is a far cry from traditional Chinese melodies, such as the delicate sound of the Guqin. This instrument is a seven stringed guitar and is played by plucking at the strings as it lay on a table. To master the Guqin taxes one’s patience and requires a great deal of practice to master. Leaning to play the Guqin was a highly valued skill, being one of the four scholarly arts, and had a special place in Chinese culture.