chinese culture speech

Lecture on Chinese dance held in Argentina Speaker: Shen Chen Place for the lecture:Argentina A lecture on Chinese dance was held on Nov 26 at the arena theatre in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina.   <more
Scholars take traditional Chinese medicine abroad Speaker: Fu Yanling, Zhang Lin and Lyu Zhong Place for the lecture: Bangladesh, Nepal Lectures on traditional Chinese medicine, part of the "Chinese Culture Talk" series, were held in Bangladesh and Nepal from Oct 9 to 13. <more
Artists show charm of Peking Opera in Mauritius Speaker: Lu Song Place for the lecture: Mauritius Ten Peking Opera performers from the Tianjin Youth Peking Opera Troupe visited Mauritius and performed at the local China Cultural Center on Oct 7. <more
Swedish and Russian viewers discover Peking Opera's charm Speaker: Yuan Huiqin Place for the lecture: Sweden, Russia The veteran Peking Opera artist Yuan Huiqin hosted a culture talk entitled "Charm of Peking Opera" in Stockholm on Sept 15 and St.Petersburg on Sept 11. <more
Chinese tunes echo in New Zealand Speaker: Liu Zheng & Zhu Lin Place for the lecture: Auckland,New Zealand A lecture on traditional Chinese music and instruments in Auckland, New Zealand, attracted 500 local audience members on May 2. <more
Chinese designer and her costumes charm African people Speaker: Chu Yan Place for the lecture: South Africa,Mauritius As a part of Chinese Culture Talk, a series of culture talks and fashion shows chaired by Chinese veteran designer Chu Yan were held in South Africa on March 30-April 1 and Mauritius on April 3 -4. <more
Peking Opera finds new fans in three countries Speaker: Jiang Qihu Place for the lecture: India, Russia and Mongolia Performers from the National Peking Opera Company of China have taken the stage in India, Russia and Mongolia from Nov 21 to 30. <more
Chinese music finds new audience in Columbia Speaker: Liu Sha Place for the lecture: Columbia The China National Music Orchestra has played before a packed crowd in Bogota, Columbia. More than 400 people came to hear about Chinese folk music and musical instruments at the Julio Mario Santo Domingo Theater, in the country's cultural hub. <more
Culture Talk brought Chinese art and maritime culture to Egypt and Belgium Speaker: Zhang Qing Place for the lecture: Egypt,Belgium Curator Zhang Qing gave three talks on maritime culture and Chinese art in Egypt on Nov 16-17 and Brussels, Belgium, on Nov 21. <more
Chinese symphony brought to Chile Speaker: Zhang Guoyong Place for the lecture: Chile Zhang Guoyong, a renowned conductor, gave a speech called Symphony in China, a recent episode of Chinese Culture Talk at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile on November 2. <more
Chinese Culture Talk on Lao She's 'Teahouse'in Toronto Speaker: Pu Cunxin Place for the lecture: Toronto The first Chinese Culture Talk, about Chinese drama, was held at Toronto University on November 4. <more
Chinese Culture Talk graces Chile Speaker: Wang Fujian Place for the lecture: Chile Chinese Culture Talk made its Chilean debut this month. Famous Chinese conductor Wang Fujian delivered three same-title speeches at Chilean Presidential Palace's Cultural Center. <more
Chinese Culture Talk lands in US Speaker: Hu Qiuping Place for the lecture: Hawaii, Los Angeles At the Chinese Culture Talk debut in Hawaii, famous Chinese calligrapher Hu Qiuping shared her craft in a speech, The Charm of Chinese Calligraphy, in Honolulu on Aug 27. <more
Chinese painting appreciation talk wraps up in Malaysia Speaker: Tian Liming Place for the lecture: Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore A new lecture of Chinese Culture Talk series, "Unity of Mind and Imagery- Appreciation of Chinese Paintings", was held twice, separately at the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) in Malaysia on Aug 16-17. <more
Lectures on China's new countryside construction held in Europe Speaker: Sun Jun Place for the lecture: Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands A special lecture titled Idea and Practice of China's New Countryside Construction was given by Sun Jun in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands from June 26 to July 4, 2016. <more
Chinese Culture Talk on seal engraving held in Czech Republic Speaker: Luo Pengpeng Place for the lecture: Prague, the Czech Republic A new lecture "Exploring Chinese people's pursuit of humanism through seal engraving" was held in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, on April 11, 2016. <more
La vie en Grace, la vie en Chinese dresses Speaker: Chen Yehuai Place for the lecture: Paris Titled "La Vie en Grace", an exhibition of Chinese modern dresses designed by Grace Chen was held in the Chinese Embassy in Paris on March 7. <more
Chinese Culture Talks on Opera Warriors held in Vancouver Speaker: Liu Siyuan Place for the lecture: Vancouver Professor Liu Siyuan from University of British Columbia gave a presentation on Chinese dance drama and Beijing opera in Opera Warriors. <more
Chinese Culture Talk on ancient Chinese instruments in Cambodia Speaker: Yang Jianxin, Li Fengyun Place for the lecture: Phnom Penh On Dec 15, the Chinese Culture Talk – Explore the Beauty of Chinese Classical Music - was held in Cambodia. <more
Chinese Culture Talk in Indonesia strikes a chord Speaker: Yang Jianxin, Li Fengyun Place for the lecture: Djakarta, Bandung A series of lectures on Chinese ethnic instruments were held in Indonesia, raising strong interest among local residents and Indonesian Chinese alike. <more
The Chinese Culture Talks lecture on Chinese folk music in Washington DC Speaker: Zhou Yi Place for the lecture: Washington DC A lecture on Chinese folk music was held at Yu Ying Charter School, Washington D.C. on Dec 10,introducing Chinese folk music and musical instruments. <more
Talk on ancient Chinese instrument held in Indonesia Speaker: Yang Jianxin, Li Fengyun Place for the lecture: Djakarta A lecture on Chinese ethnic instruments was held at Habibie & Ainun Library in Djakarta, Indonesia, attracting over 100 listeners to the library. <more
Lectures on Peking Opera hit Lincoln Center during Zhang Huoding NYC performances Speaker: David Der-wei Wang, David Rolston Place for the lecture: New York New Yorkers got an insiders perspective on the theme of Chinese Opera in New York City. <more
About Chinese Culture Talk Chinese Culture Talk is a series of lectures on Chinese philosophy, religion, literature, cuisine, medicine and other traditional culture-related subjects. It is sponsored by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Chinese Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture selects three or four groups of young and middle-aged scholars to give lectures abroad every year with Chinese embassies, consulates, China Cultural Centers or local agencies around the world planning and organizing lectures or similar activities. Other ministries and social forces in China also send scholars to lecture abroad. <more
Explore the beauty of Chinese Costume in Rome Speaker: Chu Yan Place for the lecture: Rome Explore the Beauty of Chinese Costume, the last in a series of lectures organized by the Chinese Ministry of Culture, was held at the Italian branch of the Institute for International Education of Students in Rome. <more
Top Chinese fashion designer showcases work in Copenhagen Speaker: Chu Yan Place for the lecture: Copenhagen Chu Yan, one of the top fashion designers in China, showcased her work on the catwalk at the China Cultural Center in Copenhagen on Tuesday. <more
An Exploration of the Beauty of Chinese Clothes Speaker: Chu Yan Place for the lecture: Paris The first lecture of China Culture Talk focus on the history of Chinese clothes and Chinese style fashion. <more

Presented by Chinadaily.com.cn Registration Number: 京ICP备 13028878号-4

Your Best Guide to China

Visiting China soon? Start here

Best China VPN
Chinese culture
Banned apps
Apps in China
Love in China
Teach in China
Provinces and regions
Special offers
6 steps to get started
Best places to visit in China
What to bring to China
What not to bring to China
China packing list
Tips for your first trip
Tips for solo travel

Top 16 do’s and don’ts of texting Chinese girls

Best time to visit the Great Wall of China (2024)

What are the main differences between China and Taiwan?

Travel agencies
Learn Chinese in China
Learn Chinese online
Study programs
Internships
Recruitment agencies
Teacher recruitment agencies
TEFL courses
Volunteer programs
Dating sites
Travel insurance

Select Page

The A-Z guide to Chinese culture, customs and traditions

Posted by Mike Cairnduff | Updated December 1, 2023 | Culture

Do you want to find out about Chinese culture and traditions?

Do you want to find out what Chinese people typically do, like, eat… and what makes them tick?

Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is a collection of all the main customs and quirks you’ll experience in China.

Listed in alphabetical order, you can read them all or simply jump to the ones that pique your curiosity. I’ve also included helpful links if you want to dig a bit deeper.

Alright, let’s jump into the biggest, the baddest, and the best of Chinese culture.

Table of contents

A is for Apps

Chinese are obsessed in apps. Image by StreetVJ on Shutterstock.

Chinese people use phone apps for practically everything, from ordering food in restaurants to applying for jobs.

The most popular and useful Chinese app is WeChat. You can use it for a whole bunch of things like chatting to friends, paying for stuff, hailing taxis and playing games.

There are now more than one billion people who use WeChat on a daily basis. It’s very much ingrained in the Chinese way of life.

Read more about the top apps used in China .

B is for Badminton

Badminton is big in China. Image by Vladislav Vasnetsov on Pexels.

Badminton is one of China’s national sports.

It’s a highly accessible sport because all you need is a racket and shuttlecock. This has made it hugely popular in a crowded (and traditionally poor) country like China.

I’ve seen people in China – and joined in myself – play badminton without a net. They simply hit the shuttlecock to each other as a way of participating and having fun.

For elite badminton players, the Chinese government takes care of everything including housing, meals and training. This helps the country dominate the sport.

Some historians say that badminton is a derived version of the traditional Chinese game, ‘jianzi’. In this sport, players use their feet instead of a racket to hit the shuttlecock.

Read more about popular Chinese sports .

B is for Baijiu

Moutai is a famous baijiu. Image by Parinya Art on Shutterstock.

Baijiu is the most consumed alcohol in China and around the world.

It’s commonly distilled from sorghum (a cereal grass) as well as other grains like rice, wheat, corn and millet.

In Mandarin, baijiu literally means ‘white alcohol’ but Westerners tend to call it Chinese rice wine.

I find this a bit misleading because it tastes nothing like the beautiful wine I’m used to! Usually drank straight, baijiu is an acquired taste.

If you’re ever in China on business, you’re going to be served baijiu. Culturally, this is the accepted drink that Chinese businessmen enjoy at the dinner table.

So, if you want your business deal to go through, don’t refuse it.

B is for Beer

China is lax with the minimum legal drinking age. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Still on the theme of alcohol, Chinese men love drinking beer. The beverage is a quintessential part of Chinese drinking culture.

(And, as you can see in the photo above, kids don’t mind it either!)

Snow is the most popular beer in China. Every year, about 2.8 trillion gallons of the ale is sold.

In overseas markets, Tsingtao is the most famous Chinese beer (I’m a big fan). It’s a fairly light lager that originates from Qingdao in the north of the country.

Read more about the drinking age in China .

C is for Calligraphy

Traditional Chinese calligraphy set. Image by Sumalee on Shutterstock.

Calligraphy is one of the most beautiful, traditional Chinese things.

For thousands of years, Chinese calligraphy has been a way of communicating through writing, art and self-expression.

Each Chinese character, or group of characters, tells a story. Workmanship is in the strokes (the art) as well as the story. This is part of the allure of Chinese calligraphy.

If you’re ever invited into the home of a Chinese person, you’ll likely see beautiful scrolls hanging on the walls. You might also see them in fancy restaurants.

Since people use phones and computers these days, artisans who practice calligraphy are held in high esteem in China.

C is for Censorship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajR9J9eoq34 Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How China censors the internet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajR9J9eoq34)

The Chinese government isn’t democratic, meaning people can’t say what they want, when they want. If they go against the grain of government, there can be dire consequences.

Sometimes, prominent people in China (like business people and even celebrities) say something that displeases the government. They may go missing for months, then resurface with a grovelling apology. Some are stripped of millions of yuan in assets or have to pay fines.

The internet in China is censored too. Known as The Great Firewall of China, it gives over one billion Chinese people a more sheltered online experience.

Locals are prevented from saying and doing things online that don’t toe the communist party line. Major foreign websites and apps like Google, Gmail, Instagram and WhatsApp are blocked.

If you’re traveling to China on a holiday, you need to download a VPN app before you go. Refer to this page if you want to access the internet freely in China.

C is for Chopsticks

Chopsticks are the ultimate eating utensil in China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Chopsticks have been a part of Chinese culture since 1,200 BC. Back then, they were used more for cooking and it wasn’t until around 400 AD that they were shortened and used for eating food.

The appeal of chopsticks was probably deepened because of their connection to Confucius, one of the most important figures in Chinese history (you’ll read about him next).

He stated that chopsticks were better for eating because they had blunt ends.

For many Westerners, chopsticks are fiddly, hard to control, and half the food tends to end up in your lap! But once you’ve mastered chopsticks you’ll be eating Chinese food like a pro.

C is for Confucius

Confucianism runs deep in China. Image by Peggy and Marco Lachmann-Anke on Pixabay.

Confucius is the father of Chinese philosophy.

During the sixth century B.C., traditional Chinese principles began to deteriorate, resulting in a period of moral decline.

Confucius recognized an opportunity – and an obligation – to reinforce the societal values of compassion and tradition.

His golden rule was based on loving others while exercising self-discipline.

He has lots of famous quotes but my personal favorite is: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” It still rings true centuries later.

C is for Crowds

Crowds are normal in China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Today in China, it’s hard going anywhere where you won’t experience crowds. With 1.4 billion people squeezed into the country, it’s easy to see why.

While the locals are used to it, you might get a bit of culture shock coming to China on a holiday.

The best strategy for avoiding crowds is visiting an attraction first thing in the morning or later in the day. You should also avoid Chinese public holidays .

Read more about the best time to visit Beijing and Shanghai .

D is for Dancing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI1-aDcUm58 Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: China Dancing Granny Is Back (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI1-aDcUm58)

You’ll see mostly middle-aged and older women dancing to choreographed routines in public parks all over the country. If the weather is good, the dancing goes late into the night.

Dancing in public parks became a low-cost form of exercise and entertainment for many women who lost their jobs at state-owned enterprises in the 1990s.

It’s remained popular ever since because anyone can join in, and it’s a good way to socialize and make friends.

Chinese-style dancing requires a good memory. But for the locals who are used to memorizing thousands of Chinese characters throughout their school years, this isn’t too difficult.

If you travel to China, make sure you walk through one of the city parks. You’re bound to see some public dancing in action.

Read more about China’s dancing grannies .

D is for Dating

Chinese dating culture is unique. Image supplied by Kim Ooi.

Generally speaking, Chinese don’t date for fun. They date to find a partner to marry.

So, if you’re dating a Chinese girl and you get to the third date, she could already be thinking about the wedding day!

Guys are expected to pay for dates and buy gifts for their girlfriend, and sometimes for the parents too.

In fact, parents are influential when it comes to Chinese dating. If you’re not good enough in the eyes of the parents, you’re not going to get very far.

Chinese couples don’t like showing public displays of affection, like kissing or even holding hands.

D is for Dumplings

Dumplings are synonymous with China. Image by Kanghee Han on Pixabay.

This popular Chinese dish is found all over the country. These delicious little treasures are served boiled, fried or in soups.

Many areas have their own specialty dumplings. For example, Shanghai is home to the famous soup dumplings (‘xiao long bao’ in Chinese).

Soup dumplings are my favorite, though there’s an art to eating them – bite too soon and you’ll burn your lips; bite too late and the soup has gone cold.

The locals puncture a hole in the dumplings with their teeth and then slurp the soup out. This too is an art form!

Read more about different kinds of Chinese dumplings .

E is for Education

Education in China - elementary students

Chinese students are expected to study hard from a young age. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Education is a fundamentally important part of Chinese culture and society.

Chinese parents want their children to have a good education and study hard. In fact, many parents place a lot of pressure on students to get good grades.

Wealthy parents invest a lot of money in their children’s future, with many forced to take on private or one-on-one classes. This creates a big divide between the rich and poor in China.

The ‘gaokao’ is the final exam that all Chinese high school students undergo. For most students, it’s a stressful time because the results can determine their future.

Students who get excellent grades and wish to study at university can choose what they study and where, while less fortunate students have fewer options and may be forced to move far away from home to attend a less prestigious institute like a technical college.

Studying tertiary-level courses overseas is an increasingly popular option for smart, wealthy students.

E is for Ethnicity

Ethnic minorities influence Chinese culture (and vice-versa). Image supplied by Christian Wilmsen.

Despite Han Chinese comprising more than 90% of China, the country is ethnically diverse. There are a further 55 recognized ethnic minority groups.

These people have greatly influenced the cultural and societal make-up of many regions in China .

