Famous Festivals

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, also known

as Spring Festival in China, is Chinas most important
traditional festival. It is also the most important
celebration for families, and a week of official public
holiday.

Chinas Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated

on month 8 day 15 of Chinas lunar calendar (in
September or October). Mid-Autumn Festival 2016
is on September 15. Chinese people will have a threeday holiday from September 15 to 17.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second
most important festival to Chinese people
after the Spring Festival. Every year, when the festival comes, Chinese go home from
every corner of the country and the world for family reunions.
Chinese people believe the full moon is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and family
reunion. On Mid-Autumn night the harvest moon is supposed to be the brightest and
fullest of the year, so the festival is also known as the "Day of Reunion" and the "Moon
Festival".

The annual Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is

Harbin's main tourist highlight. It started about 17
years ago, and has become the world's biggest
winter festival. The bitterly cold winters are just
right for this festival.

Dragon Boat Festival, also known as

Duanwu Festival, is a traditional and
important celebration in China. Dragon
Boat Festival 2017 falls on May 30
(Tuesday). China will have 3 days of
holiday from Sunday (May 28) to
Tuesday (May 30), and we will be back at
work on Wednesday, June 4.

Wedding Traditions
So we all know that China is booming, and the rate at
which its growth has affected the wedding industry is
apparent by how western the ceremonies have
become.
The engagement process is a bit different than that of
the west. In China, the families must approve and
upon approval, the grooms family will start giving
grand gifts to the family of the bride. A typical gift
may be money (dowry) that comes in nines (999 or 9999) since a homonym for nine ( ji) in
Chinese means forever or a long time ( ji).
In Shanghai, the typical bride price can start at 100,000RMB (the most expensive city). Heres
a basic chart with the average price of the grand gift to the brides family based on a survey of
a few thousand Chinese.
The families of the soon to be couple will usually seek
out a fortune teller to set a date for the wedding. The
Chinese are very superstitious and want to marry on a
lucky day, like 08.08.08 (since 8 is a lucky number in
Chinese) or 01.04.13 (this date means love you
forever).
Instead of having professional pictures taken during
the wedding, in China, the couple will have their photo
shoot before the wedding.
Back in the 70s and 80s the weddings were so simple, it might be hard to believe. After being
legally married, the most youd do is have a small family gathering, buy some furniture, rent a
car and it may cost around 3000 5000 RMB total.
Today after getting legally married by officials in the offices of the Civil Affairs Bureau, theres the
party or banquet part (as westerners would call it, the reception).
zaoshengguiziAt the banquet, guests will bring red envelopes ( hng bo) with money.
Another gift is to prepare a fruit composed of dates ( zo), peanuts ( hu shng),
longan ( gu yun), and lotus seeds ( lin z)/chestnuts ( l z).
This is because respectively, these fruits are a homonym that means (zo shng gu
z) in Chinese, blessing the couple to have a healthy child quickly.
Besides the typical speeches and toasts made to congratulate the newlyweds, the couple will
also make their way to each table making toasts during the banquet. The bride will wear a
western style white wedding dress and change into a traditional cheongsam ( q po).

Unique Dishes
Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and sour pork has a bright orange-red color, and a
delicious sweet and sour taste. At the very beginning there was
only sweet and sour pork, but to meet demands, there have been
some developments on this dish. Now, the pork can be
substituted by other ingredients like chicken, beef or pork ribs.

Gong Bao Chicken

This is a famous Sichuan-style specialty, popular with both
Chinese and foreigners. The major ingredients are diced chicken,
dried chili, and fried peanuts. People in Western countries have
created a Western-style gong bao chicken, for which the diced
chicken is covered with cornstarch, and vegetables, sweet and
sour sauce and mashed garlic are added.
Ma Po Tofu
Ma po tofu is one of the most famous dishes in Chuan Cuisine
with a history of more than 100 years. Ma () describes a spicy
and hot taste which comes from pepper powder, one kind of
condiment usually used in Chuan Cuisine. The milky tofu is
enriched with brownish red ground beef and chopped green
onion. It is really a tasty delicacy.
Wontons
Since the Tang Dynasty (618907), it has been a custom for
people to eat wontons on the winter solstice. The most versatile
shape of a wonton is simple a right triangle, similar to Italian
tortellini. Wontons are commonly boiled and served in soup or
sometimes deep-fried. The filling of wontons can be minced pork
or diced shrimp.
Dumplings
With a long history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings are a
traditional food widely popular in North China. Dumplings consist
of minced meat and chopped vegetables wrapped into a thin
piece of dough skin. Popular fillings are mince pork, diced
shrimp, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. They can be
cooked by boiling, steaming, or frying. Dumplings are a traditional
dish eaten on Chinese New Years Eve.

