A Chinese Opera (Beijing Opera) performance in Beijing, one of the many aspects of traditional Chinese culture

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The Culture of China (Chinese: 中國文化) is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex civilizations covering a history of over 5,000 years. The nation covers a large geographical region with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces. Chinese culture (Chinese: 中華文化) is a broad term used to describe the cultural foundation, even among Chinese-speaking regions outside of mainland China. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Emperor Xuan-Zong of Tang (left) and his Consort Yang Yuhuan (right) portrayed in a Chinese Opera 19th century Chinese opera Chinese opera costumes Some athletic jump Chinese opera is a popular form of drama in China. ... A female Beijing opera performer with traditional costume and makeup A male Beijing opera performer Beijing opera or Peking opera (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. ... Image File history File links Zhongwen. ... The UTF-8-encoded Japanese Wikipedia article for mojibake, as displayed in ISO-8859-1 encoding. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: A Chinese character or Han character (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a logogram used in writing Chinese, Japanese, rarely Korean, and formerly Vietnamese. ... Central New York City. ... A province, in the context of China, is a translation of Sheng (Chinese: 省 ShÄ›ng), which is an administrative division of China. ... ...

People in the culture

People in imperial China - Qing dynasty

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 423 pixels Full resolution (1848 × 976 pixel, file size: 450 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: silk production in old China Source old book (before 1927) Author unknown Artist unknown Place unknown Date unknown Uploaded by --Immanuel Giel 14:04... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 423 pixels Full resolution (1848 × 976 pixel, file size: 450 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: silk production in old China Source old book (before 1927) Author unknown Artist unknown Place unknown Date unknown Uploaded by --Immanuel Giel 14:04...

Identity

Main articles: Ethnic groups in Chinese history and Ethnic minorities in China

Many ethnic groups have existed in China. In terms of the numbers, however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the Han Chinese. Throughout history, many groups have been assimilated into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared without a trace. At the same time, many within the Han identity have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. The term Zhonghua Minzu has been used to describe the notion of Chinese nationalism in general. Much of the traditional cultural identity within the community has to do with distinguishing the family name. Any non clear-cut connection is denoted by a question mark (?) beside the equivalences. ... Ethnolinguistic map of China For a list of ethnic groups in China, see List of ethnic groups in China. ... Language(s) Chinese languages Religion(s) Predominantly Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. ... Zhonghua minzu (Chinese: 中華民族; Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínzú), literally Chinese ethnic group, refers to the modern notion of a Chinese nationality transcending ethnic divisions, with a central identity to China as a whole. ... The May Fourth Movement in 1919 marked a turning point in the history of Chinese nationalism. ... A Chinese surname, family name (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) or clan name (氏; pinyin: shì), is one of the hundreds or thousands of family names that have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, and among overseas Chinese communities. ...

Regional

Traditional Chinese Culture covers a large geographical territories, each region is usually divided into distinct sub-cultures. Using modern names, here are some distinction:

• The Yangtze River areas include Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Zhejiang and Jiangsu.

The Yangtze River or Chang Jiang (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), or Drichu in Tibetan (Tibetan: འབ; Wylie: bri chu) is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world, after the Nile in Africa, and the Amazon in South America. ... This article is about the Chinese province. ... For the tea from this region, see Yunnan tea. ... (Simplified Chinese: 贵州; Traditional Chinese: è²´å·ž; pinyin: Gùizhōu; Wade-Giles: Kuei-chou; also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. ... Not to be confused with the unrelated provinces of Hainan, Henan, and Yunnan. ... Hubei (Chinese: 湖北; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hu-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hupeh) is a central province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...   (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-hsi; Postal map spelling: Kiangsi) is a southern province of the Peoples Republic of China, spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south. ... Anhui (Chinese: 安徽; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: An-hui; Postal System Pinyin: Ngan-hui, Anhwei or An-hwei) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Zhejiang (also spelled Chehkiang or Chekiang) is an eastern coastal province of the Peoples Republic of China. ...   (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-su; Postal map spelling: Kiangsu) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. ...

