Please enable JavaScript.

Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.

Folk and Popular Culture in China, - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Fish is often served in order to bring luck. This has to do with the concept of Feng Shui, as the Chinese word for fish (鱼 yú) also sounds like the word for abundance (裕 yù).
      - Dumplings are said to represent prosperity since their shape resembles the gold and silver ingots used as currency during the Ming Dynasty.
      - Noodles represent longevity. Their length is symbolic for the eater's life.
      - Glutinous rice balls represent a wish for the family to stay together.
      - Foods may have also have unlucky meanings. For example, the word for pear in Chinese (梨 lí ) is a homophone of the word meaning "away" (离 lí ). As such, eating it could mean separation.
    - - The north's arid conditions promoted the cultivation of millet, barely, and wheat, which in turn resulted in the region largely eating noodles, pastas, and pastries for the grain portion of their meals.
        
        Other native crops include turnips, garlic, grapes, apricots, Chinese peaches, persimmons, Chinese blackthorns, and chestnuts. Pork and lamb were the two main meats eaten in this region.
      - In the south, which stretched from the basin of the Yangtze River to the southern border of modern Vietnam, it was warm and moist. As such, rice, which requires wet conditions to grow, became a staple in this region.
        
        There was generally greater diversity here due to both the climate and the fact that it was underpopulated during the Tang Dynasty and native flora and fauna suffered less human depredation. Native foods included bamboo, yam, taro, and palm trees which provided sago flour for cakes.
        
        The region's proximity to the sea contributed to its bountiful seafood dishes, including jellyfish, squid, crab, shrimp, and scallions. Several varieties of seaweed also existed along the coast.
    - - Breakfast typically consists of a grain porridge with savory additions, and later in the day, a richer breakfast called dianxin (literally meaning "dot the heart") is eaten. They are usually steamed, fried, or baked, and as such, they contain a high number of calories. Traditionally, this would have been the food of workers, who needed to consume a lot of calories quickly such that they could work. Youtiao is one example of a breakfast food.
      - On a non-working day, one will typically eat lunch at around 1pm. However, working all day away from home is not uncommon, so quick, easy, and cheap foods such as noodles are preferred.
      - When people come home, dinner is eaten. After a long day at work, most are ravenous, so dinner usually consists of a major grain base, fan in Chinese, paired with several side dishes, or cai. In a typical family meal, these dishes consist of a dish a fish or meat, a dish of vegetables, and a dish of another vegetable or vegetables and meat. Appetizers and desserts are reserved for banquets.
    - - Chinese minorities also have their own cuisines. There may be some similarities (such as that of Chinese dumplings and Tibetan dumplings, or momo) due to cultural convergence.
        
        The Mongols and some of their neighbors depend on sheep and eat yogurt and fermented mare's milk.
        
        Turkic and other settled peoples in Xinjiang traditionally eat Persian-style bread, rice pilaf, roast lamb, noodles, and fruit, particularly grapes and melons.
        
        Butter, tea, roasted barley meal, and dairy products such as yogurt make up everyday Tibetan food. During holidays, dumplings, meat stews, and noodle dishes are consumed.
      - The south is the most diverse complex of the four regions. It has a large variety of vegetables as well as fish, pork, duck, and chicken. Rice is particularly dominant in this region due to the warm and moist conditions.
      - The western region is known for its spices. Sichuan and Hunan cuisine in particular are known for their fiery dishes. The region is also mountainous, resulting in food which includes pork, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and deciduous fruits and nuts.
      - The east is centered on the Yangtze River, and as such, its cuisine features much seafood. Additionally, the hot climate contributed to the region's soups, stews, and teas, which were desired to replace water lost during perspiration. Dishes are often oily or sweet in this region.
      - In the north, sour flavors such as vinegar are more pronounced, and meals are hearty. Typical ingredients include wheat, sheep, and celery cabbage. The range of vegetables has been traditionally small, but there is a greater diversity of grains.
      - In modern times, the list has been expanded to the Eight Great Traditions (八大菜系 bādà càixì ).
        
        Hunan (湘菜 xiāngcài ) cuisine, similar to Sichuan cuisine, is known for its spiciness. Unlike Sichuan cuisine however, Hunan dishes are purely hot rather than numbing. Its dishes changes with the seasons, with with cold, spicy meats in the summer for keeping cool and opening the pores, and hot pots in the winter. One notable hot pot is the yuanyang hot pot, which splits the pot in two.
        
        Jiangsu (淮扬菜 huáiyángcài ) cuisine combines the styles of Huai'an, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Zhenjiang. This cuisine is known for having meats which are quite tender but not falling apart, and dishes include sweet and sour Mandarin fish (pictured below), crystal meat, and Jinling salted dried duck.
        
        Fujian (闽菜 mǐncài ) cuisine is influenced by its closeness to the coast and its mountainous terrain. Ingredients such as bamboo shoots, mushrooms, shellfish, and turtles are used. It is known to be light with a focus on umami and preserving the flavor of the main ingredients.
        
