Chinese Culture3-4.doc

Book 31中国传统节日传统节日以中国的农历为依据。农历年的岁首为春节，俗称“过年” ，有祈年等多 种习俗， 是中国人民最隆重的传统节日， 象征团结兴旺。 其他主要的节日有元宵节、 清明节、 端午节、七夕节、中秋节、重阳节、冬至节、腊八节等等。每个节日都有其来源讲究和风俗 习惯。农历节日和农历中的二十四节气不同。农历节日是中华民族凝聚力和生命力的体现。 Traditional Chinese Festivals Traditional Chinese festivals are usually fixed according to the Lunar calendar. January 1 on the lunar calendar has been designed as the Spring Festival (generally referred to as guonian). There are several customs during the Spring Festival, such as praying for a good harvest, etc. The Spring Festival is the most ceremonious traditional festival in China and symbolizes unity and prosperity. Some other Chinese festivals include the Lantern Festival, the Pure Bright Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, the Double-Seventh Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Double-Ninth Festival, the Winter Solstice, and the Eighth Day of the Twelfth Lunar Month, etc. Each festival has its own unique origin and custom. These Chinese festivals that follow the Lunar calendar are different from the 24 Solar Terms in the Lunar calendar. They embody Chinas cohesion and vitality.2 中国茶文化 茶是中华民族的举国之饮，发端于神农，兴盛于唐宋（618-1279） 。开门七件事，柴米 油盐酱醋茶，是中国人日常生活的写照。茶文化是茶的自然和人文双重属性的引申与概括。 中国的茶道精神将儒释道三教融入其中， 其主要目的是借助饮茶艺术来修炼身心， 体悟大道， 提升人生境界。Chinese teaAs a traditional drink for Chinese people, Chinese tea is believed to have first started with Chinese Emperor Shen Nong, and flourished in the Tang and Song Dynasties (618AD-1279AD). Making tea was considered one of the seven basic daily necessities along with fuel, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, while drinking tea is an apt portrayal of daily life in China. Tea culture is the extension and generalization of the science and humanities character of tea. In China, the tea spirit blends the thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and it aims to help people cultivate both mind and body, comprehend the truth, and elevate the realm of life through the art of drinking tea. 3 中国画 中国古代四大艺术“琴棋书画”的“画”特指国画。其绘画形式是用毛笔蘸水、墨、颜 料作画于绢、 帛、 宣纸之上， 古代称之为水墨丹青。 为区别于西方的油画而称之为 “中国画” ， 简称“国画” 。其题材有人物、山水、花鸟等。技法可分为工笔和写意。国画的艺术特质在 于“笔墨” ，强调以形写神，画尽意在。国画在艺术创作上反映了中华民族的审美意识和情趣。 Traditional Chinese Painting The four art forms in ancient China are guqin, chess, penmanship, and painting. And painting particularly refers to traditional Chinese painting. Traditional Chinese painting is done with a brush dipped into black or colored ink and is painted on silk or xuan paper. In ancient China, it was called “ink-painting”. In order to distinguish it from Western oil-paintings, the Chinese people term their works “traditional Chinese painting” (abbreviated to “Chinese painting”). The subject matters of Chinese paintings are typically figures, landscapes, birds and flowers. The drawing skills and techniques employed by the Chinese painters can be divided into two forms: fine brushwork and free-hand brushwork. The artistic characteristics lie in “the writing brush and ink”. Chinese painting emphasizes using the shape to convey the feelings of the painter. Even though a painting is a finished product, it endlessly conveys a meaning. In terms of the artistic creation, traditional Chinese painting is a reflection of the aesthetic consciousness and artistic sentiment of the Chinese people. 4 中国酒文化 中国是酒的故乡。古人将酒的作用归纳为治病、养生、礼仪三类。酒文化是中华饮食文 化的重要组成部分，它的精神文化价值体现在社会政治生活、文学艺术乃至人生态度、审美 情趣等诸多方面。无酒不成宴，酒筹文化是中国合餐制的产物。宴席上的酒令五花八门，猜 拳、文字令、筹令等都富有丰厚的文化内涵，若胸中无数，则难以自如应付。 