Chinese society refers to the social structure of China. See Social structure of the United States for an explanation of concepts exsistance within US society. ...

Demographics

Main articles: Ethnic groups in Chinese history and Nationalities of China

Many ethnic groups have existed in China. In terms of numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group in China is the Han, which is a group so diverse in its culture and language that some conceive of it as a larger overarching group bringing together many smaller, distinct ethnic groups sharing common traits in language and culture. Throughout history, many ethnic groups have been assimilated into neighbouring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. Several previously distinct ethnic groups have been Sinicized into the Han, causing its population to increase dramatically; at the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and cultural traditions, though still identifying as Han. Many times in the past millennia many foreign groups have, in turn, shaped Han language and culture, for example the queue is a pig tail hairstyle strictly enforced by the Manchus on the general populace during the Qing Dynasty. The term Zhonghua Minzu is also used to describe the notion of a "Chinese nationality" transcending ethnic divisions. Any non clear-cut connection is denoted by a question mark (?) beside the equivalences. ... Ethnolinguistic map of China The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is a multi-ethnic unitary state and, as such, officially recognizes 56 nationalities or mínzú (民族), within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the remaining 55 nationalities being the national minorities. ... Languages Chinese languages, Indian languages, Hebrew Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... Chinese culture has roots going back over five thousand years. ... Sinicization, or less commonly Sinification, is to make things Chinese. ... Languages Chinese languages, Indian languages, Hebrew Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... Actor Jet Li wearing the Imperial Queue hairstyle in a movie The queue (or cue) was a specific hairstyle worn by the Manchus of central Manchuria and later the Chinese, in China. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun; Mongolian: Манж Чин), occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1644 to 1912. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

The government of the People's Republic of China now officially recognizes a total of 56 ethnic groups, of which the largest is the Han Chinese. China's overall population is 1.3 billion. With the global human population currently estimated at about 6.4 billion, China is home to approximately 20%, or one-fifth of the human species, homo sapiens. Languages Chinese languages, Indian languages, Hebrew Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ...

The lack of birth control and promotion of population growth during the rule of Mao Zedong resulted in a demographic explosion, culminating in over 1.3 billion people today. As a response to the problems this is causing, the government of the PRC has enacted a birth control policy, commonly known as the One-child policy. “Mao” redirects here. ... Birth control is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. ... Poster of Chinese birth control policy under the slogan Sweet Achievement. ...

The Han speak several mutually unintelligible tongues, classified by modern linguists as being separate languages, but regarded within the Chinese languages as "dialects" or "area languages" within a single Chinese language. The various spoken varieties of Chinese share a common written standard, "Vernacular Chinese" or "baihua", which has been used since the early 20th Century and is based on Standard Mandarin, the standard spoken language, in grammar and vocabulary. In addition, another, more ancient written standard, Classical Chinese, was used for writing Chinese by the literati for thousands of years before the 20th Century. Classical Chinese is no longer the predominant form of written Chinese, though it continues to be a part of high school curricula and is hence intelligible to some degree to many Chinese people. Other than Standard Mandarin, spoken variants are usually not written; the exception is Standard Cantonese, which is sometimes written as Written Cantonese in informal contexts. The ming dynasty has through alot of trouble to get to 2007 their dunasty is weak and is dying out so as fellow americans they need our help Chinese (written) language (pinyin: zhōngw n) written in Chinese characters The Chinese language (汉语/漢語, 华语/華語, or 中文; Pinyin: H nyǔ, Hu yǔ, or Zhōngw n) is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. ... Vernacular Chinese (pinyin: báihuà; Wade-Giles: paihua) is a style or register of the written Chinese language essentially modeled after the spoken language and associated with Standard Mandarin. ... Standard Mandarin is the official Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Singapore. ... Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of very old forms of Chinese , making it very different from any modern spoken form of Chinese. ... Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of very old forms of Chinese , making it very different from any modern spoken form of Chinese. ... Standard Cantonese is a variant, and is generally considered the prestige dialect of Cantonese Chinese. ... Written Cantonese refers to the written language used to write colloquial standard Cantonese using Chinese characters. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of China