        Shandong (鲁菜 lǔcài ) cuisine is derived from two prominent styles: Jiaodong (which features light seafood dishes) and Jinan (which focuses on soups). These dishes are noted for being fresh, salty, crisp, and tender. It is considered one of the most influential cooking styles in Chinese history. Pig's large intestine is one example of a dish from this branch of Chinese cuisine.
        
        Cantonese (粤菜 yuècài ) cuisine makes use of almost all edible meats, from chicken feet to duck tongue, though lack of availability results in lamb and goat being rarely eaten. The center of Cantonese culture, Guangzhou, is a trading hub due to its proximity to the South China Sea, so many imported ingredients are used in Cantonese cuisine. Compared to other cuisines, the use of spices is minimal.
        
        Sichuan (川菜 chuāncài ) cuisine is renowned for bold flavors and its numbing spiciness due to liberal use of chili, garlic, and Sichuan pepper. Much of this food contains ingredient which have been pickled, salted, and dried. One dish which has been Westernized here in America but draws origins from the Sichuan Province is Kung Pao chicken.
        
        Anhui (徽菜 huīcài ) cuisine is derived from the native cooking styles of the people in the Huangshan Mountains region. It is known for its simple preparation techniques and wild herbs, which are in abundance due to the region's uncultivated fields and forests. Chinese folklore attributes the creation of tofu to Liu An, a Han Dynasty prince. Indeed, this region is home to stinky tofu, a traditional local snack.
        
        Zhejiang (浙菜 zhècài ) cuisine is generally soft and fresh instead of greasy. It combines the styles of Hangzhou (known for its use of rich foods and bamboo shoots), Shaoxing (which specializes in fish), Ningbo (which specializes in seafood), and Shanghai. One example of a Zhejiang dish is dongpo pork, fried pork belly in soy sauce and wine.
  - - - The seat of honor is reserved for the master of the banquet or the highest ranking guest. Oftentimes, this may be the most senior guest present. The seat reserved for them is the one either in the center and facing east or turned towards the entrance. The higher one's status is, the closer they will sit to the seat of honor.
        
        Seating arrangement at a round table
        
        At a square table, the seat of honor will be the right hand seat when facing the entrance. If the banquet is outside or there are multiple entrances, the seat of honor will be the right hand seat when facing east.
        
        In a grand banquet with multiple tables, the table of honor will be the once facing either the entrance or the east if there is no clear entrance.
    - - Sticking one's chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice is considered a taboo, as this is reminiscent of how incense sticks are stuck into a pot of rice to honor the dead and is therefore believed to bring bad luck.
      - When eating in China, it's common for everyone to have their own bowls of rice with the dishes in the center. It can be considered unhygienic for one to take food from the central dishes using the chopsticks which have been in one's mouth. Thus, communal serving spoons or chopsticks may be provided if eating at a restaurant.
      - It is considered extremely rude to dig around for a choice morsel when eating at a communal meal. It's more polite to take the food nearest to oneself and take smaller bits of food when the dishes first make their way around the table, thus demonstrating fairness to the other guests.
      - One should not beat their bowl with their chopsticks, as this used to be behavior practiced by beggars.
    - - In China, meals are communal, so dishes are typically placed in the center and shared while everyone has their own bowl to eat from.
      - Members usually wait until the whole family is seated before eating. In formal settings, the guest of honor must eat first before everyone else can.
      - Elders and young are typically served first, followed by men, children, and women.
- - - - As an example, it is considered unlucky to have a haircut during the New Year, since the word for "hair" has the same pronunciation as the word for "to prosper"（发). It is believed that cutting away hair would be like cutting away prosperity.
      - Fish (鱼) are often eaten during the New Year due to its homophony with the word for "surplus" and the saying that there is “surplus every year”（年年有余）in Chinese. As another result of this homophony, fish are prominent in visual artwork and designs in China.
      - Video on Chinese New Year superstitions
    - - The number four （四）is considered unlucky, since it sounds similar to the word for "death" （死）, a word with a negative connotation. For example, many people would avoid buying houses with house numbers containing the number 4, as this can be considered unlucky.
      - The number eight （八） is considered lucky, since it sounds similar to the word for "to rise" （发）, a word with a positive connotation.
  - - - White is commonly associated with mourning and death. During a funeral, Chinese people wear white to mourn those who have passed away. As a result, wearing all white is avoided.
      - Red is symbolic of joy and happiness. Traditional Chinese weddings are themed with red to bring good fortune. During the New Year, red envelopes, with money in them, are given to children.
      - Yellow is the color of royalty because it was the color of the emperor's robes.In ancient China, only the emperor was allowed to wear this color.
      - Lastly, blue and green are colors of harmony and vitality. People looking for longevity often decorate with colors like blue and green.
      - More on meanings of colors in Chinese culture
  - - - Feng Shui determines your fate in the eight sectional areas - family, wealth, helpful people, children, knowledge, fame, career, and partnerships.
      - Feng Shui also seeks to create a balance between the 5 natural elements - earth, metal, water, wood, and fire. Ideally, when seeking a place to live, one wants to find a house with a balance between these 5 elements.
- - - - During much of the Xia, Shang, Zhou Dynasties, only royal families and dignitary officials enjoyed music, which was often made on chimes and bells.
      - In the Tang Dynasty, dancing and singing entered the mainstream and spread from the royal court to the common people.
      - In the Song Dynasty, original opera began to be performed in places like tearooms, theaters, and showplaces.
      - During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, traditional opera began to develop rapidly in different regions, branching out with diversity. Distinctive opera styles performed at the capital (modern-day Beijing) combined to give rise to Beijing Opera, which is still popular today.
        