Chinese Wine and Spirits Culture China is the home of wine and spirits. The functions of wine and spirits were classified by the ancients into three kinds: treating patients, keeping in good health, and showing politeness and respect to others. Chinas wine and spirits culture is an important part of Chinese food culture, and it embodies its values in many respects, such as in social and political life, literature and art, life philosophies, aesthetics, and so on. There is an old saying which goes, “It is not a banquet without wine.” Under the custom of having dinner together in China, drinking games were therefore introduced. There are many kinds of banquet betting and drinking games, like the morra (a finger-guessing game), wine/spirits words, wine/spirits chips (a drinking game), all with rich cultural connotations. In reality, it is difficult to win unless you have a card up your sleeve. 23 5 中国石窟 中国石窟主要反映的是佛教文化艺术。敦煌莫高窟、大同云冈石窟、洛阳龙门石窟、天 水麦积山石窟，号称中国四大石窟艺术景观。佛教石窟随山雕凿、彩绘，形象生动自然，将崇高美与世俗融为一体，把天然造化与人工创造有机结合，是由建筑、绘画、雕塑等组成的 博大精深、绚丽夺目的综合艺术殿堂。其艺术成就为世界所瞩目，已成为重要的世界文化遗产。Chinese Grottoes Chinese grottoes mainly reflect the art of Buddhist culture. In China, there are four major art landscapes of grottoes: the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang, the Yungang Grottoes at Datong, the Longmen Grottoes at Luoyang, and the Maijishan Grottoes at Tianshui. Carved and painted on mountains, the Buddhist grottoes mingle both sublimity and secular feelings together, presenting us a vivid and natural appearance. They embody the systematic combination of both the exceptional artistry of great nature and the extremely fine craftsmanship of mankind. The Chinese Buddhist grottoes are regarded as a profound and stunning general art gallery, which are composed of architecture, painting, sculptures, etc. The artistic achievements of Chinese grottoes have attracted the attention of the world, and have become important international cultural heritage. 6 中国古典文学名著 中国古典文学包括诗歌、散文、小说以及词、赋、曲等多种文体，艺术表现手法丰富各 异。而小说中的三国演义 、 水浒传 、 西游记 、 红楼梦则被称为中国四大古典文学 名著，至今在国内外都有着广泛而深远的影响。研读四大名著能够了解中国传统人文社会、 民俗之心理，是汲取古代文明精粹、处事为人策略与智慧的重要途径。 Chinese Classical Literature Chinese classical literature includes poetry, prose, fiction, and ci (new lyrics written to pre-existing tunes), fu (“descriptive poems” of prose-poetry),qu (freer form based on the new popular songs and dramatic arias), and many otherstyles. Its artistic expressions are various in technique. Four classics of Chinese literature are Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Journey to the West, and Dream of Red Mansions, which have extensive and far-reaching significance both on a national and international level. Through reading “the four famous novels” carefully, you can experience traditional Chinese society and human culture, and folklore customs. And it is an important way to absorb the quintessence of traditional Chinese culture as well as to pick up strategies and wisdom on how to get along with others. 7 中草药 中药主要由植物药（根、茎、叶、果） 、动物药（内脏、皮、骨、器官）和矿物药组成。 因以植物药为主，故也称中草药。中药的应用理论独特，认为中药有四气五味。 “四气”指 药性的“寒热温凉” ， “五味”指药物的“辛酸甘苦咸” 。中国人探索中草药已有几千年的历 史，如今中医药及其诊疗方法已传播到世界各地。 Chinese Herbal Medicine Traditional Chinese medicine mainly consists of plant medicine (roots, stems, leaves, fruits), animal medicine (viscera, skins, bones, organs), and mineral medicine. Chinese herbal medicine is based on plant medicine. According to the unique application theory of traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that it contains “four natures and five flavors.” “Four Natures” refers to the properties of “coldness, heat, mildness, and coolness,” while “five flavors” refers to the properties of being “pungent, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty.” It is said that Chinese people have been conducting research into herbal medicine for thousands of years. Nowadays, traditional Chinese medicine and its therapeutic methods have extensively been spread to the far corners of the globe. 