Chinese culture: uniqueness and originality in every feature. Chinese culture
Chinese culture is one of the most ancient and original in the world.
Culture
The culture of China influenced the development of the cultures of neighboring peoples who inhabited the territories of what are now Mongolia, Tibet, Indochina, Korea and Japan. China is home to one of the most ancient civilizations in the world, and perhaps the only one, where the physical type of the population has not changed for thousands of years. China's artistic culture dates back 5,000 years.
Chinese philosophy
Within the framework of this culture, such globally significant phenomena as Confucianism and Taoism were created.
Statue of Confucius in Beijing
Confucianism- ethical and philosophical teaching developed by Confucius (551-479 BC) and included in the religious complex of China, Korea, Japan and some other countries. Confucianism is sometimes seen as a philosophy, sometimes as a religion. Central problems Confucianism are questions about the ordering of relations between rulers and subjects, the moral qualities that a ruler and a subordinate should have, etc.
Taoism– the doctrine of Tao or “the way of things,” a Chinese traditional teaching that includes elements of religion and philosophy. Its founder was Lao Tzu (real name Li Er (Li Boyang, Lao Dan), an ancient Chinese philosopher.
According to legend, he was born in 604 BC. At the center of the doctrine of Taoism is the doctrine of the great Tao, universal Law and the Absolute. Tao has many meanings, it is an endless movement. Tao is a kind of law of existence, the cosmos, the universal unity of the world. Tao dominates everywhere and in everything, always and limitlessly. No one created it, but everything comes from it, and then, having completed a circuit, returns to it again. Invisible and inaudible, inaccessible to the senses, constant and inexhaustible, nameless and formless, it gives origin, name and form to everything in the world. Even the great Heaven follows the Tao. In Taoism, two opposite principles interact: yin and yang, which flow into one another and cannot exist without each other. Yin is a negative, passive, feminine principle; yang – positive, active, masculine.
Taoist Temple in Wuhan
Every person, in order to become happy, must take this path, try to cognize the Tao and merge with it. According to the teachings of Taoism, man, the microcosm, is eternal in the same way as the universe, the macrocosm. Physical death means only that the spirit is separated from man and dissolves into the macrocosm. A person’s task in his life is to ensure that his soul merges with the world order of Tao. How can such a merger be achieved? The answer to this question is contained in the teachings of Tao.
Mohism - d religious Chinese philosophical school, the program direction of which was the improvement of society through knowledge. The philosophical school was founded by the ancient Chinese thinker Mo Tzu. After his death, Mohism split into three movements.
In the V-III centuries. BC e. Mohism was a serious competitor to Confucianism as the dominant ideology of China. Mo Tzu considered Confucian rites and ceremonies a senseless waste of public funds and called for personal submission to the will of heaven. Confucius distinguished between love for family and parents and love for other neighbors, and Mo Tzu called for loving everyone equally without distinction.
Energy "qi"
Chinese philosophical concept of cosmic qi, or energy (force), permeating the Universe. The Chinese believe that qi gave birth to the cosmos and the Earth and two principles: the “negative” and “positive” principles of yin and yang, which in turn gave birth to everything else (“the darkness of things”). The Chinese consider every physical change that occurs in the world to be the result of the action of qi.
Feng Shui
Feng Shui(literally “wind and water”), or geomancy - the Taoist practice of symbolic exploration of space. It is believed that with the help of Feng Shui you can choose the “best” place to build a house or burial, the “correct” layout of the site; a feng shui specialist can predict events.
The goal of Feng Shui is to search for favorable flows of qi energy and use them for the benefit of humans.
A building in Hong Kong with the principle of Feng Shui applied in architecture
Calligraphy
Traditional and simplified hieroglyphs
Calligraphy is considered in China artistic form art and is equated with painting and poetry as a method of self-expression.
Chinese porcelain
The history of the development of porcelain in China goes back a thousand years. Exact date occurrence is unknown. Some attribute the origin of porcelain in China to the Han Dynasty (206 -221 AD).
Ceramics in China have been known since ancient times, but only in the Bronze Age (1500-400 BC) did the Chinese learn to obtain especially strong adhesives and make kilns for high-temperature firing. This allowed them to make stronger, glazed pottery. True porcelain appeared only in the Sui era. It is smooth and polished, and when struck on a piece of porcelain it makes a sound. Thin porcelain appears transparent.
the great Wall of China
It stretches for 8851.8 km across the entire Northern China. 6260 km of walls are made of brickwork, 2232.5 km are made of natural rock mass. About 360 km are water-filled ditches.
The construction of the wall began in the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e., when individual Chinese states created defensive structures against raids by the nomadic peoples of Central Asia.