While relations with the rest of China are tense among a few minority groups (e.g. Uyghurs), most ethnic minorities in China do not face persecution.

In fact, these culturally proud people have successfully preserved a unique cultural identity for generations.

Traveling across China, your journey will be colored by the wildly varying customs, cuisine and cultural traditions of various ethnic groups who have made their own mark on modern China.

Read more about interesting things about China .

F is for Face

Chinese will do anything to save face. Image by XiXinXing on Shutterstock.

The idea of face is extremely important in China, but it’s also one that many Westerners struggle to understand.

It’s a complex idea that doesn’t translate well to English, but the basic premise is that you must never deliberately or accidentally cause another person to lose their dignity, or allow yours to be lost.

This means that you should control your emotions in public, never reveal a weakness or a lie, and never criticize in public.

Westerners are usually given a little leeway in terms of face, but it’s still something you need to keep in mind when you interact with locals.

If you cause someone to lose face, it can jeopardize friendships and business relationships. That’s why it’s so important that you avoid doing anything that could cause a loss of face.

You can help Chinese people gain face by doing things like praising, complimenting, and giving gifts.

Read more about unique Chinese cultural norms .

F is for Family

Family is number one in China. Image by Lesia Povkh on Shutterstock.

The Chinese family unit is extremely important in Chinese culture and society.

Within the traditional Chinese family structure, each family member has a specific form of address on both the maternal and paternal sides of the family.

Elderly Chinese people are looked after by their children as they age (nursing homes don’t exist in China). This is one of the reasons why Chinese feel so much pressure to have kids and keep the family line going.

This can be summed up by the Chinese concept of filial piety. It’s basically a Confucian virtue that says you should honor the elders in your family, by looking after them both inside and outside the home.

With regard to childbirth, there used to be strict limits on how many children a couple could have in China. But the government is now encouraging families to have more babies as population growth slows.

Read more about the Chinese family unit .

F is for Face masks

Even before COVID, Chinese wore face masks. Image by Pixabay.

Chinese people were wearing face masks way before coronavirus was around.

When Chinese people aren’t feeling well, they’ll wear a mask to stop the illness spreading. It also helps protect them from getting germs from other people.

On high-pollution days in China, you’ll also see people wearing face masks to protect themselves from the toxic air.

F is for Festivals

Dragon Boat Festival is very much part of Chinese culture. Image by Windmoon on Shutterstock.

There are numerous festivals celebrated throughout the year in China, and many are culturally rich.

The biggest event is Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, which starts in late January or early February depending on the lunar calendar. People travel great distances to go back to their hometown and have big feasts with their family.

Dragon Boat Festival is an important cultural holiday in China dating back well over 2,000 years. Still to this day, the legend of Qu Yuan is remembered. Qu Yuan was a poet who drowned himself when his kingdom was defeated.

Mid-Autumn Festival is another special holiday on the Chinese calendar. Traditionally, it was a celebration of the autumn full moon and harvest season. Nowadays, it’s a time for families to get together, have a big feast, and give mooncakes to each other.

F is for Fingernails

The long pinky fingernail exists in China. Image by NN_Non on Shutterstock.

You might see Chinese guys, such as taxi drivers, with one long fingernail. It’s usually the pinky finger.

You can’t do manual labor with long fingernails, so some men have them on display to show they don’t work rough jobs.

This Chinese custom is a throwback to the class system in China. Some men with long fingernails may also be wealthy.

If you visit China, you might even see men using their long fingernail to pick their ear!

Read more about class hierarchy in China .

G is for Groups

Chinese society is geared towards the group. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

China is a collectivist culture.

This means the individual’s needs are less important than those of the group, whether that group is the family, the workplace, or China as a whole.

The actions of each person also reflect on the group as well. So, if one person does something wrong, their family and even their country could suffer as a result.

This can be hard to understand and even harder to accept for a Westerner, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. In fact, this idea has a number of benefits for the people and for the individual.

It creates incredibly strong family bonds, in which the younger care for the older in a way that’s been mostly lost in Western culture.

It also creates a strong sense of belonging, where each individual understands that they are part of a greater whole.

G is for Guanxi

Guanxi is about the relationships you have with others. Image by Lukas on Pexels.

I think the best word to describe the Chinese term guanxi is ‘connections’.

In China, if you don’t have guanxi then you’re not going to get very far, particularly when it comes to social networks and business circles.

Good guanxi can help you get a job or a promotion, a better price on a big purchase, or even help you avoid falling foul of the law.

Guanxi is so entwined in Chinese culture it would be hard to imagine life without it.

If you go to China on vacation, you probably won’t see guanxi in action. But I can guarantee you, it’s there.

For example, that silk shop your tour guide insisted you stop at for a look – there would be strong guanxi between the shop owner and the tour company.

Guanxi is something foreigners only really get to experience if they live in China, or have close relationships with Chinese people in their own country.

H is for History

The Chinese are proud of their rich history. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

China has a colorful history that dates back thousands of years.

There are numerous key historical events which have helped shape the Chinese culture we see today.

One example is the construction of The Great Wall of China, a 20,000 km (13,000 mile) line of defense designed to help protect China from invasion. The build started in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.) and continued over centuries.

Some say that as many as 400,000 people died during the wall’s construction, and many of these workers were buried within the wall itself.

Key historical events in more recent times include:

Struggles with outside forces (e.g. Sino-Japanese Wars and Nanjing Massacre)
Domestic instability (e.g. civil war between the Communists and Nationalists)
Government programs (such as the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution) that had disastrous effects on the country and resulted in millions of deaths.

I’ve only just scratched the surface here and there is so much more to explore.

Read more about modern Chinese history .

H is for Hotpot

Hotpot is super popular in West China. Image by Adam Yee on Shutterstock.

Hotpot is popular in China not just because of the great taste but because it’s eaten in a very social setting.

You place your ingredients in the simmering pot and as you wait for it to cook, you chat with your friends or family around you.

You can put practically anything in the pot, which starts with soup stock. Typical ingredients include all kinds of sliced meats, seafood, tofu and vegetables.

If you’re lucky enough to try hotpot in Sichuan province, where hotpot originates from, keep an eye on the chili. The Sichuanese like it fiery hot!

H is for Hot water

hot water bottles on the ground in China

A common sight in China. Image by Hunter Bliss Images on Shutterstock.

The Chinese love drinking warm or hot water. They believe drinking cold water isn’t good for your health.

Even when the weather is boiling hot outside, you’ll still find Chinese people drinking warm water.

If you visit China, you’ll see people carry insulated drink bottles wherever they go. You can fill up your bottle at all sorts of places including train stations, hotels and tourist attractions.

Read more about why Chinese people drink hot water .

I is for Inventions

An ancient Chinese compass. Image by Satrio Wito on Shutterstock.

Chinese civilization goes back thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that some of the most amazing inventions originated in China.

The most famous Chinese inventions of all are paper, printing, gunpowder and the compass. These are called the Four Great Inventions.

Other ancient inventions include paper money, tea, silk, porcelain, and even the humble umbrella!

With technology in China advancing so quickly nowadays, the country claims some modern-day discoveries too. This includes things like e-cigarettes and passenger drones.

Read more about the greatest Chinese inventions .

K is for KTV

Singing at KTV is a quintessential part of Chinese culture. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

KTV is the Chinese term for karaoke (it’s written as 卡拉OK).

Often combined with alcohol in the evening, KTV is a very social activity and loved by a broad cross-section of people. But it’s also a fairly private affair, with friends or colleagues using closed-off rooms in karaoke centers rather than singing in public.

You and a friend can also sing along to your favorite tunes in tiny booths in shopping malls for just a few yuan.

There’s a broad selection of both Chinese and English songs to choose from, and no shortage of big ballads and cheesy classics from days gone by.

If you’re in China and you’re invited to visit a KTV center, accept the offer as it may be considered impolite otherwise. Don’t worry if you have a terrible singing voice like me – just have a go!

K is for Kung fu

Bruce Lee is immortalized in a statue in Hong Kong. Image by tee2tee on Pixabay.

Martial arts are really popular in China, especially kung fu (or ‘gongfu’ in Chinese). It dates back to the Zhou Dynasty (1,111–255 BC) so it’s ingrained in Chinese culture and traditions.

Kung fu is a combination of spirituality, exercise, and unarmed personal combat. There are various movements in kung fu, most of which are imitations of the fighting styles of the snake and mythical dragon.

Martial arts movie icons, including Bruce Lee, Jet Li and Jackie Chan, have kept kung fu alive in mainstream Chinese culture.

L is for Language

Different languages are spoken across China. Image by Woaiss on Shutterstock.

Mandarin is the national language, but it’s not the only Chinese language. There are many others including Cantonese, Hunanese and Shanghainese.

Languages can be specific to provinces, regions or even cities, making domestic travel interesting for both locals and foreign travelers.

There are four main tones in Mandarin. If you get the tone wrong, the meaning of what you’re saying can change drastically, or even make no sense at all.

This makes Mandarin difficult for foreigners to learn. However, just being able to say a few words can go a long way towards making your first trip to China easier and more enjoyable.

You can download a Mandarin phrasebook app with recorded sounds. Listen to the words and tones and then repeat, repeat, repeat.

Read more about learning basic Mandarin .

L is for Lanterns

Lanterns are embedded in Chinese culture. Image by Angela Roma on Pexels.

If you ever make it to China, you’ll see red lanterns everywhere. They’re one of the most traditional Chinese things.

In ancient China, they were used to provide light when electricity wasn’t around. They were also used as part of Buddhist worship.

Today, lanterns are used for decorative purposes, during festivals, as well as for worship. They’re also a symbol of national pride.

If you’ve got children, making paper lanterns is a fun activity that will keep the kids entertained as well as teach them about Chinese culture and traditions.

Read more about Chinese culture for kids .

L is for Lucky numbers

Eight is the luckiest Chinese number. Image by Liza Trinidad on Pixabay.

In Chinese culture, people believe that lucky numbers can bring them luck and good fortune.

Typically, Chinese numerals are either auspicious or ominous depending on whether they sound like other words that have positive or negative connotations.

For example, the most commonly used Chinese auspicious numbers for the Chinese New Year are six and eight.

Six (六; liù) sounds the same as the Chinese character “溜” (liū), which means “smooth”. Consequently, “66” means “everything goes well”.

Eight (八; bā) is also a lucky number because its pronunciation is similar to that of “发” (fā) in “发财” (fācái), which means “to make a fortune”.

The Chinese government made sure to invoke the luck of the number eight in 2008, the year of the Olympic Games.

The opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing began on the eighth of August (08/08/08), at precisely 8 minutes and 8 seconds past 8 pm, local Beijing time!

M is for Marriage

People are under pressure to get married in China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

The pressure to get married in China is enormous.

Women are expected to tie the knot by their late 20s, otherwise they’re referred to as ‘sheng nu’. This means ‘leftovers’.

And, once you’re married, the pressure to then have children also starts to mount.

Marriage Parks (or Dating Parks) can be found all over China. Hordes of desperate parents show pictures of their children, as well as personal information like age, height and education level, in an effort to partner them up before it’s too late.

Some traditional Chinese women will expect any potential suitor to pay her family a dowry, or bride price, prior to marriage. In exchange for paying a dowry, the girl’s family is generally expected to buy a car or to furnish the apartment.

For those who are getting married, professional wedding photography is essential. Many couples spend thousands of dollars to pose in front of artificial sets and capture their fantasies.

This takes place up to six months before the wedding.

M is for Mao

Mao’s memory still permeates China. Image by Andrey Pozharskiy on Shutterstock.

Mao Zedong is probably the most famous Chinese person in recent history. Born in Hunan, a province in southern China, he led his country’s communist revolution.

The sweeping reforms he’s best known for are the Great Leap Forward (1958–60) and the Cultural Revolution (1966–76).

These often had disastrous consequences for China’s people and economy. Millions of people starved to death during this time.

However, Mao is seen as the most revered leader of China, at least in recent times.

If you travel to Beijing, you can take a photo of his portrait at the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Tiananmen Square. You can even get up close and personal with his preserved body at the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

M is for Medicine

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese treatment. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Traditional Chinese medicine aims to prevent or heal disease by maintaining or restoring balance between yin (passive) and yang (active).

A person is regarded as healthy when harmony exists between yin and yang. Illness, on the other hand, results from a breakdown in the equilibrium of these two forces.

Chinese massage , acupuncture and herbal remedies date back more than 2,000 years, and are still widely used today. They’re often used in a complementary way to modern medicine.

M is for Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_KpLrHCAx0 Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Ronny Chieng Explains Why Chinese People Love Money | Netflix Is A Joke (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_KpLrHCAx0)

Chinese are obsessed in money.

When I was working in China, strangers would blatantly ask me “How much money do you make?” I kind of liked it, seeing as it’s such a taboo question where I’m from.

It’s almost certainly a question a Chinese parent would ask their child when they started seeing someone.

And, you’ve probably seen or heard about Chinese tourists lining up at luxury stores overseas as well as in Hong Kong.

Money is a pervasive part of Chinese culture, even if it is a stereotype.

I find it all quite strange and unique, given China is meant to be a socialist country! But China did invent money after all, so…

For a funny perspective on China’s love of money, check out the video above. As Ronny Chieng says, “Chinese people love money so much, we have a God of money!”

Read more about why Chinese people love money .

O is for Opera

Opera is still prevalent in today’s Chinese culture. Image by Russell Yan from Pixabay.

Chinese opera is a traditional Chinese performing art.

If you’re traveling to China, it’s one of those traditional Chinese things you just have to see and experience for yourself. The unique shrieks and sounds of the singers will stay with you forever!

Beijing is home to the famous Peking Opera, and the Chengdu Opera has some pretty cool face-changing performances too.

P is for Pandas

Pandas are the ultimate symbol of China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

The giant panda is China’s national animal . And it’s a global symbol of cuteness.

It’s no wonder then that the government has done everything possible to preserve the species and prevent the panda from becoming extinct.

In a sign of hope for the species, China has recently reclassified the panda’s status from endangered to vulnerable. But there are still only about 1,800 pandas in the wild, living in fragmented mountainous forests near Chengdu.

Chinese people are really proud of their national symbol and have been loaning pandas to leading zoos around the world. This has helped raise awareness of this beautiful creature as well as China’s place in the world.

Read more about things you can do in Chengdu .

P is for Pedestrian crossings

Find a crossing to cross the road! Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Pedestrian crossings in China are notoriously difficult to navigate safely.

Some drivers don’t stop. So, you have to look, and look again, and keep looking until you get to the other side!

Traffic light crossings tend to have a slightly better strike-rate when it comes to cars actually stopping, but even a green pedestrian light doesn’t guarantee right of way.

So, how do you cross a Chinese road and survive? Some locals will just step out and not look at all, hoping that the driver stops.

The best advice is to seek safety in numbers. Cross in a group whenever you can, but if you’re on your own, try to cross only at intersections with lights, or via overpasses (like in the photo above).

Q is for Queue jumping

A typical scene at a Chinese train station. Image by C.Hug on Flickr.

Unless you’re inside the international terminal of a major Chinese airport, the concept of lining up doesn’t exist in China.

Whether you’re at the supermarket, cinema or train station, it’s a classic case of every man and woman for themselves.

It’s practically in the DNA of the Chinese to find any way possible to jump the queue. It’s almost a sport! But the longer you stay in China, the more you get used to it.

Try not to get too annoyed – it’s part of the Chinese culture, after all. Just stand your ground and don’t leave a gap between you and the person in front of you.

Read more about why the Chinese won’t line up .

Q is for Qin Shi Huang

Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Terracotta Army in Xi’an. Image by Christel Sagnieze on Pixabay.

Qin Shi Huang reigned from 221 BC to 210 BC. He was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China.

However, Emperor Qin was known as a cruel leader. He outlawed most forms of religion and even ordered the burning of books.

But he’s not really famous for that. People know Qin Shi Huang for his elaborate tomb in Xi’an , western China, built to protect him in the afterlife.

This is known as the Terracotta Army. It’s said that about 700,000 people helped construct the 8,000 soldiers, horses and chariots made of terracotta.

The famous archaeological site was only discovered in 1974. And, in 2020, another 200 sculptures were miraculously found nearby.

Read more about the best places to visit in China .

R is for Religion

Chinese women praying to their God. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

Some people assume that religion is against the law in China, but this isn’t the case.

While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is officially atheist, it recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Many Chinese people are spiritual and practice elements of Confucianism and other traditional folk religions in their day-to-day life. Temples can be found all throughout the country.

Chinese people practice religion rather discreetly. Religious activities are restricted and religious institutions aren’t seen actively recruiting new members as this could pose a threat to CCP ideology.

Similarly, large public congregations, like you might see in the US, are kept behind closed doors in China.

R is for Rice

The classic dish, fried rice. Image by Juno Kwon on Pixabay.

