chinese culture experience essay

Chinese Culture

China is one of the Four Ancient Civilizations (alongside Babylon, India and Egypt), according to Chinese scholar Liang Qichao (1900). It boasts a vast and varied geographic expanse, 3,600 years of written history, as well as a rich and profound culture. Chinese culture is diverse and unique, yet harmoniously blended — an invaluable asset to the world.

Our China culture guide contains information divided into Traditions, Heritage, Arts, Festivals, Language, and Symbols. Topics include Chinese food, World Heritage sites, China's Spring Festival, Kungfu, and Beijing opera.

China's Traditions

China's heritage.

China's national heritage is both tangible and intangible, with natural wonders and historic sites, as well as ethnic songs and festivals included.

As of 2018, 53 noteworthy Chinese sites were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List: 36 Cultural Heritage, 13 Natural Heritage, and 4 Cultural and Natural Heritage .

China's Performing Arts

• Chinese Kungfu
• Chinese Folk Dance
• Chinese Traditional Music
• Chinese Acrobatics
• Beijing Opera
• Chinese Shadow Plays
• Chinese Puppet Plays
• Chinese Musical Instruments

Arts and Crafts

• Chinese Silk
• Chinese Jade Articles
• Ancient Chinese Furniture
• Chinese Knots
• Chinese Embroidery
• Chinese Lanterns
• Chinese Kites
• Chinese Paper Cutting
• Chinese Paper Umbrellas
• Ancient Porcelain
• Chinese Calligraphy
• Chinese Painting
• Chinese Cloisonné
• Four Treasures of the Study
• Chinese Seals

China's Festivals

China has several traditional festivals that are celebrated all over the country (in different ways). The most important is Chinese New Year, then Mid-Autumn Festival. China, with its "55 Ethnic Minorities", also has many ethnic festivals. From Tibet to Manchuria to China's tropical south, different tribes celebrate their new year, harvest, and other things, in various ways.

Learning Chinese

Chinese is reckoned to be the most difficult language in the world to learn, but that also must make it the most interesting. It's the world's only remaining pictographic language in common use, with thousands of characters making up the written language. Its pronunciation is generally one syllable per character, in one of five tones. China's rich literary culture includes many pithy sayings and beautiful poems.

Symbols of China

Every nation has its symbols, but what should you think of when it comes to China? You might conjure up images of long coiling dragons, the red flag, pandas, the Great Wall… table tennis, the list goes on…

Top Recommended Chinese Culture Tours

• China's classic sights
• A silent night on the Great Wall
• Relaxing in China's countryside
• China's past, present, and future
• The Terracotta Amy coming alive
• Experience a high-speed train ride
• Feed a lovely giant panda
• Explore China's classic sights
• Relax on a Yangtze River cruise
• Walk on the the Great Wall.
• Make a mini warrior with a local family.
• Pay your respects at the pilgrim's holy palace.

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Living in China: A Foreigner’s Perspective on Culture, Language, Food and More

China is home to over 1.4 billion people, making it the world’s most populous country. With a long history and rich cultural heritage, China continues to grow in global economic and political influence. This fascinating country offers much for foreigners to experience, from bustling megacities like Shanghai to serene natural landscapes.

For an expat, living in China can be an eye-opening and rewarding experience. However, there are also numerous cultural differences and practical challenges to adjust to. By learning about Chinese culture, language, food, and other aspects of daily life, foreigners can make the most of their time living in China.

Table of Contents

Living in China – Cultural Differences and Etiquette

Chinese culture goes back thousands of years. Core values in Chinese society include family, education, hierarchy, and harmony. Some key things to understand about Chinese culture include:

• Elders and authority figures are highly respected. It is important to show deference to superiors and avoid causing offense.
• Group harmony is valued over individual interests. Standing out negatively is frowned upon.
• Concepts like “face” and guanxi (social networks/connections) matter a great deal. Causing someone to “lose face” can damage relationships.
• Modesty and restraint are seen as virtues. Loud, boastful behavior is considered poor etiquette.

As a foreigner, you may unintentionally violate cultural norms with behaviors like showing too much emotion in public or addressing someone inappropriately based on their seniority. Be observant of how local Chinese act in different settings. Avoid criticizing or insulting China to fit in better.

Language and Communication Norms

Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan. Cantonese is also common in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong and Macau. As an expat, try learning basic Mandarin phrases. Even simple efforts to speak Chinese will make local people appreciate that you respect their culture.

Some key differences in communication norms include:

• Less focus on verbal eloquence; being straightforward is valued more.
• Communication can be less direct than Western verbal styles. Things may be implied subtly rather than said outright.
• Avoiding embarrassment trumps absolute honesty. “White lies” are common to preserve harmony.
• Discussing politics, religion and other sensitive topics should generally be avoided, at least in early interactions.

Adjust your communication style to be more subtle, discreet and observant of people’s reactions. Don’t insist on totally frank discussion if it causes discomfort. Building guanxi requires tact.

Food and Cuisine

Chinese cuisine is world-famous and every region has its own distinctive flavors. Some key aspects of Chinese food culture include:

• Rice and noodles are staple daily foods. Steamed rice often accompanies meals.
• Chopsticks are used for most dishes, so practice this etiquette.
• Tea is widely consumed. Try Chinese teas like oolong or pu’er.
• Dining out is very common. Restaurant meals are meant for group sharing.
• Certain foods like snake, dog or insects may seem exotic to foreigners. Keep an open mind.
• Spicy Sichuan dishes, dim sum, Peking duck, dumplings, and noodles like ramen are just some culinary highlights.

Be adventurous with the enormous variety of Chinese cooking. For homesickness, global cuisines are available in big cities like Beijing or Shanghai. But sampling authentic local specialties will help you appreciate the culture.

Lifestyle and Social Customs

Daily life in China has modernized in many ways while certain traditional lifestyles persist. Some key aspects include:

• China’s public transit systems in major cities are excellent and inexpensive. Use subways, buses and high-speed rail when possible.
• Taxis are abundant and affordable. Just have your destination written down since few drivers speak English.
• Bargaining is expected at markets and street stalls. Start lower and incrementally negotiate a price.
• Mahjong and karaoke are popular recreational activities. Try them out with Chinese friends.
• Chinese social media sites like WeChat are invaluable for everyday life and business. Get setup on them right away.
• VPNs are necessary to access apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp since they are banned in China.

Stay open-minded about social customs like group dinners with mandatory shots of baijiu liquor. Participate enthusiastically to gain local friends.

Working Culture and Business Etiquette

For expats working in China, understanding business culture and office norms is vital. Some key aspects include:

• Hierarchy is paramount. Defer to superiors and follow their chain of command.
• Carefully evaluate proposals from subordinates. Bluntly refusing could cause loss of face.
• Avoid putting Chinese colleagues “on the spot” with critical questions in group settings.
• Do not rely only on explicit verbal agreements. Written contracts hold more weight.
• Exchanging small gifts like fruit or tea builds guanxi with coworkers and business partners.
• Avoid using yellow gift paper, as it symbolizes death. Red paper or bags are lucky.

Succeeding professionally requires tactfully adapting to Chinese business etiquette. Let local colleagues guide you initially until you grasp important cultural dynamics.

Health, Safety and Pollution Concerns

China’s rapid development has created challenges like dangerous air pollution levels in many cities. Other health and safety issues also require vigilance.

• Verify food sanitation ratings. Avoid street food with questionable hygiene standards.
• Pedestrian norms are loose. Be very alert when crossing streets.
• Some traditional Chinese medicine treatments like acupuncture or cupping can be beneficial. Research reputable practitioners.

With basic precautions, you can stay healthy and safe while living in China. The linguistic and cultural barriers make preparations before medical issues vital.

Pros and Cons of Living in China as a Foreigner

China offers an environment that can be both appealing and frustrating. Assessing the potential pros and cons as an expat can help with expectations.

Potential Advantages:

• Vibrant modern culture still influenced by historical traditions
• Economic opportunities with high growth sectors
• Delicious and diverse regional cuisines
• Inexpensive domestic travel and transport
• Chance to learn Mandarin, valued worldwide for business
• Making local Chinese friends and relationships
• Gaining perspective by immersing in a non-Western culture

Potential Challenges:

• Isolation and loneliness without a local support network
• Language and cultural barriers inhibiting assimilation
• Heavy air pollution in major metropolises
• Authoritarian governance with limited civic freedoms
• Censorship of international internet and social media
• Frequent staring or comments from locals unaccustomed to foreigners

With realistic expectations about cultural differences, an open mind to learn, and willingness to adapt your behavior, the experience of living in China can be life-changing. Immerse yourself and make local connections.