Society

Gold detailing on a throne used by the Qianlong Emperor. Chinese dragon was a symbol reserved for the Emperor of China or high level imperial families during the Qing Dynasty

Image File history File links Detail of Dragon Throne, Qing dynasty, from Splendors of Chinas Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong exhibition on loan from Beijing. ... Image File history File links Detail of Dragon Throne, Qing dynasty, from Splendors of Chinas Forbidden City: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong exhibition on loan from Beijing. ... The thrones for The Queen of Canada, and the Duke of Edinburgh (back) in the Canadian Senate, Ottawa are usually occupied by the Governor General and his/her spouse at the annual State Opening of Parliament. ... The Qianlong Emperor (born Hongli, September 25, 1711 – February 7, 1799) was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. ... Japanese name Hiragana: KyÅ«jitai: Shinjitai: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: The Chinese dragon is a Chinese mythical creature, depicted as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four claws. ... For the volcano in Indonesia, see Emperor of China (volcano). ... Flag (1890-1912) Anthem Gong Jinou (1911) Qing China at its greatest extent. ...

Structure

Main article: Social structure of China

Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, some form of Chinese monarch has been the main ruler above all. Different periods of history have different names for the various positions within society. Conceptually each imperial or feudal period is similar, with the government and military officials ranking high in the hierarchy, and the rest of the population under regular Chinese law.^[1] Since the late Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE), traditional Chinese society was organized into a hierarchic system of socio-economic classes known as the four occupations. However, this system did not cover all social groups while the distinctions between all groups became blurred ever since the commercialization of Chinese culture in the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE). Ancient Chinese education also has a long history; ever since the Sui Dynasty (581–618 CE) educated candidates prepared for the Imperial examinations that drafted exam graduates into government as scholar-bureaucrats. Trades and crafts were usually taught by a sifu. The female historian Ban Zhao wrote the Lessons for Women in the Han Dynasty and outlined the four virtues women must abide to, while scholars such as Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi would expand upon this. Chinese marriage and Taoist sexual practices are some of the customs and rituals found in society. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) were mythological rulers of China during the period from c. ... Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. ... Social hierarchy is a multi-tiered pyramid-like social or functional structure having an apex as the centralization of power. ... Chinese law is one of the oldest legal traditions in the world. ... This article is about the ancient Chinese dynasty. ... A painting of a gentry scholar with two courtesans, by Tang Yin, c. ... Commercialism, in its original meaning, is the practices, methods, aims, and spirit of commerce or business. ... For other uses, see Liu Song Dynasty. ... The Chinese education was accompanied with the birth of Chinese civilization. ... The Sui Dynasty of China amongst the Asian, African, and European spheres of the world, 600 AD. The Sui Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; 581-618 AD[1]) followed the Southern and Northern Dynasties and preceded the Tang Dynasty in China. ... The imperial examinations (Chinese: 科舉; Pinyin: ) in dynastic China determined positions in the civil service based on merit and education, which promoted upward mobility among the population for centuries. ... Scholar-bureaucrats or scholar-officials were civil servants appointed by the emperor of China to perform day-to-day governance during the Qing Dynasty. ... Sifu (師傅 or 師父; Pinyin: shÄ«fu) is a Chinese term for a master or teacher. ... Imaginary of Ban Zhao by Shangguan Zhou (上官周, b. ... Lessons for Women is a work by Han dynasty female intellectual Ban Zhao. ... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (206 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–220 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication... Zhu Xi or Chu Hsi (born October 18, 1130, Yuxi, Fujian province, China – died April 23, 1200, China) was a Song Dynasty (960-1279) Confucian scholar who became the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China. ... Cheng Yi (Wade-Giles: Cheng I; also known as Cheng Yichuan [Cheng I-chuan]; courtesy name: Zhengshu; 1033-1107) was a philosopher in China who worked with his older brother Cheng Hao. ... A Qing Dynasty wedding. ... An ancient Chinese print depicting The Joining of the Essences. Daoist sexual practices (Simplified Chinese: 合气, Traditional Chinese: 合氣, pinyin: heqi) or The Joining of the Essences, is the way Daoists practiced sex. ...