Steamed rice is one of the staple foods in China. It’s always eaten with something else.

Fried rice, on the other hand, is a dish that can be eaten all on its own. And it can feed the whole family too, which is one reason why it’s popular in China.

While ingredients do vary across the country depending on availability and local preferences, you can be sure to find some sort of protein in it, like pork or chicken, along with diced vegetables.

Some people think the best fried rice in all of China is found in a city called Yangzhou, in eastern Jiangsu province, hence the variety called ‘Yangzhou fried rice’.

Read more about popular foods from China .

S is for Smoking

Not an uncommon sight in China! Image by La Priz on Flickr.

China is the largest producer and consumer of tobacco in the world.

It’s estimated that there are more than 300 million smokers in China, nearly one-third of the world’s total. More than half of adult Chinese men are smokers.

Many Chinese people have little awareness of all the dangers of tobacco, despite efforts to educate the public. While people may know that smoking can lead to lung cancer, few know about the other risks like heart attack and stroke.

You can smoke indoors in China, like in restaurants and bars. For non-smokers, this custom is hard to get used to.

S is for Spitting

Locals have to be reminded not to spit. Image by Alex Segre on Shutterstock.

You might see and hear older men spit in China, even in the big cities. What gets most foreigners is the way these guys clear their throat – it’s very loud and there is nothing discreet about it.

Some men will spit in trash cans, while others will spit on the ground right in front of you.

As a foreigner, you’ll find this custom unsavory. But remember, every culture has its own idea of ‘normal’.

For example, blowing your nose into a handkerchief and stuffing it back into your pocket is considered disgusting by many in Chinese society.

So, why do some Chinese spit? It’s a tough question to answer. Some say it’s health related, i.e. it’s a way of removing waste from the body, and has been passed down by generations.

S is for Squat toilets

Do you know how to survive a squat toilet? Image supplied by Gayle Aggiss.

If you’re planning a trip to China , you need to prepare yourself for squat toilets.

Even in the major cities like Beijing, you’ll find more squat toilets than traditional Western ones.

But if you find yourself in a small city, or even a large one that doesn’t see many tourists, you’re going to encounter squat toilets wherever you go.

And, despite recent efforts to clean them up, you’re bound to come across some really dirty ones. These are usually the public toilets, especially in rural areas .

Don’t worry though – your hotel room will have a Western-style throne. Just make sure you do your business before you go out touring for the day!

T is for Table tennis

This sport is massive in China. Image by Djimenezhdez on Pixabay.

This is the most prominent sport in China.

In the early 1950s, Chinese leader Mao Zedong declared table tennis a national sport. Its popularity spread throughout the country, making Chinese athletes the strongest in the world within a short period of time.

The sport is just as popular now as it was decades ago. There are ping pong tables in every school, so kids get to learn from a very young age.

When I was teaching English in China , I remember being amazed at how good the little kids were! I guess that’s what happens when you grow up surrounded by ping pong tables.

Table tennis is an inclusive sport which is important for a socialist country like China. No matter your age, gender, wealth or even your level of fitness, table tennis is for the masses.

The game also doesn’t require a lot of space, which is ideal in a crowded country like China.

T is for Tea

Tea is the national drink. Image by Gadost0 on Pixabay.

Chinese are obsessed in tea. It’s undisputedly the national drink.

There are numerous tea growing regions in China, meaning there are lots of tasty teas to try such as oolong, chrysanthemum and tieguanyin.

However, green tea is the most common. It’s found on restaurant tables across the country.

I remember a trip I took to Shenzhen once, where I bought a few tins of lychee tea as souvenirs for friends back home.

This flavor may sound a bit strange, but it’s actually quite subtle and makes for a beautiful tasting hot drink.

When you’re drinking tea with people in China, they will always refill your cup before you finish. It’s a way of honoring people and if you refill someone else’s cup, you’re showing them a great deal of respect.

T is for Technology

Chinese tech is changing people’s lives. Image by Jared Brashier on Unsplash.

China loves technology, and is leaps and bounds ahead of many other countries.

The country is innovating in many areas such as high-tech manufacturing, energy storage, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Homegrown Chinese phone brands like Xiaomi and OPPO are taking the world by storm. In fact, Xiaomi is now the third most popular phone brand in the world, behind Samsung and Apple.

China is also moving to a cashless society, helped by payment apps like WeChat Pay and Alipay.

And, Chinese drones are really taking off (pardon the pun) and there are special designated areas where these flying robots are delivering products to customers.

W is for Weird food

There’s plenty of weird food in China. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

There’s plenty of weird and wonderful food in China. Much of it is very different to the food you’re used to.

From crunchy chicken feet and stinky tofu to deep fried durian for dessert , your tastebuds and senses will be pushed to the limit if you get the chance to visit China.

Read more about weird food Chinese people eat .

X is for Xi Jinping

Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Image by Kaliva on Shutterstock.

Party ruler Xi Jinping is prominent in modern day Chinese culture. He’s one of the most famous Chinese people and one of the most powerful people in the world.

Although Xi Jinping has been involved in politics most of his life, as a teenager he worked as a manual laborer on an agricultural commune.

In 2017, he released a set of policies and ideas called ‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’. Private organisations, schools and other organisations are expected to follow this doctrine.

Love him or loathe him, he’ll be around for a while. In 2018, the National People’s Congress passed an amendment to the constitution which would abolish term limits for presidents.

This means Xi Jinping can remain in office beyond 2023.

Z is for Zodiac

The dragon is the most powerful sign in the Chinese zodiac. Image supplied by Mike Cairnduff.

The Chinese zodiac has a special place in the hearts of Chinese people.

Each year is identified by 1 of 12 different zodiac animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal carries qualities that influence the year and any children who are born in that year.

Most Chinese people take their zodiac animal and year of birth seriously, and this is usually a key part of the country’s New Year celebrations.

In Chinese culture and traditions, the dragon is regarded as the most powerful sign in the zodiac. As well as power, dragons symbolize luck, prosperity, strength and success.

The dragon is also the only imaginary animal in the zodiac – another reason why it’s such a revered sign.

Psst! A quick travel tip

Are you traveling to China soon? If so, don’t forget the internet is censored there.

When using Wi-Fi you won’t have access to your favorite sites like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Gmail, Google, and heaps more, unless you get a VPN before you go.

You can refer to my review for the best China VPN or skip the review and tap on the button below.

Just make sure you download it before you arrive as the website will be blocked in China.

Chinese culture all wrapped up

If you’ve gotten this far, congratulations! You’re now a Chinese culture guru.

In all seriousness though, I hope you’ve learned a little bit more about this fascinating culture. It will help you understand China more, which is particularly handy if you’re planning a trip there.

As always, drop me a line below if you have any questions or comments.

More Chinese culture gems

Are you hooked on Chinese culture? Then you might like the following articles:

Best movies about Chinese culture – watch new and old classics
Best Chinese history books – arm yourself with knowledge
Chinese cultural norms – learn about some unique quirks.

You can also delve into the best documentaries about China and then watch one!

Want more helpful information about China?

Then hop on the monthly newsletter!

One more step: You must click the link in the email we just sent you to confirm your email address.

Frequently asked questions about chinese culture, what is chinese culture.

It’s a combination of a number of things, such as customs, traditions, habits, etc, that help shape China and typify what the country is all about. There’s not one single thing that represents Chinese culture.

When did Chinese culture start?

It started thousands of years ago when people civilized China. Early records show the Shang Dynasty started as early as 1600 B.C. but the Xia Dynasty, from 2100 B.C., could predate that.

Why is Chinese culture important?

It influences over one billion Chinese people as well as people around the world. It helps explain why Chinese people do certain ways, like certain things, say certain things and even eat certain things.

How is Chinese culture different from American culture?

China is a collectivist country while the USA is individualistic. The countries have very different histories which have influenced how their cultures have developed.

Commercial relationship disclosure: The Helpful Panda has commercial arrangements with organizations that may appear on this page, such as affiliate links. See our terms for more info.

Mike Cairnduff

Mike has lived and worked in China, and has traveled extensively across the country. He loves Chinese food and has a keen interest in Chinese culture. You can follow him on X and LinkedIn .

Got a question or comment?

We welcome relevant and respectful dialogue. See our terms for our comment policy.

Top 25 most famous Chinese people (with photos)

Updated October 7, 2023

8 unique Chinese cultural norms you’ve probably never heard of

Updated August 12, 2021

Lucky and unlucky Chinese numbers

Updated December 8, 2021

Chinese massage at a glance

Updated November 16, 2022

Ads space (New)

Explore China

Do you want to build your career in China?

Our writers have all experienced China in person. Support them by subscribing to the free monthly newsletter about visiting China.

China Edition

China Daily PDF
China Daily E-paper

Chinese youth give speeches on cultural confidence

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2020-10-26 17:08

To reiterate the lineage of Chinese heritage and cultural confidence, the first youth keynote speech of FlagTalk took place last Sunday in Beijing. In the presence of more than 300 audience members, nine teenaged leaders from around China shared their stories promoting Chinese culture.

Hui Jin from Shanghai Theatre Academy thrives to reinterpret Chinese historical stories on global art platforms. Zhang Yandi, a member of the millennial generation, integrates an intangible cultural heritage, the antler chair, with modern design.

Xu Jiaxing made a point of reciting ancient Chinese poetry to truly appreciate it, with the example of the well-known classic In the Silence of the Night by poetic genius Li Bai.

Li Jing, Du Hongyi and Wang Anqi, together with other speakers, offered their perspectives on traditional Chinese clothing, character, painting, dialects and architecture.

This year's Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival, also fell on Oct 25. A market fair featuring a variety of cultural products at Langyuan Park attracted many children to observe traditional handicraft, or make a festive sachet for their grandparents – a token of love and appreciation.

Why learn more about traditional Chinese culture?

Wherever you are in the world, modern China is increasingly influencing daily life (even though you may not have noticed). So learning more about China, its language and culture, is important. The more you know about the China of the past, the more you can understand and appreciate the China of the present.

But how exactly can you personally benefit by learning about China's history and traditional culture? Read on to find out our take!

When we tell people that we, two British expats, opened a company that teaches people about traditional Chinese culture, and allows them to experience things like calligraphy, painting and martial arts, the reaction we often get is "Why?" and "You are British! You should teach British culture! It's easier! You'll earn more money!" Fair points, certainly.

For me personally, I would always say simply that I love traditional Chinese culture, and want to share that with others. At first, I hoped that answer would suffice, but as time has passed, I've come to realise that perhaps a more comprehensive answer is required. Of course, I don't need to explain myself, but as a business owner and proponent of something as vague as traditional Chinese culture, I thought now was a good time to put words to something that had previously been something I just knew.

In this article, I cover three main points:

- What we mean when we say traditional Chinese culture

- The main benefits of learning about traditional Chinese culture

- Whether China still has traditional Chinese culture

It's my hope that by sharing my thoughts on this topic, it might encourage people to take a greater interest in studying traditional Chinese culture, or at least have a better appreciation of the value that can be found in it and in the people who take the time to study, experience and promote it.

What do we mean when we say traditional Chinese culture?

Before discussing the benefits of experiencing traditional Chinese culture, we should first clarify what we mean by the phrase 'traditional Chinese culture', as it covers a huge range of topics and the phrase itself is open to widely varying interpretations.

At its most simple (and widely recognised) definition, culture can be broken down into five main categories (though of course, so many aspects could be included); language, religion or philosophy, food, the arts and the people. These are the general areas of influence that make up a society. Tradition, for the purposes of this discourse, is defined by the Merriam Webster dictionary as:

a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)

b: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction

c: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions

Therefore, when talking about traditional Chinese culture, specifically as presented by companies such as ours, we are referring to the language, philosophies, food, arts and crafts and customs from thousands of years ago up to the turn of the 20th century, that have been passed down through the generations.

And as anyone who has heard anything about China knows, with a history of an estimated 5000 years (and increasing evidence that it may be even longer), that covers a lot of culture! In order to present information in an easily digestible way, we do need to choose a focus for what we as a company offer, so we have chosen Han culture. That doesn't mean we don't value or respect the other cultures China has to offer, but this is the one we have most access to, and therefore can best offer a clear understanding of. In the future we may consider offering access to the intangible Chinese cultural heritage of China's numerous minority ethnic groups.

Benefits of Learning About and Experiencing Traditional Chinese Culture

In August 2017, Jean-Pierre Lehmann, emeritus professor at IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland, wrote in an opinion piece for the South China Morning Post “it is dispiriting and indeed alarming to see how ignorant the West is about China and, from what I can see, intends to remain so.” While perhaps a little harsh (and while Professor Lehmann was focusing specifically on Hong Kong's role on the world stage), there is surely some truth to the statement. Whether through choice or lack of exposure, much of the world only knows China from what they see on TV or read in newspapers, which often has a negative slant, dictated by political or business tensions.

As Professor Lehmann noted, “Learning about Chinese philosophy, history, music, painting, calligraphy and literature will bring culturally enriching rewards.”

Chinese culture, both modern and traditional, can seem very ‘alien’ to many westerners. But even with a world of resources available to you to learn more about China, why exactly should you do so? While most articles and opinion pieces focus on the business and career benefits of learning more about China's culture and history, what about for everyday people, both those who live in China and those observing around the world? How can learning about China benefit them and you?

It's fun and interesting!

Putting aside any deeper reasoning behind learning more about traditional Chinese culture, and the history and philosophies behind it, the simplest reason to experience the various activities that come under the Chinese culture banner is that it can be a lot of fun!

Activities that can be classified as 'traditional culture' cover such a huge range that you are bound to find something you'll enjoy doing. Whether it's painting and calligraphy, dough figurine sculpting or knot making, taichi or fan dancing, there is something for every taste. With a good teacher and environment, all of them can be very enjoyable. And as with any fun activity, it can lead to a whole range of benefits, such as it becoming a new hobby or making new friends. Plus it's interesting to find out about customs that are different from your own!

Because knowledge negates fear, misunderstanding and distrust

While various media outlets bombard us daily with their take on the current situation in China, often ignoring the historical and culture context of such situations, if you take the time to learn about something for yourself, you will see issues often have more than one side, and can in fact be multi-layered. The culture of China, both modern and traditional, can appear quite different and at times even mysterious to those who have never experienced it before. When we don't understand something, it is human nature for that to lead to fear. And as we all know, fear can lead to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate always leads to dark places. And the best counter to fear is knowledge.

That's not to say that you personally have fear or misconceptions about China. But perhaps the more you personally learn and understand, the more you can share your insight with others who don't know China so well. Of course, that means more than taking one calligraphy class or trying out taichi one afternoon, but each experience you have brings you closer to answering any questions you have and closing the gap between your perception and reality.

To facilitate understanding and interaction

Whether you are a business person with ties to China, someone travelling here short-term for work or leisure or an expat with plans to stay for a while, the more you know about a place, the better you understand it. And the better you understand something, the more you can benefit from and enjoy it. But what does that mean, in real terms? An example is dealing with culture shock: getting to know more about a country's culture is the best way to negate it. Not everyone suffers from this in the same way, but if you are worried about what to expect in China, or are finding it hard to adapt to life after arriving, taking a few cultural workshops can help with your understanding and with the way you perceive the country and its people, and the way they perceive you, especially in China. Chinese people are generally very pleased when they meet foreigners who know something of the culture or language, so this can be a great way to get closer to neighbors, colleagues or people you meet in your daily life. People are, and the culture in general is, very accepting of visitors, even if they make errors in their daily dealings. Knowing more about the culture can generally help avoid awkward situations and business faux pas, and can even save you time and money! What's not to like about that?

Traditional culture is prevalent in the lives of modern people in China. The philosophies of thousands of years ago are still visible and influencing the culture today, even if not recognised by name. In the same way that understanding the ideas of the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers or the Renaissance might give you better insight into the way of life in modern western society, so the study of traditional Chinese culture and philosophies can aid in our understanding of life, culture and society in modern China.

To help with language learning

If you are serious about knowing more about China, the best way to do that is by learning the language - after all, language is culture. Numerous concepts, everything from amount of eye contact to the name of an item used for worship, can be unique to a culture, and therefore unique to the language used to describe them. Language also tells us about how people think and interact with the world. Of course, while Mandarin is the lingua franca, when dealing with a country the size of China, it's important to remember that both culture and local language vary widely in different areas.

Whereas learning the English language can really help with cultural understanding, and vice versa (to pick a random word: knowing the etymology of the word avocado can really help you understand the history of the fruit and the culture in which it originated!) the same is possibly even more true with the Chinese language. As written Chinese is logographic, knowing the origin of the characters can help in not just learning the language and how to use it, but further deepening your immersion in the culture itself.

