WELCOME TO CHINA !!!

Welcome To China

The flag of China was officially adopted on October 1,

1949. 

The red of the Chinese flag symbolizes the communist

revolution, and it's also the traditional color of the

people.

The large gold star represents communism,

The four smaller stars represent the social classes of

the people.

In addition, the five stars together reflect the

importance placed on the number five in Chinese

thought and history. 

China’s Geography

The People's Republic of China

Area: 9,600,000 sq. km

Population: 1.3 billion  

Capital City: Beijing

National Flag: Five-Stars-Red-Flag

Location: middle and East Asia, bounded on the east by

the Pacific Ocean

Territorial Seas: the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East

China Sea, and the South China

Sea

Climate: mainly continental monsoon climate (Tibet:

vertical climate zone)

 PEOPLE: HAN CHINESE (93.3%), PLUS 

55 ETHNIC GROUPS LIKE MIAO, LI, MONGOLIAN

LANGUAGE: MANDARIN CHINESE (PUTONGHUA)

BASED ON BEIJING DIALECT, PLUS LOCAL

DIALECTS

MAIN RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS: OFFICIALLY

ATHEIST, CONFUCIANISM, BUDDHISM,TAOISM,

ISLAM (OVER 22 MILLION), CATHOLICISM (OVER

4 MILLION) AND PROTESTANTISM (OVER 10

MILLION)

CURRENCY AND MONETARY UNIT: RENMINBI

/YUAN

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: SYSTEM OF NATIONAL

PEOPLE'S CONGRESS

ADMINISTRATIVE DEMARCATIONS:

23 PROVINCES, 5 AUTONOMOUS REGIONS, 4

MUNICIPALITIES, AND 2 SPECIAL

ADMINISTRATIVE REGIONS

CHINESE PRESIDENT: HU JINTAO

Chinese history is generally

divided into dynasties or

periods during which

particular family or group of

people reigned.

Chinese states were unified

into a large empire with a

central government.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT歷史背景

The Chinese empire lasted foe

over two thousand years

surviving periods of internal

turmoil, attacks from outside

invaders and the rise and fall

of numerous dynasties

The poet T’ao Ch’ien lived

during the period known as

the Six Dynasties (220 A.D –

581 A.D), one of the most

tumultuous eras in the

Chinese History.

Shang Dynasty (about 1700-1050 BC) - Development of Chinese Writing

The fi rst dynasty for which there is historical record and archaeological evidence is the Shang Dynasty.

It was a small empire in northern central China.

No documents from that country survive, but there are archaeological finds of hieroglyphic writing on bronze wares and oracle bones.

The hieroglyphic writing system later evolved into ideographic and partly-phonetic Chinese characters.

SHANG DYNASTY (ABOUT 1700-1050 BC)

Their dynasty lasted for about 800 years,

The great literary works of philosophy and religion that became the basis for Chinese religious and social belief stem from what is called the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476) and the Warring States Period (475-221).

Taoism, Confucian literature, and other prominent religious and philosophical schools all emerged during these periods.

CHOU DYNASTY (1045-255 BC)BASIC PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS

LITERATURE

The Dynasty had big armies and conquered the others.

Once the Ch’in emperor had control, he wanted to keep it, and they squelched any opposition to his authority.

A big philosophical and religious school then was called Mohism.

An early form of Buddhism was also established in China at that time, but their temples and literature were destroyed and even less is known about them.

CH’IN DYNASTY (221-206 BC)LITERARY DISASTER AND LEGALISM

The Han Dynasty era lasted for 400 years.

At the beginning of the era, Confucianism was revived. Confucian texts were rewritten and republished.

The resulting ideology was the offi cial ideology of the Han Dynasty and influenced political thinking afterwards.

The era’s major contributions were historical texts and scientific works.

HAN DYNASTY (206 BC – 220 AD)SCIENTIFIC AND HISTORICAL TEXTS

The T’ang Dynasty had a big empire

that benefi ted from trade with the

west along the Silk Road, battled

with the Tibetan Empire, and

experienced the growing infl uence of

organized Buddhist religions.