Values

Main articles: Chinese philosophy and Religion in China

Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism with a combination of conservatism. The subject of which school was the most influential is always debated as many concepts such as Neo-Confucianism, Buddhism and many others have come about. Reincarnation and other rebirth concept is a reminder of the connection between real-life and the next-life. Yin Yang symbol and Ba gua paved in a clearing outside of Nanning City, Guangxi province, China. ... Chinese monk lighting incense in a temple in Beijing. ... A Confucian temple in Wuwei, Peoples Republic of China. ... Taoism (pronounced or ; also spelled Daoism) refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions and concepts. ... Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favor tradition and gradual change, where tradition refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. ... Neo-Confucianism (traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: )/(traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a form of Confucianism that was primarily developed during the Sung Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty. ... Shakyamuni Buddha teaching. ... This article is about the theological concept. ... Rebirth in Buddhism is the doctrine that the consciousness of a person (as conventionally regarded), upon the death or dissolution of the aggregates (skandhas) which make up that person, becomes one of the contributing causes for the arising of a new group of skandhas which may again be conventionally considered...

Language

Chinese calligraphy written by Song Dynasty (1051-1108 CE) poet Mi Fu

Main articles: Chinese language and History of Standard Mandarin

Spoken Chinese has consisted of a number of Chinese dialects and languages throughout history. In the Ming Dynasty standard Mandarin was nationalized. Even so, it wasn't until the Republic of China era in the 1900s when there was any noticeable result in promoting a common unified language in China. Image File history File links Mifu01. ... Image File history File links Mifu01. ... Calligraphy is an art dating back to the earliest day of history, and widely practiced throughout China to this day. ... For other uses, see Liu Song Dynasty. ... Mi Fu(1051-1107) was a native of Shanxi who was noted as a Chinese painter, poet, and calligrapher. ... 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. ... Standard Mandarin is the official Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), Malaysia and Singapore. ... Spoken Chinese Spoken Chinese comprises many regional variants. ... Geographic distribution of Sinitic language families within the Peoples Republic of China and the Republic of China The following is a list of Chinese dialects and languages. ... For other uses, see Ming. ... Map of eastern China and Taiwan, showing the historic distribution of Mandarin Chinese in light brown. ... For the Chinese civilization, see China. ... Map of Linguistic Groups (showing areas under effective control of the Peoples Republic of China (including Hong Kong and Macau) and Republic of China combined) Chinas many different ethnic groups speak many different languages, collectively called Zhōngguó YÇ”wén (中国语文), literally speech and writing of China which...

The ancient written standard was Classical Chinese. It was used for thousands of years, but was mostly reserved for scholars and intellectuals. By the 20th century, millions of citizens, especially those outside of the imperial court were illiterate^[1]. Only after the May 4th Movement did the push for Vernacular Chinese begin. This allowed common citizens to read since it was modeled after the linguistics and phonology of a spoken language. 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. ... Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ... Students in Beijing rallied during the May Fourth Movement. ... 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. ... This article is on all of the Northern and Southwestern Chinese dialects. ...

Mythology and spirituality

A Luohan, one of the spiritual figures shared between Chinese and Indian Culture across different types of Buddhism.

Main articles: Chinese spiritual world concepts, Chinese mythology, and Chinese folk religion