Take the word 武 (wǔ) for example. A simple translation of the character is 'martial' or 'of war'. But what about the deeper meaning? Well, if you break down the character wu, it actually contains three parts, 'one 一', 'weapon 戈' and 'stop 止'. So we can see that 武 actually means to stop war or to stop fighting, to bring about peace, thus martial arts can be seen as a way to bring about peace. But in fact, that's the comparatively modern understanding. Originally, the component 止 meant feet, or movement, so wu did indeed refer to martial or war like activities. Through the study of culture, we can see how language and understanding of characters have changed and adapted to meet the needs and wants of modern users.

Traditional Chinese culture gives us insight into leading a happier and more balanced life

Traditional Chinese culture, and by extension modern Chinese society, is built upon China's three main philosophies; Confucianism, Daoism and Chan Buddhism. While different in their approaches, all three of those schools of thought promote mindfulness (though not named as such) as a means to achieve peace and harmony with yourself and everything around you.

But how do the three philosophies relate to the kind of Chinese cultural activities that can be experienced and enjoyed in daily life? Many of the most renowned Chinese masters from throughout history have been greatly influenced by them, incorporating ideas such as mindfulness, emptiness, and dynamic balance into their work. Painting and calligraphy, for example, require you to be simultaneously relaxed yet focused and were seen as a way to cultivate mindfulness.

And it's not just the classical arts (painting, poetry, calligraphy) which contain those philosophies at their heart. Nearly all forms of Chinese art, food and traditional customs have aspects that were influenced and informed by philosophy.

We see Confucian influence in Chinese papercutting, for example, which was a way for common people to make representations of 'luxurious' offerings to their ancestors, and a way to observe and be mindful of the natural world and their place in it.

We see Buddhist influence in the act of using art as a way to observe the world from a neutral point of view, and simply 'be in the moment' when conveying your observations through the medium of your chosen art form. We see Daoist practices in the idea that the art you are creating is not something new, or separate from yourself, but is in fact an extension of you, the artist, and in creating the art (or food, or poetry etc.) you let qi (life spirit/essence) flow through you on its way out into the world, as a positive force.

Though it is true to say that the connections with and understanding of traditional philosophies, as originally presented through traditional culture, are less prevalent today than in the past, those principles are still carried forward by traditionally trained modern day artists who seek to emulate the work done by the masters of the past, and for the same reasons, to spread the philosophical teachings, and to give people a way to both observe those concepts through their art, and to inspire others to cultivate their own mindfulness, balance, harmony and respect in their own lives.

It should be noted that none of these ideas are connected with formalised religion or indeed require 'faith' of any kind. While certain groups do treat the ideas presented by teachers such as Buddha, Confucius and Laozi as a religion, together with associated rules, rituals and doctrine, none of those teachers ever presented their ideas as religious. As such, everyone, regardless of their own belief system, or lack thereof, can partake in and benefit from ideas like mindfulness and qi. As a result, whether it is through painting, knotting, martial arts, cooking, or whatever repeated practice takes your interest, by using these concepts to help focus and calm the mind, you can bring balance to the unbalanced and create a positive life habit that will only benefit you more and more as time goes by.

Has China lost its 'true' traditional roots?

There are some who might argue that the traditional Chinese culture we have access to today in China has been adapted simply with 'showiness' or 'commercial viability' in mind, and 'drained' of anything resembling traditional values or philosophies. Is that true?

As someone who has lived in China for more than two decades, indulged myself in the study and discussion of traditional Chinese culture, and of course set up a company to help others experience it for themselves, I feel fairly qualified to say that yes, perhaps it doesn't embrace its traditional roots the same way as other regions, like Hong Kong, do. Or maybe it's not that the traditions aren't embraced, but that simply their origins, and original intentions, are not so widely understood.

Take taichi, as an easy example. Wandering around an average park on any morning of the week, you may see countless people practicing taichi, usually in bright clothing, moving softly to music or waving colourful fans. Asked why they are practising, the majority will answer 'for health reasons'. Asked about the martial arts aspects of taichi, it would be quite common to hear practitioners tell you that taichi isn't a martial art, and is only for health.

While taichi is most definitely good for overall health and well-being, to suggest that it has no martial aspects, and could not be used for self-defence (regardless of how complicated or how long you would need to train taichi to be able to actually use it in a combat situation) is simply being ignorant of the roots of taichi. Of course, that is more the error of the teacher, who themselves may not have learnt anything beyond the most shallow aspects of the art, but the fact still remains that a traditional aspect of the culture is being lost, because teachers aren't teaching it, and students aren't taking the time to enquire further.

And that doesn't just apply to something like martial arts. From the Buddhist inspiration for some of the most spectacular paintings, to Daoist influence in Chinese arts and crafts as discussed above, many people simply aren't aware of how essential traditional culture was to their history, nor how it is still very much present in their daily lives now. That doesn't mean those roots are lost, just that people simply aren't aware of them.

It's also true that traditional Chinese culture has never seen as much promotion as it does now. The world is interested in learning more about China, its history and culture, and so, the powers that be have often taken steps to make that knowledge more appealing or accessible, to better suit their perceptions of what the audience wants and how they want it.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Everything evolves and adapts to keep it relevant. And just because it's being made easier to access and understand, it doesn't mean it's losing its value or 'roots'. Sure, maybe 10 people will go to a calligraphy class, and get to hear about a little history, try a few strokes, maybe take a nice piece of art home with them. Nothing too deep or profound. But maybe one or two of those people really enjoy the experience, feel they want to know more about it, and so take the time and effort to look further into the art, its origins, philosophies and connections with TCM and mindfulness. Yes, they should have access to more in-depth information if they want it, but they might not have developed that interest in the first place if they hadn't had such easy access to begin with!

As long as we understand that what we are teaching or experiencing is simply the tip of the iceberg, with thousands of years of history and culture behind it, which interested parties have the ability to explore and experience for themselves if they wish, those 'roots' are not lost, and this method in fact gives us a way to help preserve and promote traditional Chinese culture further.

For an easy to understand example, beginning as early as the start of the 20th century but really coming into practical force in the early 1950's, the simplification of Chinese characters was seen as a way to rapidly improve education and literacy for the general populace in China, and to help China's development into a modern world power. Could it be argued that the true meaning or 'roots' of the language were lost in the transition to simplified characters? Possibly. But it's hard to argue against an adaptation that allowed easier access to knowledge and education, and the benefits thereof. And traditional characters weren't 'lost' - they are still used today on the Chinese mainland by those in cultural fields, in formal contexts, and even by young people seeking to be different.

Another example of this is the iconic Shaolin Temple, under the leadership of venerable Abbot Shi Yongxin. Since taking over the running of temple, Abbot Shi Yongxin instituted numerous changes, such as speeding up the opening up multiple branches overseas, starting a dedicated media company to sell books and videos, and working to promote the Temple across many media and entertainment outlets.

As a result of these efforts, the Abbott is often accused online of only being interested in money, of turning the temple into a 'money making machine' and abandoning all the important traditions of the temple, and in fact of Buddhism itself! However, from the extensive time we have spent at the temple, talking with the monks there and being involved in aspects of the temple's daily work, we can say the truth is in fact very different. Aside from the fact that Buddhism has no problem with people making money (nor even being rich!), what people don't seem to realise is that the Abbot simply understands the necessity of adapting and providing access in new ways to meet the needs of new audiences and channels. By making it easier to learn about Shaolin history and culture, he is helping to create a whole new generation of potential students (both of Buddhism and martial arts). Sure, not all of them train or meditate 8 hours a day, read every scripture or practice every technique and dedicate their lives to the temple, but those who do (as a result of the initial exposure they might not have gotten otherwise) will be the ones who carry on the traditions to the next generation, and in doing so safeguard the lineage of the Shaolin Temple.

As you can see, we don't believe that modern China is giving up on the essence or roots of its traditional culture, but is finding new ways to present it. Yes, in the march to modernisation and accessibility, we do risk losing something along the way, and steps must be taken to preserve those treasures for future generations. Whether people take the time to go deeper and 'peel back the onion', will be a matter of personal choice. But as teachers, facilitators, fans and proponents, it's our job, our duty, to make people interested enough to want to do so, and help them find that information if they choose to look for it.

What started out as a short look at some of the reasons why learning about traditional Chinese culture is so useful turned into a much longer discussion on a much wider topic. However, despite its length, this was still just a very brief look at our answers to three of the most common questions we get asked, as owners and operators of a Chinese culture company. Of course, it could be argued that we are biased, having been here so long and running the company that we do. And that might be true. But hopefully from what we've written you can get an idea of some of the reasons why we have stayed here so long.

While not intended to be in any way academic, and simply presented as our opinion on a topic we obviously hold very close, we hope something written here will spur an interest so that you find out more for yourself. The study of traditional Chinese culture offers so many benefits, no matter your reason for being interested or whether you decide to find out more in your home country or in China itself. In either case, the benefits you reap will be a question of how much time you choose to dedicate to finding out more and how deep you want to go.

We're not here to suggest any culture, or the teachings and experiences therein, are any better than any other. Everyone has their own path and will learn their life lessons in whichever way is best and most accessible for them. For us, we found those lessons clearest in traditional Chinese culture, which is what lead to our love of China and our passion for sharing the culture with others. If by doing so, we can help people understand China better, or indeed gain any of the benefits we have listed above, then we would definitely consider it work well done.

Exclusive with Chang Shana: Sketching the past for the future

LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE

*your e-mail address.

京ICP备13028878号-6

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

9 Chinese Conversation Scripts to Prepare You for Real-world Dialogues

Textbook Chinese dialogues are the worst.

It doesn’t matter how many times you read through the conversations—once you go to a restaurant in China , you’ll likely be thrown for a loop within a sentence or two.

That’s because we can’t predict exactly what someone will say in any given situation.

Think of the Chinese dialogues in this post as guides —you don’t need to memorize them exactly.

Instead, these nine scripts will give you a sense of conversational flow and the kind of questions and responses you might run into in the real world to help prevent you from freezing up.

Let’s begin!

Chinese Conversation Openers

Chinese dialogues to use with anyone, talk about them, talk about the weather, talk about recent activities, talk about work, chinese dialogues for use in your country, talk to a chinese worker, talk to a chinese student, talk to a chinese traveler, chinese dialogues to use in china, talk to a taxi driver, talk to a local, helpful phrases for any chinese conversation, 不好意思 (bù hǎo yī si).

对不起 (duì bù qǐ)
没听懂 (méi tīng dǒng)
不明白 (bù míng bái)
不知道什么意思 (bù zhī dào shén me yī si)

Politeness in Basic Chinese Conversation

And one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Before you start any conversation, you want to make sure that approaching someone in Chinese will not be offensive. People of other Asian nationalities probably won’t appreciate you assuming they’re Chinese.

If you aren’t sure whether the other person is Chinese or not, you can say “Hello” in English along with your 你好 (nǐ hǎo) . Saying 你好 will work for you because you’re foreign, though it’s generally not how Chinese people greet each other .

If you can confirm that someone is Chinese before you start a conversation with them (for example, if you overhear them speaking Chinese), then you can skip the 你好 greeting altogether.

In that case, a much more natural way to start a conversation in Chinese is to state the obvious.

It’s like the way an English speaker might use a rhetorical question, like asking a colleague, “Hey, done with lunch?”—even though it’s clear that the colleague has already finished eating and gone back to work.

So in Chinese, you can try out these neutral conversation starter statements with a friend, a colleague, an acquaintance, your boss or even a stranger!

你回来了！ (nǐ huí lái le!) — You’re back!
你来了！ (nǐ lái le!) — You made it/You’re here!
好久不见！ (hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn!) — Long time no see!
吃饭了吧。 (chī fàn le ba.) — You’ve already eaten. (This is similar to asking “I take it you’ve already eaten?” and can be used if you’re meeting up with someone close to a mealtime. It’s also just a polite way to greet someone .)
最近很忙吧。 (zuì jìn hěn máng ba.) — [It seems like] You’ve been busy lately.
你的新工作已经开始了吧。 (nǐ de xīn gōng zuò yǐ jīng kāi shǐ le ba.) — So your new job has started.
这里的咖啡很好喝。 (zhè lǐ de kā fēi hěn hǎo hē.) — The coffee here is great.
今天天气还不错。 (jīn tiān tiān qì hái bù cuò.) — The weather is pretty good today.

These conversations can be used almost anywhere. You’ll have greater success if you can tweak the script to really fit your location and situation, but these base-level interactions will serve you well as is!

For each dialogue, you are person A and your conversation partner is person B.

Who doesn’t like talking about themselves sometimes? Inviting someone to do so is a great way to start a conversation.

The follow script could be a conversation in its own right, or simply the intro to a longer chat. Of course, if you’re in China, you’ll probably be safe skipping the first question.

A: 你是中国人吗？ (nǐ shì zhōng guó rén ma?) Are you from China?

B: 是啊！ (shì ā!) I am!

A: 中国哪里？ (zhōng guó nǎ li?) Where in China are you from?

B: 我是__的。 (wǒ shì __ de.) I’m from __.

A: 在那里有方言吗？ (zài nà li yǒu fāng yán ma?) Is there a dialect in that area?

B: 有。 (yǒu.) There is.

A: 你的母语是普通话吗？ (mǐ de mǔ yǔ shì pú tōng huà ma?) Is Mandarin your mother tongue?

B: 是的 / 不是。 (shì de / bú shì.) It is / No, it’s not.

Note that to answer the question 中国哪里？they may say either a Chinese province or a Chinese city, which you can learn more about here .

To expand on the above conversation (or start a new one—notice the conversation opener below!), you can engage the other person in further questions about their background, hometown or nationality.

Just as in English, these topics are fair game for small talk in the Chinese-speaking world.

A: 今天天气还不错。 (jīn tiān tiān qì hái bù cuò.) The weather is pretty good today.

B: 是啊！ (shì a!) True!

A: 请问，您是哪里人？ (qǐng wèn, nín shì nǎ lǐ rén?) May I ask, where are you from?

B: 我是哈尔滨人。 (wǒ shì hā ‘ěr bīn rén.) I’m from Harbin.

A: 哇，哈尔滨！那里的天气怎么样？ (wa, hā ‘ěr bīn! nà lǐ de tiān qì zěn me yàng?) Wow, Harbin! What is the weather like there?

B: 哈尔滨的天气非常冷！ (hā ‘ěr bīn de tiān qì fēi cháng lěng!) Harbin’s weather is very cold!

To really be prepared for this conversation, brush up on your Chinese weather vocabulary . You can also practice including information about your own hometown and corresponding weather as well.

Another casual conversation you can have (especially if you really hit it off with someone) is discussing what you or they have been up to.

This also works great if you run into an acquaintance or friend you haven’t see in a while. Here’s a sample dialogue between two old pals:

A: 好久不见！ (hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn!) Long time no see!

B: 是的！ (shì de!) Yeah!

A: 你最近怎么样？ (nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng?) How have you been recently?

B: 我最近很忙。你呢？ (wǒ zuì jìn hěn máng. nǐ ne?) I’ve been very busy. What about you?

A: 我也很忙，我每天都在学中文！ (wǒ yě hěn máng, wǒ měi tiān doū zài xué zhōng wén!) I’ve been busy too. I’ve been studying Chinese every day!

B: 能听得出来！你的发音很有进步！ (néng tīng de chū lái! nǐ de fǎ yīn hěn yǒu jìn bù!) I can hear the difference! Your pronunciation has really improved!

An easy continuation of this conversation could be asking them what hobbies they’ve been enjoying in their free time .

If you work with native Chinese speakers, they will probably greatly appreciate you learning their language.

Striking up a casual conversation with Chinese-speaking colleagues is a great way to build camaraderie and language skills.

Before diving into a work-related request or asking for help on a project, try easing into your conversation with a dialogue like this:

A: 你回来了！ (nǐ huí lái le!) You’re back!

B: 回来了！ (huí lái le!) I’m back!

A: 吃饭了吧？ (chī fàn le ba?) You ate already?

B: 吃完了。 (chī wán le.) [Yes,] I ate.

A: 那请问，你现在有空吗？ (nà qǐng wèn, nǐ xiàn zài yǒu kòng ma?) Then may I ask, are you free right now?

B: 有，怎么了？ (yǒu, zěn me le?) Yeah, what’s up?

A: 你可以帮我回一封邮件吗？ (nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ huí yī fēng yóu jiàn ma?) Can you help me reply to an email?

B: 可以，没问题！ (kě yǐ, méi wèn tí!) Sure, no problem!

The following few conversations are great to learn because you can ask a lot of the same questions and end up having totally different interactions in each situation.

Don’t forget to start with a basic greeting or quick “get-to-know-you” question first!

Perhaps you’ve bumped into a Chinese speaker out and about in your hometown. You can strike up a chat like this:

A: 你读书还是上班？ (nǐ dú shū hái shi shàng bàn?) Are you studying or working here?

B: 上班。 (shàng bàn.) Working.

