文化奇诺

THE CHINESE CULTURE

Researched by: Group 6

ABOUT CHINA
China is located in Southeast Asia, along
the Pacific Ocean's coast and it is the most
populated country approximately around
1,357,380,000 people. It is also the fourth
largest country, Paper, printing, the compass,
and gunpowder were all invented by Chinese
people. The Four Great Inventions helped
greatly to human civilization. They invented
kites, silk, and porcelain.

RELIGION
The main religion of China is;

● Buddhist (10%)
● Taoists (8%)
● Islam (0.83%)
● Catholicism (2.53%)
● Protestantinism (3%).

Religious keeping is growing in China. Experts point to the emergence of a spiritual vacuum
as a springboard for the growing number of religious believers, particularly Catholics and traditional
Chinese religious groups, amid China's economic boom and rapid modernization. While religious
belief is protected under China's constitution, adherents of all religious organizations, from state-
sanctioned to underground and prohibited, confront numerous persecution, repression, and
compulsion to adhere to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology.

FOOD
Food is a meaningful part of daily life
for Chinese people and they not only enjoy
eating but believe eating good food can bring
harmony and closeness to the family and
relationships.
Do you know that Chinese people in general
are not as concerned about nutrition as a
Western culture? Because they are more concerned with the food’s texture, flavor, color, and
aroma. These are the crucial points for good Chinese cooking. Here are a few examples of
cultural food in Chinese.

Yi Xing Bu Xing" - Chinese culture believes that “Yi xing

bu xing,” which means by using any shape or part of the
animal the same part of the human body can be
replenished and strengthened. For example, shark fin
soup and bird nest soup (bird’s saliva) is served to
replenish strength and increase appetite.

"The

Chinese banquet" - The Chinese banquet dinner

usually occurs on special occasions like holidays
or having a special visitor in town and it was an
event for friends and family to get together for
fellowship and laughter. The banquet dinner
involves 10 to 12 dishes for 10 to 12 guests
including appetizers like jellyfish salad or vinegar
pork shank and soups like shark fins, bird’s nest,
or fish lining. Main courses served at the banquet
include lobster, crab, steamed fish, shrimp,
abalone, sea cucumbers, quail, crocodile meat,
duck, lamb, beef, chicken, and seasonal
vegetable dishes and fresh fruit or sweet soup for dessert.

"Yin Yang foods" due to geographical and climate

differences in China, each area has its own way of
cooking and different eating habits. Northern China
has cold and damp weather therefore people there
eat hot and spicy foods and they have the belief
that this food will increase blood circulation and
help get rid of the coldness of the weather. While
people in the South like to eat more mild and
cooling foods because of the warmer climate there.
These foods reduce the hotness and dryness and
they have a theory that is called balancing "Yin and
Yang".
TRADITION
With a more than 5,000-year history, China
celebrates many traditional festivals, including
the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Tomb-
Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival), Dragon
Festival, and Mid-autumn Day, each with its
own significance and features. China, as one of
the world's oldest civilizations, is rich in
traditions and customs.

Giving Hongbao during Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the
happiest time of the year. Children are given
hongbao (lucky money) which represents blessings
for the year to come. Hongbao usually consists of
brand new bills put in a red envelop and given by
the elders of the family.

Celebrating two birthdays

Chinese people use the Gregorian calendar
to celebrate their birthdays, while most of
the world celebrates the Lunar Calendar.
The elderly and people who are born in the
countryside are still used to celebrating
Lunar Calendar birthdays. This is a custom
that dates back to pre-1911 when China
was under the British Empire.

Drinking hot water

"Any hot water?" is one of the most frequently asked
questions in China's restaurants. Chinese people
are used to drinking hot water, and many prefer the
water to be burning hot. This is because they
believe hot water can cure ailments and prevent
health problems.
Offering & receiving business cards both
hands
It is a Chinese courtesy to show respect to others,
especially the younger and the inferior. Those
who are on their first business trip to China might
find it curious that Chinese people tend to hand
business cards or name cards to others with both
hands instead of just one.

Wearing red underwear

Chinese people wear red underwear on Ben Ming
Nian (Zodiac Year of Birth), which is the current
year in a cycle of 12 zodiac years. It is believed that
wearing red underwear during the whole year may
prevent misfortunes from befalling them.

SUPERSTITION BELIEFS
China is one of the known country in the
world that has the most superstition, the
number 8 is considered so lucky in China,
along with the number 8 some other lucky
numbers in China are the number 6 because
it sounds like "liù" which means "to flow" and
liū which means smooth, number 9 also in
considered as a lucky number in china
because it has the same pronunciation as jiû
which translates to "long lasting" or "eternity".