A large part of Chinese culture is based on the notion that a spiritual world exists. Countless methods of divination have helped answer questions, even serving as an alternate to medicine. Folklores have helped fill the gap for things that cannot be explained. There is often a blurred line between myth, religion and unexplained phenomenon. While many deities are part of the tradition, some of the most recognized holy figures include Guan Yin, Jade Emperor and Buddha. Many of the stories have since evolved into traditional Chinese holidays. Other concepts have extended to outside of mythology into spiritual symbols such as Door god and the Imperial guardian lions. Along with the belief of the holy, there is also the evil. Practices such as Taoist exorcism fighting mogwai and jiang shi with peachwood swords are just some of the concepts passed down from generations. A few Chinese fortune telling rituals are still in use today after thousands of years of refinement. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A Chinese Luohan statue from the Liao Dynasty in Hebei Province, China In the sramanic traditions of ancient India (most notably those of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha) arhat (Sanskrit) or arahant (Pali) signified a spiritual practitioner who had—to use an expression common in the tipitaka—laid down the burden... Buddhism is a variety of teachings, sometimes described as a religion[1] or way of life that attempts to identify the causes of human suffering and offer various ways that are claimed to end, or ease suffering. ... Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written form. ... Clothed statues of Matsu/Mazu (Chinese goddess of the Sea) Chinese folk religion comprises the religion practiced in much of China for thousands of years which included ancestor veneration and drew heavily upon concepts and beings within Chinese mythology. ... // Acultomancy: by needles (Latin acÅ«leus, needle + Greek manteia, prophecy) Adromancy → see below. ... Chinese folktales have a long history, going back several thousand years. ... Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written form. ... For the Chen Dynasty empress whose Buddhist nun name was Guanyin, see Empress Shen Wuhua. ... The Jade Emperor (Chinese: ; pinyin: or 玉帝 Yù Dì), are known by many names including Heavenly Grandfather (天公 Tiān Gōng), the Pure August Jade Emperor, August Personage of Jade (玉皇上帝 Yu Huang Shangdi or 玉皇大帝 Yu Huang Dadi), is formally known as Peace-Absolving Central-August-Spirit Exalted-Ancient-Buddha-Most-Pious... Siddhartha and Gautama redirect here. ... The Traditional Chinese holidays have been part of Chinese tradition for thousands of years; they are an essential part of Chinese culture. ... Colorful Door Gods adorn a temple door in Taichung, Taiwan. ... A Qing pair within the Forbidden City. ... Saint Francis exorcised demons in Arezzo, fresco of Giotto Exorcism (from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkizein - to adjure) is the practice of evicting demons or other evil spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed (taken control of). ... The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 (mo1 gwai2) (Mandarin Chinese: 魔鬼; pinyin：móguǐ) meaning ghost, evil spirit, devil or demon. // According to Chinese tradition, mogui are a breed of fairie folk that possess superpowers, which they often use to inflict harm on humans. ... In popular Chinese mythology, hopping corpses (僵屍 Pinyin: Jiangshi, literally stiff corpses) are corpses whose touch can kill a living person instantly. ... For prophecy in the context of revealed religions see Prophet. ...

Health

A large part of traditional Chinese culture is about finding the balance of Yin and Yang in relation to Qi, health and the meridian system in order to find harmony. Traditional Chinese medicine consists of a number of treatments including Chinese herbology and acupuncture. Other less intrusive forms of health improvement include qigong and meditation. Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Chữ nôm: Hán tá»±: The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) are generalized descriptions of the antitheses or mutual correlations in human perceptions of phenomena... For other uses, see QI (disambiguation). ... The concept of meridians (Chinese: jing-luo 经络) arises from the techniques and doctrines of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, acupressure, and qigong. ... Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... Chinese materia medica (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the common name of Chinese materia medica subject. ... Acupuncture chart from Hua Shou (fl. ... For the artist, see Qigong (artist). ... For other senses of this word, see Meditation (disambiguation). ...

Literature

Sūn Wùkōng in Journey to the West.

Main article: Chinese literature

The extensive collection of books that have been preserved since the Zhou Dynasty demonstrate just how advanced the intellectuals were at one time. Indeed, the era of the Zhou Dynasty is often looked to as the touchstone of Chinese cultural development. The Five Cardinal Points are the foundation for almost all major studies. Concepts covered within the Chinese classic texts present a wide range of subjects including poetry, astrology, astronomy, calendar, constellations and many others. Some of the most important early texts include I Ching and Shujing within the Four Books and Five Classics. Many Chinese concepts such as Yin and Yang, Qi, Four Pillars of Destiny in relation to heaven and earth were all theorized in the dynastic periods. Image File history File links Xyj-sunwukong. ... Image File history File links Xyj-sunwukong. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The four heroes of the story, left to right: SÅ«n Wùkōng, Xuánzàng, ZhÅ« Bājiè, and Shā Wùjìng. ... Chinese literature spans back thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the matured fictional novel arising in the medieval period to entertain the masses of literate Chinese. ... This article is about the ancient Chinese dynasty. ... Cardinal point redirects here. ... Chinese classic texts or Chinese canonical texts are the classical literature in Chinese culture that are considered to be the best or the most valuable. ... Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong Hand-painted Chinese New Years duilian (對聯 couplet), a by-product of Chinese poetry, pasted on the sides of doors leading to peoples homes, at Lijiang City, Yunnan Poetry is the most highly regarded literary genre in ancient China. ... Chinese astrology is the divination of the future from the Chinese calendar, which is based on astronomy, and ancient Chinese philosophy. ... The Dunhuang map from the Tang Dynasty (North Polar region). ... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... Chinese constellations are different from the western constellations, due to the independent development of ancient Chinese astronomy. ... Alternative meaning: I Ching (monk) The I Ching (Traditional Chinese: 易經, pinyin y jīng; Cantonese IPA: jɪk6gɪŋ1; Cantonese Jyutping: jik6ging1; alternative romanizations include I Jing, Yi Ching, Yi King) is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. ... The Classic of History (書經/书经 Shū Jīng) is a collection of documents and speeches alleged to have been written by rulers and officials of the early Zhou period and before. ... The Four Books and Five Classics (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: SìshÅ« WÅ­jÄ«ng) are the authoritative books of Confucianism in China. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Chữ nôm: Hán tá»±: The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) are generalized descriptions of the antitheses or mutual correlations in human perceptions of phenomena... For other uses, see QI (disambiguation). ... Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Four Pillars of Destiny is a Chinese conceptual term that describes the four components creating a persons destiny or fate. ...