This era’s main contribution to

Chinese literature was in the poetry

of Dufu, Li Bai and many other

poets. Dufu and Li Bai are often

thought of as China’s greatest poets.

T’ANG DYNASTY (618-907)EARLY WOODBLOCK PRINTING AND

POETRY

Military technology greatly advanced.

They traded little with the west due to the

presence of warring Muslim states on the

old trade routes.

There wasn’t territorial expansion, but the

empire was continuously attacked by

nomadic tribes and countries around

them.

So the era is divided into two eras called

the Northern Sung (960-1127) and

Southern Sung (1127-1279) eras.

SUNG DYNASTY (960-1279)EARLY WOODBLOCK PRINTING, TRAVEL

LITERATURE, POETRY, SCIENTIFIC TEXTS AND THE NEO-CONFUCIAN CLASSICS

The Chinese rebelled against the

Mongols, and the Ming Dynasty

era began about 1368.

One of the four great classics

called Journey to the West  about

a monk going to India was

written during this time of

isolation.

Novels were the era’s main

contribution.

MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) NOVELS

The Mongols established the very rich

Yuan Dynasty.

The Mongols were nomadic people who

herded cattle north of the Tang Empire

and wandered over a large area fi ghting

on horseback.

It was a big empire with high technology,

a big population and a big army.

It was an era of some historically

renowned dramatic playwrights and

novelists who wrote in vernacular

language.

YUAN DYNASTY (1279-1368)DRAMA AND GREAT FICTIONAL

NOVELS

CHINESE LITERATURE1000 B.C.- A.D.1890

Know contentmentAnd you will suffer no disgrace;

Know when to stopAnd you will meet with no

danger.You can then endure.

- the Tao Te Ching

Poetry is a part of everyday life throughout the history of China

Poets have been among the most highly regarded members of Chinese Society

2nd -12 th centuries A.D. the main Chinese poetic form was the Shih Ching ( The Book of Songs) Even the number of lines , each of which has

the same number of words Often expressed personal emotions Many have brooding or trouble tone , but

can express contentment

LITERARY CONTEXT 文藝上下文

Contrast between Chinese and Western modes of philosophic thinking

Western philosophers seek out the being of things, the essential reality lying behind appearances

Chinese principal and establishment and cultivation of harmonious relationships within their social structures

Chinese thinking is far more concrete , this worldly and above all, practical.

CHINESE PHILOSOPHY中國哲學

Chinese attitudes and

beliefs were shaped by 3

religious and philosophical

schools:

Taoism

Confucianism

Buddhism

CULTURAL CONTEXT文化背景

Tao- path or the way

Stresses freedom , simplicity

and the mythical contemplation

of nature (“Tao”)

Force that controlled the

universe

Beyond the scope of human

concerns , but can see its

workings by observing nature

TAOISM道教

Avoid human desires

Not educating

Not honoring men of worth or

encourage cleaver to act

Cause jealousy and greed

Opposite of Confucianism

TAOISM道教

How people act – moral behavior

Social relations based on

subordination: family ruled by

authoritarian father , state ruled

by authoritarian king.

Respect and obey those with

superior status

However, governed by the

concept ren – with a loving

attitude towards others

CONFUCIANISM儒

Tried to teach students to

become true gentlemen-

morally and spiritually

Must conduct oneself in a

virtuous manner, those in

power serve as models

Heaven is the supreme moral

authority , which dictates how

one must live.

CONFUCIANISM儒

To lead a moral life

To be mindful and aware of

thoughts and actions

To develop wisdom and

understanding

Life is sorrow and sorrow is

caused by desires

Rid self of desires

Does not claim to be God

Attain enlightenment through

meditation

BUDDHISM佛教

Solutions to our problems are

within ourselves

Beliefs are incorporated into

poetry through symbols,

imagery and language of

Chinese Literature

Quietude and calmness is a

central notion in Buddhist

thought

BUDDHISM佛教

TRADITION AND CULTURE傳統與文化

Red is the Color of Weddings in

China

Red is central to the wedding theme

of China. It signifi es love, joy and

prosperity and is used in a variety of

ways in Chinese wedding traditions.