After the unification of China under the Qin dynasty in 221 BC. e. Emperor Shi Huangdi ordered to connect a number of defensive lines into a single wall. Currently, in the western part the Great Wall retains its original shape, in the eastern part it is severely destroyed and in some places it is only an earthen rampart.
The wall has a width at the base of about 9 m and at the top about 6 m, the height of the wall is 10 m. Approximately every 200 m there are quadrangular watchtowers on it, and with outside– high defensive battlements with embrasure holes. The upper plane of the wall is paved with slabs and used to be a wide protected road along which military units and convoys could move. Currently, some areas of this plane are paved and used as car roads. The wall runs through mountainous areas, following the curves of the relief and organically blending into the surrounding landscape.
Stone-cutting crafts of China
This is a type of Chinese jewelry associated with the processing of ornamental stones of various origins and colors. Chinese artisans used coral, marble, jadeite, soapstone (soapstone), rose quartzite (transparent varieties), and jade as raw materials.
Chinese jade artefact depicting domestic scenes and landscape
Music
Chinese music has a specific sound. This can be explained by the fact that the instruments do not have 7 usual notes, but 5 or 13. Chinese instruments are divided into 4 types: percussion, wind, string and bowed. The most common tool is banhu. It is a five-stringed instrument played with a bow the length of a human arm. The sound of banhu can be compared to a violin.
Among plucked-hammer instruments, guzheng and yangqin (zither family) are popular. They are played using special hammers. There is a second way: using finger plucking.
Architecture
The traditional architecture of China has a number of unique features, and the architectural decor contributes to the recognition of Chinese buildings throughout the world.
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
Most of the buildings in ancient China was built of wood. First of all, wooden posts were driven into the ground, which were connected at the top by beams. Then the roof was erected and then covered with tiles. The openings between the pillars were filled with bricks, clay, bamboo or other material, i.e. the walls did not serve as a load-bearing structure. Wood has a certain flexibility and elasticity, therefore, compared to stone, wooden structures are more resistant to earthquakes.
Peking Opera (Opera of the East)
It originated in late XVIII c., combines music, vocal performances, pantomimes, dancing and acrobatics. Peking Opera embodies the specifics of ancient Chinese theater.
Kung Fu
Chinese martial arts.
Chinese inventions
It’s difficult to even just list everything that was invented in China. Four great inventions of ancient China: paper, printing, gunpowder and the compass. It was these discoveries that contributed to the fact that many areas of culture and art became the property of the general public. The inventions of ancient China made long-distance travel possible, which made it possible to discover new lands.
Printed books, porcelain, silk, mirrors, umbrellas and kites, scissors, bell, water mill, saddle, cannon, paper money, drum, oar, fork, dagger-axe (ge), varnish, noodles, steamer, fermented drink, hand crossbow, cast iron bomb, borehole, cupola, fan, vertical stern rudder, wind generator, winnower, business card, suspension bridge on steel chains, high-alcohol beer, gas cylinder, board game wow, two-jet flamethrower...
Chinese flamethrower
... junk, blast furnace, domino, Toothbrush, playing cards, coke as fuel, stone arch bridge with open lintels, fishing reel, gimbal suspension...
Cardan gimbal
... mascara, puppet show, sea and land mines, multi-stage rocket, fire spear, plow blade, chopsticks...
Food sticks
... relief map, belt drive, restaurant menu, horse harness, whistle, seismometer...
Reconstruction of Zhang Heng's seismometer using an earth-shock sensitive pendulum. Placed in 133 in Luoyang, it recorded earthquakes 400-500 km away
... seed drill, steelmaking process, stirrup, wheelbarrow, toilet paper, fireworks, chemical weapons, clamp, chain drive, cast iron, airlock... And that's not all! For the first time, it was in China that they began to use salt in food, cultivate soybeans, tea, diagnose and treat diabetes mellitus, and use therapeutic fasting. The Chinese developed porcelain production technology a thousand years before the Europeans. This country invented acupuncture, the traditional Chinese medical practice of inserting needles into specific points on the body for medicinal purposes and to relieve pain.
Let's talk about the history of one invention - paper.
Invention of paper
Fragments of hemp wrapping paper dating from the reign of Wu Di (141-87 BC)
The earliest known piece of paper with an inscription on it was discovered in the ruins of the Chinese Tsakhartai Tower in Alashani, where the Han Dynasty army abandoned its positions in 110 AD. e. after the Xiongnu attack. In the 3rd century. paper became widely used for writing, replacing the more expensive strips of bamboo, rolled into scrolls, scrolls and strips of silk, and wooden tablets. In the papermaking process, developed in 105 by Cai Lun, a boiling mixture of mulberry bark, hemp, old cloth and old fishing nets is pulped, ground to a paste and then mixed with water. Reed sieve wooden frame dip into the mixture, pull out and shake. The resulting sheets of paper are dried and then bleached by exposure to sunlight.