8 中国瓷器 瓷器是中华民族对世界文明的伟大贡献。 早在八千年前的新石器时代， 中国的先民就发 明使用了陶器。商代（前 1600-前 1046）中期创造出了原始瓷器。汉代（前 206-公元 220） 末期烧制出成熟的青瓷。 以后瓷器由中国传播到世界各地， 中国也博得了 “瓷之国” 的称号。 英文中“瓷器(china)”一词已成为“中国”的代名词。 Chinese PorcelainPorcelain is regarded as one of Chinas outstanding contributions to the worlds civilization. As early as the Neolithic Age about 8,000 years ago, the Chinese ancestors invented and began to use pottery. Proto-porcelain was invented in the mid-Shang Dynasty (1600BC-1046BC). Celadon was molded in the late Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). From then on, porcelain was introduced by China to the rest of the world. China was therefore dubbed the “porcelain country.” In English, the word “china” has become a word that represents “China.”Book 41 剪纸 剪纸又叫刻纸、窗花或剪画。剪纸在纸的发明之前就已经流行，当时人们运用金箔、绢 帛、皮革等片状材料，通过镂空雕刻的技法制成工艺品。汉代（前 206-公元 220） ，纸张的 发明促使了剪纸的发展与普及。民间剪纸的题材多来源于现实生活，充满纳福迎祥的主题， 表达对美好生活的向往。 Paper-cutting Paper-cutting (otherwise known as jianzhi) is also called kezhi, chuanghua orjianhua. Paper cutting was popular even before paper was invented. When there wasno paper, people carved on gold leaf, silk, feathers, and so on, with a carving technique known as hollow-cutting to make handicrafts. In the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD), the invention if paper promoted the development and popularity of paper-cutting. The folk themes of the paper-cutting are rooted in real life, filled with the themes of enjoying a life of ease and comfort, and expressing the desire for a happy life.2 儒家思想 儒家思想也称为儒学，有春秋（前 770 年-前 476 年）末期伟大的思想家、教育家孔子 所创立。历代代表人物有孟子、董仲舒、朱熹、王阳明等。主要经典有：四书（ 大学 、 中庸 、 论语 、 孟子 ） ，五经（ 周易 、 尚书 、 诗经 、 礼记 、 春秋 ） 等。儒家学派以“仁、义、礼、智、信”为核心内容，构成了其伦理思想体系，是中国古代 长达两千余年封建社会的主流意识。 Confucianism Confucian thought, also called Confucianism, was established by Confucius, a great thinker and educator who lived in the late Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC). Some representatives of Confucianism throughout Chinese history include Mencius, Dong Zhongshu, Zhu Xi, and Wang Yangming. The main classics of Confucianism are the Four Books (The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, TheAnalects of Confucius, and Mencius) and the Five Classics (Zhouyi, Shangshu(Collection of Ancient Texts), The Book of Songs, The Rites, and The Spring and AutumnAnnals). The Confucian school regards “benevolence, righteousness, propriety,wisdom and fidelity” as being at the core of its ethical system. Confucianism wasthe main ideology of feudal society for more than 2,000 years in China. 3 中国象棋 中国象棋早在战国时期（前 475前 221）就有记载，最初称为六博，用象牙做成，到 了北宋（9601127）末期定型为近代模式。棋盘为九竖十横线画成的长方形平面，是中国 封建社会制度和文化的缩影 有中军帐（九宫） 、士位（士、仕） 、文官（象、相） 、武将 （车、马、炮） 、士兵（兵、卒） 。是世界四大棋类（中国围棋、中国象棋、国际象棋、日本 将棋）之一。 Chinese Chess The earliest records of Chinese chess can be traced back to the Warring States Period (475BC221BC). The early-stage Chinese chess was composed of six pieces carved out of ivory, and was therefore called “Six Boxing.” Its final form of play was fixed at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty (960AD1127AD) after a long period of development. The chessboard is a rectangular board that is 9 lines wide by 10 lines long. Composed of marshal or general, advisors (scholar or official), civil officials (elephant or minister), military officers (chariots, horses and cannons), and soldiers (soldiers or pawns), Chinese chess is Chinese social institution and culture in miniature. It is also one of the four most popular chess games in the world, the other three being Chinese Weiqi, the games of chess, and shogi (or generals chess). 