Key Takeaways for New Expats

To maximize your experience in China as a foreigner, keep these tips in mind:

• Observe local etiquette for greetings, self-presentation, dining, and business. Don’t stand out negatively.
• Be patient with communication difficulties. Use technology aids like translation apps and learn basic Mandarin.
• Make Chinese friends who can explain cultural subtleties and advocate for you.
• Try unfamiliar foods and local pastimes with an adventurous spirit. Say yes to new experiences.
• Navigate visa requirements early. Regulations can be strict and complex.
• Pollution is severe in urban areas. Take health precautions like air purifiers and masks.
• Respect political sensitivities of your hosts. Avoid discussing certain topics.
• Appreciate ancient and modern influences that shape contemporary Chinese society.

Immersing yourself in this complex country will unlock amazing cultural encounters. New expats willing to learn about Chinese language, cuisine, social customs and more will enrich their perspective. Keep an open mind, be considerate of local sensibilities, and embrace the chance to understand China on a deeper level.

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My beautiful encounter with China

[Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] Jang Jin Song, Beijing Foreign Studies University

“Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.” — A saying by Dong Qichang, a painter of Ming Dynasty (1368—1644), has always inspired me. In my life, I have read many stories and traveled to many places.

However, China, this lovely and beautiful country, is the one which truly attracts me and which I forge an indissoluble bond with. In my early acquaintance with China, I held deep curiosity toward this country; when I got to more about China, I grew more fondness of her; and when I came back to China after years of departing, I got greatly amazed by her fast development. All those experiences with China are lying quietly at the bottom of my heart and encouraging me on my way forward.

First Acquaintance—Inspired byMy Grandfather and Longing for China

When did I hear about China for the first time and when did I become fond of China? It all traced back to the summer when I was five.

In the July when I was five, it was so hot that birds seemed hiding themselves in nowhere. Grasses and trees were hanging their heads low.

Cicadas were shrilling loudly among trees. It seemed everything was crying “hot” and so was I. Early in the morning one day, my grandpa, who had retired for several years, put on his glorious military uniforms out of no reason, held my hands and took me to “Sino — Korean Friendship Tower”.

“My kid, do you see the tower? You must remember all those people lying beneath this tower are our kinsmen and our brothers. You should never forget them,” he said. I was confused by what my grandpa said and asked him who they were.

After returning home, my grandpa told me that under the tower were martyrs of the Chinese People’s Volunteers who had been fighting shoulder by shoulder with North Korean people during our national liberation war. After that, China began to enter my mind. I grew gradually deep interested in China and my story with China started.

Getting to Know China—Tongue Tip Savoring & Ear Echoing

Like a colorful shining box that is full of pearls, childhood is the unforgettable memory in one’s life.We became to cherish the memories with time.

Memory is like a ship, which carries me back to the city Shenyang in Northeast China’s Liaoning province, where I spent my childhood. I learned Chinese and Chinese culture in my primary school and I also traveled across all the three provinces in Northeast China. I became deeply enchanted by the rich and colorful Chinese culture and came to understand more. Chinese food, folklore and costumes were especially amazing to me.

When travelling across the three northeastern provinces, I tried almost every local delicacy, such as chicken stewed with mushrooms, pork stewed with bean or sweet potato noodles, the sauce and sweet fried pork, local three mixed vegetables and Harbin Red Sausage.

I also tried local cuisines from other provinces, such as Yuxiang Shredded Pork (Sautéed in Spicy Garlic Sauce), Kung Pao Chicken, Chongqing Hotpot, Chongqing Style Boiled Duck Blood Curd and fermented bean curd.

Traditional Chinese festival food is also very delicious, each with their own unique flavor, such as zongzi (wrapped rice dumpling) for the Dragon Boat Festival, moon cake for the Mid-Autumn Festival and tangyuan (sticky rice dumpling) for the Lantern Festival. The traditional Chinese food is not only pleasing to eyes, noses and tongues, but also pleasing to ears with their own legendary stories.

Take the moon cake as an example. In the Yuan Dynasty, the civil people could not bear the cruelty and tyranny of the ruling class and rose up fighting against them. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, decided to unite all forces and start a revolt. However, armies of the emperor were search for them so tightly that message delivery became very hard. Then Liu Bowen, the counselor of Zhu, came out with a wonderful idea.

He asked his fellowmen to wrap a slip of paper written with the message “revolt on August 15” into cakes and send the food to other revolt armies. On August 15 when the planned date arrived, all revolt armies staged revolts and echoed each other.

They fought against the Yuan army and defeated them in a full victory. In memory of the revolt, Zhu asked his soldiers to celebrate this day with civil people on August 15 and made moon cakes to reward his fellowmen. After that, the tradition of having moon cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival was spread.

Now moon cakes have become more delicate with great variety in styles and flavors, fully satisfying to the demanding tongues of modern people. Not only moon cakes but all festival food has fascinating stories behind them.

This is one of the greatest charms of Chinese food culture.

Besides food, I also like traditional Chinese folklore and costumes. In the traditional folklore, I hear chanting and echoing across thousands of years. In traditional Chinese costumes, I see the harmony of colors and delicacy of Chinese craftsmen. I was greatly enchanted by the experience and enjoyed learning Chinese and Chinese culture even after I went back to my own country.

Admiring—Fast Development with Multitudes of Talents

An old Korean saying says, “The world changes radically every decade.” Time flies! I came back to China six years later after I had returned to my own country. China has undergone quite a change in the past six years.

High-speed trains, online shopping and mobile payment has been widely spread in China,  which makes daily life very convenient. The economic development of China is so rapid that every aspect of daily life such as clothes, food, accommodation  and transportation is filled with miracles created by “Chinese Speed”.

Besides the amazing economic development, I also admire the courage and solidarity of Chinese people when they are facing emergency. The COVID- 19 pandemic hit the world seriously in January 2020. Chinese people in concerted efforts with the CPC have won a great victory in this unexpected breathtaking war against the pandemic.

I witnessed this heart-touching fight during the pandemic, heard great breakthrough news from science and research frontiers and got to know a large number of “heroes” who were actually ordinary people from all walks of life.

From those inspiring or moving stories of the ordinary people, I realized the great powers of Chinese people with their concerted efforts and indomitable spirits. The year of 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the CPC. I firmly believe that China, with its great party and people, will inherit and carry on its “Chinese Spirit”, and flourish.

If life is a book, there should be more splendid details; if life is a song, there should be more soaring rhythm; if life is a painting, there should be more pleasant colors.

The journey of life is long and colorful. Fortunately, with my grandpa holding my hands, I encountered China. I gradually get to know and be in love with China with my own eyes, ears, tongue and soul.

The Chinese red has become the unique color in my life’s journey. Home is where the heart is. Inspired by this love, I will continue my story with China, and I believe the truth, goodness and beauty of China will also be carried on till forever.

The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).

• Study in Shanghai
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
• Tsinghua University

Chinese Traditional Festivals and Culture Essay

Introduction.

The Chinese culture is one of the most celebrated cultures over the world. Owing to this culture, there are many festivals associated with it. Through these festivals, the Chinese culture has become overwhelmingly popular in many parts of the world.

The festivals fall in different times of the year and are celebrated in differing styles. All these festivals may be classified under four categories (Gibney, p. 109). This paper will focus on the three Chinese traditional festivals.

These are the Spring Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Dragon Boat festival. This paper will briefly describe the three festivals and their importance to the Chinese people.

The paper will also explain what the festivals tell the audience about Chinese traditional culture, values and the similarities among these festivals’ values. Chinese have various festivals and Cultures which have different values and similarities. The festivals tell more about the Chinese cultures and values.

The Spring Festival

Of all the Chinese festivals, the Spring Festival has the greatest value to the Chinese people with its value equated to the value of the Westerners attachment to Christmas. It is a time of the year designated for merrymaking when family members come together to celebrate the occasion.

This period is characterized by congestion and overcrowding in all the transport networks. Millions of Chinese fill the airports, bus stations and rail stations in a rush to return home (Kalman, p. 20).

The Spring Festival is celebrated for a period of three days every year though its entire duration is a bit longer. The festival falls on the first day of the first lunar month but starts unceremoniously in the early days of the twelfth lunar month and extends to the mid of the first lunar month of the following year.

During this entire period, the eve of the Spring festival and the following three days have the greatest importance to the Chinese people (Kalman, p. 20).

The history of this festival dates back to the 12th century. The custom has survived through the centuries though the meaning has slightly changed. Today, the festival does not necessarily involve offering sacrifices to gods or ancestors, but simply marks the end of a year and the beginning of another.

The government attaches a lot of importance to the festival and even stipulates that people take the first seven days of the New Year to celebrate. A series of events carried out by the Chinese people mark the Spring Festival (Kalman, p. 21).

The occasion starts on the eighth day of the last lunar month. On this day, families make laba porridge which is made of beans, rice, lotus seeds, millet, jujube berries, longan and gingko. Following this, preparing delicious meals is held on the twenty third day of the same month.

Initially, the meaning of this day was to offer sacrifice to the Chinese kitchen god; however, today, people prepare the meals to enjoy themselves. The day is called the ’Preliminary Eve’ after which people commence the actual preparations for welcoming the New Year. During this period, people go into a shopping spree buying all they will require during the New Year celebrations (Kalman, p. 21).

