Cultural Report
Introduction
China appears to be ahead of the rest of the world in many aspects of life. They are constantly adapting and growing as a country to fulfill the needs of its people. They are a global leader in many unique categories, to name a few; mass-producing clothing, electronics, beauty products, and politics. Currently, they are the Peoples Republic of China, which has been ruled by the Communist Party of China since 1949. (Pariona et al., 2020) They are also famous for their delicious cuisine that has become extremely popular in Europe and North America. Which in turn, makes entertainment and recreation an important part of their everyday life. That being said, souvenirs in china used to be exclusive to this part of the globe as well as many religions, practices, and traditions. As a result of modern-day technology and life, this has now spread to all regions of the globe respectfully. "Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it" - Confucius, a Chinese Philosopher, has also shaped Chinas society and culture permanently. He has played a very important roll in all the topics covered from this point.
The Unique Cuisine
China is known for cooking and eating anything with four legs, simply because of years of tradition and unique taste. Dishes vary between regions of China, because of the specific agriculture common to an area. The regions are broken down to 5 categories Northern China Food, Western China Food, Eastern China Food, Central China Food and, Southern Minority Food. ("Chinese Food/Cuisine: Culture, Ingredients, Regional Flavors", 2020)
Food in the Northern Region seems to be the most popular amongst westerners, because of the common liking for meat, dairy, and salt. Extreme winters and mild summers shaped the food to be calorie-dense and very salty. Northern dishes tend to be oilier, meatier, and have plenty of garlic and scallions. Even though the extra use of fats and oil is added it actually is proven to strengthen their bodies through the hard winter. Preserving fruits and vegetables is a common practice because of the limited availability in harvesting season. The Chinses take advantage of drying and pickling in order to sustain a healthy diet year-round. An example of pickling is Kimchi, which is also popular in other Asian counties. ("North China Food, Food Style in Northern China", 2020)
Food in the Western Region menu is filled with carnivorous animals. They have two specific categories within, Xinjiang Cuisine - Halal Food, and Tibetan Cuisine. The geography of the region is perfect for pasture fields. In turn, Xinjiang Cuisine has lots of camel meat, horse meat, beef, and various dairy productions. It is a popular practice for less fortunate families to open restaurants in other cities for more economic success. Tibetan Cuisine is plain, very little seasoning and spice. They use more wheat, beef, dairy, potatoes, and chicken. However, they do not eat horses, dogs, donkey or even fish because of their religion and customs. ("Western China Food, Food Style in Western China", 2020)
Eastern China Food has a lot more sweet and subtle flavor. They very much enjoy wines, vinegar, soy sauces, and sugar. The Yangtze River Delta is extremely important to this region because it enriches the surrounding soil and adds fresh seafood and fish into diets. This region is subtropical which aids the production of a variety of fruits and vegetables. To say the less, Eastern China Food has an abundance of ingredients. ("Eastern China Food, Food Style in Eastern China", 2020)
Central China Food, most famously known for the extreme spice. The word numbing is often used to describe the feeling of the heat. Central China food has a great variety of ingredients because of agriculture output. ("China's Regional Cuisines - Chinese Food Types North-South", 2020)
Southern minorities mostly consist of mountain farmers who cook and eat what they can to survive. In sequence, they preserve everything they can't eat immediately to prevent waste. Fruits and vegetables are scarce in this region and not easy to get. ("China Southern Minority Food, Chinese Ethnic Minority Cuisine", 2020)
Entertainment and Recreation
China is overflowing with many different types of entertainment. A unique form of entertainment that is practiced in China, but, very popular in Hong Kong is; Dragon Boat Racing. The Dragon Boat Festival is a public holiday and is it dedicated to a poet who committed suicide in the Milou River. Very similar to Rowing, racers are placed two by two in a long narrow boat, each with a wooden paddle used to propel themselves forward, all in synchronized motion. The race ranges from 250m, 500m and 1000m's long, the races go by in minutes but are very exciting to watch. They are even other variations of the race where paddlers use their hands or feet to propel themselves. (Hays, 2020)
Karaoke, amongst other Asian countries is very popular in China, they love to sing! From big cities, small towns and tourist attractions, you can always find a karaoke bar. In fact, there are 10x more karaoke bars then cinemas. Attendees range from teenagers, businessmen, and families, there are no limits to who can participate. (Hays, 2020)
Practiced for over 2500 years, Tai Chi, also known as "slow-motion dancing" is a very controlled, low energy type of exercise. The smooth transitions between motions make it considerably easy on your joints. Which, is why is it extremely popular amongst older citizens, but, young people do it as a form of staying toned, healthy, and fit. (Hays, 2020)
Popular Souvenirs
There are many souvenirs one can get when you are traveling to China, some of the most popular are, Chinese Silk, Tea, Porcelain, and, Calligraphy.