Notable confucianists, taoists and scholars of all class have made significant contributions from documenting history to authoring saintly concepts that seem hundred of years ahead of time. Many novels such as Four Great Classical Novels spawned countless fictional stories. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, Chinese culture would embark on a new era with Vernacular Chinese for the common citizens. Hu Shih and Lu Xun would be pioneers in modern literature. This is a partial list of people who follow Confucianism, selected for their influence on that belief, or for their fame in other areas. ... Classical Lao Zi Zhuang Zi (Chuang Tzu) Lie Zi Huai-nan Tzu Yang Hsiung Wang Pi Ho Yen Kuo Hsiang Zhang Daoling Zhang Sanfeng Modern Abbot Wang Alan Watts Ursula K. Le Guin See also: Taoism, List of people by belief Categories: Lists of people by belief | Taoists ... The Four Great Classical Novels, or Four Major Classical Novels (Chinese: ) of Chinese literature, are the four novels commonly counted by scholars to be the greatest and most influential in classical Chinese fiction. ... 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. ... Hu Shih (Simplified: 胡适, Traditional: 胡適, Pinyin: Hú Shì), (December 17, 1891-February 24, 1962) was a Chinese philosopher and essayist. ... Lu Xun (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) or Lu Hsün (Wade-Giles), pen name of Zhou Shuren (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōu Shùrén; Wade-Giles: Chou Shu-jen) (September 25, 1881 – October 19, 1936) is one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th...

Music

Main article: Music of China

The music of China dates back to the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC). Some of the oldest written music dates back to Confucius's time. The first major well-documented flowering of Chinese music was for the qin during the Tang Dynasty, though it is known to have played a major part before the Han Dynasty. The music of China dates back to the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC - 256 BC). ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Chinese civilization. ... This article is about the ancient Chinese dynasty. ... Confucius (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kung-fu-tzu), lit. ... Qin, Qín or Chin (Wade-Giles) can refer to. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ...

