Chinese Culture and Traditions
This section of our web site has pages covering the many Chinese customs and traditions.
Beliefs and mythology are a core part of Chinese culture so we introduce Confucianism , Daoism , Buddhism , Ancestor veneration . On the lighter side there are pages on all the many Traditional Festivals , Astrology , Everyday customs and traditions , Dragons , Chinese New Year , Deities , Feng shui , Qi (or Chi) , Traditional medicine , Yin - Yang and the Yi Jing .
The arts are also well represented: The many styles of Opera , Traditional Music , Symbolism in art , Paper-cuts , Shadow puppets and story-telling , Architecture , Jade and of course Porcelain .
We cover the many Chinese pastimes: Chinese chess (Xiang qi) , Mahjong , Game of ‘Go’ (Weiqi) , Kite flying and Tai Chi .
We also cover more general aspects of Chinese culture including: Chinese inventions , Examination system , Food in China (with separate sections on Rice and Tea ), Chinese Silk , Ancient coins and finally Why do we call China ‘China’ .
Getting by in China There are many customs and traditions that you should know before traveling to China. Our customs page covers such things as giving gifts, banquets, sealing business deals and how to behave in public. A respect for age old traditions will impress your hosts who will appreciate your efforts to embrace the culture. Read more…
Quintessence of the Nation Traditional Chinese Opera was the entertainment of all Chinese over many centuries. A long evening performance contains elements of drama, music, comedy, acrobatics and martial arts. Each region has its own distinctive form. Over time complex body movements represent specific meanings as a very sparse set is used. The art form has inspired many Western composers and playwrights to emulate the style. Read more…
The Chinese Language Let's get you started with a few simple sentences and phrases in both spoken and written Chinese. We begin with key concepts and introduces the most common and useful words and phrases in Chinese. Read more…
Chinese Character Details The history and structure of many common Chinese characters is a fascinating study. In this section we look in details at a few hundreds of them. Read more…
Symbols and Motifs Chinese arts and handicrafts are full of hidden symbols. Bats, goldfish, peonies and bees all give a specific meaning to a painting or decoration. Exploring the world of Chinese symbolism opens up a whole new layer of appreciation. Read more…
Chinese Calligraphy The Chinese language is a treasure trove of history and traditions. The language script has been in use for over 4,000 years. Fine historic pieces by the great masters continue to achieve as high a price at auction as great paintings. To appreciate Chinese writing it is important to know how the characters are made with the brush. Read more…
Toad Frogs and toads are valued in China because they keep down insect pests on crops. In some regions their name is similar to qián 'money, coin' and this has given them an association with good fortune and luck. Read more…
Precious Jade Jade is highly valued in China, and much of Asia, above gold and diamonds. The gemstone is harder than steel and can be carved into exquisite shapes. Read more…
Chinese Silk Along with porcelain and tea, silk is one of China's important innovations. The secret of this great invention was closely guarded for centuries. Fabulous fine cloth was an important export as far back as the early Roman Empire and it was in Rome where a law was passed to ban the wearing of silk. Read more…
Hares and Rabbits Hares and rabbits are treated as the same animal in China. Hares are associated with the moon as the Chinese saw a 'hare' rather than a 'man' in the moon. The Chinese moon rovers are called the 'Jade Rabbits'. Read more…
Owls The owl is a bird of ill omen in China and is considered to be unlucky. Read more…
Chinese Music As in so many other cultural areas the Chinese musical heritage is immensely rich. A wide range of different musical instruments have been developed over thousands of years. Accomplishment with a musical instrument is still considered an important part of a child's education. Read more…
Chinese numbers Learning the numbers in Chinese is easier than in many other languages. In our complete guide to the numbers we include the traditions associated them. For example, do you know why 4 is unlucky but 8 lucky? Read more…
Convert measurements Our handy measurement convertor will not only do Chinese units to/from Metric/Imperial/U.S. measures but also between meters and feet; liters and pints. Just type in the measurement in length, volume, weight, area and let China sage calculate the accurate answer. Read more…
Proverb
病入 膏肓
Bìng rù gāo huāng
The disease has penetrated the vitals
Beyond hope and cure. A hopeless situation.
Roughly equivalent to: Not the ghost of a chance.
All about Chinese proverbs
Pantheon of Chinese gods and heroes China has a rich array of heroes, gods and goddesses to draw on. Temples are full of images of people from China's long history. Often an historical figure is over time upgraded and considered an immortal. Most depictions can be identified by the objects the deity is carrying. Some are associated with Buddhism, others with Daoism and others to no particular religion at all. Read more…
Southern refuge
When northern China was overrun by Khitans and then Mongols 800 years ago the Imperial Song family moved to Hangzhou . It proved to be a peaceful and prosperous time for 150 years. In memory of this period some scenes of Hangzhou are still to be found in the long corridors of the Summer Palace , Beijing.
Cracking China book
Your A-Z key to understanding China
We are proud to announce a printed book all about China based loosely on this web site. It is a set of sixty topics in A-Z order covering everything from hair to kiwifruit, clapping to rhubarb, eunuchs to dragons. Buying a copy will help support Chinasage . Now available as a Kindle eBook for just $3.90.
Details... ➚
Site of King Shiwang's Residence of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Jinhua, Zhejiang the key historical sites under state protection. April 2011
Available by Doctoroftcm ➚ under a Creative Commons license ➚ .