To mark a new beginning associated with the up coming New Year, all the people carry out a thorough cleaning of their clothes, utensils, houses and compounds. This is followed by colorful decorations to create an atmosphere of joy and festive mood.

At this time, the Chinese mastery in calligraphy is brought to the fore. All houses are decorated with various patterns depending on the tastes of the owners; however, the most common colors are red and black. The most popular decorations involve pasting of the door panels with couplets which have red and black collage patterns.

The Chinese associate different colors and patterns with personal wishes, such as good luck and success in the New Year. Those who still harbor strong traditional attachments decorate their houses with images of the gods of wealth whom they believe will bring them abundant wealth in the New Year (Kalman, p. 22).

The most remarkable symbol that is almost consciously mandatory in the New Year celebrations is the character fu which stands for the happiness and blessings. Other characters and patterns with various meaning associated with the festivities are also commonplace around this period. For example, red lanterns erected on opposite sides of the doors and other brightly decorated images have special meanings of the new beginning or renewed hope to the Chinese populace (Kalman, p. 22).

Another popular custom is the setting of fire crackers and fireworks. The special meaning of this practice is biding farewell to the previous year and welcoming the New Year. The custom of using the fireworks exists in China for a long and is an integral part in many other occasions, such as sports events and wedding ceremonies.

An important event on the New Year day involves visitations. People move around to visit friends and relatives to send their New Year wishes. Culturally, the young visit the elderly to offer the wishes. The elderly in return offer them monetary gifts wrapped in special red wrappings.

It is considered essential to visit one another and pass the New Year regards; however; with influence of technology on the modern generation, nowadays, people use phones and e-mail services to pass their New Year messages (Kalman, p. 23).

A characteristic delicacy during the festival is the Jiaozi , a preparation of flour stuffed with various fillings. The meal is culturally recommended since its shape which resembles an ancient Chinese currency means that the New Year will bring wealth.

To add to that, different ethnic groups attach other symbols to the dumplings associated with good luck. For instance, candy is believed to signify sweet life, and chestnuts represent vigor. To start the year on the right footing, people try to avoid bad behavior or explicit use of some words such as kill, dead or bad because they believe they could be a bad omen for the New Year.

No sweeping of floor is allowed as it signifies pushing away blessings. There are many other taboos associated with this festival that vary from one ethnic group to another. These signify the wealth of the Chinese culture and the value attached to it (Kalman, p. 23).

Mid-Autumn Festival

The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival also referred to as the Moon Cake Festival is commemorated every fifteenth day of the eighth month. The festival is associated with the connection between the mankind’s spirit and nature. The term Moon Cake Festival is used in reference to a special sweet cake, yueh ping, which is baked during the festival and resembles the moon. The cake is prepared and filled with duck eggs, sesame and ground lotus seeds (Kalman, p. 27).

The history of this festival can be traced back to the 14 th century . Different theories explaining the origin of this festival exist, but this is not withstanding; the Chinese continue to celebrate annually. One myth about the origin of the Moon Cake Festival states that China was under the control of oppressive Mongols in the 14 th century.

A revolutionary named Chu Yuen-Chang and his deputy Liu Po-Wen came up with a strategy to overthrow this leadership. Liu entered a besieged city in the disguise of a Taoist priest and distributed cakes in the shape of a moon to the city inhabitants in readiness for an up coming festival ( Chung Chiu ).

On opening the cakes’ wrappings, people found messages calling on them to help coordinate a rebellion with his army located outside the city. The plan succeeded, and Chu Yuen-Chang became their emperor successfully overthrowing the oppressive rule of the Mongols.

Every following year during the Chung Chiu festival, people in the empire prepared moon shaped cakes, and the custom stuck into all the upcoming generations to signify freedom (Jasmine, p. 38).

Another version argues that a woman lived on the moon during the Hsia dynasty. This woman, Chang-O, was the wife of a great general, Hou-Yi. One day, this general, a skilled archer, shot down eight suns that had mysteriously come out.

These suns, they believed, would have brought disaster to the Earth. The General was thus rewarded by the emperor. People believed that those suns could re-appear and cause more havoc. They, therefore, offered sacrifices to the god of heavens to make the general immortal, so he would forever protect their generations. Their prayer was answered, and Hou received the immortality pill (Jasmine, p. 39).

It is said that the wife, Chang-O, stole the pill and went to live on the moon. Due to the cold weather on the moon, she began coughing until the pill came out. She decided to crash it and scatter it to the earth so all the people would become immortal.

A hare described in many Chinese mythologies as Jade hare helped her and gnawed the pill into dust. Together, they spread the dust all over the earth in the hope it would reach everyone. Owing to this worthy gesture, the Chinese always put images of Chang-O on moon cake boxes and Moon Cake Festival posters as a gesture for good wishes (Jasmine, p. 39).

The third version is based on an ancient belief that marriages are organized on the moon. Yueh Lao Yeh, an old man who was believed to live on the moon, carries out this role. He is said to have a record of all the newborns, their future plans including their matching partners in marriage.

During the Moon Festival, many Chinese including little children climb onto hills and mountains or visit open beaches to have a clear view of the moon and make their wish to the old man. They use symbols with a cultural meaning.

For instance, a butterfly signifies long life, star-like fruits symbolize seasons, a lobster represents mirth, a crap is used to signify strength and wisdom since the symbol was originally a decoration of ancient emperors’ gowns.

The value of this cultural practice among the Chinese indicates that they believe in presence of supernatural beings who determine mortals’ destiny as it is common across almost all the cultures all over the world (Jasmine, p. 40).

The Dragon Boat festival

In China, the Dragon Boat Festival is referred to as Duan Wu Jie. This festival is commemorated every fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. The origin of this festival dates many centuries back and is based on activities in remembrance of a great Chinese poet, Qu Yuan.

The Chinese culture has a strong connection to the history of Yuan who is still regarded to be one of the greatest patriots in the Chinese history. It is said that Qu Yuan served as an advisor to the emperor Huai. He opposed corruption fervently which apparently annoyed many of the empire’s officials.

Due to corruption and bad leadership, the empire of the Chu state was easily defeated by the Qin state. This disappointed him so much that he committed suicide by drowning into the Miluo River (Stafford, p. 113).

The Chinese government has tried to emphasize the importance of this holyday for the entire nation apart from being held in remembrance of a great patriot and also offered an appropriate platform to remind everyone the importance of good conduct and loyalty and inculcate the culture of being committed to the national course in the people (Stafford, p. 113).

What the festivals tell the audience about Chinese traditional culture and values

The Spring Festival can be said to be a time for family members to remember one another by coming together and celebrate the success of the past year together and cross over to a new year encouraging each other. Giving money to the young by the elderly is a sign of wishing them good fortune in life.

This creates oneness in the society and shows the caring nature of the populace. It is also a time dedicated to commemoration of the ancestors from whom the current generation emerges. This ensures continuity and inculcates the sense of belonging (Katz, p. 27).

The Mid-Autumn Festival is characterized by worship. People use this festival to offer their thanksgiving to the moon (heavens) and the earth for all the blessings and successes they have had in their lives. It is also a time to pray for good fortunes. The moon shaped cakes consumed during this festival demonstrate family unity. During this festival, the Chinese people also take time to observe serenity (Katz, p. 27).

Nowadays, the Dragon Boat Festival is also called the Poet’s Festival as it commemorates the death of a great patriotic poet. This patriot committed suicide following disillusionment by the failure of the ruling class to fight corruption or uphold integrity in leadership.

Through this festival, the Chinese are reminded about the value of upright nationhood, commitment to the national course and integrity observation in all the deeds of day to day lives (Katz, p. 27).

These festivals are part of the Chinese effort to maintain their culture and values amidst the overwhelming globalization. The involvement of the Chinese government in promoting these festivals goes a long way in creating a national culture for all the Chinese ethnic grouping which in turn would enhance harmony.

Almost all Chinese ethnic groups attach a lot of importance to these festivals and other cultural practices which has resulted in the practices gaining prominence across generations. The Chinese have indicated the importance of their culture on many more occasions and not only the three festivals mentioned above.

For instance, in 2004, during the Athens- based Olympics, the Chinese performed an extravaganza displaying colorful features of their culture. The use of Chinese only attire and symbols at the event and many other events they perform all over the world, in particular during cultural exchange events only acts to demonstrate the actual value they attach t their culture (Katz, p. 89).

Numerous transformations have occurred in the way the Chinese run their politics, education, family structures, language, the military and the judiciary, however; the traditional practices and festivals that demonstrate the Chinese value attachment to their culture have undergone little or no transformation over the their entire 5000-year history.

Social experts claim that the modernized Chinese who have tried to embrace other cultures of the world that are deemed more civilized especially western cultures have found themselves in a ‘lonely world. This has therefore forced majority of the Chinese to tow the cultural line in an effort to remain relevant (Stafford, p. 202).