The bride's wedding down is often

red, as are the wedding invitations,

and wedding gift boxes or envelopes

for cash gifts. Even the bride and

groom's homes are decorated in red

on the wedding day.

CHINESE WEDDING TRADITIONS中國的傳統婚禮

Before the Chinese Wedding DayBefore her wedding celebration, a Chinese bride

traditionally goes into seclusion with her closest friends. This Chinese custom gives the bride-to-be some time to symbolically mourn the loss of her friends and family.

CHINESE WEDDING TRADITIONS中國的傳統婚禮

Some time before the couple are married,

the groom's family carries wedding gifts in

red baskets and boxes to the bride's

house.

One of the baskets wi l l contain "uang

susu" or 'mi lk money'. Others wi l l contain

personal things for the bride, so that on

her wedding day al l of her personal

belongings wi l l be in the groom's house.

The bride takes the gifts to another room

where they are sorted through. Three days

before the wedding day, women from the

bride's family reciprocate, bearing gifts --

including some 'returns'-- in red wrappings

to the groom's family.

CHINESE WEDDING TRADITIONS中國的傳統婚禮

The Day of the Wedding Ceremony

Wedding anniversaries in China, are

carefully chosen according to

astrological signs. It is also

customary for couples to be married

on the half-hour or their wedding day

rather than at the top of the hour.

In this way, the couple begins their

new lives together on an 'upswing',

while the hands of the clock are

moving up, rather than down.

CHINESE WEDDING TRADITIONS中國的傳統婚禮

Event: Chinese New Year

Date: The fi rst day of a year in

lunar calendar, usually between

late Jan and early Feb

Activities: fi reworks display,

visiting and greeting, Yangke

dancing, lion and dragon

dancing, holding temple fairs and

many other great folklore-

inspection events.

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

This was a time for the Chinese

to congratulate each other and

themselves on having passed

through another year, a time to

finish out the old, and to

welcome in the new year.

Common expressions heard at

this time are: GUONIAN to

have made it through the old

year, and BAINIAN to

congratulate the new year.

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

Event: Lantern Festival

Date:  15th of the fi rst lunar month

Activities:  Lanterns expositions,

garden parties, fi rework displays

and folk dances.

The New Year celebrations ended

on the 15th of the First Moon with

the Lantern Festival .

In the legend, the Jade Emperor in

Heaven was so angered at a town

for kil l ing his favorite goose, that

he decided to destroy it with a

storm of fi re.

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

Event: Dragon Boat

Festival

Date: Date: 5th day of the

5th lunar month

Activities: Dragon Boat races

and eating Zong Zi (pyramid

shaped rice wrapped in reed

or bamboo leaves

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

Event: Mid-Autumn FestivalDate: 15th of the 8th lunar month

Activities: Dragon Boat racing, enjoying moonlight and eating moon cakes.

Probably the second most important festival in the Chinese calendar, Zhong qiu has ancient origins.

Abundant meals are eaten during the festival and moon cakes, round pastries fi lled with nuts, dried fruits, preserved flowers, sesame and/or marinated beef or bacon are eaten.

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

Event: Qing ming Date: 12th of the 3rd lunar month, usually around April 4th or 5th.

Activities: Cleaning ancestors' graves and holding memorial ceremonies, spring outing, and flying kites

This is a time when ice and snow has gone and plants are beginning to grow again, and is a time for respect to ancestors

. Qing Ming is often marked by an indulgence of the Chinese passion for kite flying.

CHINESE FESTIVALS中國節日

Confucius once said: "Eating is

the utmost important part of

life".

Food is a central part of the

Chinese culture.

Chinese cuisine is one of the

greatest methods of cooking.

