China Pr Situation

INTRODUCTION

-http://library.thinkquest.org/20443/way_of_life.html-

-Adric Hartin, Ginny Min, and Giles Peng - and three coaches - Hartin, George Lee, and Jack Peng. All worked very diligently on this project, especially during the summer months of 1998-

What is a culture? Is it characterized by art or literature? Does it include actions, feelings, or thoughts? Is it ideas, objectives, or ways? What about beliefs or values, or customs or tradition? Is it something as simple as a field of activity or as complex as a neverending experiment?

Culture is all of these, but it is true that it cannot be truly defined by a single stroke of words. In everyday conversation, the word culture might refer to such fields as literature, art, or music; yet scientists who study culture see it as something more complex, a way of life as well as acting, feelings, and thinking. And even within these "definitions" of culture there are different views on what exactly culture is.

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|Painting a Scene |

So what exactly is culture? The answer depends on you. However, it is not what culture IS that makes it so important and fascinating; it is what it means and what it represents. A culture defines and sets something apart from everything else. It makes something unique and therefore meaningful, not only to itself but also to the diversity of the world. A culture brings awe and inspiration as well as interest and curiosity.

For thousands of years, the Culture of China has attracted and moved many people from all over the world, being so unique and one-of-a-kind as well as elegant and inspiring. The Chinese Culture, a culture that has evolved for thousands and thousands of years, contains rare beauty and enchantment with history. It has drawn so much interest that it is integrating with other cultures. Have you ever eaten fried noodles or kung po chicken at a local Chinese restaurant? Or have you ever seen the traditional style of the ch'i-p'ao used for blouses and dresses? You might have even watched Mulan, Disney's new animated film based on a Chinese folk tale. The Chinese Culture has played an important role in world society, and in China itself.

With such a long history and old-living civilization, the Culture of China offers much more than anything or anyone could possible receive. For any country, and especially China, it is impossible to explore every little aspect of its culture. However, this site contains and explains general areas of the Chinese Culture for you to explore, the areas that have touched and lived across the world, the areas that best define China.

The Chinese Culture has shown that China has become what it is capable of becoming. And with many many years still laying ahead, will the Culture of China offer even more?

The Culture of China is quite unique and special. It contains wonderful and delightful arts and customs as well as very interesting ways of life. Yet there is one aspect of Chinese Culture that truly sets it apart from other cultures and countries: the connected split between Old and New.

Chinese Culture as a whole can clearly be divided into two: Traditional Culture and Modern Culture. Like all other cultures of the world, the Chinese Culture is changing continually. Throughout history it has evolved and changed, especially during the 20th century.

Social scientists believe that there are four chief factors that cause a culture to change: changes in the environment, contact with other cultures, invention, and the further development of the culture itself. The last three have proved to be the key factors in China's cultural change from old to new, as China began opening its doors to foreign relations and making scientific, technological, social, and economic advances.

Before the mid-1900's, traditional Chinese culture was prominent as people and families lived by traditional values and beliefs as well as old teachings and ways of life. However, after the political change in 1949, a new culture developed as modern Chinese culture was developed.

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|an Old Spring, and Still Living |

The ways of life of the Chinese people took on a whole new character as the traditional styles and ways were put behind.

Today, however, the Culture of China is not traditional nor even fully modern, as most people would think it to be; it is a combination of both. You may see high-rise buildings and people wearing western-style modern clothing in many parts of China today; or you may see a Sea-World-type Ocean Park in Hong Kong or an upbeat city night life in Shanghai. And the ways of life of the Chinese people might seem similar to those of the United States or Europe.

Yet you will also see traditional festivals being celebrated, tributes to ancient styles and artifacts, the integration of traditional sounds in modern music, celebrations of traditional art and design through stores and classes, and special concerts and programs shown both live and on TV devoted to the traditional culture. In the rural areas and villages traditional culture is even more prominent, as country farmers and village people continue to live simple lives without modern technology.

Many of the topics and areas explored in this site are divided into the sections of Traditional and Modern. The two "subcultures" of Chinese Culture are clearly distinct and different; yet, they are also connected together, even "co-existing". Although separate in history, they are linked together in the Chinese society.

VALUES

Way of Life

The Chinese Way of Life is quite unique and very different from that of Western cultures in both Traditional and Modern China. Come and take a look!

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Traditional Way of Life

Like all societies of the past, Traditional China had a very distinct class system. There was a very wealthy upper class as well as a poor, peasant class, and each lived their own separate ways.

How the Rich Lived

In ancient China, it was very easy to tell who was rich. From head to toe, the wealthiest had the finest clothes. Members of the royal family and high-ranking officials dangled jade, gold, or silver bracelets from their arms. They ate more and better-tasting food and had more