Cuenco, Jessa Mae D.

Soc-Anthro

MT15108
Chinese Culture
The documentary exhibits how China has been rich in their customs and
traditions since their old times; thus, making it as one of the worlds oldest
cultures. It greatly shows how exquisite and dazzling their cultures are
although it varies by geography and ethnicity. Even with, Chinese people
shares relatively uniform culture in which their important competent includes
religion, health, language & literature, cuisine, music & dance, sculptures,
paintings, ceramics, architecture, martial arts, visual arts, and customs &
celebrations. Aforementioned elements of the Chinese culture are believed to be
developed by Confucianism as its foundation is by Confucius 2000 years ago.
The traditional medicine, as shown in the documentary, is still widely
practiced by Chinese. It is an ancient, intricate system that places an emphasis
on the whole body rather than specific ailments. All natural elements,
including human beings, are thought to be made up of yin (the female force)
and yang (the male force), in which they believe as part of the body's qi. Some
remedies, mentioned in the video, to right the imbalance include snake
gallbladder, powdered deer antlers, and rhinoceros horn, as well as hundreds
of different combinations of herbs. Another method of treatment, acupuncture,
has also been cited is. It involves the insertion of thin needles into the body to
regulate and redirect the flow of qi. Massage techniques are also used, and
doctors avoid cutting into the body.
In the video, great appreciation of literature, music & dance, and arts &
crafts was exposed. It shows how Chinese precious their culture. In literature,
the Chinese were at the forefront of developing the printed word. From the first
paper to the first printing press woodblock printing, the impact these
inventions had on the educational, political and literary development of the
world is simply incalculable. For them, writing is considered the highest art
form, and calligraphy is said to be the deepest expression of a person's
character.
It is common knowledge that China has a long history and glorious
history in both arts and traditional crafts. The arts and crafts are not only the
embodiment of the people's longing for aesthetic beauty for themselves and as

gifts for others, but also great treasures for China and the rest of the world.
Many of the master artisans have had their skills handed down via one
generation to the next so that only the offspring of such an artisan could learn
the necessary skills required. The result is being that they are the most
valuable treasures both for a family and for the nation.
Chinese music dates back to between 7,000 and 8,000 years ago are
featured with unique melodies within different dynasties and accompanied with
traditional musical instruments.
Chinese opera is recognized as one of the three oldest dramatic art forms
in the world. It is a combination of music, art and literature and is
characterized by the unique facial make-up, excellent acrobatics and has many
different regional variations.
Chinese paper-cuttings have been also featured in the documentary.
These are diversified patterns cut into red paper with scissors. Patterns such
as monkey, flowers and figures can be cut vividly and perfectly by some female
artisans in rural areas. People paste paper-cuttings onto their windows and
other places to express their hopes and wishes.
Some arts that had been also exposed in the video are as follows: martial
arts (Kung Fu) in which China is its birthplace, sculpture and pottery since
before the earliest dynasties, Chinese embroidery which is practiced by women
who decorate clothes, shoes, and bed linens with colorful, elaborate designs of
animals and flowers, and the Chinese shadow puppetry which is the general
name for shadow play and the theatrical property used in the play. All of the
vivid shadow puppets, including the figures and the scenes, are plane and
made from leather. The shadows of these puppets are projected on to a white
screen; meanwhile artists operate the puppets behind the screen to finish this
traditional form of play. Although shadow puppetry has a history of more than
2,000 years, it is still very popular and delicate puppets are favored by tourists
as souvenirs.
The inventions of mainly the gunpowder and fireworks by the Chinese
have greatly contributed to the world. Flammable or explosive weapons like fire
cannon, rocket, and missile were produced due to the gunpowder. Gunpowder
was also used in other areas, such as the making of fireworks and firecrackers.
In the year 1161, the Chinese used explosives for the first time in warfare with
the invention of cannons and guns. These primitive firearms propelled by

gunpowder explosion demonstrated unprecedented power in warfare. The use

of gunpowder in weapons gave those with access to the technology a greater
ability to protect themselves from enemies or to conquer and control others.
To sum things up, the Chinese culture is one of the oldest and most
complex cultures in the world. The culture of China has been influenced by
Chinas long history and by its diverse ethnic groups which customs and
traditions could vary greatly between towns, cities and provinces. Despite all of
its regional diversity, the Chinese culture is dominated by the Confucian value
system. Primarily, this huge depth of culture developed through a long and
relatively great history of China.