Chinese Culture-Introduction

Chinese culture is essence of Chinese civilization. To understand Chinese culture, we need to know China first. China, the People’s Republic of China has a vast territory of 9.6 million square kilometers, ranked the fourth biggest country in the world. China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities directly under the Central Government and 2 special administrative regions. China has the world’s biggest population of more than 1.3 billion, which consists of 56 ethnic groups with Han people as the major group. The capital of China is Beijing.Chinese culture embodies the philosophy of holism. Ancient Chinese philosophers believed that all things in the world are interrelated and that Heaven, Earth, Humanity form a united whole.

Early Chinese culture

China’s Stone Age lasted for at least one million years. The Chinese ancestors started to make pottery during the late Neolithic Period, around 5000 BC. This period is represented by Yangshao Culture, on the middle reaches of the Yellow River.

Chinese Jade Culture

The late Neolithic Age saw the advent of China's unique "jade culture." During the 6th century BC, the Confucian school of philosophy held that ritual jade objects were symbolic of human nature. Their soft luster represented serenity, while their flawless clarity represented refinement of character. As Confucianism developed, ritual jade objects were appropriated by the nobility as emblems of rank and status. Even more importantly, they came to be seen as symbols of evolved character and moral perfection.

Chinese Bronze Culture

China's Bronze Culture reached its peak in the 16th century BC and flourished for 1000 years. Bronze was used primarily to craft ritual objects and musical instruments, rather than the agricultural tools and weapons characteristic of other Bronze Age cultures. Many cast bronze objects bearing accounts of sacrificial rites and historical incidents were made during this time, providing important records of the period.

Written Language-Chinese Characters

Chinese characters are the written form of Chinese language. The history of Chinese characters spans over 3000 years, making them one of the world's oldest forms of written communication. Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor, standardized Chinese characters in 221 BC. China's ethnic minorities also have a number of unique writing systems. Chinese characters are written within a square framework, so they are sometimes referred to in Chinese as "square writing."

Chinese Art

The art of ancient Egypt, India, and Babylon has receded into the mists of the past. That of China, on the other hand, has developed without interruption for thousands of years. Chinese art is richly diverse and highly comprehensive, encompassing many forms and styles.

Calligraphy

In China, a person who can produce beautiful calligraphy is considered to be highly cultured. Traditional Chinese calligraphy uses brushes made from animal hair to apply ink to paper, producing uniquely graceful brushstrokes.

Painting

Traditional Chinese painting uses brushes to apply ink and pigment to thin silk or paper, which is then mounted on scrolls. Great importance is placed on fluidity and expressiveness of line. Chinese painting holds that revealing essence is more important than representing form.

Chinese Sculpture

Sculpture is the forerunner of all art." This saying truly describes the Chinese sculptural arts. Jade carvings of people, pottery figurines of young women, and sculptures and carvings of animals appeared in China as early as the Neolithic Age (c. 12,000-2000 BC). As Chinese culture flourished, so did Chinese sculpture.

Chinese Architecture

Traditional Chinese architecture emphasizes harmony between structure and surroundings. Even inside a building, human beings and nature are not separate, but rather form a unified whole.

Chinese Philosophy

Traditional Chinese philosophy puts great importance on personal ethics and morality, holding that only a person of superior character can achieve domestic harmony and national progress.

The 6th through 3rd centuries BC saw the flourishing of traditional Chinese philosophy. Numerous schools of thought advanced their ideas during this time. Among them, Confucianism and Daoism had the greatest influence on the development of Chinese culture.

Confucianism

Confucianism emerged between the 6th through 5th century BC. Its founder, Confucius, expanded upon ancient Chinese concepts of humanism. He emphasized the value of the individual, the cultivation of personal ethics, and the importance of moral character. The concepts of benevolence ( 仁ren ) and propriety ( 礼li ) were the central tenants of Confucianism, and became the foundation of mainstream Chinese culture.

Daoism

Daoist philosophy teaches that although all things exist in a state of transformation, they also possess an underlying order. This constantly changing, self-balancing order is known as the Dao, or the Way