Literary Heritage of China enormous, but unfortunately its difficult-to-translate content makes much of it inaccessible to Western readers.
Modern Chinese culture
When people talk about Chinese culture, they mainly mean ancient China. Little is written about the modern culture of this country; more often the story comes down to the peculiarities of life, customs and cuisine.
IN modern architecture China strictly adheres to the traditions that have developed throughout its historical development. This also applies to the architectural appearance of modern Chinese city. However, gradually, with mid-19th c., Chinese architecture begins to acquire other European features.
The economic development of China has also changed the appearance of the country: foreign banks and commercial organizations, entertainment and service facilities, embassies and hotels have appeared on city streets. Such buildings required clear forms and the use of modern materials, so the traditions of Chinese architecture were not always acceptable for new buildings. Gradually, the unique buildings of ancient Chinese architecture are fading into the background.
But Chinese architects are trying to skillfully combine European style with Chinese culture, creating unique buildings.
The Chinese carefully preserve their unique culture. For example, the government did not allow the opera house to be taller than the buildings built in the Forbidden City. But the Chinese do not abandon innovations, for example, they are building a subway. And in general culture modern China is constantly enriched with new trends in all areas of culture.
Contemporary painting
In area genre painting from the many artists I would like to highlight creativity Li Zijian (b. 1954).
The artist received higher education at the Faculty of Painting of Guangzhou Academy Fine Arts in 1982 and in 1988 moved to Los Angeles. Despite the fact that he has been living in the United States for about 22 years, the main theme of his paintings is the life of his native China, local customs, people and way of life.
“The culture of my native Hunan has had a profound influence on me. The simple and dilapidated buildings, nature, rivers and people in my hometown are all an endless source of inspiration for my work,” says Li Zijian. Looking at the artist’s paintings, it is impossible to resist a kind smile. His ability to see the important in the most ordinary, his love for people and the world around him is touching.
But modern Chinese watercolor - artist Zhao Kailin.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China
There are 41 names on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China.
29 objects are included in the list according to cultural criteria, 8 objects - according to natural ones, 4 - according to mixed ones.
16 objects (Mount Taishan, the Great Wall of China, the palaces of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang, Mogao caves, the tomb of the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, a complex of ancient buildings in the Wudangshan mountains, the temple and tomb of Confucius and the estate of the Kong family in Qufu, historical ensemble of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, classical gardens in Suzhou, Summer Palace and Imperial Park in Beijing, Temple of Heaven: the imperial sacrificial altar in Beijing, rock reliefs in Dazu, capital cities and cave temples of Longmen, tombs of emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, cave Yungang temples, tombs ancient kingdom Goguryeo) are recognized as masterpieces of human creative genius.
10 objects (Taishan and Huangshan Mountains, Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong and Wulingyuan scenic areas, Wuyi Mountains, Three Parallel Rivers National Park (Yunnan Province), karst deposits in South China, Sanqingshan Mountain National Park, Danxia) are recognized as natural phenomena or spaces of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
Naturally, it is impossible to talk about all objects within one article. Interested readers may refer to other sources. We will tell you only about some of them.
Mount Taishan
A 1545 m high mountain in the Chinese province of Shandong. Mount Taishan has great cultural and historical meaning and is one of the Five Sacred Mountains of Taoism. It was considered the habitat of Taoist saints and immortals. In China, Mount Taishan is associated with sunrise, birth, renewal. The mountaintop temple has been the destination of numerous pilgrims for 3,000 years. Nowadays you can climb the mountain using a ski lift.
Jiuzhaigou National Park (Valley of Nine Villages)
A nature reserve in the north of Sichuan province in central China. It is famous for its multi-level waterfalls and colorful lakes.
Wudangshan
A small mountain range in Hubei Province. The Wudang Mountains are famous for their Taoist monasteries and temples; there was a Taoist university here that studied medicine, pharmacology, nutrition, meditation and martial arts. Even during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), the mountain began to receive special attention from the emperor. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the first temple was opened here - the Temple of Five Dragons.
In the 15th century The Yongle Emperor summoned 300 thousand soldiers and equipped the mountain, building numerous temple complexes. Then 9 temples, 9 monasteries, 36 hermitages and 72 shrines, many gazebos, bridges and multi-tiered towers were built, forming 33 architectural ensemble. Construction in the mountains lasted 12 years from 1412.
Pingyao Ancient City
Central street of the city
This is the only medieval city in China that has completely preserved its historical architectural appearance.
