Chinese Culture

"The great law of culture is: Let each become all that he was created capable of becoming."--Thomas Carlyle

What is a culture? Is it characterized by art or literature? Does it include actions, feelings, or thoughts? Is it ideas, objectives, or ways? What about beliefs or values, or customs or tradition? Is it something as simple as a field of activity or as complex as a neverending experiment?

Culture is all of these, but it is true that it cannot be truly defined by a single stroke of words. In everyday conversation, the word culture might refer to such fields as literature, art, or music; yet scientists who study culture see it as something more complex, a way of life as well as acting, feelings, and thinking. And even within these "definitions" of culture there are different views on what exactly culture is.

Painting a Scene

So what exactly is culture? The answer depends on you. However, it is not what culture IS that makes it so important and fascinating; it is what it means and what it represents. A culture defines and sets something apart from everything else. It makes something unique and therefore meaningful, not only to itself but also to the diversity of the world. A culture brings awe and inspiration as well as interest and curiosity.

For thousands of years, the Culture of China has attracted and moved many people from all over the world, being so unique and one-of-a-kind as well as elegant and inspiring. The Chinese Culture, a culture that has evolved for thousands and thousands of years, contains rare beauty and enchantment with history. It has drawn so much interest that it is integrating with other cultures. Have you ever eaten fried noodles or kung po chicken at a local Chinese restaurant? Or have you ever seen the traditional style of the ch'i-p'ao used for blouses and dresses? You might have even watched Mulan, Disney's new animated film based on a Chinese folk tale. The Chinese Culture has played an important role in world society, and in China itself.

With such a long history and old-living civilization, the Culture of China offers much more than anything or anyone could possible receive. For any country, and especially China, it is impossible to explore every little aspect of its culture. However, this site contains and explains general areas of the Chinese Culture for you to explore, the areas that have touched and lived across the world, the areas that best define China.

The Chinese Culture has shown that China has become what it is capable of becoming. And with many many years still laying ahead, will the Culture of China offer even more?

Welcome! Take off your shoes at the door - you have arrived to the Culture of China!

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Begin

• Old and New: the Connected Split of Traditional and Modern Chinese Culture.
• Living and Values of the Chinese, including Way of Life, Clothing, Festivals, Medicine, and Food and Drink.
• Design Arts of the Chinese, including Architecture, Furniture, Bronzes, Laquer Art, Cloisonné, and Jade.
• Performing Arts, including Folk Arts, Opera, Chinese Dance, and Puppetry.
• Visual Arts, including Painting, Calligraphy, Chop Engraving, Pottery and Porcelain, Macramé, Embroidery, and Paper Cutting.
• Chinese Music, including traditional Chinese instruments, along with both Traditional and Modern Chinese Music.
• Learning and Literature of China, including the Four Treasures of Study, Books, Philosophy, Folk Prints, Feng Shui, and Kung Fu.