China's traditional values were derived from the orthodox version of Confucianism/conservatism, which was taught in schools and was even part of imperial civil service examinations. However, the term Confucianism is somewhat problematic in that the system of thought which reached it high-water mark in Qing Dynasty imperial China was in fact composed of several strains of thought, including Legalism, which in many ways departed from the original spirit of Confucianism; indeed by the height of imperial China, the right of the individual ethical conscience and the democratic right of criticizing bad government and demanding change had largely been prohibited by "orthodox" thinkers. Currently, there are neo-Confucians who believe that contrary to that line of thought, democratic ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian values". The culture of China is the result of over 5,000 years of artistic, philosophical, political, and scientific advancement. ... Confucian temple in Jiading district, Shanghai. ... This article deals with conservatism as a political philosophy. ... Legalism, in the Western sense, is an approach to the analysis of legal questions characterized by abstract logical reasoning focusing on the applicable legal text, such as a constitution, legislation, or case law, rather than on the social, economic, or political context. ...

Gender

Mencius outlined the Three Subordinations. A woman was to be subordinate to her father in youth, her husband in maturity, and her son in old age. Mencius (most accepted dates: 372 BC – 289 BC; other possible dates: 385 BC – 303 BC or 302 BC) was born in the State of Zou (鄒國), now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng (邹城市), Shandong province, only 30 km (18 miles) south of Qufu, the town of Confucius. ...

A cliché of classical texts, which is repeated throughout the tradition, is the familiar notion that men govern the outer world, while women govern the home.

In the Han dynasty, the female historian Ban Zhao wrote the Lessons for Women, advice on how women should behave. She outlines the Four Virtues women must abide by: proper virtue, proper speech, proper countenance, proper merit. The "three subordinations and the four virtues" is a common four-character phrase throughout the imperial period. Later Han redirects here. ... Ban Zhao (Chinese:班昭; Wade-Giles:Pan Chao, c. ... Lessons for Women is a work by Han dynasty female intellectual Ban Zhao. ...

As for the historical development of Chinese patriarchy, women's status was highest in the Tang dynasty, when women played sports (polo) and were generally freer in fashion and conduct. Between the Tang and Song dynasties, a fad for little feet arose, and from the Song dynasty onwards footbinding became more and more common for the elite. In the Ming dynasty, a tradition of virtuous widowhood developed. Widows, even if widowed at a young age, would be expected not to remarry. Their virtuous names might be displayed on the arch at the entrance of the village. For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ... Northern Song in 1111 AD Capital Kaifeng (960–1127) Linan (1127–1279) Language(s) Middle Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Government Monarchy History  - Zhao Kuangyin taking over the throne of the Later Zhou Dynasty 960  - Battle of Yamen; the end of Song rule 1279 Population  - Peak est. ... The bound feet of an adult woman Foot binding (纏足, 包腳, 裹小腳, or 紮腳) is an obsolete Chinese custom, practiced for centuries. ...

There was a significant liberation of women under Mao. Famously he said "Women hold up half the sky" to show his support for gender equality. When the communists came to power they banned various traditions which were seen as inhumane, such as footbinding and the right of a family to sell their daughters as concubines. The bound feet of an adult woman Foot binding (纏足, 包腳, 裹小腳, or 紮腳) is an obsolete Chinese custom, practiced for centuries. ...

Many see a symptom of patriarchy in the 20th c. and in contemporary China in the immense pressure many women still feel to get married before the age of 30.

Hong Kong

Socio-economic development

Hong Kong fully urbanised during the post-war period and has developed into a major financial centre and a world city. As one of the "Four Asian Tigers" it saw a high growth rate and rapid industrialisation between the early 1960s and 1990s. Today, economic reforms on mainland China appear to have succeeded financially and have resulted in a booming economy in the last two decades, resulting in, among other things, a rising class of nouveau riche and middle class; whereas Hongkongers may be seen as "old money". London New York City Paris Tokyo A global city (also known as a world city or world-class city) is a city with a somewhat subjective set of traits, some of which are listed below. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Parvenu. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... Old money refers in the United Kingdom to the pre-decimal currency of pounds, shillings (or bob) and pence. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is generally considered to have preserved elements of ancient feudal and Confucian thought-systems and attitudes, similar to the situation in Japan and Korea, whereas in mainland China the trauma of the Cultural Revolution rendered people more "progressive." This is perhaps ironic, as mainland China is the birthplace of such thought systems. Similarly, religious rituals, folk traditions and other spiritual beliefs, such as ancestor worship and feng shui, are more common in Hong Kong than in many parts of mainland China. Chinese people in Hong Kong have adopted many western folkways, but a substantial number of them still adhere to traditional Chinese traditions on various aspects of social living; for instance family solidarity, “courtesy and face” in interpersonal relationship. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Ancestor worship, also ancestor veneration, is a religious practice based on the belief that ones ancestors possess supernatural powers. ... Fēng Shuǐ (風水 – literally, wind and water pronounced fung shuway), which may be more than 3000 years old, is the ancient practice of placement to achieve harmony with the environment. ...