Sky Temple
A temple-monastery complex in central Beijing, including the only circular temple in the city, the Harvest Temple (this is the main temple of the complex, often called the Temple of Heaven). The area of the complex is 267 hectares.
The complex was built in 1420 during the reign of the Ming Dynasty. Initially it was called the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but after the construction of a separate Temple of Earth in 1530, it began to perform the function of worshiping Heaven.
Three parallel rivers
A national park located in the Sino-Tibetan Mountains in northwestern Yunnan Province.
The park contains the headwaters of the three largest rivers in Asia: the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween, which flow in gorges up to 3,000 m deep. In this section, the rivers flow almost parallel from north to south. After the Yangtze turns north, it flows through the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge.
The three parallel rivers are the richest region in terms of biological diversity in China and the entire temperate zone of the Earth. Due to the complex and diverse climate, the Three Rivers region is home to many species of plants and animals: over 6,000 species (about 20%) of all rare and valuable plants in China grow there. Also, more than 25% of all species of Chinese fauna live here.
Tulou
In Chinese architecture, a fortress-type residential complex, common in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, is square or round in shape. The first tulou were built by representatives of the Hakka people, who migrated from the north to southern regions China during the Tang Dynasty. Faced with a hostile attitude towards themselves from the local population, migrants were forced to build closed, fortress-type residential buildings.
Round-shaped tulou have a diameter of 50-90 m, the thickness of the outer walls is from 1 to 2.5 m, they have narrow loopholes on the upper tiers and a minimum number of powerful entrance gates. Inside the fortress there were living quarters, a well, and large food supplies.
Other attractions in China
Victoria Peak (Hong Kong)
The highest point on Hong Kong Island. The mountain received its name in honor of Queen Victoria. Another name is Mount Austin. Victoria Peak is a hill with several peaks (the highest height is 554 m above sea level). On the mountain there are buildings, parks, cafes, and observation decks, popular among tourists, as they offer a picturesque view of Hong Kong.
You can get to the top on foot, by road, or by funicular.
Beijing National Stadium
It is also called " bird's Nest" This is a multifunctional sports complex created to host the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. At this stadium, in addition to hosting sports competitions, the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games took place. Construction of the stadium began in December 2003 and was completed in March 2008. Its capacity is 91,000 people.
Hong Kong Disneyland
Opened in 2005. When constructing the park, the Disney Corporation tried to take into account the characteristics of Chinese culture, customs and traditions, including compliance with the rules of Feng Shui.
The Disneyland area is divided into four themed areas: Main Street USA, Adventure World, Fantastic World and Tomorrowland.
Main Street USA is designed in architectural style times of the Wild West. Here you can see vintage cars, lacy signs and villas with shops and restaurants inside.
In Adventure World, there is a river around the huge tree where Tarzan lives, where you can take a short cruise. During your journey, you will encounter hippos, geysers, and labyrinthine caves.
IN Fantastic world favorite cartoon characters live. There is also a 3D cinema where you can watch 3D films.
Future World has roller coasters and go-karts.
Shanghai Museum
Museum of Ancient Chinese Art. Founded in 1952. The museum contains about 120 thousand items of storage. The most valuable are the collections of bronzes, ceramics, calligraphy, furniture, jade figurines, ancient coins, paintings, seals and sculptures. 11 galleries and 3 special exhibition halls are constantly operating.
Camel figurine from the museum collections
The museum stores objects national importance, including one of only three existing examples of "transparent" bronze mirrors from the Han Dynasty.
China goes back a long way. It is distinguished by a wealth of spiritual and material values, as well as enormous vitality. Numerous revolts, wars and destruction committed by the conquerors did not break or weaken this civilization, did not destroy its basic values and ideals.
Throughout history, the culture of ancient China tried to maintain its solidity and not lose activity. Each era left behind a huge legacy of original, diverse and unique monuments in beauty and craftsmanship. Creations of painting, architecture, architecture and crafts are priceless artifacts cultural heritage of this country.
The culture of ancient China in brief
Architecture
Along with the penetration of Buddhism into the territory of China (VI century BC), religious buildings - pagodas and rock monasteries - began to appear here. They consist of several hundred small and large grottoes located deep within the rock.
Since 1127, the first palaces, temples and monasteries were built. They are built mainly from wood, bamboo, clay, and reed.
During the reign of the Han Emperor, funerary complexes were actively erected, decorated with paintings, reliefs and decorated with statues of mythological animals.
Many architectural structures China have one thing in common - these are raised roof corners, as a result of which the roof appears slightly bent.
Sculpture
The emergence of this type of art is associated with the development of handicrafts. The Chinese create ceramic products and decorate them with colorful paintings in the form of grids, spirals and shells. Ritual vessels, funeral urns and other objects also appear.
