Description of Chinese Culture - Term Paper Example

Chinese Culture China can boost one of the ancient, multi-dimensional, multi-layered, thriving, and evolutionary cultures of the world. The reason why its cultural heritage is so rich and deep because is that it is home to millions of people that belong to numerous ethnically diverse tribes. The various sects or tribes in China cannot be attributed the same cultural values or traditions; however, there are a few general traits that are practised by a majority of Chinese people. According to World Trade Press, At the heart of the 5,000-year-old Chinese culture and worldview lie ancient rituals of ancestor worship, the Taoist principles of Yin and Yan (emphasizing the harmony between seemingly opposing natural forces), Confucianism (which sets the ethical guideline of gaining merit through hard work, temperance, and respect), and Buddhism (which explored the painful and ephemeral nature of existence). All these strands, combined with the obedience to the central government demanded by the pseudo-Marxist state, combine to make up the current social and cultural ethos of hard work, ancestral pride, respect, and fear that defines the Chinese people. (11) Cultures are shaped over centuries by religious, social, historical, political, philosophical and environmental factors. Chinese culture is molded by its centuries-old history of war and peace. The resilience and hard work of Chinese people have made China one of the biggest economies of the world. They have inherited a rich culture that governs their personal and collective lives. The roles of individuals as men, women, children, and elders are defined vividly in the spheres of work and home. Chinese culture is brimming over with life- owing to its rhythm and consistency, and thus it is assimilated in the everyday lives of its people. The society of China is highly gendered but the cultural set up of 21st century China is a big leap from such times when girls had to suffer from the custom of foot binding. “Foot-binding speaks multiple languages. It murmurs about seduction, eroticism, virtue, discipline, and sacrifice. It also teaches little girls about pain, about coming of age, about her place in this world, about her permanent bonding with her mother and female ancestors.”(Wang, 19) Women have been assigned domesticated roles in Chinese culture. They have to live in patriarchal system and follow the footsteps of their mothers and female ancestors regarding their private or family affairs. Decisions like marriage are also taken on their behalf by their parents. The custom of dowry or setting a bride-price by the prospective husband is still common in China and it makes marriage an expensive and difficult process. Despite this fact, women are trying to redefine certain aspects of Chinese culture in order to procure more respectable and acknowledged status in society. Marriage is conceived of not as a relationship between two persons but as a process of negotiation and dialogue between two families. People in the region generally recognize four stages in this process: tanhua (to have a word), kanwu (to look at your courtyard), dinghun (to be engaged), and guoshi (to celebrate the wedding). (Xin, 62) While weddings are celebrated as the union of two souls, yet emphasis is made more upon the union of their families. The philosophy behind marriage is not just settling down and procreation- it is considered to have far reaching impact on the collective lives of the married couple and their families. The wedding process itself speaks of the strategic planning which is designed to foster a strong bond between the two families. It should be noted that the entire process takes some time before the marriage is actually consummated and the reasons behind this are purely practical. These stages are accompanied with festivities, music, and dance but are primarily associated with the factual side of marriage. Whether or not the prospective groom is financially strong to afford a wife? Whether or not both families understand each other or get along during the time between engagement and marriage or not? Such basic yet highly important considerations are behind the four stages of marriage in Chinese culture. Chinese festivals, seasons, and holidays are famous for their culinary delights. The celebrations are considered incomplete without sipping tea and sharing folklore, myths, stories and anecdotes from history mark their festivals. New Year, the Lantern- Festival, Dragon-Boat festival, moon festival etc. are some of the famous lunar year and seasonal festivals that are celebrated across China and elsewhere in the world where ever Chinese live. … Dumplings are an expected treat during the New Year in the north, and it is the rare birthday celebration that does not have a bowl of longevity noodles… There are succulent offerings of wine and food at the Qing Ming festival… Perhaps, the most famous food examples are to be found during Dragon Boat Festival (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month) and the mid-Autumn festival (the full moon of the eighth lunar month). (LaFleur, 309) The Chinese calendar marks important festivals round the year. The concept behind such continuous and rhythmic celebration of festivals is to constantly remind people about their cultural values. The young ones are fascinated by such festivities and thus learn about their rich and lively culture this way. Festivals and seasonal holidays allow people to interact on different levels and the innate feature of Chinese culture, which is promoting collectivism among its people, is achieved. The cultures of northern and southern China have been different since ages. This can mainly be attributed to the difference in the social structures of both parts of China. “For the most part, it was the North, with its more developed civilization and more advanced social systems associated with the tradition of rites and music that extended its influence over the South.”(Zehou and Samei, 118) Consequently, the traditions of family values, marriage, and education are different in urban and rural China. Music and dance are central components of Chinese culture. Until today, guchui performance has been linked to ritual. Its repertory has been formulated into types according to programmatic functions. The sad compositions known as weeping-pieces (kaqu) are performed especially at funerals. A joyful repertory known as jubilant-pieces (xiqu) is played at weddings and birthday celebrations. (Davis, 226) Being a communist state, the stratification of social structure in China has always been discouraged. Yet, in recent times, the middle-class is evolving and making its presence felt in the national and international fronts. “The size of China’s middle class is difficult to pin down. Nevertheless, there is general agreement that China’s middle class, although less than 25 percent of the population, is growing.”(Cheng, 292) The repercussions of a growing middle class on Chinese culture shall be tremendous. It might challenge certain aspects of Chinese culture, particularly the role and place of women in China. It can help sustain the existing moral aspects of Chinese culture but rituals like marriage may seek reformation. Chinese culture is based upon the philosophy of Collectivism. Chinese believe in working with and for their community. Consequently, their private lives are also affected by communal decisions, norms and values of society. “Collectivism is the term used by anthropologists and sociologists to designate one of the basic orientations of Chinese culture”. (Wenzhong, Grove and Enping, 26) While collectivism promotes bonding among the individuals of a society, it is sometimes detrimental to personal gains and achievements. The thriving culture of China has retained its shape to a great extent over thousands of years with the philosophy of collectivism. Each individual is defined according to his/her place in a group and he/she is supposed to confirm to the pre-defined notions of society. Perhaps, this is the biggest strength of Chinese culture and one of the main reasons why millions of people adhere to adopt it religiously- whether they live in China or abroad. Work Cited Cheng, Li (Editor). Chinas Emerging Middle Class : Beyond Economic Transformation. Washington, DC, USA: Brookings Institution Press, 2010. Print. Davis, Edward. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture. Taylor & Francis, 2005. Print. Liu, Xin. In Ones Own Shadow: An Ethnographic Account of the Condition of Post-Reform Rural China. Ewing, NJ, USA: University of California Press, 2000. Print. LaFleur, Robert. China. California: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print. Ping, Wang. Aching for Beauty: Foot-binding in China. Minneapolis, MN, USA: University of Minnesota Press, 2000. Print. Wenzhong, Hu; Grove, Cornelius N.; Enping, Zhuang. Encountering the Chinese: A Cultural Guide to the Peoples Republic (3rd Edition). Yarmouth, ME, USA: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2010. Print. World Trade Press. China Society and Culture Complete Report. Petaluma, CA, USA: World Trade Press, 2010. Print. Zehou, Li & Samei, Maija Bell (Translator). Chinese Aesthetic Tradition. Honolulu, HI, USA: University of Hawaii Press, 2009. Read More