        Chinese Opera was a chief form of musical entertainment. Court opera included scripted music that was played slowly and formally, while folk opera was performed in regional and local dialects by touring troupes and often improvised.
        
        Operas, which were basically theater, told love stories, domestic dramas, and tales of adventures. They included many stock characters and few stage props.
    - - In the late 19th century, Western music was introduced to China through German-trained military bands, churches, and Chinese missionary schools. Composers like Huang Tzu and Liu Xue'an wrote pieces to merge Western harmonies with existing Chinese melodies.
        Huang Tzu
        Liu Xue'an
      - After the Communist takeover in 1949, music began to be used as a political instrument to encourage the unity of the people. The Cultural Revolution in 1966 was the culmination of this activity, but more recently China has somewhat relaxed its cultural policies.
        Songs of the Cultural Revolution
  - - - Chinese music puts an emphasis on melody over harmony and is based heavily on the pentatonic (five-note) scale, which corresponds to the black keys on a piano. This allows for the creation of more simple harmonies than Western music, which is primarily based on the heptatonic (seven-note) scale.
      - Chinese music also emphasizes melody over rhythm, and thus most songs are smoothly continuous without an interruption in the tempo or beat.
    - - Chinese Opera Music is meant for entertainment, with modern favorites being the Beijing and Sichuan Operas, respectively. Instruments include the erhu and other stringed instruments (mainly to accompany singing but also making special effects sounds), wood clappers, gongs, cymbals, and wind instruments.
      - Ensemble and orchestra music nowadays incorporates many Western styles, including using non-traditional instruments such as the piano in traditional performances. Additionally, Chinese orchestras themselves (instrumentalists arranged around a conductor) are a product of Western influence, though traditional melodies are still played.
      - Solo music is usually abstract, and it typically emphasizes a calm and resonant melody. Solo musicians may play completely on their own or, in an orchestral setting, be accompanied by other instruments.
  - - - The erhu is a two-string instrument played upright with a bow akin to that of a violin. It covers three octaves and has a generally melancholy sound.
      - It was introduced to China from the west during the Tang Dynasty and grew in popularity during the Song Dynasty.
      - Peasants favor the erhu because it is portable and relatively inexpensive, and it is also very common among non-professional musicians.
    - - The guzheng is a large instrument that often has twenty-one strings, though that number may vary depending on the individual instrument.
      - It was especially popular during the Qin Dynasty.
      - It is played in both solo performances and traditional music ensembles by plucking the strings with the right hand and pulling and vibrating with the left to create pitch and sound.
    - - The pipa is a four-stringed instrument with a pear-shaped wooden body and frets akin to that of a guitar.
      - It is thought that it originated in western or southern Asia and was popularized through the Silk Road. During the Tang Dynasty, it was particularly popular with the royal court and the common people, and it held a significant place in the orchestra.
      - In modern times, it has been remade with new materials (such as steel strings wrapped in nylon instead of the traditional silk).
- - - - The tale is beloved by children and adults alike, hence the constant reworkings.
        
        A Short Story from the Book
        
        Remakes called Journey to the Past or The Monkey King and modern takes, such as A Korean Odyssey, continue to be made after hundreds of years. Shows like Dragon Ball also had their protagonist based off of the Monkey King Sun Wukong.
      - The story was originally written in the Qing Dynasty by Wu Cheng'en. The 100 chapter book follows the journey of the Monkey King Sun Wukong and his friends accompanying a monk's pilgrimage to India.
        
        The group consisted of a mix of characters with different religions who lived and traveled together, mirroring the current complex mixture of China.
  - - - One of its main themes is "Knowledge is Power". In modern society, knowledge is bountiful. However, Sun Tzu pinpoints what exactly wins wars. While there may not be literal wars to fight, metaphorical ones are littered all throughout life.
        
        In the workforce, lawyers use the book's teachings to win cases and executives utilize these strategies to win negotiations. Business professors assign it for students to read.
      - The book contains strategies and military tactics for warfare.
  - - - One well-known proverb “To Stand by a Tree Stump Waiting for a Hare” (守株待兔 Shǒu zhū dài tù) was derived from a folk tale. The story is taken from Han Feizi, written by Han Fei.
        
        The original text tells a shorts story of a farmer who happened upon a hare who ran into a tree stump. He then waits in that spot everyday hoping for another lucky day instead of working on his fields for food.
        
        The saying discourages people from waiting for opportunities to arrive by luck, which may never arrive, and instead work for it themselves.
        
        The story continues to be told and passed down to younger generations, while the proverb is still used in conversations in present day life.
      - More Common Idioms