4 二十四节气 中国古代的先民们，根据太阳在黄道（即地球绕太阳公转的轨道）上的位置，将一年均 分为二十四个等分，并分别赋予具有特定含义的专有名称，如春分、清明等，这便是二十四 节气。 二十四节气以黄河流域气候为背景， 把自然季节现象与农事活动的相互联系作为内容 列入历法，用以指导农业生产。它是中国古代先民们发明的一种独特而伟大的历法。 The 24 Solar Terms The ancient Chinese divided a year into 24 equal segments according to the positions of the sun on the ecliptic. Names were given with special connotations for these segments; such as vernal equinox (occurs on March 20 or 21) and pure brightness (occurs on April 4, 5, or 6); and hence they are called the 24 Solar Terms. Originating from the Reaches of the Yellow River, the 24 Solar Terms are basicallya calendar to govern agricultural arrangements which takes into account the changes in climate and practical agricultural needs. The 24 Solar Terms are considered a great and unique creation of the ancient Chinese. 5 中国书法 中国古代四大艺术“琴棋书画”的“书”特指书法。它是用毛笔书写篆、隶、楷、行、 草等各体汉字的艺术。中国书法在技法上讲究笔法、墨法、章法等，其艺术的和谐之美体现 在字里行间。隶书的蚕头燕尾，楷书的中规中矩，草书的龙飞凤舞，行书的潇洒飘逸，可谓 异彩纷呈，千姿百态。中国书法体现了中华民族豪爽大气、端庄含蓄的特点。 Chinese Calligraphy The four ancient Chinese artistic forms are called guqin,chess,penmanship, and painting; and penmanship particularly refers to Chinese calligraphy. Chinese calligraphy id a kind of art using a brush to write seal script, official scrip, regular script, cursive script, grass script, and other various writing styles of Chinese characters. The writing techniques of Chinese calligraphy are highlighted by the manner of using a brush, the way ink is used, the art of composition, and so on. Its harmonious beauty of art is reflected in between the lines. Chinese calligraphy exhibits its beauty in different poses, such as the uniqueness of the official scripts “silkworm head and swallow tail,” the regular scripts requirement to “stick to the norm and rules,” the characteristic of grass scripts “flying dragons and dancing phoenixes,” and the distinctive “natural grace” of the cursive script. Chinese calligraphy reflects the personality of Chinese peoples straightforwardness, dignity, and reticence. 6 中国古琴 中国古代四大艺术“琴棋书画”的“琴”特指古琴，亦称瑶琴、玉琴、七弦琴，是中 国古老的一种弹拨乐器。据史记记载，琴的出现不晚于尧舜时期。为区分于西方乐器，现被称作“古琴”。古琴依风之身形而制并命名各部位，反映出儒家的礼乐思想及中国人所 重视的和合性。 Chinese Guqin As one of the four art forms (namely guqin, chess,penmanship, and painting) in ancient china, guqin is a kind of plucked string instrument which is also known asyaoqin, yuqin and qixian qin. According to Chinese history book Shih Chi, qinappeared no later than the Yao and Shun eras. In order to distinguish it from similar musical instruments of the West, it was called guqin. The guqins design imitates the shape of a phoenix. People also named different parts of the guqin after the names various body parts of the phoenix. This naming method reflects Confucius thoughts on music and the ideology of harmony that Chinese people value.7 十二生肖 十二生肖是中国用十二种动物所组成的记年方法。我国自古就有“干支记年法” ，而我 国西北地区游牧的少数民族则以动物记年，两种记年法相互融合，形成了现在的十二生肖， 即：子鼠、丑牛、寅虎、卯兔、辰龙、巳蛇、午马、未羊、申猴、酉鸡、戍狗、亥猪。属相 的基本意义在于使人们圆融通达、和衷共济。 The Chinese Zodiac The Chinese Zodiac is the Chinese way of numbering the years. It attributes an animal to each year, according to a 12-year cycle. Since ancient times, the Chinese people began to use the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to record the passing of years. At the same time, Chinese nomadic people who lived in northwest China instead used animals to number the years. The two ways of numbering the years were smoothly integrated, and the Chinese Zodiac took shape. The 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The meaning of the symbolic animal of the birth year is that it can make people magnanimous and be of one mind in times of difficulty. 