Ethnic Hakka people in a wedding in East Timor, 2006

Image File history File linksMetadata East_Timor_hakka_wedding. ... Image File history File linksMetadata East_Timor_hakka_wedding. ... Henan, Shanxi, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces The Hakka are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly in the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Fujian in China. ...

Individualism and collectivism

In Chinese society, collectivism has a long tradition based on Confucianism, where being a 'community man' (qúntǐ de fènzǐ) (群体的分子) or someone with a 'social personality' (shèhuì de réngé) (社会的人格) is valued. Additionally, there is the shìgu (世故) personality type, who is worldly and committed to family.

Individualist thinking in China was formed by Lao Zi and Taoism. He taught that individual happiness is the basis of a good society and saw the state, with its "laws and regulations more numerous than the hairs of an ox," as the persistent oppressor of the individual, "more to be feared than fierce tigers." He was an opponent of taxation and war, and his students and the tradition that followed him were consistently individualistic. [edit]

Social relations

Chinese social relations are social relations typified by a reciprocal social network. Often social obligations within the network are characterized in familial terms. The individual link within the social network is known by guanxi (关系) and the feeling within the link is known by the term ganqing (感情). Social relations are often expressed by the exchange of gifts. An important concept within Chinese social relations is the concept of face and many other Oriental cultures. A Buddhist-related concept is yuanfen (缘分) (see also love). Guanxi (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: gÅ«anxi ), describes the basic dynamic in personalised networks of influence. ... Ganqing (Chinese: 感情 Mandarin pinyin: găn qíng ) is an important concept in Chinese social relations which is loosely translated as feeling and is related to the concept of guanxi. ... Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness. ...

Unlike other societies, the Chinese tend to see social relations in terms of interweaving networks rather than discrete categories ("boxes"). Hence, people are perceived as being "near" or "far" rather than "in" or "out". Another prevalent conceptualization relates to belonging: "self-person" or "one of us" (自己 ziji ren or tzu-chi-jen) as opposed to "outsider" or "not one of us" (外人 wairen or waijen; 外地人 waidi ren is often used in one place for people who come from elsewhere.

Civil society

Scholars from both China and the West have sought to analyze the place of "civil society", a concept which first arose in the West, in Chinese society, seeking to know whether it existed in China, and if so, what role it played. US scholar Thomas Metzger writes that China throughout history "has only exceptionally developed a civil society" and that "current Chinese writing using this term has typically conflated it with indigenous assumptions." Metzger's view is that the Western structure of a "bottom-up" civil society of elites outside the state regime who seek to check an imperfectable state is less prominent than a "top-down" structure according to which "moral-intellectual virtuosi" rule a perfectible state or "at least are allowed by the latter to guide society." [1] The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Civil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state (regardless of that states political system) and commercial institutions. ... Thomas Metzger is an American Sinologist and scholar of Chinese politics and society. ... Look up elite, élite in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

See also

• Asian values
• Chinese tea culture
• Collectivism
• Face (social custom)
• Individualism
• Kowtow
• Social issues in the People's Republic of China

Asian values was a concept that came into vogue in the 1990s, predicated on the belief in the existence in Asian countries of a unique set of institutions and political ideologies which reflected the regions culture and history. ... Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed in China. ... Collectivism is a term used to describe any moral, political, or social outlook, that stresses human interdependence and the importance of a collective, rather than the importance of separate individuals. ... Face refers to two separate but related concepts in Chinese social relations. ... Individualism is a term used to describe a moral, political, or social outlook that stresses human independence and the importance of individual self-reliance and liberty. ... Kowtowing Kowtow, from the Chinese term kòu tóu (Cantonese: kau tàuh) (叩頭), is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to touch the head to the ground. ... Social issues in the Peoples Republic of China in the 21st century are varied. ...

External links

• USC Center on Public Diplomacy Nation Profile - Constantly updating Wiki, includes look at Blogging & China