One of the strategies that the government has employed includes offering sponsorship and an aggressive media awareness campaign to sensitize the populace on the importance of observing and participating in cultural events and festivals.

Aside from the national governments efforts, local authorities have also made it their responsibility to inculcate the essence of observing the festivals and teaching the importance of the same to their children.

Several individuals have also been involved in promoting culture development by sponsoring events or other programs with a cultural orientation. The maintenance of cultural activities in china such as the traditional festivals has also been prominent due to efforts of non-governmental organizations that have kept the government on its toes to protect culture as it was demonstrated in the out cries when the central government started destroying traditional shrines, artifacts and other heritage sites (Stafford, p. 207).

The national media has lately been at the forefront in promoting traditional holidays and events such as the Dragon boat festival, the Mid-Autumn festival, the Moon festival and other cultural events that were earlier deemed contradictory such as the Maoism, globalism and socialism.

These traditional Chinese festivals have gained so much popularity to an extent of being integrated into the curriculum from basic level education to higher education (Katz, p. 28).

All the Chinese festivals described above have many characteristics in common. They all demonstrate a common desire for joy, well-being, and encourage unity among the people to unite the family. They show an element of the vital link between mankind and their creator.

The issue of avoiding misfortunes is also highlighted. The Chinese use all these festivals for relating and merrymaking. It can be also stated that these festivals are an important opportunity for Chinese to take a break from the hectic day to day life chores (Katz, p. 28).

Chinese have various festivals and Cultures which have different values and similarities. The festivals tell more about the Chinese cultures and values. Despite the culture transformations going on in all the parts of the world that have led to erosions of cultures, China is among the few societies that have maintained traditional festivals and customs.

The continued cultural links of the modern Chinese population show the importance of the attachment to the history and culture. There are many other factors that unite the Chinese community, such as language, and ethnic ties, but none of these has a stronger bond than their cultural identity.

Works Cited

Gibney, Matthew J. Immigration and Asylum: From 1900 to the Present. Entries A to I, Volume 1. California: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print.

Jasmine, Julia. Multicultural Holidays: Share our Celebration . Huntington Beach, CA : Teacher Created Materials, 1994. Print.

Kalman, Bobbie. China, the Culture. New York: Crabtree, 2008. Print.

Katz, Paul R. Demon Hordes and Burning Boats: The Cult of Marshal Wen in Late Imperial Chekiang Albany . New York: State University of New York Press, 1995. Print.

Stafford, Charles. The Roads of Chinese Childhood: Learning and Identification in Angang. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. Print.

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My beautiful experience in China

My journey in China began three years ago when I got enrolled to UCAS to pursue a master degree in Microbiology. Though happy to receive my scholarship in one of the world's famous institution (Wuhan Institute of Virology 中国科学院武汉病毒研究所), I was scared to travel to a new country as I had no prior travel experience. I wondered how I would cope with the culture, environment, food, and language.

Albeit all my doubts, my curiosity got the best of me and in September 2017, I found myself in Beijing ready to face my fears. On arrival, I remember to find the weather rather very hot than what I had anticipated. This was a new experience and surprisingly, I was happy rather than saddened by the quick atmospheric change. I arrived late but lucky enough found someone to guide me to find a Taxi to ferry me to school. This was the first of many acts of kindness I got to experience.

Once I arrive at my school, despite the language barrier, the staff were more than willing to help and guided me to my room. I henceforth began my studies and started to learn a bit of Chinese for survival. In Beijing, students and staff were very cooperative and made me adapt fast to the environment, food, language, and culture. I remember feeling very warm and lucky to have adapted fast.

I marveled at many things in China, among them, the beauty of the infrastructure, the amazing and diverse food. But amongst all, the best was the ability to travel here and there safely. China has a very sufficient transport system and elaborate guide that could help anyone get to any place easily. During my one year stay in Beijing, I visited many beautiful sites among them the Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.

Post a year, I had to travel to Wuhan for my laboratory studies at Wuhan Institute of Virology. At this time, I was fully prepared as I learnt much in Beijing. Once in Wuhan, I found the culture there a little bit different from Beijing. In Wuhan, the common food was noodles and it was very delicious. A delicacy I enjoy to date. I also got to visit many beautiful sites in Wuhan and watched the beautiful city grow every day.

I enjoyed my stay in Wuhan until the day that an outbreak struck the city. At this point, the city came to a standstill and no one was required to move. Lucky enough, as a trained virologist, I took this chance to work in the frontlines against the new virus that had struck the city. I remember working nights and days sometimes with little sleep just to make a difference. In really thank the government of Wuhan and China for their strong support and stand to make the city and country safe. I also thank the Wuhan Institute of Virology, CAS for the amazing education and training they offered me. This helped me work on the front line and help diagnose patients affected by the outbreak. From this outbreak, it just proved that the future of china is bright as they managed to contain an outbreak that has plagued many other parts of the world. As the epidemic ended, I got awarded the best student international student of Wuhan Institute of Virology and got a PHD offer. Now from a master's student of 2017, I am a 2021 PhD student in china.

If someone asks me what the future holds, I would say "endless opportunities await those who dare to chase them". I do be live that China is the next biggest country and anyone who has experienced it would be glad they did. CHINA is the gateway to the future.

I am a current PhD student studying Microbiology at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. I studied my undergraduate in Kenya and passed highly to get awarded a masters scholarship in China at the same institution. In my four year and continued stay in China, I have made tremendous progress and grown both academically and socially. I have achieved many awards including some due to my efforts in fighting the COVID-19 disease. These news reports may help summarize my progress.

武汉病毒所硕士生获2020年度中国科学院大学优秀国际毕业生称号 https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/b9AhmKVLDCai6-tnS43V9g http://english.wbg.cas.cn/ns/es/202010/t20201014_244792.html

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.

Copyright©2024 China Daily. All rights reserved.

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Chinese Culture

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The Chinese Culture Essay

There are many characteristics that comprise the Chinese culture that contribute to its uniqueness. Their many customs influence their religion, language, food, art, science, technology, and celebration (Zimmerman, 2017). Those of the Chinese culture are typically one of five possible religions; this includes Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and/or Protestantism (Zimmerman 2017). China has the world’s largest Buddhist population and their religion is the country’s largest institutionalized religion (Albert, 2018). However, 21% of Chinese still practice folk religions, which blend Buddhism and Daoism (Albert, 2018). The Chinese and their government are most tolerant of Buddhism, and as a result, its number of constituents continues to grow while new temples are built, old ones are restored (Albert, 2018). This tolerance is seen because Buddhism has increased philanthropic activity throughout the country and improved the overall well-being of those in need (Albert, 2018).

Although Buddhism’s popularity has increased in China, Tibetan Buddhists continue to endure religious persecutions (Albert, 2018). The Tibetan Buddhists often face the harshest of punishments because they often challenge the inequalities between Tibetans and Han Chinese (Albert, 2018). Despite Buddhism’s influence amongst the Chinese, Christianity continues to grow and inspires roughly 5% of the population in China (Albert, 2018). Despite Christianity’s growth, religious persecutions on Chinese Christians are on the rise (Albert, 2018). In addition to Christianity, Islam has also impacted Chinese culture and currently boasts ten Muslim ethnic groups, the largest of these being the Hui (closely related to the Han people) and Uighurs (Turks from the Xinjiang region) (Albert, 2018). Even though there are many religious groups throughout China, some have been banned, such as the Church of Almighty God and Falun Gong (Albert, 2018). The government believes that these groups endanger society by promoting political upheaval and violence. Hence, it is important to be knowledgeable of one’s religion and cultural background in order to make the necessary religious/cultural accommodations and allow patients to practice their rituals as desired.

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There are several languages spoken by the Chinese culture including Mandarin, Wu, Yue/Cantonese, Xiang, Min, Hakka, and Gain (Zimmerman, 2017). The Old Chinese language first originated from the Sino-Tibetan language and developed during the 11th century (Collum, 2016). Although it was mostly spoken by only scholars and other wealthy citizens, as many as 5 subsets formed (Collum, 2016). Following this period, the Middle Chinese language began to develop throughout the 7th and 10th centuries (Collum, 2016). Rebus writing, and polysemy also soon spread during this era and helped to produce the contemporary language (Collum, 2016). Today, the Mandarin dialect is spoken by 71.5 percent of the population, followed by Wu of 8.5 percent of the population, Yue/Cantonese of 5 percent, Xiang of 4.8 percent, Min of 4.1 percent, Hakka of 3.7 percent and Gan of 2.4 percent of the population (Zimmerman, 2017).

Not only knowing the patient’s language, but also the dialect is crucial in ensuring cultural competence. Until the creation of the People’s Republic of China in the 1940s, most Chinese throughout the different provinces continued to speak in their local dialect (Collum, 2016). As a result, the use of an interpreter or interpreter phone is necessary when a language-barrier exists between the nurse and patient. It is inappropriate to rely on a family member or friend to translate due to violations of patient privacy and/or the inability of the family member/friend to understand particular medical terminology. In other instances, the family member/friend may on translate messages that he/she believes to be important or that he/she agrees with causing many issues. Therefore, discovering the patient’s primary spoken language and providing an interpreter is essential in facilitating communication between the nurse, patient and other medical providers.