The appearance of sculptures, items made of stone and bone, as well as bronze vessels decorated with gold and precious stones belong to the 2nd century. BC. In the 4th century BC Active production of porcelain and lacquerware begins.
The artistic culture of ancient China reflects the main spiritual values of Confucianism and Taoism:
- Spiritual perfection.
- The closeness of nature and man.
- Search for harmony in natural phenomena (animals, flowers, trees).
These ideals contributed to the formation unique culture ancient China is permeated with the ideas of a harmonious connection between the surrounding world and man. This is reflected in both calligraphy and painting.
In the traditional culture of China, writing is considered as a separate area of aesthetics and ethics, because the individual, unique writing of hieroglyphs reflects the emotional experiences of the author. Since ancient times, calligraphic writing has been given magical meaning, so they are stored in every home. The Chinese believe that the hieroglyph is an ideal model work of art, since it combines simplicity of form, symbolism, depth and severity.
One of the highest cultural achievements of this country is scroll painting. This the new kind art is completely freed from decorative function, it is created exclusively for contemplation. The main genres in which they wrote on the scroll were portraits (everyday, historical), landscape, and the “flowers and birds” genre.
The Chinese portrait combines realistic authenticity and symbolism, slightly bordering on caricature. The paintings are distinguished by the fact that each object depicted on it is deeply symbolic. A flower, tree, bird or animal characterizes a certain poetic image. So the pine tree symbolizes longevity, the stork symbolizes holiness and loneliness, and bamboo symbolizes happiness and perseverance. Traditional landscapes were created in an elongated form, helping to create a feeling of vast space.
All works of ancient Chinese art carry within them moral meaning and the idea of human self-improvement, encouraging one to admire the beauty of nature and the skillful work of the master. Apparently, this is why the beauty and expressiveness that the culture of ancient China carries within itself delights connoisseurs of beauty. It opens up a new vision of the world and a new aesthetics.
→ Culture of Ancient China
The ideological core of Chinese culture was Confucianism - philosophical and ethical doctrine that arose in the 6th century BC. Its founder was the sage Confucius(551 -479 BC). Confucianism asserted the eternity and immutability of society and the world as a whole. Each member of society must occupy the place initially predetermined for him. Humanity and mercy must permeate relations between people. Everyone is obliged to help others, to achieve what they themselves strive for and not to do what they do not want for themselves. This ethical position was later formulated in and received the name golden rule of morality.
Confucius identified society with the state. The state was understood by Confucius as big family, in which the sovereign (emperor) is "Son of Heaven" , And "Father and Mother of the People" . In such a state, strict rather than legal mechanisms dominated. For a long time, Confucianism performed a state function in China. ideology.
Another important direction of Chinese philosophy was Taoism (founder Lao Tzu 6th century BC). The central concept of Taoism was proclaimed "dao" - path. From the point of view of Taoism, everything in the world is in motion, in change, in transit, everything is impermanent and finite. It is necessary to follow the established world order corresponding to the Tao. To ensure immortality, you need to perform special exercises reminiscent of yoga.
Chinese for a long time adhered to the belief in their exclusivity and all other peoples until mid-18th century centuries were considered barbarians.
Chinese civilization is the oldest of civilizations. Already in the 10th century BC. it was a highly developed culture. China gave the world hieroglyphic writing, silk, paper, phosphorus, compass, plow, gunpowder, engine. The achievements of Chinese medicine, astronomy, and mathematics are known throughout the world.
In China there was no concept of God. The world is not created by God, it is revealed from its own hidden basis, like from a flower bud.
In Chinese culture there was no concept of spirit and body, no idea of matter. The world was perceived as undivided into spirit and matter. Man is equal to the cosmic forces of Heaven and occupies a central place in the universe. The approach to any phenomenon of life begins, first of all, with the concepts of morality (Confucianism).
Among the categories of Chinese culture, the most important CI . It is not translated into Russian. It is understood approximately like this: just as ice, when heated, turns into water, and water into steam, so Qi, condensing, becomes a substance, thinning out in spirit. Everything that exists in the world is QI; there is nothing except QI. Qi is the primordial spirit in primordial nature. The stone also contains the beginnings of spirituality. Qi is mobile, like everything in the world. Here is the mountain. It is a mountain when it arose, but over time it will age, crumble with the wind, become sand, and sooner or later a new mountain will arise from the sand. So, CI is Vital energy filling the world.
Chinese thinking was different from the cause-and-effect mentality of Europeans. For example, what do metal, the West, the color white, light and justice have in common? The European will not see the connection here. Everything is clear to the Chinese: the primary element in all this is metal.