A: 你住在这里多久了？ (nǐ zhù zài zhè li duō jiǔ le?) How long have you lived here?

B: 我__年搬到这里了。 (wǒ __ nián bān dào zhè li le.) I moved here in __ [referring to the year].

A: 习惯了吗？ (xí guàn le ma?) Have you gotten used to living here?

B: 习惯了。 (xí guàn le.) [Yeah,] I’ve gotten used to it.

There are, of course, plenty of alternative answers the other person could give in this conversation. For instance, other answers to the question 你住在这里多久了？may include:

已经__ 年了。 (yǐ jīng __ nián le.) — It’s already been __ years .
已经__个月了。 (yǐ jīng __ gè yuè le.) — It’s already been __ months .
就__ 天了。 (jiǔ __ tiān le.) — It’s only been __ days .
我__ 年来了。 (wǒ __ nián lái le.) — I got here in __ [referring to the year ].

If it was recent enough, they may just tell you the date they arrived.

In Chinese, durations of time are generalized. The only two components you really need for this answer are duration of time (years, months , days , etc.) and numbers (one to 10 generally are good enough).

Another answer to 习惯了吗？could be 还没 (hái méi) — “Not yet.” Or, they might say 不习惯 (bù xí guàn) to mean “Not used to it,” which would usually be said when they’ve given up hope of getting accustomed.

This conversation could start from the same questions as the last one. See where it diverges:

B: 读书。 (dú shū.) Studying.

B: 已经__个月了。 (yǐ jīng __ gè yuè le.) It’s already been __ months.

A: 喜欢这边吗？ (xǐ huān zhè biàn ma?) How do you like it here?

B: 不错！ (bú cuò!) It’s not bad!

A: 你的父母还在中国吗？ (nǐ de fū mǔ hái zài zhōng guó ma?) Are your parents still in China?

B: 还在。 (hái zài.) They are.

Again, there are a range of answer options here, some of which we went over above.

In this example, the student answered 喜欢这边吗？with 不错, meaning “not bad” or “I’m liking it so far.” They could also say:

不太喜欢。 (bú tài xǐ huān.) — I don’t like it so much. (As in, “I’m only here because I have to be.”)
还可以。 (hái kě yǐ.) — It’s good. (As in, “It’s doable.”)
喜欢。 (xǐ huān.) — I like it here. (As in, “Two thumbs up.”)

Next, the answer to 你的父母还在中国吗？could also be 不在 (bú zài) — “They aren’t.”

If the person is older, however, you may not want to ask about their parents for obvious reasons. It would be more appropriate to ask: 你的家人也在这里吗？ (nǐ de jiā rén yě zài zhè li ma?) — “Is your family here, too?”

We started the last two conversations with the same question: 你读书还是上班？

The word 还是 means “or” and creates a sort of multiple choice question for the other person to select one of the two options you’ve presented—in this case, working or studying.

But what if they’re not doing either?

In that case, they’ll likely respond by telling you what they’re doing instead. The most common answer: 旅游 (lǚ yóu) — traveling.

Here’s how you can continue chatting with a Chinese traveler:

A: 你多长时间在这边？ (nǐ duō cháng shí jiān zài zhè li?) How long will you be here?

B: 一共__天。 (yǐ gōng __ tiān.) In total __ days.

A: 你和家人一起旅游吗？ (nǐ hé jiā rén yī qǐ lǚ yóu ma?) Are you traveling with your family?

B: 我一个人旅游。 (wǒ yī gè rén lǚ yóu.) I’m traveling by myself.

A: 喜欢这边的天气吗？ (xǐ huān zhè biàn de tiān qī ma?) How do you like the weather here?

B: 喜欢！ (xǐ huān!) I like it!

A: 你觉得走来走去容不容易？ (nǐ jué de zǒu lái zǒu qù róng bù róng yì?) Do you think it’s easy to get around here?

B: 可以的。 (kě yǐ de.) It’s manageable.

Alternative responses to 你和家人一起旅游吗？might include:

和家人一起。 (hé jiā rén yī qǐ.) — [Yes,] I’m with family.
我和__。 (wǒ hé __.) — It’s me and __. (Likely a family member or 朋友 [péng yǒu] — friend.)
我出差了。 (wǒ chū chāi le.) — I’m on a business trip.

And did you notice how we changed 喜欢这边吗？to 喜欢这边的天气吗？in this dialogue?

Adding this 的 + Noun structure is great for conversations, because it means, “Do you like the __ here?” You can try replacing 天气 with 菜 (cài) — food, or 人 (rén) — people.

The following scripts will help you connect with locals as you travel through China or other Chinese-speaking regions.

Again, remember to start with a greeting or conversation opener!

One of the most reliable conversation partners of any traveler is the curious cabbie.

In China, these drivers are so famously chatty that they’ve inspired entire blog posts about the full-immersion experience of learning Chinese in taxis!

Here’s how an example conversation could go:

A: 早上好。我要去语言学校。 (zǎo shang hǎo. wǒ yào qù yǔ yán xué xiào.) Good morning. I’m going to the language school.

B: 好。 (hǎo.) OK.

A: 请问，现在几点？ (qǐng wèn, xiàn zài jǐ diǎn?) Excuse me, what is the time now?

B: 差一刻八点。您会说汉语啊？ (chà yī kè bā diǎn. nín huì shuō hàn yǔ a?) It’s a quarter to eight. You can speak Chinese?

A: 我会说一点儿汉语。我现在要去上汉语课了。 (wǒ huì shuō yī diǎn er hàn yǔ. wǒ xiàn zài yào qù shàng hàn yǔ kè le.) I can speak a little Chinese. I’m going to Chinese class right now.

B: 你们几点上课？ (nǐ men jǐ diǎn shàng kè?) What time do you guys have class?

A: 八点上课。师傅，我们八点能到吗？ (bā diǎn shàng kè. shī fù, wǒ men bā diǎn néng dào ma?) We have class at eight o’clock. Driver, can we arrive by eight?

B: 能到。您的汉语很好。 (néng dào. nín de hàn yǔ hěn hǎo.) Yes, we can. Your Chinese is good.

If you’re in an interesting area and want to get chatty, find someone nearby who seems friendly and give it a go!

A: 你是本地人吗？ (nǐ shì běn dì rén ma?) Are you a local?

B: 是的。 (shì de.) I am.

A: 我是__的。你认识过__人吗？ (wǒ shì __ de. nǐ rèn shi guò __ rén ma?) I’m from __. Have you ever met a __ before?

B: 认识过。 (rèn shi guò.) I have.

A: 你去过别的国家吗？ (nǐ qù guò bǐe de guó jiā ma?) Have you been to any other countries?

B: 我去过__。 (wǒ qù guò __.) I’ve been to __.

To say where you’re from, simply fill in the name of your country in Chinese . The name of a country followed by 人 (person) means someone is “a citizen of” said country. For example, 美国 (měi guó) means “America,” and 美国人 (měi guó rén) means “American.”

Other possible answers to “Have you met a __ person before?” might be:

我没有。 (wǒ méi yǒu.) — I have not.
这是第一次。 (zhè shì dì yī cì.) — This is the first time.
你是第一个。 (nǐ shì dì yī gè.) — You’re the first.

If your conversation partner has never left China, they could answer 你去过别的国家吗？with 没去国外 (méi qù guó wài) — “I haven’t been to another country.”

Lastly, if they answer the first question with 不是 (bù shì) , meaning that they’re not a local of the place you’re in, you could also ask them: 你喜欢__吗？ (nǐ xǐ huān __ ma?) — “Do you like [the name of the city or province you’re in]?”

To this they might say some phrases you’ve already learned, like:

不太喜欢。 (bú tài xǐ huān.) — I don’t like it that much.
还可以。 (hái kě yǐ.) — It’s good/okay.
不错。 (bú cuò.) — It’s not bad/pretty good.
喜欢。 (xǐ huān.) — I like it here.

Memorizing these common phrases will help you out if any of your conversations go so off-track that you’re having trouble following along or keeping up.

This is most commonly used like “Excuse me” is in English. You can use this phrase to apologize when you don’t understand what the other person is saying.

Of course, try to take the conversation sentence by sentence and not word by word. If you get the gist of what they’re trying to say—roll with it! And if it turns out later that you missed something important, you can apologize then.

(You can also learn the chorus to this song !)

对不起 (duì bù qǐ)

This is how you say “I’m sorry” in Chinese . It carries more weight than 不好意思, so it’s better to save this one for when you need to apologize because you have to chalk up the conversation as a loss (it happens).

Learning to apologize as a Chinese learner is culturally important. Apologizing for not understanding the other person shows that you won’t demand that they come down to your level of Chinese.

It also shows that you want to communicate with them despite your language limitations. An apology can be viewed as both respectful and endearing. After all, it’s not their fault they went “off script!”

没听懂 (méi tīng dǒng)

The literal meaning of this phrase is “Didn’t hear and get it,” which implies that while you did hear what they said, you don’t know what it means. Use 没听懂 when the other person says a word or phrase that you’ve never heard before.

Note that there’s a very similar phrase, 听不懂 (tīng bù dǒng) , that basically means the same thing, but you’d say it as a reason to end a conversation instead of ask for explanation.

不明白 (bù míng bái)

Literally “Don’t understand,” the implied meaning here is “I heard and understood what you said, but I don’t understand your point.”

You can use this phrase if you know the words the other person is saying, but you don’t get the gist of what they’re trying to communicate.

不知道什么意思 (bù zhī dào shén me yī si)

What you’re saying with this phrase is, “I don’t know what [that] means,” as in “I don’t understand what that has to do with what we’re talking about.”

If you understood every word that was said and what those words or phrases mean on their own, but you don’t understand how it fits into the context of the conversation, you can say 不知道什么意思.

To be more specific about what you didn’t understand, you can say: [word/phrase] 什么意思？ (__ shén me yī si?) to ask “What does [word/phrase] mean?”

To further hone your conversational prowess, try starting questions with 请问 (qǐng wèn) — “Excuse me” or “Please, may I ask…”

This is a polite way to start a question when speaking with someone you don’t know (or don’t know well), or someone who may hold a respected status—such as a manager, teacher or elderly family member.

In the latter scenario, you can also consider switching any instances of 你 (nǐ) — “you” to 您 (nín) — the honorific form of “you.”

Further, if you find yourself struggling to carry on a conversation, you can try ending responses with 你呢？ (nǐ ne?) — “and you?” Like in English, this can be added onto responses like “I’m doing well” or “I’ve been busy lately” to bounce the question back to your partner.

Most Chinese dialogue scripts follow the same, very basic structure: a greeting, then a Chinese-language-based conversation. Again, the downside of a script is that, in real life, the other person could say anything at any point during the conversation.

You can continue preparing for this by consuming more realistic Chinese content. Movies and television will give you great examples of how native speakers really hold conversations in Chinese.

For help selecting the right video clips to watch, you can try using FluentU , an immersive language learning program . The video clips on this program come from authentic Chinese media, so you’ll learn the language as it’s actually spoken by native speakers.

Review the nine Chinese dialogues in this post and expose yourself to more Chinese conversations, and you’ll feel more and more prepared each time you meet a native Chinese speaker!

If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU .

FluentU naturally eases you into learning Chinese language. Native Chinese content comes within reach, and you'll learn Chinese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a wide range of contemporary videos—like dramas, TV shows, commercials and music videos.

FluentU App Browse Screen

FluentU brings these native Chinese videos within reach via interactive captions. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. All words have carefully written definitions and examples that will help you understand how a word is used. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

learn-mandarin-chinese-with-subtitled-song-and-music-videos

Interactive Transcripts on FluentU

FluentU's Learn Mode turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning.

practice-mandarin-chinese-with-adaptive-quizzes

FluentU Has Quizzes for Every Video

The best part is that FluentU always keeps track of your vocabulary. It customizes quizzes to focus on areas that need attention and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a 100% personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

Immersion Program
Learn Chinese Online
Study Abroad in China
Custom Travel Programs
Teach in China
What is CLI?
Testimonials
The CLI Center
Photo Gallery
简体中文
한국어
Español

Journey into the World of Chinese Tea

Learn Chinese in China or on Zoom and gain fluency in Chinese!

Join CLI and learn Chinese with your personal team of Mandarin teachers online or in person at the CLI Center in Guilin , China.

China is synonymous with tea, and tea with China. In fact, the history of tea in China is almost as long as the history of China itself. Despite the recent rise of coffee, Chinese tea culture continues to enjoy great popularity. Read on to learn about the past, present and future of tea in China.

Table of Contents

Shennong: The Mythical Father of Chinese Medicine

Early archeological and historical evidence, the classic of tea by lu yu, tea during the ming and qing dynasties, the east india company and robert fortune, we really mean tea, camellia sinensis tea, types of chinese teas, honorable mentions, we must not forget herbal "teas", last but not least, nǎichá, top 5 recommended chinese teas, chinese tea ceremonies gain in popularity, how to conduct a chinese tea ceremony, everything tea, how much coffee do people drink in china, the chinese tea industry marches on, chinese vocabulary related to chinese tea culture.

Learn Chinese with CLI

The History of Tea in China

The history of Chinese tea (茶 chá ) begins with Shennong (神农 S hénnóng ), a mythical personage said to be the father of Chinese agriculture and Traditional Chinese Medicine .

Legend has it that Shennong accidentally discovered tea as he was boiling water to drink while sitting under a Camellia sinensis tree. Some leaves from the tree fell into the water, infusing it with a refreshing aroma. Shennong took a sip, found it enjoyable, and thus, tea was born.

Shennong is considered the father of Chinese agriculture.

Chinese mythology aside, archeological evidence has been found indicating that tea was used as a medicine by the elite as early as the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE).

Tea didn’t achieve widespread popularity as an everyday beverage in China until the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), however. Chinese Buddhist monks were some of the first to develop the habit of drinking tea. Its caffeine content helped them concentrate during long hours of prayer and meditation.

Much of the information we have about early Chinese tea culture comes from The Classic of Tea (茶经 C hájīng ), written around 760 CE by Lu Yu (陆羽 L ù Yǔ ), an orphan who grew up cultivating and drinking tea in a Buddhist monastery.

The Classic of Tea describes early Tang dynasty tea culture and explains how to grow and prepare tea.

In Lu Yu’s day, tea leaves were compressed into tea bricks , which were sometimes used as currency . When it was time to drink the tea, it was ground into a powder and mixed with water using a whisk to create a frothy beverage.

Although this type of powdered tea is no longer common in China, it was brought from China to Japan during the Tang dynasty and lives on today in Japanese matcha .

During the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 CE), tea bricks were replaced with loose leaf tea by imperial decree. This change was meant to make life easier for farmers since the traditional method of creating tea bricks was quite labor intensive.

Loose leaf tea is still the most common form of tea found in China today.

Tea was introduced in Britain in the mid-1600’s and British demand for tea soon created a trade imbalance with China. To correct it, Britain began exporting opium to China.

After China tried to ban opium, Britain launched the mid-19th century Opium Wars to force the trade to continue.

Although the wars achieved their stated goal, British merchants began to worry about the viability of continuing to rely on tea from the Chinese market. Soon, the East India Company sent Robert Fortune , a Scottish botanist and adventurer, to steal the secrets of tea-making from China.

Fortune’s stolen information, plants and seeds were then used to start large-scale tea production in India.

Indian tea production quickly outstripped that of China, and China lost its long-standing monopoly on the international tea trade.

The Chinese tea industry went into decline, and China has only recently regained its status as the world’s leading tea exporter.

Robert Fortune

Popular Types of Tea in China

Today, most Chinese tea is loose leaf tea that’s steeped in boiling water, either in a teapot (茶壶 cháhú ) or directly in a thermos or glass, depending on the type of tea being consumed.

Drinking tea made from tea bags is uncommon in China.

“Tea” is used as a catch-all term for many different herbal brews in the West. In the strictest sense, however, the word “tea” only applies to beverages made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.

Contrary to popular belief, the differences in taste and color seen in different types of Chinese tea are not due to the use of different kinds of tea leaves. Rather, they are due to differences in the production and manufacturing process.

The type of tea produced is determined by the level of oxidation the tea leaves are allowed to undergo before the process is stopped by heating the leaves. In China, tea merchants usually refer to this oxidation process as fermentation (发酵 fājiào ).

Chinese teas are classified according to their level of fermentation. The more fermented the tea, the stronger its taste. White teas (白茶 báichá) are essentially unfermented (不发酵 bù fājiào).

They are followed by lightly fermented (微发酵 wēi fājiào) green teas (绿茶 lǜchá), half fermented (半发酵 bàn fājiào) oolong teas (乌龙茶 wūlóng chá), and fully fermented (全发酵 quán fājiào) black teas (红茶 hóngchá).

Pu’er (also called pu-erh) teas (普洱茶 pǔ'ěrchá), which are generally quite dark and strong, are said to be post-fermented (后发酵 hòu fājiào).