Silk originated in China and is famously known for its smooth, soft texture and high-quality fabric. Silk comes from the silkworm when they produce their cocoons. It has been around for thousands of years and has shaped the Chinese culture and economy. It is readily available for a tourist to purchase almost everywhere in China as well as around the world! ("Kids History: The Legend of Silk in Ancient China", 2020)
Tea, also born in China is very unique. There are six major types of tea, which are distinguished by its production method. Each type has a specific meaning, which is believed to benefit the consumers in many ways. The best quality tea is produced in many locations in Southern and Central China, also made available to visitors yearning to taste its history. ("Chinese Tea", 2020)
Many people are familiar with the term "Fine China" or a "China set". Chinese Porcelain has shaped how art was perceived around the world and has been used throughout many Chinese dynasties. Even after Europe had discovered how to produce it, it still remained expensive to purchase. Most westernized homes now have a China Cabinet, with porcelain cups and dishes. ("Chinese Porcelain History from the 1st Century to the 20th", 2020)
Calligraphy, commonly referred to as the art of writing, actually reflects Chinas importance to the rest of the world. Back in the day emperors used to engrave their name in the sides of mountains or stone, to resemble authority and power. It slowly blended into art because of similarities such as a brush and ink. ("Chinese Calligraphy", 2020) You don't need to travel to China to buy authentic Chinese calligraphy supplies, because it is so accessible through the internet.
Religious Practices
Chinese people are aided with the freedom of choosing a religion freely. The Chinese Constitution states "enjoy the freedom of religious belief" meaning it is illegal to discriminate individuals for being apart of a particular faith. Though, studies have been shown that this isn't always guaranteed. Only 100 million of the Chinese population is reported to believe in one of the 5 religions but, others estimate there are more than 350 million believers and rapidly growing. ("The State of Religion in China", 2020)
Chinese religions are made up of many different beliefs and traditions that have been shaped by thousands of years of practice. The most widespread religion is Taoism, most practiced in central and eastern China. China has 1500 Taoist temples and monasteries with over 25,000 nuns and mons living there. Taoism mostly teaches the practisers "the way of things", which is a combination of philosophy and religion. Surprisingly, China also has many Catholic and Christian supporters, 12 000 000 to be exact. These religions were brought down by European missionaries and now have more than 12 000 churches to accommodate the widespread practice. ("Major religion and religious beliefs in China", 2020)
Europe, as well as India has influenced Chinese culture, with Buddhism being one of the most practiced religions. Buddhism was brought to China through the Great Silk Road long ago. China has 9500 temples built in honor of and many of them were build thousands of years ago and have been preserved all this time. In Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous areas, Muslims account for 95% of the population, but, is not limited to these areas. Currently, China has 17 000 Muslims and 26 000 mosques. ("Major religion and religious beliefs in China", 2020)
Conclusion
China is respectfully known for its hard-working society, advanced technology, and culture. They have become a very popular tourist destination because of their distinctive cuisine, ancient temples, and enchanting relics. Even the less fortunate side of this nation defies the odds in order to sustain families, becoming waste-less and innovative. They are a very active culture, engaging in daily exercise and recreation. Most of their entertainment has a long history behind it and makes you really appreciate their way of life. Religion is a very private part of China; they have 5 major religions and many other faiths that fall under those categories. Which can lead to corruption in society and failure to protect one's freedom. Those are issues that can be turned around and are not permanent. "A true gentleman is one who has set his heart upon the Way. A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with" -Confucius. This quote, once again, proving modesty and simplicity within this nation has a very impactful meaning. This society has many admirable people and regions, which leads to economic success and tourism, therefore, making it an astonishing place to visit.
Word Count - 1709
References
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Western China Food, Food Style in Western China. (2020). Retrieved 10 March 2020, from https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/western-china-food.htm