8.唐宋诗词唐诗代表了中华诗歌的最高成就。知名诗人多若星辰，李白、杜甫、白居易都是世界闻名的伟大诗人。唐诗分为古体诗、律诗、 绝句，又有五言、七言之分，其题材广泛，数量庞大，风格和流派多样。宋词是继唐诗之后中国古代文学史上的又一座高峰， 历来与唐诗并称双雄。宋词以长短句为主，依词牌填词，豪放派和婉约派词风各异，主要代表有辛弃疾、苏轼、柳永、李清照 等。Tang Poetry and Song Ci Tang Poetry represents the highest achievement of Chinese poetry. There were many distinguished poets in the Tang Dynasty, including Li Bai, Du Fu, and Bai Juyi, who are world-famous. There are various forms of Tang Poetry, such as pre-Tang poetry, regular poems, short poems. Regular poems and short poems can also be divided into pentasyllabic and heptasyllabic according to the characters contained in each line. There is an enormous collection of Tang Poetry, with a wide range of subjects, styles, and schools. Its artistic charm touches everyone deeply. Song Ci is another summit in the history of classical Chinese literature. Tang Poetry and Song Ci have consistently been called the two literary giants. The main form of Song Ci is a kind of poetry that chie fly consists of seven-character lines interspersed with shorter and longer ones. The writers poetize according to particular tunes. There are two major styles of Song Ci, called the Powerful and Free School, and the Soft and Tuneful School.其他秧歌舞 秧歌舞是中国汉族的一种民间传统舞蹈， 通常在北方省份表演。 秧歌舞者通常穿上明亮 多彩的表演服装，他们的表演动作有力迅速。在农历春节、元宵节等节日期间，人们一旦听 到锣鼓声，不管外面天气有多冷，他们都会蜂拥到街上看秧歌舞表演。近年来，中国东北某 些城市的老年人自发组织了了秧歌队， 队员常年通过跳秧歌舞来保持健康， 同事他们也乐在 其中。Yangko Yangko is one of tradition folk dance of Han in China.It is usually performed in northern provinces. The dancers usually wear colorful and light costumes, and the performance is powerful and rapid. During some festivals such as Spring Festival, Lantein Festival, if people hear the sound of drum and gong, no matter how cold the weather is , they will come to street and appreciate the Yangko. Recent years, theold people in city of east-northern of China organized the team of Yangko by themselves, the teamers keep their health by dancing Yangko the whole year. 长城 长城是人类创造的世界奇迹之一。如果你到了中国却没去过长城，就想到了巴黎没有去看看菲尔铁塔，或者就像到了埃及没有去看金字塔一样。人们常说：“不到长城非好汉。”实际上，长城最初只是一些断断续续的城墙，直到秦朝统一中国后才将其连城长城。然而，今天我们看到的长城东起山海关，西至嘉峪关大部分都是在明代修建的。 The Great Wall The Great Wall is one of the wonders of the world that created by human beings! If you come to China without climbing the Great Wall, its just like going Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower; or going to Egypt without visiting the Pyramids! Men often say, He who doest not reach the Great Wall is not a true man.In fact, it began as independent walls for different states when it was first built, and did not become the Great Wall until the Qin Dynasty. However, the wall we see today, starting from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayunguan Pass in the west, was mostly built during the Ming Dynasty.The Terra-cotta Warriors 秦始皇陵兵马俑Qin Shihuang 秦始皇, the first emperor of the feudal Chinese society, brought with him massive funerary belongings when he die a move to show off the authority and splendor hed enjoyed during his lifetime (秦始皇是中国封建社会的第一个皇帝。他死后，为了显示他生前的辉煌和 权威，在他的墓中陪葬了许多东西 ). Among them were the three barracks of Terra-cotta Warriors (兵马俑阵), which have been marveled at as the “Worlds Eighth Miracle” 世界第八大 奇迹.The Underground Army 地下军阵 Yong is either a human or animal figure made wi