In addition to acknowledging a patient’s religion and language, understanding their food preferences are also important. Unfortunately, much of what we know about Chinese cuisine was not shared with the rest of the world until the 1960s/70s when China began to increase its transparency (Rodgers, 2018). The main style of cooking for Chinese food is stir-fried dishes, with the use of peanuts, sesame paste and ginger, while a major food source is rice, which they include in almost all of their meals (Zimmerman, 2017). Although many Americans are familiar with ‘Chinese food’ and believe to know what it encompasses, dishes such as sweet and sour chicken or fried rice are only a small portion of Chinese cuisine (Rodgers, 2018).

Many of the Chinese dishes that we have grown familiar with derive from the Chinese immigrants that came to California from the province of Guangdong (Rodgers, 2018). Nevertheless, according to Dan Gentile, there are multiple red flags we must avoid before indulging in ‘authentic’ Chinese cuisine (Gentile, 2016). Sweet and sour sauce tastes sugary, along with soy sauce being the mainstay of a dish, are two indicators of low-end and unhealthy Chinese food (Gentile, 2016). Soy sauce contains a high content of sodium and can be detrimental to one’s health with every day use. Cooking with ingredients such as soy sauce can lead to excess use and effect one’s health such as cause hypertension. This implication is important to take note of when assessing patients and their dietary intake. Gentile also notes that when deciding on a Chinese restaurant to visit, always avoid those that advertise meals such as egg foo young, mu shu pork, crab rangoon, the infamous fortune cookie, and American desserts (Gentile, 2016). In addition to these troubling signs, the use of the term potstickers, stereotypical Asian font welcoming you through the front door, and pictures of dragons throughout the restaurant are all false advertisements of authentic food from China (Gentile, 2016).

These particular customs are imperative to be knowledgeable of. Considering their typical diet is high in carbohydrates, sugars and salt, we must be mindful of the implications and the effects to one’s health. Although it may or may not be possible to make permanent changes because of one’s culture and beliefs, the use of education in a nonjudgmental and caring manner is crucial and can truly make a difference in one’s future choices. For example, one may not be willing to remove a food item from their diet entirely, however, can be willing to reduce the consumption. Even a reduction in unhealthy choices can make a positive change to one’s overall health and longevity.

Chinese cuisine first began to popularize amongst Americans in San Francisco, California during the 1950s (Rodgers, 2018). In fact, due to the inexpensive meals that were offered, many of the Beatniks soon became fans of Chinese foods after frequenting restaurants throughout Chinatown (Rodgers, 2018). However, the Chinese fusion foods that soon developed differed from authentic Chinese cooking because of available food sources and taste preferences (Rodgers, 2018). American-Chinese foods are usually less spicy than the way in which the Chinese are accustomed to enjoying their meals (Rodgers, 2018). For example, broccoli will rarely be seen in authentic Chinese cuisine, but because this vegetable is grown in the United States, it eventually was added into many Chinese dishes (Rodgers, 2018). Also, authentic Chinese dishes that contain chicken will only feature the ‘dark meat,’ however, since many Americans prefer the ‘white meat,’ this is often seen instead (Rodgers, 2018). On the other hand, there are quirks in Chinese dining, such as chopsticks, that some have thought were Americanized, but in fact not the case. Thus, knowing the typical diet of one’s culture is not only important in understanding their lifestyle, health and dietary choices, but also to ensure we can provide the necessary accommodations during a hospital stay.

Another main aspect of Chinese culture is the use of art (Zimmerman, 2017). Many of the sculptures and paintings created by the Chinese depict spiritual figures of Buddhism (Zimmerman, 2017). Chinese art uses symbolism to convey the artist’s motive and will often display the impact that nature has on people (Kellaway, 2014). This may be why artists will ‘rotate’ their works into and out of the public eye so that we are given a gentle reminder on how art affects us all (Kellaway, 2014). Recently, Contemporary Chinese art experienced a boom due to more focus on a traditional Chinese form, but it has begun to plateau (Kellaway, 2014). As a result, there was a time when Chinese and Western art did not interact with each other. Europeans imported many goods from China between the 13th and 17th centuries, but none of them being works of art. Not until the arrival of the Jesuits in the 17th century did we begin to see a western influence on Chinese art (Kellaway, 2014).

Nevertheless, Chinese and western art continued to diverge from one another in that while western artists used wood or canvas, Chinese artists used silk or paper (Kellaway, 2014). Also, western artists would depict science or technological advancements in their works, while the Chinese would focus on the humanities and poetry (Kellaway, 2014). Hence, these differing styles call into focus the freedom that Chinese artists enjoyed and explored for centuries before the West began to experiment (Kellaway, 2014). Even though the Chinese were considered more-free in their art forms, they also did not stray from their strict culture and would recycle similar pieces (Kellaway, 2014).

Although artistic works were and continue to be an important part of the Chinese culture, conservation of the aforementioned is highly debated. Many believe in editing pieces of artwork to make them look refurbished and new, while others prefer to embellish their age and give the works a more tarnished and aged affect (Kellaway, 2014). At the same time, we should avoid generalizations when examining Chinese art because of the nation’s size and differing opinions on political and social issues. On the other spectrum of art and culture, martial arts are a common practice in China where the techniques mimic animal movements (Zimmerman, 2017). Similarly, to most popularized aspects of Chinese culture, those that do not try to inject a western spin on this art form will find that it is very interesting and fulfilling. Thus, many Kung Fu Masters will hesitate to take students under their tutelage because they solely want to educate those that not only want to learn but foresee a future in or with martial arts (Li, 2015). As a result, there are a variety of schools that one can attend, whether it be to become a Master or simply learn the basics to quench their interest (Li, 2015).

In addition to traditional Chinese artworks of paintings, drawings, and martial arts, Chinese music dates-back to the early ruling dynasties (Moore, 2009). During the Shang-dynasty, bronze bells and drums were used in the practice of rituals, while other complex instruments during the Zhou-dynasty showed an understanding of acoustics and physics (Moore, 2009). Other musical instruments, such as a flute-like instrument called xun, and gugin, continue to be an integral part of Chinese culture (Zimmerman, 2017). The Zhou scholars also created the first classification system for musical instruments so that it would coincide with astrological assumptions and ideas (Moore, 2009). Thankfully, the Yuefu (imperial music bureau) was formed during the Han-dynasty and with the help of the Zhou system, were able to collect and preserve the many forms of music that were lost during the Qin-dynasty (Moore, 2009). Therefore, Chinese artwork, the martial arts, and the use of instrumentation can be a nonpharmacological method in which one chooses to relax and destress in a hospital setting. Incorporating features of one’s culture into the delivery of care is essential in providing culturally competent and congruent care. Encouraging patients to perform rituals in which they enjoy and that are part of their culture allow the facilitation of a trusting and open nurse-patient relationship.

A huge aspect integrated into the Chinese culture is Chinese Medicine, and Complementary Alternative Medicine. Traditional therapy, known as Western Medicine, is a system that involves a multitude of healthcare professionals such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, etc. (Feleke, 2016). It incorporates the use of pharmacological therapy such as drugs, radiation, chemotherapy, etc. to treat and/or cure illness (Feleke, 2016). On the other hand, Chinese Medicine, or Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM), involves the use of nonpharmacological methods such as diet therapy, herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, exercise, meditation, etc. (Feleke, 2016). The Chinese use the complementary therapies as a way to treat any imbalance of the human body (Feleke, 2016). Any imbalance disrupts their homeostasis and causes a disruption in one or more of the five essential elements of the human body (Feleke, 2016).

These five essential elements include wood, fire, earth, metal, and water (Feleke, 2016). The five elements of the body are aspects of qi, which is their life force energy (Feleke, 2016). This energy field flows within the body and maintains a unique balance within the body (Feleke, 2016). If any of the elements become unbalanced, hence, in the presence of illness, there is a disruption in the flow of qi causing a health problem to occur (Feleke, 2016). In this event, alternative therapies such as CAM are used. The use of alternative therapies aims at restoring qi’s flow, restoring balance within the body, and allows the body the ability to heal itself (Feleke, 2016). Acknowledging the use of Chinese Medicine, it uttermost important in our encounter with patients. We must ensure we assess a patient(s) use of complementary medicine and complementary modalities to better understand one’s culture. CAM can include various therapies such as Acupuncture, diet therapy, Moxibustion, herbal remedies, cupping, massage, exercise, meditation and thus, must be made known (Feleke, 2016).