Certain regions of China are known for producing and consuming special types of tea. For example, Wuyi Mountain, in Fujian Province, is particularly famous for production and consumption of fine oolong teas such as dahongpao (大红袍 dàhóngpáo ).

Green teas such as biluochun (碧螺春 bìluóchūn ), grown in Jiangsu Province, are popular in the region around Shanghai.

Biluochun tea

Other beverages referred to as “tea” also exist in China, although some of them don’t actually contain any Camellia sinensis leaves.

One popular tea is jasmine tea (茉莉花茶 mòlìhuāchá ), made from a mixture of green tea and jasmine flowers.

Barley tea (大麦茶 dàmàichá ), made from roasted barley grains, doesn’t actually contain any tea leaves at all.

Jasmine tea

Other types of “tea” that enjoy immense popularity among the younger generations are milk tea (奶茶 nǎichá ) and bubble tea (珍珠奶茶 zhēnzhū nǎichá ).

These sugary drinks, which don’t contain much (if any) actual tea, come in a variety of different flavors.

CLI is in the business of China, and in China business means drinking tea. After over 12 years working day in and day out on behalf of our students and community (which means staying well caffeinated!), we've come know tea well.

Here are our top 5 recommended Chinese teas:

Buy from Amazon

Modern Chinese Tea Culture

Tea culture in China is most intact in the south, where the bulk of China’s tea is produced.

Tea can be consumed at home or in teahouses (茶馆 cháguǎn ), many of which offer private rooms for drinking tea with friends or business partners. Although tea is consumed by people from every sector of society, most tea connoisseurs tend to be middle-aged business people, intellectuals or artists.

Much of modern Chinese tea culture revolves around the gongfu tea ceremony (功夫茶 or gōngfūchá ). Thought to have originated in Fujian or Guangdong Province, it usually features black, oolong or pu’er tea.

At its most basic, the ceremony makes use of tiny tea cups (茶杯 chábēi ), a tea-brewing vessel such as a gaiwan (盖碗 gàiwǎn ) or an Yixing purple clay teapot (紫砂壶 zǐshāhú ), a tea strainer, a tea pitcher and a tea table or tray. Other utensils such as tea tongs are optional.

The more complicated the ceremony, the more utensils are likely to be involved. Tea tables are often quite large and can be decorated with whimsical tea pets (茶宠 cháchǒng ).

Normally, tea ceremonies are run by a host who begins by steeping loose leaf tea in water in a gaiwan or teapot, and then pouring it through a tea strainer into a tea pitcher to filter out bits of tea leaf.

Next, the host pours tea from the pitcher onto teacups. Instead of serving this first batch of tea to guests, the host generally pours it out onto the tea table, allowing it to drain into a bucket underneath.

This is done to wash the tea cups and also because tea from the first pour is thought to be too strong to drink. This process is then repeated, except that the tea is served to those present instead of being discarded.

After being served, guests should either thank the host verbally or express thanks by tapping their bent index and middle fingers on the tea table. This custom is most common in southern China and is said to have originated during the Qing dynasty (1636–1912 CE), when the Qianlong Emperor , who was traveling in disguise, poured tea for a servant.

The servant wanted to show his gratitude by kneeling, but couldn’t do so for fear of revealing the emperor’s identity. Therefore, he tapped the table with two bent fingers instead.

For a full transcript of the above video that includes Chinese characters , pinyin , and English translations, click here .

It is possible to spend a great deal of money collecting expensive tea leaves and fine tea accessories, especially Yixing teapots .

In some affluent circles, engagement with tea culture is used as a way to “ flaunt wealth and invest savings ,” a bit like wine culture in the United States. Certain wealthy individuals use their knowledge of tea culture to impress friends and gain prestige.

It’s also not uncommon for expensive teas to be given as gifts on important occasions.

That said, not everyone you encounter in China is going to be a tea connoisseur. Many won’t even be familiar with the gongfu tea ceremony.

Some families don’t have the habit of drinking tea, and some people simply drink it without fanfare in a thermos that they carry with them throughout the day.

The Rise of Coffee

China has been a nation of tea drinkers for a long time, and coffee (咖啡 kā fēi ) was rare in China until recently. Over the past 20 years, coffee’s popularity has steadily increased, especially among urban millennials.

Although per capita Chinese coffee consumption is still only 5 cups per year compared to 400 cups in the United States, the demand for coffee in China has grown exponentially since the first Starbucks opened in Beijing in 1999.

Coffee shops (咖啡馆 kāfēiguǎn ) are now ubiquitous in China’s first, second, and even third-tier cities.

Coffee is especially popular with students and young white-collar workers, who associate it with the aspirational Western lifestyle that comes with newfound economic mobility.

The prices at Starbucks in China are quite high compared to those in the U.S., but this only helps to add to its allure and cements Starbucks coffee as a status symbol for the new middle class.

The Future of Tea

For now, tea drinking is firmly entrenched in Chinese culture. Coffee’s increasing popularity poses a challenge to the Chinese tea industry, however.

Today, traditional teahouses are nowhere near as popular with members of the younger generation as coffee shops are. This is perhaps related to the fact that traditional Chinese tea suffers from a branding problem.

While large coffee chains like Starbucks have sophisticated brand images that attract young consumers, no traditional Chinese tea brands with such widespread appeal have emerged.

Recently, some traditional tea companies have responded to changes in the market by opening trendy cafes or offering new products designed to appeal to more modern tastes such as fruit-flavored teas, tea bags, and instant tea. Such changes may be necessary if China’s tea industry wants to compete with coffee in the long-run.

Considering its strong historical record of successfully adapting to the changes brought about by wars, intellectual property theft and imperial decrees, the Chinese tea industry seems likely to overcome its current challenges and continue to exist for many years to come.

Free 30-minute Trial Lesson

Continue exploring.

Chinese Culture

Constitution
State Structure
Our Responsibilities
NPC Structure
The Great Hall of the People
Annual Meetings
Standing Committee Meetings
Council of Chairpersons
Legislation
Supervision
Deputies Support
Intl Exchanges
Documents & Speeches

Home > The Governance of China > The Governance of China II > Cultural Confidence

Transform and Boost Traditional Culture in a Creative Way

Xi Jinping: The Governance of China II Updated: 2021-12-27

Transform and Boost Traditional Culture in a Creative Way*

September 24, 2014

We must never forget our history; only then can we open up a new era. We should know how to inherit before we become good at innovation.

Outstanding traditional culture is the root of the heritage and development of a country and a nation. Renouncing it is tantamount to severing our cultural lifeline. We should learn how to best carry forward our fine cultural traditions, and at the same time promote contemporary culture. We should put emphasis on both inheriting and development.

During its formation and progress, traditional culture is inevitably subjected to restraint and influence by the limitations in people's mindset, in conditions of the times, and in social systems. Consequently, it is natural that it contains things outdated or even dross.

This requires us to adhere to the principle of making the past serve the present, weeding through the old to bring forth the new when learning, studying and applying traditional culture. We must make a judgment in accordance with today's reality and the requirements of our era, instead of putting it into practice mechanically without thinking.

We should make the past serve the present, taking the past as a mirror for today, distinguishing what can be used, and what cannot, and carrying forward while assimilating, instead of esteeming the past over the present and using the past to negate the present. We should learn to transform and boost traditional culture in a creative way, to integrate old and new, and let both of them serve our current mission of cultivating the people.

* Part of the speech at the opening ceremony of the International Conference Commemorating the 2565th Anniversary of Confucius' Birth and the Fifth Congress of the International Confucian Association.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)

State Council
CPPCC National Committee
Supreme People's Court
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
People's Daily Online
China Daily

Throughout the ages, rising powers’ magnificent traditional cultures have not only been respected and eulogized domestically but have also enjoyed great appeal and influence internationally.

Leaders of all great countries regard the preservation and promotion of their respective countries’ magnificent traditional cultures as one of the important tasks of governing the country because otherwise, it would be impossible to establish national consciousness, promote national unity, enhance national self-confidence, prevent foreign ideas from eroding their culture, formulate policies that are in line with national conditions and supported by the people, and strengthen their countries’ discourse power and soft power in the world. In this regard, rising China is certainly no exception.

President Xi Jinping has, repeatedly, explicated comprehensively the importance of magnificent traditional Chinese culture to the nation. He has also entrenched the essence of magnificent traditional Chinese culture in China’s domestic- and foreign-affairs strategies. Carrying forward China’s magnificent traditional culture has also become one of the core parts of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

On Oct 8, at a national meeting on the work of public communication and culture, President Xi gave important instructions in this regard, emphasizing the need to “focus on continuing the Chinese cultural heritage and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s magnificent traditional culture”, and “protect and carry forward China’s magnificent traditional culture”.

Earlier, on June 2, President Xi delivered a speech at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development, stating that “only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we effectively promote the innovative development of China’s magnificent traditional culture and the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation”.

There is no doubt that in the journey of promoting the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization, carrying forward China’s magnificent traditional culture is of great strategic significance.

First, it is closely related to the Sinicization of Marxism. In his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed opening a new phase of Sinicization of Marxism in the current times and pointed out that “upholding and developing Marxism must be combined with China’s magnificent traditional culture. Only by being rooted in the fertile soil of the history and culture of our country and our nation could the tree of Marxist truth have deep roots and flourish”. The CPC has always emphasized the “first combination” of combining Marxism with China’s reality.

President Xi underscored the importance of the “second combination” in his speech on June 2. “We have always emphasized the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s specific realities, and now we have proposed the ‘second combination’. I have said that without the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, where are the Chinese characteristics? If it is not Chinese characteristics, how can we have such a successful road of socialism with Chinese characteristics today?” “The ‘second combination’ makes Marxism Chinese, China’s magnificent traditional culture become modern, and the new culture formed through the ‘(second) combination’ become the cultural form of Chinese-style modernization.” “The road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is developed under the guidance of Marxism and emerges from the history of Chinese civilization of more than 5,000 years.

“The ‘second combination’ gives the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics a grand and far-reaching historical depth and has expanded the cultural foundation of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” In other words, the “second combination” is the inevitable and necessary development of the Sinicization of Marxism. Carrying forward China’s magnificent traditional culture also allows Marxism to have more ideological vitality and practical effect in China.

Second, carrying forward China’s magnificent traditional culture is a prerequisite for promoting Chinese-style modernization, which is a unique modernization path that takes place in China and is pioneered by China.

It has distinctive Chinese characteristics, and these characteristics are related to China’s long history and culture. General Secretary Xi stated in his report to the 20th National Congress of the CPC: “Chinese-style modernization is socialist modernization led by the CPC. It has the common characteristics of the modernization of all countries and has Chinese characteristics grounded in its national conditions.”

He also pointed out in his speech on June 2 that the Chinese civilization has outstanding continuity. “The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must follow its own path. If we don’t understand China from its long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, it is impossible to understand modern China, and it is impossible to understand future China.”

Third, cultural confidence must be based on confidence in China’s magnificent traditional culture. In Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, cultural self-confidence is the self-confidence in the advanced nature of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to cultural self-confidence is to inspire the Party and the people to have pride in China’s magnificent traditional culture, and to form a consensus on and identification with the socialist core values in the whole society; and the socialist core values have many similarities with China’s magnificent traditional culture.

The National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work pointed out that Xi Jinping Thought on Culture “testifies that our Party’s understanding of the laws of socialist cultural construction with Chinese characteristics has reached a new height and that our Party’s historical confidence and cultural confidence have reached a new height”.

Fourth, the concept of “a global community with a shared future” was reared by China’s magnificent traditional culture. Last month, the State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “A Global Community of Shared Future: China’s Proposals and Actions”, emphasizing that the concept of a global community with a shared future is rooted in China’s profound historical and cultural heritage and carries forward China’s magnificent traditional culture.

“Chinese magnificent traditional culture is the crystallization and essence of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. It provides useful enlightenment for people to understand and transform the world, contains important revelations for solving the problems faced by contemporary mankind, and contains rich genes of a global community with a shared future.” The white paper further emphasizes that the concept of “a global community with a shared future” is in harmony with the concepts of “harmony” and “harmony within diversity” in traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese nation’s belief in “all nations together are one community”, the Chinese nation’s values of “universal benevolence, virtue and love”, the Chinese nation’s values of “establishing oneself and helping others to establish themselves”, and the Chinese nation’s belief in the harmony between humanity and nature. Promoting the initiative of “a global community of a shared future” is also a promotion of China’s magnificent traditional culture in a modern sense.

Fifth, carrying forward China’s magnificent traditional culture also has important connotations for patriotic education. Article 2 of the Patriotic Education Law of the People’s Republic of China (Draft) stipulates that “the national spirit must be inherited”; and Article 6 stipulates that one of the main contents of patriotic education is “China’s magnificent traditional culture”.

Promoting China’s magnificent traditional culture is critical to “cultivating and enhancing emotions for the Chinese nation and the great motherland, inheriting the national spirit, strengthening national consciousness, strengthening and uniting all patriotic forces, and making patriotism become the firm belief, spiritual strength and conscious action of all people”.

Finally, promoting China’s magnificent traditional culture will help boost China’s global ideological and cultural appeal and influence. General Secretary Xi proposed at the 20th National Congress of the CPC to enhance the dissemination and influence of Chinese civilization, underlining the need to “adhere to the position of Chinese culture, refine and display the spiritual symbols and cultural essence of Chinese civilization, and accelerate the construction of China’s discourse power and China’s narrative system”.

In his Oct 8 speech, he called for “strengthening the construction of international communication capabilities (of China)”, “continuously improving the country’s cultural soft power and the influence of Chinese culture”, and “strengthening and improving external publicity work to enhance the influence and communicative power of the Chinese civilization”.

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture is also of great strategic significance to Hong Kong, especially in promoting patriotic education. Article 22 of the Patriotism Education Law (Draft) stipulates: “The State takes measures to carry out historical, cultural education and national conditions education to enhance the identification of the compatriots in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ... with the country and China’s magnificent traditional culture.”

Strengthening the promotion of China’s magnificent traditional culture in Hong Kong’s schools and society must be the common and priority mission of the HKSAR government and all sectors of society.

Even though Hong Kong was under British rule for more than one and a half centuries, thanks to the efforts of many academics, cultural and art circles, and other thoughtful and enthusiastic people, Chinese traditional culture in Hong Kong has not only been preserved but also developed, making the city a capital of cultural exchanges between China and the West.

Therefore, Hong Kong already has the advantages to promote China’s magnificent traditional culture and can also use them to help the country promote China’s magnificent traditional culture around the world, especially in promoting the modernization of China’s magnificent traditional culture and making it easier for overseas people to understand and appreciate Chinese culture. This is certainly one of the unique contributions that Hong Kong can make under “one country, two systems” to advance the country’s discourse power in the international arena.

The author is a professor emeritus of sociology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a consultant of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Confucius and the Chinese culture: address to the Young Experts Symposium (YES 2022)

Published: 13 March 2024
Volume 11 , pages 11–22, ( 2024 )

Cite this article

Wang Ronghua 1

66 Accesses

Explore all metrics

This text is based on a speech given in November 2022. Its content seems more relevant today than ever: To get along and to cooperate well, human societies around the world have to overcome a dangerous Cold War mentality that is still lurking and even growing today. In the current atmosphere, the importance of the world’s understanding of Chinese culture cannot be overemphasized. In order to counter the dangerous developments and lay the foundation for a peaceful and fruitful future, I argue that one of the most important tasks—for Chinese and non-Chinese observers alike—is to study the works of classical Chinese philosophy. In this direction, I discuss the respective points of view of important Chinese scholars, such as Qian Mu, Liang Qichao, Liang Shuming, Xiong Shili, Ma Yifu, and Mou Zhongjian. All of them have highlighted the importance of mastering Confucian and other classical writings. Their views are discussed in view of passages from The Analects , the (book of) Xunzi , the Mengzi , as well as other ancient works and the canon of important later works in pre-modern Confucian traditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA) Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Reconstituting Confucianism for the Contemporary World

Recent Developments in Confucianism in Mainland China

Confucius, a Chinese christian prophet? The translation of Chinese classics by the Priest Joaquim Guerra and the religious dialogue in 20th century

Data avalability.

Not applicable.

Code Availability

The symposium was held online on November 19 and 20, 2022. It was organized by the Research Institute for Globalization and Cultural Development Strategies at Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai (BNU Zhuhai).

“Beijing-backed Chinese Language Schools in UK to Be Replaced with Teachers from Taiwan.” 2022. The Guardian.com, September 18. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/18/beijing-backed-chinese-language-schools-in-uk-to-be-replaced-with-teachers-from-taiwan . Accessed December 30, 2023.

Confucius: The Analects . 2008. Chinese–English edition. Translated by D. C. Lau. Beijing: Zhonghua.