The Chinese people enjoy

eating good food at all levels

of society, so cooking has

developed into a very

sophisticated art.

CHINESE FOOD AND COOKING

中國食品和烹飪

Vegetables are the main

ingredients.

The Chinese people like well-

prepared food.

Chinese also like to eat

together, a tradition that can

be traced back a long time ago.

Tea drinking is an integral part

of Chinese life and the Chinese

food experience.

CHINESE CUISINE IS NOTED FOR THE FOLLOWING

CHARACTERISTICS:

A good education has always been

highly valued in China, as the people

believe that education ensures not

only the future and development of

the individual but also the family and

the country as a whole. 

The great master Confucius taught

that ' it is a pleasure to learn

something and to try it out at

intervals'. Similarly, numerous

students have been convinced that

'reading books excels all other

careers'.

EDUCATION教育

As far back as the Shang Dynasty (16th century BC - 11th century BC), inscriptions on bones or tortoise shells were the simple records of teaching and learning.

In the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC - 771 BC), nobles built schools to teach their children, as their off springs would be the offi cials of the future, while those who were gifted but of poor families could but dream of approaching state aff airs.

EDUCATION教育

The development of education system led to

a form of evaluation that became the means

by which dynastic China appointed those

with talents as offi cials.

In general, this process can be divided into

three periods - 'chaju' and 'zhengpi' in the

Han Dynasty, the ' j iupin zhongzheng' system

from Han to the Northern and Southern

Dynasties, and the Imperial Examination

which survived from the Sui Dynasty (589 -

618) right through to the last feudal dynasty

Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). 

EDUCATION教育

Chinese ( 漢語 ) comprises of seven main dialects,

Mandarin ( 官 話 ), Cantonese ( 廣 州 話 , 廣 府 話 ),

Hakka ( 客家話 ), Wu ( 吳語 ), Min ( 閩語 ), Xiang ( 湘語 ), and Gan ( 贛語 ) .

The variety of Mandarin based on the speech in

the capital Beij ing is the offi cial national language

of mainland China and is termed Pŭtōnghuà,

Common language ( 普通話 ).

The de facto common language in Hong Kong and

overseas Chinese communities is Cantonese.

Amongst the offi cial languages of Taiwan are

Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Hakka .

THE CHINESE LANGUAGE中國語言

All varieties of Chinese belong to the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. Members of the Sinitic family are typically tonal, meaning that diff erent tones, or intonations, distinguish words that otherwise are pronounced identically.

Chinese by origin is monosyllabic. The vocabulary of dialects more recent in the linguistic tree such are Mandarin tend to become more polysyllabic (compound words) as an adjustment to the loss of a number of sounds compared to ancient Chinese.

THE CHINESE LANGUAGE中國語言

THE CHINESE ALPHABET中國字母表

In the Chinese alphabet, small letters are written like capital letters, and vice versa.

A 诶 ēi

B 比 bǐ

C 西 xī

D 迪 dí

E 伊 yī

F 艾弗 ài fú

G 吉 jí

H 艾尺 ài chǐ

I 艾 ài

J 杰 jié

K 开 kāi

L 艾勒 ài lè

M 艾马 ài mǎ

N 艾娜 ài nà

O 哦 ó

P 屁 pì

Q 吉吾 jí wú

R 艾儿 ài ér

S 艾丝 ài sī

T 提 tí

U 伊吾 yī wú

V 维 wéi

W 豆贝尔维 dòu bèi ěr wéi

X 艾克斯 yī kè sī

Y 吾艾 wú ài

Z 贼德 zéi dé

The 100 yuan note has pictures of four of the founders of the People's Republic of China. From right to left these are: Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, and Zhu De.

CHINESE MONEY AND COUNTING中國貨幣和計數

Kong Qui, better known as

Confucius, was born in 551 B.C. in

the Lu state of China. His

teachings, preserved in

the Analects , focused on creating

ethical models of family and public

interaction, and setting educational

standards. He died in 479 B.C.