Acupuncture is a modality that involves injecting small needles into various parts throughout the body called meridians (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). The meridians, or acupoints are channels of the body where qi, an energy, flows to allow the body to restore harmony (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Tui na, is a Chinese massage that uses specific techniques to balance one’s qi (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Techniques such as deep-tissue massage, joint manipulation, vibration and pinching are used to treat injuries, improve circulation, increase flexibility and reduce scar tissue (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Herbal Therapy is also used as a form of alternative medicine and a natural remedy to cure certain diseases and illnesses. The remedies used include plants, minerals, fungi, and animal and insect parts, rather than the use of drugs as seen with Western Medicine (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Moxibustion is also used as a form of heat therapy to stimulate the flow of qi in the body (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Dried herbs known as moxa are burned near the surface of the skin to allow qi to flow freely (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Cupping is also a popular Chinese Therapy used as heat therapy to stimulate the flow of qi (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). The heated cups are suctioned to the skin at meridian points and help to restore balance (The Healing Modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2017). Hence, the Chinese modalities aim at restoring qi in belief to restore health and remove illness. Those of a different culture may be bias and assume that these modalities act as a placebo and do not actually work, however, those of the Chinese culture passionately believe in qi, energy fields and Yin and Yang (opposites attracting).

As a future nurse, it is very important to assess the use of alternative modalities and respect the patient’s beliefs of complementary medicine. It is also important to take note of the herbal remedies used because many different herbs can interact with pharmacological therapy and cause adverse reactions. Therefore, assessing the use of Chinese Medicine and Complementary Alternative Methods (CAM) is crucial. After the nurses assesses the use of complementary modalities, the nurse should inquire about the results and effects of the alternative medicine used. It would be important to assess the patient’s response to the alternative modality and understand the benefit of the modality or herbal remedy used. If the nurse was unaware of a specific modality used, the nurse should respectfully explain that he/she is not knowledgeable of the particular modality and ask for guidance. It would also be significant to research any modalities that the nurse is unknowledgeable of. While researching the alternative healing modality, the nurse could inquire about its uses, benefit, harms, and healing implications. He/she would also have to research its interactions with any medications or other potential treatments. Thus, Chinese Medicine and Complementary Alternative Medicine is a huge part of the Chinese culture and must be better understood to facilitate culturally competent and congruent care.

As future nurses, it is our duty to promote wellness, good health and positive outcomes. One way in which those of the Chinese culture believe to promote wellness is through the practice of Tai Chi. “Tai Chi is often described as ‘meditation in motion,’ but it might well be called ‘medication in motion” (“The Health Benefits of Tai Chi,” 2015). Tai Chi involves slow, mindful movements that integrate the mind, body and soul (Heid, 2017). The practice of Tai Chi integrates ancient Chinese Medicine, philosophy, and martial arts to improve one’s overall health (Heid, 2017). It is a low-impact, slow-motion exercise that uses animal and art movements (“The Health Benefits of Tai Chi,” 2015). Through the performed movements, the focus of attention is on breathing deeply and bodily sensations (“The Health Benefits of Tai Chi,” 2015). The bodily sensations derive from Qi and Yin and Yang (“The Health Benefits of Tai Chi,” 2015). Qi, the flowing energy force is promoted, and Yin and Yang, opposing elements of the universe are kept in harmony to promote balance and equilibrium within all the body’s systems (“The Health Benefits of Tai Chi,” 2015). Tai Chi has been extensively researched and shows to improve overall health ranging from improvements in blood pressure to improvements in cognitive function (Heid, 2017).

The many research studies performed revealed a decrease in the rates of depression, insomnia, illness and inflammation with those who practice Tai Chi (Heid, 2017). Tai Chi has a soothing and calming influence on the body because of its effect on the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) (Heid, 2017). The Sympathetic Nervous System activates when the body is under stress, leading to an increased heart rate, respirations and blood pressure (Heid, 2017). Similar to the effects of aerobic exercise, Tai Chi decreases Sympathetic activity allowing better function of the heart and lungs (Heid, 2017).

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Education About Asia: Online Archives

Bringing traditional chinese culture to life.

This issue of Education About Asia addresses the question, “What should we know about Asia?” Based on my experiences teaching courses on China and East Asia, traditional Chinese culture is one of the most important topics in understanding both past and present Asia. China has one of the world’s oldest civilizations. This poses many challenges to teachers who desire to make this rich and complex tradition accessible to their students. On both a temporal and spatial level, traditional China may seem far removed to Western students of the modern world. To bridge these gaps in time and space, and to make it more relevant to my students, I often connect its significance to contemporary society by highlighting the current appeal of learning about traditional Chinese culture in modern China. To demonstrate this process, this article examines examples from three cultural fields: Chinese philosophy, focusing on Confucius and his thought; Chinese history, with an illustration from the Shiji ; and Chinese literature, with a case study on plum blossom poems. Moreover, this article discusses how to develop course questions that are relevant to the students’ needs, as well as how to update teaching styles by incorporating multimedia sources, such as current news and films, in the classroom in order to appeal to students of the digital age. Furthermore, the examples and approaches outlined in this article are applicable to a wide variety of courses, including, but not limited to, Chinese literature, history, philosophy, or world history. It is hoped that this article may therefore encourage teachers across many disciplines to incorporate these techniques, as well as their own innovations, in their classrooms.

Confucius and His Thought

Confucian thought played an important role in shaping Chinese culture and identity. In order to make this complex philosophy more engaging, I utilize the “What Did Confucius Say?” articles from the Asia for Educators website, which is hosted by Columbia University.1 This reading material is concise and contains seven major sections grouped according to various topics, including primary sources and discussion questions. The first two sections cover the life and major ideas of Confucius, and provide the background and main features of the Analects of Confucius . For instance, the reading informs users that the Analects of Confucius is not a single work composed by Confucius (551–479 BCE) during his lifetime, but rather multiple writings compiled by Confucius’s disciples after his death. The Analects are also a useful starting point for students to encounter traditional Chinese culture due to the format of the text itself. Students frequently perceive that in many of these stories, Confucius engages in either a monologue or a conversation with his disciples or a ruler to articulate his ideas. Moreover, Confucius’s words are terse and concise, leaving room for various interpretations, thereby promoting a lively class discussion.

When designing class activities, I include some of the discussion questions from the reading material on the website into my own questions in order to unpack both the meaning of his sayings in their own cultural context, as well as their current appeal in contemporary society. These questions are well-designed for high school and undergraduate instructors. The first few questions come from the website and are always based on a primary source in order to ensure the students understand the text. I then follow up these general comprehension questions with my own questions in order to place Confucius’s sayings into a larger intellectual and social context by asking students to apply Confucian thought to modern and contemporary issues. To prepare for class discussion, I may ask students to read some passages together or invite individual students to take turns reading them aloud, followed by their interpretations of the text’s meaning and broader significance. For example, one primary source comes from “On Confucius as Teacher and Person,” which includes Confucius’s sayings on education. I assign students the following discussion questions:

• Why is Confucius often called a great teacher? Please note several qualities of Confucius’s teaching philosophy as demonstrated by his sayings.
• If Confucius were your teacher today, how would you evaluate his teaching approaches and methods? Would you want to attend his class? Why or why not? Students are then able to discuss these questions based on a close reading of the document itself. For instance, the students learn that Confucius broke away from the traditional education system of his time, which had been limited to teaching the sons of noble families. In contrast, he allegedly would teach anyone who was willing to learn. In addition, he taught students with different approaches according to their own situations and characters. As a teacher, he showed his eagerness to learn from other people and improve his knowledge and skills, stating that “Walking along with three people, my teacher is sure to be among them.”2

Another important Confucian thought is the concept of ren (humanity). In this section, I demonstrate that some of Confucius’s sayings possess universal value, and thus, everyone can relate Confucius’s primary beliefs regardless of their own personal knowledge and backgrounds. The discussion questions below are used to facilitate students’ understanding of this concept and allow them to compare it to other traditions:

• Based on the reading section, what qualities does humanity include? Could you use some examples to illustrate Confucius’s ideas on humanity?
• Humanity is a universal value in many philosophies and religions. Please discuss the similarities and differences between Confucians’ humanity and other traditions that you are familiar with, such as Christianity or Buddhism. Although Confucius’s beliefs, such as humanity, have many similarities with other philosophical and religious traditions, some of Confucius’s values, such as filial piety, are different from Western cultural traditions. Filial piety is the core of Confucian moral philosophy, but it may be difficult for students outside of the Chinese tradition to understand, thus instructors must explain it and similar concepts in detail. To this end, I provide the following discussion questions:
• What are the major ideas of Confucius’s filial piety?
• Why do Chinese rulers promote and advocate this concept?
• If you were to apply filial piety to your family, what would happen? Do you think that filial piety applies to modern Western society? Why or why not?