This type of thinking is based on theory of sympathy. Positive sphere of life - Ian
, negative - Yin
. Like interacts with like. “You cannot pick a flower without disturbing the stars,” said the Chinese poet.
Chinese culture optimistic. The cosmos is harmonious, orderly, full of life and energy. The sky is the masculine principle, full of Yang charge. The earth, as the opposite of the sky, is the feminine principle of Yin. The soil signifies the harmony of Yang and Yin.
Space : the east is dominated by a young positive force (tree), which has matured in the south. South is fire, West is metal, North is water. The North was perceived by the Chinese as a kingdom of cold and darkness, from where wild nomads launched raids. The south is the source of bright and hot Yang power. This was reflected in the planning of Chinese cities: they were built strictly in a square with the main gate in the south. Facing south, the emperor sat on the throne. At first, the Chinese believed that the sky was round and the earth was square. Then they realized that the sky is an emptiness in which the life force of Qi is diffused.
Concept of life and death: “Life is just swimming with the flow, death is just a rest along the way.” This is how the Chinese imagined the world. There were no teachings about the immortality of the soul in Chinese philosophy. Life and death are two indispensable phases of a single process of time. Life is good, death is evil and must be overcome. One of the religions, Taoism, developed ways to prolong life: special sexual practices, breathing exercises, meditation, gymnastics.
Arts and literature: The Chinese universe is built on beauty. The cosmos is “patterned”; the pattern later became the meaning of “written sign”, writing, “culture expressed in a written sign”. One of the main concepts of Chinese culture is the concept WEN . Wen is a cosmic principle that expresses patterning and decoration in the Universe. The shaman always had this patterned tattoo as a sign of sacredness. Wen is a manifestation of the cosmos in a person. Raising his head up, the sage studies the constellations. Lowering his head down, he comprehends the hidden meaning of animal and bird tracks. The result of this peering was the emergence of hieroglyphic writing and culture. Writing, according to the Chinese, carries the great Tao - the path. Hence the truly reverent attitude of the people towards the written text. Pursuing literature is a noble and worthy cause. But real literature was understood not as a novel, but as philosophical prose.
Chinese art - this is an image not of things, but of ideas, meanings. One-color paintings occupy a special place in it. The image is applied with black ink on white paper or lightly tinted silk. The artists sought to convey the idea of emptiness, the airy “groundlessness” of all things. Installation in Chinese painting was done to search for harmony and unity with the cosmos.
Religion: Confucianism can hardly be considered a religion. This is an ethical-political doctrine. There were many mixed beliefs and cults. This is a syncretic belief, like Taoism. The religions of China allowed for the existence of different beliefs. There was no monotheism. Buddhism came to China from India and was transformed. The Chinese could confess three religions at the same time: at work to be a Confucian, with friends and in the lap of nature - a Taoist, alone with oneself a Buddhist (reflections on life and death).
Social values:
Belief in the possibility of creation moral society, which required ideal, highly developed leaders;
The family is a special clan, the prototype of the state. A man who properly supports his family can govern the state;
The ideal of a noble husband, official, monarch.
Played a huge role in ancient Chinese culture nobility of birth and the presence of high-ranking ancestors.
The ruling stratum was recruited through examinations. Any resident had the right to take an exam on knowledge of Confucian texts and commentary on literature and could receive one or another academic degree.
For a commoner who has successfully passed even the lowest district exam for a degree syutsaya(a blossoming talent), my whole life changed dramatically. He was exempt from taxes, military and labor service, and wore the robe and headdress of a scientist. This is how it was formed layer of managers(tangerine - tangerines - from the word to command). The terms “official” and “intellectual” coincided in Chinese culture. All this explains the exceptional value of education.
Chinese education was of a distinctly humanitarian nature. Philology, philosophy, history were considered honorable sciences. Natural sciences were of an applied nature. Trade, business, and crafts were not rated very highly. The officials looked at the merchants with contempt. Peasants are the “good” people, traders are the “bad” people.
Family: The ideal was the “five generations under one roof” model. A family is a clan of people who are related. The main thing is that from childhood to death the Chinese feel like part of the clan. Outside of the family he is nothing.
Ancestor cult - part of the national religion.
Read the continuation of the topic “Culture of the Ancient East”:
Chinese culture - one of the oldest and most mysterious cultures in the world. It was China that became the birthplace of such philosophical teachings as Taoism and Confucianism. The Confucian worldview remained the official ideology of China for centuries.
Numerous neighbors also influenced the culture of China, for example, Buddhism came from India to China.
Chinese culture has long been a role model among neighboring states. Japan, Korea, Vietnam and many other states have adopted chinese traditions and customs.
Chinese painting and poetry are filled with deep meaning. The paintings of Chinese masters amaze with their technique and colors.