Arts

A Tang Dynasty tri-color Chinese glazed horse circa 700 CE

Different forms of art have swayed under the influence of great philosophers, teachers, religious figures and even political figures. Chinese art encompasses all facets of fine art, folk art and performance art. Porcelain pottery was one of the first forms of art in the Palaeolithic period. Early Chinese music and poetry was influenced by the Book of Songs, Confucius and the Chinese poet and statesman Qu Yuan. Chinese painting became a highly appreciated art in court circles encompassing a wide variety of Shan shui with specialized styles such as Ming Dynasty painting. Early Chinese music was based on percussion instruments, which later gave away to string and reed instruments. By the Han dynasty papercutting became a new art form after the invention of paper. Chinese opera would also be introduced and branched regionally in additional to other performance formats such as variety arts. Tang horse at the Shanghai Museum by Andrew Lih File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Tang horse at the Shanghai Museum by Andrew Lih File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ... Chrysanthemum styled porcelain vase with three colors from the Ming Dynasty at the National Museum of China Chinese Ceramics is a form of fine art developed since the dynastic periods. ... Chinese Jade ornament with flower design, Jin Dynasty (1115-1234 AD), Shanghai Museum. ... Fine art refers to arts that are concerned with beauty or which appealed to taste (SOED 1991). ... Folk arts have a long history in China. ... This article is about Performance art. ... Chrysanthemum styled porcelain vase with three colors from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) at the National Museum of China Chinese ceramics is a form of fine art developed since the dynastic periods. ... This is an alphabetical list of Palaeolithic sites or cultures in China: Bailiangdong Baojiyan Bose Chaoxian Damaidi Dingcun Dingri Donggutuo Fulin Huanxian Huohuoxili Hutouliang Jianping Lunan Malan Maomaodong Nihewan Shibazhan Shilongtou Shuicheng Tongliang Tongzi Wanggongling Xiacaowan Xiaochangliang Xibajianfang Yuanmou Yunxi Yunxian Zhaocun Zhoukoudian List of Neolithic cultures of China List... ShÄ« JÄ«ng (Chinese: 詩經), translated variously as the Classic of Poetry, the Book of Songs or the Book of Odes, is the first major collection of Chinese poems. ... Confucius (Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Kung-fu-tzu), lit. ... Qu Yuan (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (ca. ... Wall scroll painted by Ma Lin in 1246. ... Shan shui (山水, translates as mountain-water), refers to a style of Chinese art , involving the drawing of scenery or natural landscapes with brush and ink. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Traditional Chinese musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments. ... Han Dynasty in 87 BC Capital Changan (206 BC–9 AD) Luoyang (25 AD–220 AD) Language(s) Chinese Religion Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Chinese folk religion Government Monarchy History  - Establishment 206 BC  - Battle of Gaixia; Han rule of China begins 202 BC  - Interruption of Han rule 9 - 24  - Abdication... A Paper cut Window Flower during Chinese New Year Chinese Paper Cutting (Chinese: 剪纸, jiÇŽn zhǐ) is the first type of papercutting design, since paper was invented by Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty in China. ... Emperor Xuan-Zong of Tang (left) and his Consort Yang Yuhuan (right) portrayed in a Chinese Opera 19th century Chinese opera Chinese opera costumes Some athletic jump Chinese opera is a popular form of drama in China. ... Variety arts in China, including tightrope walking, acrobatics, animal acts, and sleight of hand date back at least as far as the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) and were very popular in the imperial court. ...

Martial arts

Demonstrating Kung Fu at Daxiangguo Monastery, Kaifeng, Henan.

Main articles: Chinese martial arts and List of Chinese martial arts

China is one of the main birth places of Eastern martial arts. The names of martial arts were called Kung Fu or its first name Wushu. China also includes the home to the well-respected Shaolin Monastery and Wudang Mountains. The first generation of art started more for the purpose of survival and warfare than art. Overtime, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has brewed some of the most renowned martial artists including Wong Fei Hung and many others. The art have also co-existed with a variety of weapons including the more standard 18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like Dim Mak are also praised and talked about within the culture. Image File history File linksMetadata Demonstrating_Kung_Fu_at_Daxiangguo_Monestary,_Kaifeng,_Henan. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Demonstrating_Kung_Fu_at_Daxiangguo_Monestary,_Kaifeng,_Henan. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Kaifeng (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: KāifÄ“ng; Wade-Giles: Kai-feng), formerly known as Bianliang (汴梁; Wade-Giles: Pien-liang), is a prefecture-level city in eastern Henan province, Peoples Republic of China. ... Henan (Chinese: 河南; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ... Kung fu redirects here. ... The hundreds of different styles and schools of Chinese martial arts (中國武術) are collectively called Kung Fu (功夫), Wushu (武術), Kuoshu (國術), or Chuan Fa (拳法), depending on the persons or groups doing so. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... WÇ”shù, in Simplified Chinese Wushu (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: wÇ”shù  ; Cantonese: mou5söt6) literally means martial art. It is a more precise term than the widely used term kung fu, which can mean either martial art or skill: a craftsperson or artisan could be said to have... , Main gate of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, China. ... This article is about the Wudang region of Hubei, China. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wong. ... Kung fu redirects here. ... The Eighteen Arms (Chinese: ) is a list of the eighteen main weapons of chinese martial arts. ... Dim Mak, Death Touch, or literally Touch Point (dim mak is an approximate Cantonese pronunciation of 點脈, as subset of 點穴, pinyin diÇŽnxuè) is said by its adherents to train attacks on pressure points and meridians in some styles of Chinese martial arts to kill, incapacitate, or otherwise control an opponent. ...