Edelman Trust Barometer . 2022. Edelman.com. https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2022-01/2022%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20FINAL_Jan25.pdf . Accessed November 15, 2023.

Harsha, Dan. 2020. “Taking China’s Pulse: Ash Center Research Team Unveils Findings from Long-term Public Opinion Survey.” The Harvard Gazette , July 9. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/07/long-term-survey-reveals-chinese-government-satisfaction/ . Accessed November 15, 2023.

Liang Qichao 梁启超. 2016. Guoxue rumen shu yaomu jiqi dufa 《国学入门书要目及其读法》 [ Major List of Books for Entering into China Studies and Ways to Read Them ]. 郑州: 中州古籍出版社.

Liang Shuming 梁漱溟, n.d. “Kongzi zai Zhongguo lishi shang de diwei 孔子在中国历史上的地位” [“The Position of Confucius in Chinese History”]. 见 Jintian women yingdang ruhe pingjia Kongzi (shang) 《今天我们应当如何评价孔子 (上) 》 [ How Should We Appraise Confucius Today , part 1]. Docin.com. https://www.docin.com/p-777072044.html . Access December 12, 2023.

Liu Yizhi 柳诒徵. 2015. Zhongguo wenhua shi 《中国文化史》 [ The History of Chinese Culture ]. 北京: 中华书局.

Ma Yifu 马一浮. 1996. “ Tong zhi qun jing bi dou zhu shu ju yao 通治群经必读诸书举要” [“Listing the Must-Read Books for the Study of the Classics”]. 见 Ma Yifu Ji: Fuxing shuyuan jiang lu , di yi juan 《马一浮集——复性书院讲录 (第一卷) 》 [ Ma Yifu’s Collected Works: Lectures at the Fuxing School , vol. 1]. 杭州: 浙江古籍出版社.

Mao Zedong 毛泽东. 1999. Mao Zedong Wenji , di 6 juan: 1949 nian 10 yue——1955 nian shi’er yue 《毛泽东文集 (第六卷) : 一九四九年十月——一九五五年十二月》 [ Collected Works of Mao Zedong , vol. 6: September 1949 to December 1955 ], 中共中央文献研究室编. 北京: 人民出版社.

Mengzi 《孟子》, n.d. Ctext.org. https://ctext.org/mengzi . Accessed December 5, 2023.

Mou Zhongjian 牟钟鉴. 2016. Zhonghua wenhuade dangxiajingshen 《中华文化的当下精神》 [ The Contemporary Spirit in the Chinese Culture ]. 北京: 中华书局.

Qian Mu 錢穆. 1998. “Kongzi danchen quan ren dou Lunyu bing ji Lunyu zhi dufa 孔子誕辰勸人讀論語並及論語之讀法” [“Persuading Others to Read the Analects at the Birthday of Confucius and My Thoughts on the Way to Read It”]. 見 Kongzi yu Lunyu, Kongzi chuan 《孔子與論語、孔子傳》 [ Confucius and the Analects, Biography of Confucius ], 第49–68頁. 台北: 聯經出版社.

“United States Strategic Approach to the People’s Republic of China.” 2020. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/U.S.-Strategic-Approach-to-The-Peoples-Republic-of-China-Report-5.24v1.pdf . Accessed December 3, 2023.

Wang Ronghua. 2020. The Rooster Crows . With Liam Beale and Judy Chai. Montreal: Royal Collins Publishing.

Xi Jinping 习近平. 2014. “Zai jinian Kongzi danchen 2565 nian guoji xueshu yantaohui ji Guoji Ruxue Lianhehui diwu jie huiyuan dahui kaimushi de jianghua 在纪念孔子诞辰2565年国际学术研讨会暨国际儒学联合会第五届会员大会开幕式的讲话” [“Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the International Symposium in Commemoration of the 2,565th Anniversary of the Birth of Confucius and the Fifth General Assembly of the International Confucian Association,” September 29.] 见 Ruxue: Shijie heping yu fazhan; jinian Kongzi danchen 2565 nian guoji xueshu yantaohui lunwenji 《儒学:世界和平与发展——纪念孔子诞辰2565年国际学术研讨会论文集》 [ Confucian Studies: World Peace and Development; Collected Papers of Commemorating the 2565th Anniversary of the Birth of Confucius ], 第一卷, 国际儒学联合会 (编), 第1–6页. 北京: 九州出版社.

Xia Zengyou 夏曾佑. 2014. Zhongguo gudaishi 《中国古代史》 [ The Ancient History of China , 1904–1906]. 上海: 上海人民出版社.

Xunzi 《荀子》, n. d. Ctext.org. https://ctext.org/xunzi . Accessed December 7, 2023.

Yu Jianhua虞建华. 2017. “Shishi huzheng: Meiguo de lengzhan zhengzhi yu wenxue zaixian 史诗互证: 美国的冷战政治于文学再现” [“Cross Verification Between Poems and History: Representations of US Cold War Politics in Literature,” an article used in lieu of the preface]. 见 Yinji shenshen: lengzhan siwei yu Meiguo wenxue he wenhua 《印迹深深——冷战思维于美国文学和文化》[ Deep Impression: The Cold War Mentality and American Literature and Culture ]. 天津: 南开大学出版社.

“Zhongguo daodi shi di shi you? G7 jituan duihua jiang zuixin taidu, lian Deguo du gaikou le 中国到底是敌是友? G7集团对华亮最新态度, 连德国都改口了.” 2021. 360kuai.com. https://www.360kuai.com/pc/9d0ffa064fb5fb6ea?cota=3&kuai_so=1&tj_url=so_vip&sign=360_57c3bbd1&refer_scene=so_1 . Accessed December 8, 2023.

Download references

There was no funding.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

University of Jinan, Jinan, China

Wang Ronghua

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wang Ronghua .

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest.

I declare that there is no conflict of interest in the publication of this article, and that there is no conflict of interest with any other author or institution for the publication of this article.

Ethical Statements

I hereby declare that this manuscript is the result of my independent creation under the reviewers’ comments. Except for the quoted contents, this manuscript does not contain any research achievements that have been published or written by other individuals or groups. I am the only author of this manuscript. The legal responsibility of this statement shall be borne by me.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Ronghua, W. Confucius and the Chinese culture: address to the Young Experts Symposium (YES 2022). Int. Commun. Chin. Cult 11 , 11–22 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40636-024-00282-2

Download citation

Received : 15 December 2023

Revised : 25 December 2023

Accepted : 15 January 2024

Published : 13 March 2024

Issue Date : March 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40636-024-00282-2

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Understanding Chinese classical culture
Chinese philosophy
Intercultural understanding
Peace building
Opposing cold war mentality
Find a journal
Publish with us
Track your research

China Daily PDF
China Daily E-paper
Asia-Pacific
Middle East
China-Europe
China-Japan
China-Africa

Traditional culture of nation holds strategic significance

Throughout the ages, the magnificent traditional culture of China has not only been respected and eulogized domestically, but has also enjoyed great appeal and influence internationally.

President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has repeatedly explained, comprehensively and cogently, the importance of traditional Chinese culture to the nation. He has also deeply entrenched the essence of traditional Chinese culture in the country's domestic and foreign affairs strategies.

Carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture has also become one of the core parts of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture.

In October, at a national meeting, Xi emphasized the need to "focus on continuing the Chinese cultural heritage and promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's magnificent traditional culture", and to "protect and carry forward China's magnificent traditional culture".

On June 2, Xi delivered a speech at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development, saying that "only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of China's magnificent traditional culture, more effectively promote the construction of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation".

There is no doubt that in the journey of promoting the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-style modernization, carrying forward China's magnificent traditional culture is of great strategic significance.

First of all, it is closely related to the Sinicization of Marxism. The CPC has always emphasized the "first combination" of combining Marxism with China's reality. Xi underscored the importance of the "second combination" in his speech on June 2. "The 'second combination' makes Marxism Chinese, China's magnificent traditional culture becomes modern, and the new culture formed through the '(second) combination' becomes the cultural form of Chinese-style modernization.

"The road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is developed under the guidance of Marxism and emerges from the history of Chinese civilization of more than 5,000 years. The 'second combination' gives the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics a grand and far-reaching historical depth and has expanded the cultural foundation of the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics," Xi said.

In other words, the "second combination" is the inevitable and necessary development of the Sinicization of Marxism. Carrying forward China's magnificent traditional culture also allows Marxism to have more ideological vitality and practical effect in China.

Second, carrying forward China's traditional culture is a prerequisite and condition for promoting Chinese-style modernization, which is a unique modernization path that takes place in China and is pioneered by China. It has distinctive Chinese characteristics, and these characteristics are related to China's long history and culture to a considerable extent.

As Xi pointed out on June 2: "The continuity of Chinese civilization fundamentally determines that the Chinese nation must follow its own path. If we don't understand China from its long-standing historical continuity, it is impossible to understand ancient China, it is impossible to understand modern China, and it is impossible to understand future China."

Third, cultural confidence must be based on confidence in China's traditional culture. In Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, cultural self-confidence is the self-confidence in the advanced nature of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. Adhering to cultural self-confidence is to inspire the Party and the people to have pride in China's magnificent traditional culture, and to form a consensus on and identification with the socialist core values in the whole society; and the socialist core values have many similarities with China's traditional culture.

Fourth, the concept of "a global community with a shared future "was reared by China's magnificent traditional culture. In September, the State Council Information Office released a white paper titled "A Global Community of Shared Future: China's Proposals and Actions", emphasizing that the concept of a global community with a shared future is rooted in China's profound historical and cultural heritage and carries forward China's traditional culture.

"Chinese magnificent traditional culture is the crystallization and essence of the wisdom of Chinese civilization. It provides useful enlightenment for people to understand and transform the world, contains important revelations for solving the problems faced by contemporary mankind, and contains rich genes of a global community with a shared future," the document says.

The white paper further emphasizes that the concept of "a global community with a shared future" is in harmony with the concepts of "harmony" and "harmony within diversity" in traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese nation's belief that "all nations together are one community", the Chinese nation's values of "universal benevolence, virtue and love", and values of "establishing oneself and helping others to establish themselves". Promoting the initiative of "a global community of a shared future" is also a promotion of China's traditional culture in a modern sense.

Fifth, carrying forward China's traditional culture also has important connotations for patriotic education. Promoting China's traditional culture is critical to cultivating and enhancing emotions for the Chinese nation and the great motherland, inheriting the national spirit, strengthening national consciousness, strengthening and uniting all patriotic forces, and making patriotism become the firm belief, spiritual strength and conscious action of all people.

Finally, promoting China's traditional culture will help boost the nation's global ideological and cultural appeal and influence. Strengthening the construction of China's international communication capabilities will continuously improve the country's cultural soft power and enhance the influence and communicative power of Chinese civilization.

The author is an emeritus professor of sociology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a consultant for the Chinese Association of Hong Kong&Macao Studies.

Asia-Pacific
Middle-East and Africa
Learn Chinese

Chinese vlogger Li Ziqi has set a new Guinness World Record for "most subscribers for a Chinese language channel on YouTube" with 14.1 million subscribers, providing a window to the world to witness the Chinese culture with an unfiltered lens. Her videos showcase Chinese cuisines cooked with basic ingredients and traditional tools. They also feature folk handicrafts such as embroidery and idyllic rural life. These videos transcend the language barrier and cultural gaps, helping global subscribers discover and understand Chinese culture. This is only one example that reflects the charm of Chinese culture. Chinese President Xi Jinping strongly advocates protecting the country's cultural heritage and has repeatedly called on the people to cherish, honor and deepen the knowledge of Chinese civilization and strengthen cultural self-confidence. Technology assisting to revive culture

Like Li Ziqi, many young Chinese are leveraging technology and social media, such as the short-video platform TikTok, to provide a glimpse of Chinese culture to the world. In recent years, Chinese youngsters have shown an ever greater appreciation for traditional culture. People wearing colorful Hanfu, a traditional clothing of the Chinese in ancient times, has become a regular sight on the streets or in parks during holidays and festivals. Many see traditional attire as a symbol of their heritage and feel connected to their roots. At the same time, many museums in China have developed various creative cultural products appealing to the public, spearheaded by the Palace Museum in Beijing, including cosmetics, stationery and even beverages featuring strong traditional Chinese traits.

Lipsticks developed by the Palace Museum on display in Beijing, September 26, 2020. /CFP

Chinese literature, such as sci-fi and online novels, has also captivated the hearts of many around the world with different translations and adaptations, thanks to the comprehensive Chinese culture they entail. Hugo Award-winning novelist Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Trilogy was a huge hit after it was launched in Japan in 2019, with the first book, Remembrance of Earth's Past, reprinted eight times in four days after hitting stores. Meanwhile, Chinese web novels which usually feature martial heroes or magic fantasies have readers from across the world yearning for their translated updates chapter by chapter. Spinoffs from such novels, including TV dramas and movies, also go viral abroad. An essential pillar in nation's rejuvenation

As a living ancient civilization dating back over 5,000 years, Chinese civilization boasts a time-honored history of openness, inclusiveness and dynamism, always growing and keeping abreast of the times. Valuing traditional virtues of peace and harmony, it cherishes diversity, equality, mutual learning, dialogue and understanding. As history testifies, the great spirit of the Chinese nation and fine values of the traditional culture have always empowered people with the inner strength needed to not just survive but thrive in the face of adversity. Chinese President Xi Jinping urges increasing support for the protection of Chinese culture and intangible cultural heritage, including enhancement of research on the history and culture of ethnic groups, thereby inculcating a sense of unity and solidarity. Following the inclusion of centuries-old martial art Chinese Tai Chi and traditional folk Wangchuan ceremony last December, China now has 42 intangible cultural heritage items on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, ranking No. 1 in the world. Designated in 2006, China's National Cultural Heritage Day is observed annually on the second Saturday of June. Ahead of the occasion, online and offline events are being organized across the country to promote intangible cultural heritage, while thousands of national-level intangible cultural heritage and state-level inheritors have been accredited. In present times, the success of the socialist culture also depends on the practices of socialism with Chinese characteristics, which embeds traditional values, civilization and history of the Chinese nation. China is seeking to introduce the country's culture abroad and strive to shape a reliable, admirable and respectable image of China, and contribute to the world a profound system of thoughts, a wide range of scientific, technological, cultural and artistic achievements through regular exchanges with other civilizations. "Historical and cultural heritage is a precious resource that is irreplaceable. We must attach importance to keeping our history and culture alive and strong to preserve the roots of the thriving Chinese ethos," Xi said.

Search Trends

Documentary

Disinformation report hotline: 010-85061466

INSTITUTIONS

BEIJING, June 2 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for shouldering new cultural missions and building a modern Chinese civilization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a meeting on cultural inheritance and development on Friday.

The cultural missions in the new era are to further advance cultural prosperity, to build a leading country in culture and to foster the modern Chinese civilization, Xi said.

"With unwavering cultural confidence, a profound sense of mission and a spirit of relentless endeavor, we must unite our efforts to create a new culture for our times," he said.

Before the meeting, Xi had visited the China National Archives of Publications and Culture (CNAPC) and the Chinese Academy of History.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the visits and presided over the meeting.

On Thursday afternoon, Xi visited the headquarters of the CNAPC in the northern suburbs of Beijing. Following a tour of the exhibition halls, Xi expressed his concern for the invaluable classic publications that have endured the vicissitudes of time.

The CNAPC was built to carry forward the Chinese civilization, the only uninterrupted civilization in the world, said Xi.

Xi emphasized the institution's primary responsibility of collection, while also encouraging it to strengthen the research on collected items.

On Friday afternoon, Xi visited the Chinese Academy of History. He walked into the Chinese Archaeological Museum in the academy and toured exhibitions including one on the origins of civilization.

Xi highlighted the integral role of archaeology in deepening the understanding of the rich and profound Chinese culture. He emphasized the significance of conducting research and providing interpretations regarding the origins of Chinese civilization.

Xi conveyed his expectations that scholars would continue to enhance their research endeavors and contribute their wisdom and efforts to the advancement of Chinese modernization.

Subsequently, Xi participated in the meeting on cultural inheritance and development at the academy. After several professors and scholars spoke, he delivered an important speech.

Xi emphasized that the Chinese civilization has a long and continuous history stretching back to antiquity, and said that a comprehensive and profound understanding of that history is essential to promoting the creative transformation and development of fine traditional Chinese culture more effectively, and to developing modern Chinese civilization.

PROMINENT FEATURES OF CHINESE CIVILIZATION

As prominent features of Chinese civilization, its consistency determines on a fundamental level that the Chinese people must follow their own path, and its originality determines the enterprising spirit of the Chinese people, Xi said.

Its unity determines fundamentally that the various ethnic cultures of the Chinese nation are integrated and rally closely together, even when faced with major setbacks, and that a strong and unified country is the pillar upon which the well-being of all Chinese people depends, Xi added.