The Chinese are hardworking and persistent, efficient and resourceful. China became a place of great discoveries; it was in China that the compass and gunpowder were invented. Chinese travelers discovered the Great Silk Road, reached the shores of Africa, sailed to India, Thailand, and Japan.
One of the brightest symbols of China became calligraphy. This brightest manifestation of Chinese culture originated in ancient times and has become a unique movement in art. In its fullness, Chinese calligraphy is comparable to painting and music, conveying the harmony and rhythm of the East through the writing of hieroglyphs. In ancient China, calligraphy was called “the first among the arts,” because a true master of calligraphy put a piece of his soul and all his skill into his creation.
In order to perceive calligraphy as an art, the ability to feel, see and, of course, empathize is very important. All hieroglyphs used in calligraphy have deep philosophical implications. Big influence calligraphy has had an impact on Chinese poetry.
Of particular importance are the meaning of what is written and the manner of writing, lines, their direction and dynamism.
Martial arts in China
Chinese martial arts occupy an important place in Chinese culture. Traditional martial arts in modern China have become an excellent replacement for gymnastics, and the most famous ones have entered the category of Chinese cultural values.
Wushu has become the most famous among Chinese martial arts. Wushu is the collective name for martial arts common in China.
Wushu originated in the Shaolin Monastery. According to legend, the founding father of wushu was the Indian monk Bodhiharma, who sat in a cave for 9 years and used a special set of classes, consisting of silent contemplation and physical exercises.
Modern wushu became a type of martial arts on the basis of which appeared different kinds gymnastics and physical exercises. Based on Wushu, various types of martial arts have been developed, which have become popular not only in China, but also abroad.
Lion dance and dragon dance
Lion dance And dragon dance- traditional Chinese dances. They are performed during festivals and holidays, the key one being Chinese New Year.
Lion dance - video
Dragon Dance- video
Mao Zedong and Chinese culture
Great influence on Chinese culture influenced by the coming to power of the communist government. Many important reforms were carried out, such as language reform, which further united the Chinese people.
A significant contribution to the construction of a new society in China was made by Mao Zedong, the political leader of China, who brought the spirit of unity and self-awareness as a nation. Despite certain miscalculations and mistakes made during the reign of Mao Zedong, he remains a revered person in China to this day.
In museums in China, on the streets, in small shops you can see Chinese National costumes, which continue to be popular among the population.
National characteristics of China
The Chinese are one of the most difficult peoples to understand, who strictly honor their traditions, customs, and rituals. However, if you follow the basic rules of behavior, you can feel that life in China is much more pleasant and easier than in many other countries in the world.
Residents of China are characterized by such qualities as hard work, patience, patriotism, politeness, and perfect knowledge of etiquette.
They are expressed in the behavior and actions of its inhabitants. The Chinese are characterized by courtesy and politeness, they do not show emotions too much and know how to react to events with restraint.
When meeting a Chinese person, a light handshake and a nod is enough. However, the Chinese are by no means closed, but are very sociable and will gladly enter into dialogue.
It is believed that modesty is one of the key qualities of a Chinese resident. They are very pleased with praise, but the Chinese can react to it with restraint and even dryly.
National characteristics of China also expressed in local cuisine. Each of the Chinese provinces has its own special dishes, but the main product in China is traditionally rice. Any meal must begin with a cup of green tea.
China is a country of new technologies and old traditions. Each historical era has enriched the culture of this country with its values.
The uniqueness of China
Many representatives Western world represent the PRC as a closed and backward state, where the traditions of the Middle Ages still exist.
However, those who come to the Middle Kingdom remain delighted with how diverse the modern culture of China is. Perhaps it was isolation that saved his traditions and preserved them to this day. For thousands of years, the state did not allow any foreigners into its territory, with the exception being made for the benefit of trade.
And in 1949, when a revolution took place in the country, the cultural history of China made new round. Now much depended on communist ideology.
The reformers who came to power decided to give way to progress and forcibly prohibit all traditions. From 1966 to 1976, the so-called cultural revolution replaced old values with new values. Which, of course, left its mark. The spiritual culture of China has been greatly changed.
But, seeing the futility of their actions, the rulers of the PRC abandoned such a policy in the 80s of the last century. And again they began to awaken people’s interest in their rich heritage, and, it should be noted, not without success.
Today, Chinese culture is a very strange symbiosis of old traditions and communist paradigms, as well as European modernism.
Architecture
Construction in the Celestial Empire began with the birth and formation of the entire civilization. Even during the ancient dynasty of the Tang emperors, the Chinese were so successful in their skills that their closest neighbors - Japan, Vietnam and Korea - began to borrow their technology.