Confucianism later became the

offi cial imperial philosophy of

China, and was extremely

infl uential during the Han, Tang and

Song dynasties.

CONFUCIUS孔子

 An anthology of brief passages that

present the words of Confucius and

his disciples.

Describe Confucius as a man, and

recount some of the events of his

life. 

The Analects includes twenty books,

each generally featuring a series of

chapters that encompass quotes from

Confucius, which were compiled by

his disciples after his death.

THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS孔子的“論語”

"The Master said, 'At fi fteen I set my heart

upon learning. At thirty, I had planted my

feet fi rm upon the ground. At forty, I no

longer suff ered from complexities. At fi fty, I

knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At

sixty, I heard them with docile ear. At

seventy, I could follow the dictates of my

own heart; for what I desired no longer

overstepped the boundaries of right.'"

Book II, Ch.4, p. 88

THE ANALECTS“ 論語”

"The Master said, 'From the very

poorest upwards - beginning even

with the man who could bring no

better present than a bundle of dried

flesh - none has ever come to me

without receiving instruction.'"

Book VII, Ch. 7, p. 124

THE ANALECTS“ 論語”

"The Master said, 'A horn-gourd that is

neither horn nor gourd! A pretty horn-

gourd indeed, a pretty horn-gourd

indeed.'"

Book VI, Ch.23, p.

120

THE ANALECTS“ 論語”

Po Chu-i was a gentleman poet

and government offi cial during the

golden age of the Tang dynasty in

China.

Po Chu-i eventually retired to a

monastery when he was in his 50s.

One of his legs was paralyzed at

the end of his life.

His poetry often has the easy,

retiring quality of Chan poetry of

the time.

PO CHU-I白居易

Lao Tzu ("old man" or "old sage") was the

ancient author of Tao Te Ching , the most

widely translated Chinese work of al l t ime

and the classic book of the rel igion or

philosophy known as Taoism.

A general history of China from the fi rst

century B.C. describes Lao Tzu as an older

contemporary and teacher of Confucius

 (551-479 B.C.).

It says he wrote the two-volume Tao Te

Ching  at the request of the keeper of a

"pass" while on a westward journey.

Lao Tzu takes a more mystical approach to

tuning into the natural order of things as a

way of achieving personal and social

harmony.

LAO TZU老子

T'ao Ch'ien (365-427) was one of

China's foremost poets in the five-

word shih style, and his influence on

subsequent poets was very great.

Also known as T'ao Yüan-ming

One of T'ao's best-known poems is a

debate among "Substance, Shadow,

and Spirit, " who speak respectively

for hedonism, Confucian fame, and

a kind of Taoist stoicism which

accepts life in its totality

T'AO CH'IEN錢陶鑄

Tu Fu was a great Chinese poet of the

T'ang dynasty, a family that ruled China

from 618 to 907.

He is known as a poet-historian for his

portrayal of the social and political

disorders of his time and is also noted

for his artistry and craftsmanship.

His poetry he introduces an intense,

dramatic, and touching personalism

through the use of symbols and images,

irony and contrast .

TU FU國節

Ivory Chopstick

s 

ordered chopsticks

made of ivory

When King Chow

Chi Tzu

was most perturbed

For he feared

that once the king had ivory chopsticks

but would want cups of

rhinoceros

and jade horn

HE WOULD NOT BE CONTENT WITH EARTHENWARE,

and instead of beans

and vegetables

he would insist on such delicacies as elephant's tail

and baby leopard

He would hardly be willing either to wear rough homespun

or live under a thatched roof

but would demand silks and splendid mansions.

It is fear

of what this will lead to

" said Chi Tzu

that upsets me

Five years later, indeed

King chow

had a garden filled with

meat

tortured his subjects with hot irons

and caroused in a lake of wine.

And so he lost his kingdom.

REPORTERS

Mark Bahian

Franzelle Mae G. Lignes

Kevin Malinda

The End