CHINESE TRADITIONAL CLOTHES

Hanfu, Qipao, Tang Suit, and Zhongshan Suit. These are the 4 Well-Known Traditional Clothes
Types in Chinese. Traditional Chinese clothes were an evolution of their long, loose, straight-cut
jackets and pants or gowns. They reflected traditional Chinese aesthetics, philosophy, and
social values as they changed through over 3,000 years of history.
HANFU

What is Hanfu?
Hanfu is the most traditional chinese clothing. It literaly
means “Han’s clothing”, and it is one of the oldest China’s
traditional clothes. It served as the characteristic clothing
for the Han ethnic group for more than three millennia and
was outlawed at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty
(1644–1912).

The term "Hanfu" describes the traditional attire used by

the Han people throughout history up until the Qing
Dynasty, when the Manchus ruled.

Chinese people now generally refer to hanfu when they talk

about a long, flowing robe with loose sleeves and a belt at
the waist. Hanfu, on the other hand, is a broad phrase that
encompasses several dress trends from various dynasties.

Features of Hanfu:
Hanfu features a loose yi (/ee/) or "upper garment" with
sleeves and a shang (/shung/) or "lower garment" that
resembles a skirt are both characteristics of hanfu. Jade
was frequently used to embellish belt sashes.
As a reflection of Confucian scholars' desires for rituals,
music, and moralistic ideals, it is seen as a symbol of true
Chinese culture. Hanfu’s clothing consist of several parts
for women and men. This includes,

yi (衣, an open cross-collar garment);

pao (袍, full-body garment worn by men);
ru (襦, an open cross-collar shirt);
shan (衫, an open cross-collar shirt or jacket worn over the yi);
qun or chang (裙/裳, a skirt worn by women or men),
ku (裤, a type of trousers)
QIPAO

What is Qipao?
Qipao or also called Cheongsam is the most famous
traditional Chinese dress. The Manchu women's
changpao ('long gown') of the Qing Dynasty gave rise to
the cheongsam (qipao) (1644–1912). The Han people
also referred to the Manchu ethnic group as the Qi
people, which is why their long dress was known as the
qipao (or "Qi gown").

The cheongsam, which has its roots in the Qing

Dynasty, has mostly evolved into Beijing, Shanghai, and
Hong Kong forms. The decorations, colors, materials,
and designs vary widely. Study up on Qipao.

In Beijing's cheongsam style is more traditional and

conservative than Shanghai's and Hong Kong's. The
colors of Beijing-style qipaos are much brighter and their
decoration is more complicated than other styles'.

In Shanghai-style cheongsams are more commercial and forward-looking. More Western

elements are used in the designs and colors of Shanghai-style cheongsams.

And in Hong-Kong-style cheongsams were influenced greatly by European fashions. The

sleeves of Hong-Kong-style cheongsams are shorter than the Beijing and Shanghai styles'. The
decorations are simpler too.

Features of Qipao(Cheongsam):
Qipao features a mandarin collar, fitting waist, Chinese knotted buttons, hemmed side slits, and
tailored form fit are its primary features. Typically, satin brocade, silk, or cotton are used to
make it. Some even have exquisite embroidery.

TANG SUIT
What is Tang suit?
The Tang suit often refers to a type of Chinese jacket rather than the clothing of the Tang Dynasty (618–
907). The origin of Tang suit actually only dates back to the Qing Dynasty era (1644–1911). It was
developed from a type of the era's Manchurian clothing — the magua (马褂, 'horse gown').
Traditional Tang suits, based on the magua of the Manchu ethnicity, usually
have Chinese characters on them to express good luck or best wishes. The
most popular characters include fu ( 福, 'happiness and good luck') and shou
(寿, 'longevity').

Tang suits are now a type of formal clothing worn on certain

occasions, such as Chinese New Year, weddings, or significant
events.

Features of Tang Suit:

Tang Suit features a duijin (对襟, a kind of Chinese-style jacket with buttons
down the front) with a Mandarin collar (a band collar) and "frog" buttons
(knobs formed of intricately knotted cord).

ZHONGSHAN SUIT
What is Zhongshan Suit?
Zhongshan suit is the traditional formal attire for men.The
Mao suit, commonly referred to as the Zhongshan suit
abroad, is a style of jacket for men. Dr. Sun Yat-sen was the
one who first promoted it (Sun Zhongshan in Mandarin,
hence Zhongshan suit).

raditional Chinese and Western clothing styles are used in

the design of Zhongshan suits. The front of Zhongshan suits
has four large pockets that are evenly spaced left and right,
two up and two down. On the front, there are five large
buttons, and each sleeve has three smaller buttons. Because
of its symmetrical shape, ample appearance, elegance, and
sturdy impression, Zhongshan suits can be worn to official
and informal situations.

Features of Zhongzhan Suit:

The colors of Zhongshan suits are various, but usually plain, including black, white, blue, and
grey. Wearers choose different colors for different situations.The four pockets represent four
virtues (benevolence, loyalty, probity and shame). The five bigger buttons symbolize the
separation of five powers (administration, legislation, jurisdiction, examination and supervision).