Family Values
Gender Roles
Traditional Chinese family values feature very clear-cut, different roles and rights for men and
women. While these are rapidly changing, the original values are still evident on some levels.
Males
In the traditional Chinese family, the man is responsible for maintaining, providing for and
protecting his family. At the same time, he is given all the decision-making power when it comes
to his wife, family and other family members. He is also responsible for taking care of and
paying for his children, including their education, until they are married. In modern families, the
family members consult elders about important decisions, but the father no longer has the final
say in regards to his adult children's lives.
Females
Traditional Chinese mothers usually stay in the home to take care of the home, the children, and
the rest of the family. Many modern Chinese women have careers, but still rely on their
husbands or fathers for financial support at some point in their lives.
Patrilineal Descent
Traditional Chinese families honor the patrilineal descent system. This means that a child's
lineage and descent is calculated from his father only. Men are the only ones that can inherit
family membership and family land or other inheritance in this type of system.
Marriage
Marriage, family and children are very important in the Chinese culture. Because such a large
portion of the population lived in rural environments for so long, getting married and having
children meant that you'd have workers and be able to create and maintain a homestead.
Traditional marriages were arranged by the parents of the bride and groom. Many couples never
even met one another until their wedding day. Modern Chinese couples choose their own
partners, but many still ask for their elders' approval.
Elders
As in many Asian cultures, the elders of the family are revered for their wisdom. In both
traditional and modern families, elders are respected, taken care of and looked up to by the rest
of the family. In traditional families, including those living in a rural environment, many
households include five generations living together. Even in modern households, many
grandparents live with their children and their kids. When elders die, they are honored by
ancestor altars in homes, featuring candles, photographs and favorite items of the deceased.
Children
In order to combat overcrowding and overpopulation, the People's Republic of China mandated
a one-child-per-household policy in the late 1970s. This law often only applied to urban families,
while some rural families could get away with having more than one child. This policy influenced
how children were looked at, and many baby girls were killed at birth because they wouldn't be
able to carry on the family name or inherit the family land. In traditional families, all children are
expected to obey their parents without discussion, and parents could legally kill their children if
they disobeyed them or refused to show unquestioning obedience. In modern China, both girls
and boys are usually treated equally. While many Chinese parents are strict, they are more
lenient and flexible than in the past.

 Changing Values
The Chinese culture has undergone many dramatic changes in recent years, but the family
structure and the importance of family values remain a focus. Families are still cherished,
honored and respected, whether you live in the traditional, rural environment, or the modern,
urban city.

Music and Theater Arts

Chinese Physical and Painted Art Through

History
China is an artistic country that started developing the
unique artwork thousands of years ago. Cave
drawings are found throughout the mountainous
regions of China and depict nature scenes, people
and animals that remain an important theme of the
artists even centuries in the future.
As the culture developed and moved away from cave dwellings, the arts throughout the country
began to take on a brush stroke design that is still noticeable in modern Chinese art. Despite the
gradual improvements and obvious developments in the style of paintings and sculptures, the
art retained a central theme that focused on nature and harmony.
The central theme of nature, harmony and the elements has grown and developed with the
culture of the country. Chinese history shows that the swirling brush strokes depicting rivers,
rocks, plant life and animals retained a similarity that dates back to the original cave drawings.
Physical arts in China include more than just the basic paintings, which also include sculptures,
pottery, carvings and calligraphy writings. The pottery from China is particularly well-known
around the world due to the technique of using a hard clay combined with feldspar to eliminate
any cracks or gaps in the clay. The pottery has developed into the fine porcelain that is seen in
modern times.
China is also well-known for the jade carvings that are used in jewelry, home decoration and a
wide range of other applications. Jade carvings date back to around 1,300 years and are an
important part of the country's rich history.
The sculpture of China is most well-known when it relates to the graves of ancient kings. The
sculptures of clay soldiers, horses and servants have been found in archaeological digs. These
sculptures have fine detailing that showcases facial features and detailed armor.
Developing Performing Arts
Among the many arts found in China is the performing arts.
Like paintings, sculptures, carvings and other physical arts,
the performing arts in China have a long history. The
performing arts range from martial arts like Kung Fu to folk
songs and dances that vary by region and area.
The performing arts in China are known to date back to the
tribes that occupied the land long before the culture became
well developed. As the country began to unify and change,
the performing arts took on elements of different tribes to create harmonious performances.
The performing arts in China have constantly grown, developed and changed while keeping
elements of the original art. Current performing arts like singing, acting and the traditional
Chinese Opera retain many elements that are found in folk songs and dances with a modern
twist that incorporates newer instruments and techniques.

Chinese art has a unique aspect that sets it apart from other cultures. With the long history of
harmonizing old techniques and themes with newer styles, the country has transformed art. The
art from China often has a central theme of nature, harmony and balance that makes it an
excellent example of the values that are held within the country. With a history that dates back
over 10,000 years, it is no surprise that Chinese art has a developed and unique design that is
an important part of the country's history.