CULTURE

Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest cultures. Customs and traditions varying greatly
between provinces, cities, and even towns. Important components of Chinese culture
include literature,music, visual arts, martial arts, cuisine, religion etc.
Identity
Today there are 56 distinct recognized ethnic groups in China. In terms of numbers
however, Han Chinese is by far the largest group. Throughout history, many groups have
merged into neighboring ethnicities or disappeared. 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 identity within the community has to do with distinguishing the family name.
Regional
Traditional Chinese Culture covers large geographical territories, where each region is usually
divided into distinct sub-cultures. Each region is often represented by three ancestral items. For
example Guangdong is represented by chenpi, aged ginger and hay. Others include ancient
cities like Lin'an (Hangzhou), which include tea leaf,bamboo shoot trunk and hickory nut.
Values
Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism. Buddhism and many others
have come about. Reincarnation and other rebirth concept is a reminder of the connection
between real-life and the after-life. In Chinese business culture, the concept of guanxi,
indicating the primacy of relations over rules, has been well documented.

Language
The ancient written standard was Classical Chinese. It was used for thousands of years, but
was mostly reserved for scholars and intellectuals which forms the "top" class of the society
called "shi da fu (". Calligraphy later became commercialized, and works by famous
artists became prized possessions. Chinese literature has a long past; the earliest classic work
in Chinese, the I Ching or "Book of Changes" dates to around 1000 BC.
Mythology and spirituality
Chinese religion was originally oriented to worshipping the supreme god Shang Di during the
Xia and Shang dynasties, with the king and diviners acting as priests and using oracle bones.
The Zhou dynasty oriented it to worshipping the broader concept of heaven. A large part of
Chinese culture is based on the notion that a spiritual world exists.
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.

Literature
Chinese literature began with record keeping and divination on Oracle Bones. 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.
Music
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
BCE - 256 BCE). 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,
although the instrument is known to have played a major part before the Han Dynasty.
There are many musical instruments that are integral to Chinese culture, such as the Xun,
Guzheng, guqin, sheng and xiao, the erhu, pipa, and many others.
Arts
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.
Martial arts
China is one of the main birth places of Eastern martial arts. Chinese martial arts are collectively
given the name Kung Fu ((gong) "achievement" or "merit", and (fu) "man", thus "human
achievement") or (previously and in some modern contexts) Wushu ("martial arts" or "military
arts"). 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. Over time, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese
flavor. Regardless, China has produced some of the most renowned martial artists
including Wong Fei Hung and many others. The arts have also co-existed with a variety
of weapons including the more standard 18 arms.
Fashion
Different social classes in different eras boast different fashion trends, the colour yellow or red is
usually reserved for the emperor. China's fashion history covers hundreds of years with some of
the most colourful and diverse arrangements. Many symbols such as phoenix have been used
for decorative as well as economic purposes.
Architecture
Chinese architecture, examples for 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.