To make these abstract concepts more concrete, I also ask students to offer specific examples to explain filial piety and its reciprocity. For instance, Confucius teaches that younger family members should respect their family elders, and in return, the elders have an obligation to take care of their younger family members. When explaining this, instructors should emphasize that this kind of relationship is hierarchical and that it was later advocated by rulers in different dynasties to legitimize their power by equating the ruler to the head of the family. When discussing filial piety, the instructor must also highlight its societal significance and philosophical ramifications. For instance, Confucian scholars maintained that if family members showed filial piety, then they would become peaceful and harmonious. Moreover, because society consists of many small families that make up the state, following this logic, a society that practices filial piety will naturally become well organized. Therefore, these scholars argued, a ruler should not rely on severe laws and regulations to govern his state; instead, a ruler should lead by exemplary deeds and moral values. Thus, students will learn that Confucian values such as filial piety affected all aspects of traditional Chinese culture, from the individual household to the governing state itself.

After students have grappled with the original texts and their historical significance, I then assign them Jeremy Page’s 2015 Wall Street Journal article “Why China Is Turning Back to Confucius”3 in order to further demonstrate the current appeal of Confucian thought on modern Chinese society. Page begins by describing a lecture on Chinese philosophy that many senior Chinese officials attended in order to further understand Confucian values and how to apply them in their daily lives. He then discusses the causes behind this revival of traditional Chinese culture (i.e., Confucianism), such as coping with domestic social problems, legitimating the Communist Party’s rule by arguing that it has inherited the Confucian tradition, and opposing Western influence. In addition, the article briefly traces the reception of Confucianism from the 1840s to the present and discusses many ways that contemporary Chinese society commemorates Confucius, such as establishing monuments, opening Confucian academies and training centers, and holding museum exhibitions and lectures.

In class, I first briefly discuss Confucius’s fluctuating status from the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) to the end of the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976), when his thought was largely criticized and condemned. This provides a historical context behind the return that contemporary Chinese society is making toward the study and appreciation of Confucian ideology. It also enables students to understand how the traditional Confucian value of obeying a ruler’s orders is being utilized to keep the present government in power . As students discuss this article, many observe that the top Chinese leaders attend Confucian classics courses and workshops, and even tune in to national television broadcasts and lectures on Confucian thought during primetime. In addition, they discover that school textbooks include more materials that encompass traditional values, and parents send their children to learn Confucian rituals as part of their extracurricular activities. After discussing these newly developing trends in Chinese society today, students often conclude that the Chinese government wants to revive traditional Chinese culture rooted in Confucianism in order to promote the “China Dream” and build a harmonious society. Moreover, Chinese leaders want to gain wisdom from indigenous Chinese culture to help solve contemporary problems, such as government corruption and the decline of moral integrity, while simultaneously opposing strong Western political and cultural influence. However, I make sure that students also know that Confucianism is but one historical tradition that influences China’s political leaders. For example, legalism, which dates back to even before the establishment of China’s first empire, the Qin in 221 BCE, is equally influential on the policies of Chinese leaders in many ways. Historically and in contemporary times, it can sometimes have ominous results for elements of the Chinese population. Instructors interested in making sure their students have an understanding of legalism are advised to access the Columbia University Asia for Educators website.4

Record of the Grand Historian

Another important aspect of Chinese culture is Chinese history. The Shiji ( Record of the Grand Historian ), written from the late second century BCE to 86 BCE, is the foundational text of Chinese history and covers a broad historical spectrum from the mythical Yellow Emperor to Emperor Wu (156–87 BCE) of the Western Han dynasty (202 BCE–8). The class is introduced to the Shiji through a survey of its content, time span, the motivations behind its compilation, and major subdivisions within the work. For instance, students learn that the government did not sponsor the Shiji , and so did not dictate its contents. Rather, it was Sima Tan (ca. 165–110 BCE) who initially conducted the Shiji project, but his son, Sima Qian (ca. 145–86 BCE), actually compiled this monumental masterpiece in order to fulfill his father’s posthumous will. Moreover, Sima Qian fell out of favor with Emperor Wu because he defended Li Ling (134–74 BCE), a Han dynasty general, who defected to the Xiongnu nomadic tribes to the north of China. Sima Qian was ultimately punished for this by undergoing the humiliation of castration. In addition to these family and personal reasons for compiling the Shiji , Sima Qian also sought to establish a lineage of great historical figures who would otherwise have been forgotten in history. These factors strongly influenced what type of historical figures Sima Qian selected for the Shiji , the ways in which he narrated their accounts, and the conclusions he reached about them, as well as the lessons they represented for society as a whole. In general, Sima Qian emphasized the moral value and social impact of historical figures rather than their social or political status.

In my class, I select some biographies to discuss, among which is “The Biographies of the Assassin-Retainers.”5 Here I use the biography of Jing Ke (d. 227 BCE) as an example of how I lead class discussion, integrate the Shiji through film, and highlight its appeal in a contemporary context for students.6 The Jing Ke story took place toward the end of the Warring States Period (475–221 BCE), when the state of Qin had already annexed several rival states and had set its target on the state of Yan in the north. Prince Dan of Yan (d. 226 BCE) consulted his officials about this important issue, and a senior official named Tian Guang (d. 227 BCE) suggested that the prince should hire Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin (259–210 BCE). In order to gain an audience with the King of Qin, Jing Ke requested three items: the map of Dukang (part of Yan’s territory), a poisonous dagger, and the head of General Fan (d. 227 BCE), a traitor to the state of Qin. After obtaining these items, Jing Ke was granted an audience with the king in the Qin court. Jing Ke concealed the dagger inside the map scroll and unrolled it to its end. Suddenly, he grabbed the dagger from the scroll and attempted to kidnap the king as a hostage, but was unsuccessful. Eventually, the king and his courtiers killed Jing Ke. After reading this story, students must first summarize the text’s plot, as well as the major characters and their personalities. To engage critically in understanding the historical narrative, students discuss the following questions:

• Why is Jing Ke willing to accept Prince Dan of Yan’s order and carry out this assassination?
• How do you understand Jing Ke’s complex personality and psychological state? • Jing Ke was a failed assassin, yet he is glorified in Sima Qian’s record. Please consider Sima Qian’s own situation to explain why Jing Ke is immortalized and praised.
• In your opinion, is Jing Ke a hero? Why or why not? Students brainstorm different points and piece them together on the whiteboard to understand the history of the Warring States, the knight-errant culture, and the reception of the Jing Ke story. In addition, I explain the possible connection between Sima Qian’s choice of Jing Ke and his own life experiences.

To relate the Jing Ke story with contemporary Chinese society, I then show students parts of two film adaptations of the tale: Chen Kaige’s The Emperor and the Assassin and Zhang Yimou’s Hero , which are available through YouTube for a nominal fee. The former follows the standard historical narration fairly closely, while the latter changes the content substantially; however, students are still able to link the story with the film. In order to make this discussion more lively, students are required to complete a homework assignment on the following questions: How have the two films adapted the Jing Ke lore? What are their major changes? How do you evaluate these changes; are they successful or not? Through this exercise, students learn that the major plot of The Emperor and the Assassin is based on historical narration, with the exception of a new character— Lady Zhao—who is not found in any historical narrative. Students are to explain why this new role might have been created. Several factors shed light on this addition: since this is a three-hour-long, big-budget movie, the director may have been considering the box office results. More importantly, the purpose behind creating this role could have been to create a more complex and romantic plot. Even the director acknowledged in an interview that “Designing such a character like Lady Zhao cannot be said to have been done out of a lack of consideration for the plot. If I produced and shot a purely twoman story, it may not have had such a good effect.”7

Lady Zhao ultimately provides a link between the King of Qin and Jing Ke. When she is young, she admires Yingzheng’s (the King of Qin) courage and political ambition. However, when she later realizes that Yingzheng occupies the state of Zhao by slaughtering many innocent people, she turns to Jing Ke for help to stop such brutality. This additional character provides new possible interpretations of the motivations behind Jing Ke’s assassination attempt, which stems not only from his loyalty to Prince Dan, but also from his righteousness in desiring to remove a brutal ruler. This modern adaptation increases the significance of Jing Ke’s mission. In Zhang’s film Hero , students identify the major change of the assassin abandoning his mission to kill the king, where the assassin instead engages in a direct dialogue with the king in the Qin court. Through their conversation, the assassin comes to understand that the king wants to defeat all other kingdoms and unify China in order to bring peace to all people under heaven. Students then discuss their implications of this change. Often, students are critical towards this adaptation because it glorifies the King of Qin and conveys a problematic and debatable message to the audience that a ruler can adopt any method or make any sacrifice to achieve one’s goal, as long as one’s intention is good or meaningful.

These films demonstrate how contemporary approaches to narrating the story of Jing Ke continue to provide different interpretations of the story and its significance. The discussion about the Jing Ke lore has switched from focusing on the details of his assassination attempt to adapting his story to fit the contemporary needs of strengthening nationalism and Chinese identity. The promotion of a strong “nation-state” ideology by Chinese leaders has played an important role in shaping this reception. Contemporary society portrays him as a national hero, a strong man attempting to remove an evil and despotic ruler, and a knight-errant who embodies the traditional moral values of China in the face of Western influence during China’s rapid economic development, through which intellectuals can further probe China’s recent past and thus bring history to life.