Fashion

Main article: Clothing of China

Different social class in different time eras boast different fashion trends. China's fashion history covers hundreds of years with some of the most colorful and diverse arrangements. Fashionable but questionable practices such as footbinding have also been part of the culture. Many symbols such as phoenix have been used for decorative as well as economic purposes. 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. ... Fenghuang sculpture, Nanning city, Guangxi, China. ...

Architecture

A north corner of Forbidden City, featuring classic construction style

Main article: Chinese architecture

Chinese architecture, examples of which can be found from over 2,000 years ago, has long been a hallmark of the culture. There are certain features common to Chinese architecture, regardless of specific region or use. The most important is its emphasis on width, as the wide halls of the Forbidden City serve as an example. In contrast, western architecture emphasize on height, though there are exceptions such as pagodas. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 643 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Forbidden City ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2304x1728, 643 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Forbidden City ... For other uses, see Forbidden City (disambiguation). ... The Liuhe Pagoda of Hangzhou, China, built in 1165 AD during the Song Dynasty. ... This article is about building architecture. ... For other uses, see Forbidden City (disambiguation). ... A pagoda at Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in China, Korea, and other parts of Asia. ...

Another important feature is symmetry, which connotes a sense of grandeur as it applies to everything from palaces to farmhouses. One notable exception is in the design of gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow, to let the patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself. Feng shui has played an important part in structural development. Sphere symmetry group o. ... 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. ...

Cuisine

Chinese meal in Suzhou with rice, shrimp, eggplant, fermented tofu, vegetable stir-fry, vegetarian duck with meat and bamboo

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Chinese proverbs

Main article: Chinese cuisine

The overwhelmingly large variety mainly comes from the emperors hosting a banquet of 100 dishes each meal^[2]. Countless number of imperial kitchen staff and concubines were involved in the food preparation process. Overtime, many dishes became part of the everyday-citizen culture. Some of the highest quality restaurants with recipes close to the dynastic periods include Fangshan restaurant in Beihai Park Beijing and the Oriole Pavilion^[2]. Arguably all branches of Hong Kong eastern style or even American Chinese food are in some ways rooted from the original dynastic cuisines. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 585 KB) Summary ZiCheng Xu. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 585 KB) Summary ZiCheng Xu. ... This article is about the city in Jiangsu. ... For other uses, see Rice (disambiguation). ... Superfamilies Alpheoidea Atyoidea Bresilioidea Campylonotoidea Crangonoidea Galatheacaridoidea Nematocarcinoidea Oplophoroidea Palaemonoidea Pandaloidea Pasiphaeoidea Procaridoidea Processoidea Psalidopodoidea Stylodactyloidea True shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. ... Aubergine redirects here. ... Pickled tofu (豆腐乳 in Chinese, Pinyin: dòufu rǔ, lit. ... Stir frying (爆 bào) in a wok Stir frying is an English umbrella term used to describe two fast Chinese cooking techniques: chǎo (炒) and bào (爆). The term stir-fry was introduced into the English language by Buwei Yang Chao, in her book How to Cook and Eat in... le is about the vegetarian dish. ... For other uses, see Bamboo (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Wikiquote is one of a family of wiki-based projects run by the Wikimedia Foundation, running on MediaWiki software. ... Chinese cuisine (Chinese: 中國菜) originated from different regions of China and has become widespread in many other parts of the world — from East Asia to North America, Australasia and Western Europe. ... For the volcano in Indonesia, see Emperor of China (volcano). ... Concubinage is either the state of a couple living together as lovers with no obligation created by vows, legal marriage, or religious ceremony, or the state of a woman supported by a male lover who is married to, and usually living with, someone else. ... Fangshan District (Simplified Chinese: 房山区; Traditional Chinese: 房山區; Hanyu Pinyin: Fángshān Qū) is situated in the southwest of Beijing, 38km away from downtown Beijing. ... The bridge to the White Pagoda. ... Peking redirects here. ... The cuisine in Hong Kong can best be described as a fusion of eastern and western style cuisine. ... American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by Chinese restaurants in the United States. ...