Only in the twentieth century did China begin to actively use the ideas of European architecture in order to make maximum use of all the available space in small towns. Traditionally, the height of houses in the state did not exceed three floors. Such buildings can be found in many villages of modern China.
Considering the peculiarities of Chinese culture, one cannot help but mention symbolism. It is even present in architecture. So, the building must be symmetrical on both sides. Such a building symbolizes balance in everything, as well as balance in life. Houses are traditionally wide, with courtyards inside. There may also be covered galleries, which should protect from the summer heat.
The Chinese do not like to build in height, but prefer to expand their homes. Even indoors there are different laws of architecture. Important rooms are usually located in the center, and secondary rooms diverge from them. Old people live further from the doors, children and servants live closer.
Feng Shui
Residents of the Republic love to balance and systematize everything. They are guided by the Feng Shui system - rules for the arrangement of objects in the house. This art is a philosophical movement that was nurtured by Chinese culture, and it extends to all spheres of life.
So, you need to build a house with the facade facing the water and the back wall facing the hill. Talismans and amulets must be hung inside the room.
Wood is used as building materials. There are no load-bearing walls, the entire load falls on the columns supporting the roof. This is done for safety reasons, since such houses are more resistant to earthquake shocks.
Chinese artistic culture
Traditional painting in China is called Guohua. During the reign of the Emperors, there was no such profession as an artist in China. Rich aristocrats and officials who were not too busy with work painted in their leisure time.
The main color was black. People made intricate designs, armed with tassels made from the fur of a squirrel or other animal. Images were applied either to paper or to silk fabric. In addition, the author could write a poem, which he considered an ideal complement to the drawing. After finishing the work, the painting was rolled up like a scroll. It was decorated and hung on the wall.
Chinese culture has made landscape its favorite destination. The Chinese call it Shan Shui, which literally means “water and mountains.” There was no need to draw realistically. The artist only depicted own emotions from what he saw.
Under the Tang emperors, they became actively interested in painting, and the rulers of the Song dynasty made a cult out of it. Artists learned new techniques. At that time, they began to apply blurry outlines when depicting distant objects in the picture.
The Ming Dynasty introduced the fashion for images with stories, which were absorbed by the artistic culture of China.
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, all traditional styles were forgotten, and the era of realism began. Artists began to paint everyday peasant and working life.
Modern painters are guided by Western cultural values.
Another form of fine art in China is calligraphy, or Shufa. The artist must be able to move the brush correctly and know what ink is best to use.
Features of Chinese literature
Stories about the lives of gods and people began to be written three thousand years ago. The very first stories that have survived to this day are considered to be fortune telling written on turtle shells for the Shang emperors.
Chinese culture is unthinkable without mythology, as well as without the works of thinkers and spiritual teachers. Popular literature did not include fiction sections. Mostly philosophical treatises or summaries of ethical laws were created. These books were published under Confucius. They were called “The Thirteen Books”, “Pentateuch” and “Four Books”.
Without training in Confucianism, a man could not occupy any decent position in China.
Since the time of the Han emperors, records have been kept of the activities of the ancestral dynasties. Today there are twenty-four of them. One of the most popular books is considered to be “The Art of War” by the sage Sun Tzu.
Founder modern literature is Lu Xun.
Musical traditions
If in imperial China artists were not valued at all, then the attitude towards musicians was even worse. At the same time, paradoxically, music has always been an integral part of the culture of the Republic.
In Confucianism, there is even a special collection of songs of the Chinese people, called “Shi Jing”. The culture of medieval China contained many folk motifs. And with the advent of communist power in the PRC, anthems and marches appeared.
The usual classical scale has five tones, but there are also seven- and twelve-tone ones.
As for the classification of tools, everything is simple. The Chinese distinguish several groups of them, depending on what they are made of. Thus, there are clay, bamboo, silk, leather, metal, and stone musical instruments.
Theater arts
People in China love to visit theatres. Xiqu is called a classic. This is such a national temple. In it, artists dance, recite works, sing, and also demonstrate martial arts techniques and perform acrobatic stunts. Physical Culture China is very developed.
This theater first appeared during the reign of the Tang emperors - in the seventh century AD. Each province of China had its own specific Xiqu differences.
Still popular today main opera in Pekin.
As you can see, the traditional culture of China is very diverse, multifaceted and extremely rich.
Movie
The first session took place in 1898. But his own film appeared in 1905. Before the outbreak of World War II, Shanghai was the center of cinema. At that time he was influenced by American pop culture. With the advent of the communists, the number of films produced increased tenfold.
We have a specific attitude towards Chinese cinema, the number of its fans is very modest, while the rest judge it by the daring films of Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Danny Yen. But in vain. The cinema of the Celestial Empire is no less diverse than literature, mythology, military art, etc.