Poems on Things and Objects

Along with Chinese philosophy and history, literature also plays an important role in Chinese culture, particularly poetry, which was the dominant literary subgenre throughout premodern Chinese history. This section provides a creative approach not only on how to teach classical Chinese poems, but also on integrating them within a type of traditional art—blow painting. By exploring this topic, students develop a solid understanding of Chinese poetry, learn the cultural meaning of the plum blossom, and express their own appreciation for Chinese poetry. 8

The plum blossom is famous, along with the orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum, as one of “The Four Gentlemen” in China. Furthermore, it is considered one of “The Three Friends in Winter,” together with pine trees and bamboo. However, plum trees are not common in the US, nor do they carry a significant cultural value, so the topic naturally stimulates student interest. Before we approach the topic of the plum blossom, my students have already studied other Chinese poems, so I briefly review some basic features of Chinese poetry, particularly the Chinese quatrain, which is often made up of four lines with five or seven characters in each line, and regulated verse, which is often made up of eight lines, and each line includes either five or seven characters. These two types of poetry were popular in the Tang dynasty (608–907), known as the golden age of Chinese poetry.9 Next, students gather information on the cultural meaning of the plum blossom and answer the following questions: How and when do Chinese people discuss plum blossoms? What does the plum blossom mean in Chinese society? What interesting facts do you know about the plum blossom? What can you learn from the symbolic meanings of plum blossoms? Students find appropriate information online and in the library about plum blossom culture and outline their primary ideas on the topic. Through class discussion, students also discover that the plum blossom has profound cultural connotations in China. The plum blossom symbolizes courage and strength because the fragrance of plum blossoms comes out of bitterness and coldness. The plum blossom also represents endurance and perseverance because plum blossoms flower in winter while most other plants do not survive. Furthermore, the plum blossom also embodies purity and lofty ideals, possibly because they bloom in winter, often covered with snow. To explore this motif, I incorporate several poems on plum blossoms in the lesson. Here are two examples from Shao Yong (1011–1077) and Wang Anshi (1021–1086):

A Leisure Walk by Shao Yong Once upon a time, we walk leisurely for two or three miles On the way, we see four or five misty villages Six or seven temples and Eight, nine or ten branches of plum blossom10

This poem is easy to understand but demonstrates the major characteristics of Song (960–1279) poetry, which focuses on the details of daily life. The poet’s focus gradually shifts from distant scenery to a closer look at his surroundings. At the beginning, the poet is far away, so he cannot see things clearly. When he moves closer, he sees the pavilions and houses. Looking even closer, he notices plum blossoms. The language in this poem is simple and clear without any descriptive words, but students still identify the poet’s cheerful mood and recognize that this is a pleasant experience. This is typical in Shao’s poems; as modern scholar Xiaoshan Yang states, “Shao Yong was always keen on distinguishing himself as a man of true joy and leisure from those who could only ‘steal leisure’ for a fleeting moment.”11 After discussing the content of the poem, I highlight the word “misty” in the first couplet, which, rather than denoting smoke caused by fire, instead is used to depict the remote villages. Because one cannot see the villages clearly in the distance, it seems like they are surrounded by mist. Another possibility is that many families had been cooking, hence smoke from their chimneys could be obscuring the poet’s vision and creating this phenomenon.

The second poem that I use on this topic is a five-character quatrain:

Plum Blossoms by Wang Anshi In the nook of a wall a few plum sprays, In solitude blossom on the bleak winter days, From the distance, I see they cannot be snow, For a stealthy breath of perfume hither flows.12

In this quatrain, the poet encourages his readers to make use of their senses such as sight and smell. This poem does not focus on the appearance of the plum blossoms, but rather on their character and spirit. Students often note that these plum blossoms appear in the corner of a wall during winter, which is unlikely to draw the attention of many people, revealing the unique character of the poet. In addition, without much nutrients, they still manage to blossom, demonstrating their hardiness. Furthermore, the last couplet forms a reverse causality: the third line tells the reader the result of noticing that the things in the distance are not snow; the fourth line informs the readers why the poet believes this is so: they are fragrant and cannot be snow. Thus, without describing the color of the plum blossoms themselves, the reader knows that they are either a white variety or are covered by snow, so they seem like snow when one looks at them far away. In terms of language, this poem does not employ overly ornate syntax. Yet through this simple and tranquil language, the poet conveys the spirit of plum blossoms: strong endurance and vibrant life. They are not afraid of cold weather, an analogy for people who do not fear power or authority. This allows the class to understand that the subtext of Chinese poetry often has political implications. Based on students’ discussions, I further explain a possible hidden reading: this poem may also allude to the poet’s own frustrated situation, when his political reform efforts faced resistance and gradually lost the Emperor Shenzong’s (1048–1085) support. However, through such adversity, like the plum blossom in winter, he was determined not to yield.

To make this topic even more lively, I integrate blow painting into the section on plum blossom poetry. The instructor should finish a complete blow painting before class so that students can see what the final product looks like. A simple blow painting requires some basic items, such as paper plates, calligraphy brushes, ink, red paint, and water. Ideally, one should use xuan paper made of different fibers, such as blue sandalwood, rice straw, and mulberry, which is specially designed for painting and calligraphy. However, it is difficult to obtain in the US, so I use paper plates instead. The procedure is simple: first, one puts drops of ink in the middle of the paper plate, blowing the drops slowly and patiently in different directions as the first several blows shape the main stem of the tree. Then, blow a little harder, so the stem becomes thicker. Once the main stem is shaped, one can blow the ink quickly in various directions, which become different branches. One may use a straw to do the blowing to expedite the whole process. After the basic painting is completed, one may use a brush to dip into the red ink and put the petals or flowers around the branches and twigs. This combination of poetry appreciation and blow painting demonstration enables students to understand Chinese culture more vividly and concretely.

Many colleges and universities have some type of traditional Chinese culture courses, whether they be premodern Chinese literature, history, philosophy, or other China-related courses. This article offers personal insight and unique methods of diversifying approaches to teaching Chinese culture effectively. It investigates avenues for bringing traditional Chinese culture to life by demonstrating how to integrate multimedia (such as recent news and films), as well as fine arts (such as blow painting of plum blossoms) into a culture class. These examples and approaches, including discussion questions, are used to explore the current appeal of traditional Chinese culture, which continues to shape Chinese identity and character. In addition, these practices include useful materials for designing extracurricular activities in Chinese clubs, film presentations, or guest lectures. A combination of Chinese culture, multimedia, and hands-on experience in the classroom has proven to increase students’ interest and motivation, as well as broaden their horizons with regards to Chinese civilization and society.

Acknowledgements :

This article is made possible by Valparaiso University’s Research Expense Grant and the East Asian Studies Library Travel Grant of the University of Chicago. I also appreciate useful comments from two anonymous reviewers, EAA Editor Dr. Lucien Ellington, Dr. David Chai, Amanda S. Robb, and James Churchill.

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NOTES 1.”What Did Confucius Say?,” Asia for Educators , accessed February 20, 2018, https://tinyurl.com/ycyosqn9.

3. Jeremy Page, “Why China Is Turning Back to Confucius,” Wall Street Journal , September 20, 2015 https://tinyurl.com/ya6fhy37.

4. See “Introduction to Legalism” on the Asia for Educators website at https://tinyurl.com/ya6becmm.

5. For the English translation of this chapter, see Burton Watson, Record of the Grand Historian: Han Dynasty II (rev. ed.) (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993) and William H. Nienhauser Jr., The Grand Scribe’s Records: The Memoirs of Pre-Han China (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1994).

6. For a detailed discussion on the reception of the Jing Ke story, see Yuri Pine, “A Hero Terrorist: Adoration of Jing Ke Revisited,” Asia Major 21, no. 2 (2008): 1–34.

7. Chen Kaige, Fenghuang Wang, “Chen Kaige jiu ‘Jing Ke ci Qinwang’ da jizhe wen,” accessed May 24, 2016, https://tinyurl.com/y726n7ew.

8. A few good scholarly books on this topic are Maggie Bickford, Ink Plum: The Making of a Chinese Scholar-Painting Genre (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996) and Hans H. Frankel, Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1978).

9. For more information on the Chinese quatrain and regulated verse, see Zong-Qi Cai, ed., How to Read Chinese Poetry: A Guided Anthology (New York: Columbia University Press, 2008), 161–225.

10. The English translation of this poem is adapted from Learning Mandarin Chinese , https://tinyurl.com/ya9jud46l, accessed February 18, 2018. The flowers appearing at the end of this poem may not necessarily refer to plum blossoms, but for the purpose of teaching this topic, instructors may choose to interpret it as plum blossoms.

11. Xiaoshan Yang, Metamorphosis of the Private Sphere: Gardens and Objects in Tang-Song Poetry (Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, 2003), 216. 12. The English translation of this poem follows: Cultural China , accessed February 18, 2018, https://tinyurl.com/ya282e6h.

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