Leisure

A number of games and pastimes are popular within Chinese culture. The most common game is Mah Jong. The same pieces are used for other styled games such as Shanghai Solitaire. Others include Pai Gow, Pai gow poker and other bone domino games. Go proverb and Xiangqi is also popular. Ethnic games like Chinese yo-yo are also part of the culture. This article discusses the four-player game of Chinese origin. ... A Shanghai solitaire in Turtle formation. The same solitaire, with free tiles highlighted. ... A set of Chinese dominoes. ... Pai Gow poker (or Double-hand poker) is an Americanized version of Pai Gow, in that it is played with playing cards using poker hand rankings, while Pai Gow is played with Chinese dominoes. ... A set of Chinese dominoes Chinese dominoes are used in several tile-based games, namely, Tien Gow, Pai Gow, Gwat Pai, Che Deng, Tiu U, Kap Tai Shap. ... Go proverbs are words of perceived wisdom relating to the game of Go, generally used to assist weaker players in determining a good move during a game. ... Chinese chess redirects here. ... The Chinese yo-yo is a toy from China consisting of two equally-sized discs connected with a long axle. ...

Gallery

The Chinese Dragon, Fu dog and incense comprise three symbols within traditional Chinese culture. Download high resolution version (400x611, 63 KB)Temple incense censer in Taichung, Taiwan with Fu Dog behind. ... Japanese name Hiragana: KyÅ«jitai: Shinjitai: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: The Chinese dragon is a Chinese mythical creature, depicted as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four claws. ... A Qing pair within the Forbidden City. ... Picture of Joss Sticks in a Chinese temple. ...

No. 4 of Ten Thousand Scenes (十萬圖之四). Painting by Ren Xiong, a pioneer of the Shanghai School of Chinese art circa 1850 Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x767, 379 KB) Summary Ten Thousand Scenes of Taihu River by Ren Xiong, ca. ... Self portrait by Ren Xiong Ren Xiong (任熊, 1823-57) China painter from Xiaoshan, active during during the late Qing dynasty. ...

A goldfish pond is a signature Chinese scenery depicted in countless art work. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

"Nine Dragons" handscroll section, by Chen Rong, 1244 AD, Chinese Song Dynasty, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Liu Song Dynasty. ... Paul Gauguin, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? (Doù venons-nous? Que faisons-nous? Où allons-nous?) (1897). ...

References

See also

Sinology is the study of China, and things related to China, using a combination of Western and traditional Chinese methodologies, concepts, and theories. ... Chinese literature spans back thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the matured fictional novel arising in the medieval period to entertain the masses of literate Chinese. ... Personal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. ... Japanese name Hiragana: KyÅ«jitai: Shinjitai: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: The Chinese dragon is a Chinese mythical creature, depicted as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four claws. ... Fenghuang sculpture, Nanning city, Guangxi, China. ... Example of a person wearing a multi-layered hanfu. ... The Humble Administrators Garden West Lake : Yue Fei Memorial Hall The Chinese (Scholars) Garden is a place for solitary or social contemplation of nature. ... Chinese folktales have a long history, going back several thousand years. ... In Chinese culture, certain numbers are believed by some to be auspicious (吉利) or inauspicious (不利) based on the Chinese word that the number name sounds similar to. ... Science and technology in China is currently experiencing rapid growth. ... The Dunhuang map from the Tang Dynasty (North Polar region). ... The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... Knowledge of Chinese mathematics before 100 BC is somewhat fragmentary, and even after this date the manuscript traditions are obscure. ... Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... The Chinese units (Chinese: 市制; Hanyu Pinyin: ; literally market system) are the customary and traditional units of measure used in China. ...

External links

• A Classification of Chinese Culture by Ying Fan
• Exploring Ancient World Cultures - Ancient China, University of Evansville
• Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese Home explored
• Chinese Culture Articles
• Embracing Chinese Culture