He went on to say that the inclusivity of the Chinese civilization determines the harmonious coexistence of diverse religious beliefs in China, and determines the open-minded and inclusive mentality toward various civilizations around the world. Its peaceful nature determines that China will continue to pursue exchanges and mutual learning with different civilizations rather than cultural hegemony, that China will not impose its own values and political system on others, and that China will promote cooperation rather than confrontation and will not create exclusive blocs.

CULTURAL CONFIDENCE AT NEW HEIGHTS

Integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture is the path that must be taken to explore and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics within the Chinese civilization, which has stretched for more than 5,000 years, Xi noted, adding that this integration is the most important tool for the Party to achieve its success.

Despite their different cultural roots, Marxism and China's fine traditional culture are highly consistent with each other, Xi said.

The integration of Marxism and China's fine traditional culture will create a new type of culture that fits within Chinese modernization, and it will expand the cultural foundation of the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

Their integration will provide a broader cultural space for theoretical and institutional innovation for the future, and strengthen the cultural subjectivity of the Chinese people, he said.

Their integration highlights that the Party's understanding of the Chinese path, theory and system has reached a new height, as has its confidence in its history and culture, he said. It also shows that the Party's consciousness of the need to advance cultural innovation while inheriting fine traditional culture has climbed to a new level.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee has prioritized cultural advancement in its overall work, and has put forward a series of new ideas, viewpoints and judgments that are fundamental guidance for the work in communication, ideology and culture fields, according to Xi.

To build a modern Chinese civilization at this new historical starting point, China should remain confident in its culture and keep pursuing its own path, and promote the Chinese experience into Chinese theory to realize intellectual independence and self-reliance, Xi said.

He also underscored the need to stay committed to openness and inclusiveness, and adapt foreign cultures into China's local context.

Presiding over the meeting, Cai Qi called for the guiding principles of Xi's important speech to be upheld. He stressed the importance of efforts to deepen the understanding of cultural advancement, better shoulder the new cultural missions, and make solid progress in building a modern Chinese civilization and turning China into a country with a strong socialist culture.

Senior officials including Li Shulei, Tie Ning, Shen Yiqin, Qin Gang and Jiang Xinzhi participated in the activities.

Website identification code bm01000001 registration number: 05070218, all rights reserved. the content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to www.gov.cn., without written authorization from www.gov.cn, such content shall not be republished or used in any form., copyright© www.gov.cn | contact us, website identification code bm01000001, registration number: 05070218.

CASS 中国社会科学网（中文） Français

UNIVERSITY EVENTS
BOOKS&REVIEWS
> TOP STORIES
> FOCUS
> VIDEO
> DIALOGUE
> SCHOLARS' PROFILES

. > RESEARCH > LINGUISTICS

Three steps for Chinese culture to ‘go global’

Translation, as a means of communication and cultural exchange, has played an important role in spreading culture ever since people speaking different languages first made contact with each other. Translation is a cross-cultural bilingual communicative activity, which not only represents the process of language transformation, but is also a form of cultural transmission. Since the 21st century, as China’s comprehensive national strength rises, China’s international clout is expanding, fundamentally changing the relationship between China and the West, and between ancient and modern times.

In particular, we are seeing that the past practice of learning from the West has gradually been replaced by a new trend: Chinese culture “going global.” Another shift, involving both ancient and modern times, is the clear break from the “old world” to a new understanding and development of traditional Chinese culture and Chinese values.

The field of translation now faces two challenging questions: What kind of Chinese culture does China want to present to the world? As Chinese culture “goes global,” what’s the process?

Cultural heritage comes first

“Culture is a country and nation’s soul.” The inheritance and continuance of fine traditional Chinese culture depends on the recognition of its significance and the realization that it is the foundation and soul of the Chinese nation and the cultural ground for the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The 18th CPC National Congress proposed that we need to “promote the development of cultural programs and industries, and inspire the cultural creativity of our whole nation,” as a major task. The 19th CPC National Congress further clarified that “we must promote the creative evolution and development of fine traditional Chinese culture.” Going forward, we need to follow the “two creative” spirit to better handle the relationship between inheritance and development.

In view of this, Chinese academia has had heated discussions about constructing an inheritance and innovation system for excellent traditional Chinese culture and realizing the national strategy for Chinese culture to “go global.”

Traditional Chinese culture is an important resource for the further development of Chinese culture and its inheritance, and an indispensable intellectual guarantee for the national rejuvenation. Chinese classics are important cultural achievements inherited from Chinese culture. They embody the core of 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture and represent traditional Chinese cultural values.

Therefore, the first issue we need to attend to as Chinese culture “goes global” is the translation of Chinese classics. The overall ideological wisdom and thorough understanding of life reflected in Chinese cultural classics has a spiritual charm that transcends time and space. These novels are the root of the Chinese nation’s cultural soft power, and have important significance in terms of enlightenment in the current global wave of consumerism and digitization.

That said, we should maintain cultural self-awareness and self-confidence, capture the core of Chinese culture, and upon in-depth and comprehensive research on Chinese thought, culture, and literature, make sure the most fundamental, excellent, and essential part of Chinese culture is introduced abroad, so that translation forms a system of mainstream culture in synergy with Chinese cultural values. After all, the deepest influence of national culture is mainly reflected in values, and the influence of its values reflects the overall impact of a culture.

The convergence of different trains of thought or cultural backgrounds is both an ancient and reality-based trend. In the context of globalization, regional histories have already shaped the grand arch of world history, and local traditions and experiences anchored in time and space are bound to become unique value coordinates in the global experience.

Against the backdrop of frequent communications and exchanges in the international arena, an emphasis on ideological values and integrity when translating Chinese classics not only constructs a discourse system which promotes Chinese culture overseas going forward, but also can effectively guide the direction of tradition in the face of globalization, while adhering to tradition, and creatively transforming traditions, thus setting an example for facilitating mutual learning between ancient and modern times and between Chinese and Western civilizations in the new era.

Respond to audience demand

Chinese culture “going global” is an umbrella term that covers a range of content. Judging only from the perspective of translation and communication, this includes both ancient Chinese classics, such as Chinese literature, philosophy, aesthetics, politics, and ethics, which are the distillation of thousands of years of China’s spiritual wealth, and outstanding contemporary Chinese literary works. When Chinese culture “goes global,” we must stick to the roots of our traditional culture while also continuously promoting our contemporary cultural products and achievements to the world.

In the process of Chinese culture going out, we need to ask what kind of culture we should show to the world. Translation is an introduction to Chinese culture, and needs to follow correct Chinese values. All cultures with Chinese characteristics, positive energy, that could enrich people’s spiritual lives, enhance people’s spiritual realms, and expand people’s spiritual boundaries are excellent examples of Chinese culture that can be introduced to the world.

When it comes to the translation of Chinese classics, maybe the hundred schools of thought come to mind, such as Confucianism, Mohism, Taoism, Logicians, and Legalism. However, due to the limitations of history, culture, society, ideology, and many other factors, the publication and acceptance of Chinese classics abroad is not always smooth, and we need to continuously improve efforts.

At the same time, we are pleased to see that through translation the works of contemporary writers, such as Mo Yan and Bi Feiyu, have expanded their readership overseas, largely because they meet the needs of overseas readers. At present, science fiction and online literature have become the two leading forces in publication of contemporary Chinese popular literature overseas. Contemporary Chinese science fiction inherits traditional Chinese literature’s genes, and with a uniquely Chinese narrative, it not only observes current Chinese society, but also reflects on the common challenges faced by people around the world, transforming literature into culture and thought, and serving as a source of global empathy.

In this light, we should keep abreast of the times, fully analyze the overseas market, and actively respond to the demands of overseas audiences, expand the channels of literary translation, engage in diverse and dynamic translation and acceptance interactions, so that Chinese culture can “go global.”

Innovation stands for future

Cultural exchanges between China and the West can take many forms, either through official channels or in spontaneous exchanges and interactions among people. In reality, there are still some shortcomings in China’s overseas communications, and the ways that culture “goes out” is relatively plain. There is an urgent need to tap into the potential of multiple forces and come up with more high-quality works that touch people’s hearts, so that traditional culture can shine with new means of communication and gain global attention.

In recent years, rapidly developing We Media industries have also brought opportunities to cultural exchanges between China and the West, among which Chinese vlogger Li Ziqi went viral overseas with her short videos about cooking Chinese food, traditional Chinese handicrafts such as embroidery, and idyllic rural life in China. Li opens a window for the world to engage with Chinese culture, and she is praised for inspiring millions to return to their roots and live closer to the land.

The combination of interactive pictures, sounds, colors, images, and text can have a strong visual impact and multi-media effect on the target audience. It is apparent that innovative communication like this can enhance global acceptance more effectively than the text alone. The translation, introduction, and communication of Chinese culture should take advantage of visual culture’s dynamic development, and utilize the diverse interactions and cross cultural interpretations of different symbols to provide multiple possible audiences from different regions and nations to understand Chinese culture and learn about China.

The Chinese culture is a mighty river moving forward. Different parts of Chinese culture have rich connotations and different perspectives, including the fertile soil accumulated over 5,000 years of civilization and the rapid changes brought about by modernization. It is difficult to tell such a profound and complex story well. We need to respect Chinese history, attach importance to classic books, and find exemplary stories from ancient books. We also need to respect the present, pay attention to global needs, and tell China’s stories with the recipient’s perspective in mind. We need to respect the rules of communication, update communication methods, and spread good Chinese stories in a new way which conforms to the rules of modern interpersonal communication.

In the era of globalization, it is normal to take the initiative to “go global” in terms of economic and trade activities. The same goes for intellectual and cultural exchanges. If we say that the goal of translation practices and the study of Chinese classics is to reinforce Chinese cultural values, then contemporary Chinese online literature’s goal is to respond to the times. We should uphold the principle of inheritance and development, and spread China’s stories through a three-pronged multi-dimensional interaction of “inheritance, response, and innovation,” so as to present a panorama of Chinese culture to the world.

Xu Jun is a Distinguished Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Zhejiang University and executive vice president of the Translators Association of China.

>> View All

SCHOLARS' PROFILES

Ye Shengtao made Chinese fairy tales from a wilderness

Ye Shengtao (1894–1988) created the first collection of fairy tales in the history of Chinese children’s literature...

CULTURE ECOLOGY URBANIZATION SCIENCE & HUMANITY THE THIRD PLENARY SESSION

Tel: 86-10-85886173/84177879 E-mail: [email protected]

Add: Block A，Building No.1, South Middle Ring Road, Wangjing Area, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102,P.R.China

May 21, 2024

Alfred University student takes second prize at ‘Chinese Bridge’ speech competition

woman and man standing next to a sign, man holding award certificate

Max Rasilla, an art major and Chinese language and culture minor at Alfred University, won second prize in the College Students Group at the 2024 “Chinese Bridge” Speech Competition for the Eastern United States Region Finals. The event took place on May 18, 2024, at the China Institute in America in New York City.

The “Chinese Bridge” is a global contest that tests foreign students’ proficiency in the Chinese language. Since its inception in 2002, the competition has attracted participants from over 160 countries worldwide.

Last Saturday, more than 30 finalists from 10 states on the East Coast competed on the same stage. The competition included a speech on the theme "One World, One Family," a dialogue with the judges based on their speech, and a talent show related to Chinese culture.

This year's college group competition was highly competitive. Rasilla competed against students from schools such as Carnegie Mellon University and Pennsylvania State University, many of whom are also Chinese language minors. Achieving second prize in such a strong field is a notable accomplishment.

In his speech, Rasilla, a senior-to-be from Moraga, CA, shared his journey of learning Chinese, starting at a young age, spending a high school summer studying Chinese in Taiwan, and eventually becoming an art major at Alfred University, focusing on ceramics. He also spoke about his dream of opening an art gallery in California.

“I am thrilled to be at Alfred University, studying at the world’s top-ranked ceramics arts major. My dream is to open my own art gallery in California,” Rasilla said in his speech. “I want to invite artists from around the world to exhibit their works in my gallery, welcoming people from around the world to appreciate art together. Just like language, art can bring hearts together, uniting us from the same world as one family.”

Rasilla’s impressive performance was not limited to his keynote speech. His talent in playing Chinese folk songs on the guzheng, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, and his comfortable and fluent conversation with the judges in Chinese demonstrated his strong passion, enthusiasm, and comprehensive ability in the Chinese language.

His participation in the competition was supported by Bernstein Funds for Students and Faculty Development, administered through the Alfred University Office of the Provost. Rasilla’s instructor, Daisy Wu, clinical associate professor of music and language at Alfred University, won the Outstanding Instructor Award at the competition.

Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History

Tea is an important part of Chinese tradition. As Chinese society developed and progressed, tea production has played a role in driving economic development while tea consumption has remained a practice of daily life.

The practice of tea culture can bring the spirit and wisdom of human beings to a higher orbit. Tea has an extremely close relationship to Chinese culture, and its study covers a wide field and has very rich content. It not only embodies the spirit of civilization, but also the spirit of ideological form. There can be no doubt that it has been beneficial in enhancing people's social accomplishments and appreciation of art.

History of Chinese Tea

The history of Chinese tea is a long and gradual story of refinement. Generations of growers and producers have perfected the Chinese way of manufacturing tea, and its many unique regional variations.

The original idea is credited to the legendary Emperor Shennong, who is said to have lived 5 000 years ago. His far-sighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. A story goes that, one summer day, while visiting a distant part of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown substance was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created in 2737 BC.

Chinese Tea Types

The main varieties of Chinese tea are classified as green tea , black tea , Oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, and dark tea. Read more on Chinese tea types.

Chinese Tea Culture

Drinking tea :Tea is taken as a beverage to quench thirst.

Tasting tea : The quality of the tea is judged by the color, fragrance and flavor of the tea, the water quality and even the tea set. When tasting tea, the taster should be able to savor the tea thoroughly.

Tea art : While drinking attention is paid to environment, atmosphere, music, infusing techniques and interpersonal relationships.

The highest ambit -- tea lore : Philosophy, ethics and morality are blended into tea activity. People cultivate their morality and mind, and savor life through tasting tea, thereby attaining joy of spirit.

Chinese tea lore is several hundred years, possibly even thousands of years, older than that of Japan. It is said that Chinese tea lore places an emphasis on spirit and makes light of form. Tea lore had different representations at different historical periods. Teas are also various, but all embody the tea spirit of "clearness, respect, joy and truthfulness".

Tips of Effective Tea Drinking

Drinking tea offers numerous benefits. It refreshes the mind, clears heat within the human body and helps people lose weight. As you add a cup of tea to your daily routine, please check the following tips which help you reap the maximum health benefits.

1. Drink it hot. Tea oxidizes quickly after brewing, and its nutrients diminish overtime. It is suggested that you drink it hot to get the best out of tea.

2. Do not drink too much strong tea. It is likely to upset your stomach and cause insomnia if you make the tea too strong. Usually you can mix 4 grams (0.13 ounce) of tea leaves with 250 milliliters (0.44 pint) to make a cup of tea. An overall amount of 12 - 15 grams (0.4 - 0.5 ounces) of tea leaves is suitable for daily consumption.

3. The best time to drink is in between meals. Do not drink tea soon after or before meals. Otherwise it may quench appetite when your stomach is empty, or cause indigestion when your stomach is full.

4. Do not drink with medication. Tea contains large amount of Tannin, which will react with certain elements in the medicine, thus reduce medical effects. You can drink tea a couple of hours after you take medicine.

5. Green tea is the best option for office workers. Green tea contains catechins that help prevent computer radiation and supplement moisture content of the human body.

Experience Tea Culture with China Highlights

may be you are a tea drinker, but you would never get clear how the tea grow and how is it made.

We especially designed tours for tea lovers to have an in-depth tea culture experience in China. Travel with us to learn more about Chinese tea.

Here is one of the most popuar tours for inspiration:

1-Day Dragon Well Tea Culture and West Lake Tour : You will have chance to pick tea leaves in a tea plantation, learn the process of stir-frying tea, and visit the China National Tea Museum to learn Chinese tea classification and history.

Our tour is flexible. If you would like to make any modifications to it, please feel free to let us know and we are glad to tailor-make a tour for you.

11-Day China Classic Tour
3-Week Must-See Places China Tour Including Holy Tibet
8-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai Private Tour
How to Plan Your First Trip to China 2024/2025 — 7 Easy Steps
15 Best Places to Visit in China (2024)
Best (& Worst) Times to Visit China, Travel Tips (2024/2025)
How to Plan a 10-Day Itinerary in China (Best 5 Options)
China Weather in January 2024: Enjoy Less-Crowded Traveling
China Weather in March 2024: Destinations, Crowds, and Costs
China Weather in April 2024: Where to Go (Smart Pre-Season Pick)
China Weather in May 2024: Where to Go, Crowds, and Costs
China Weather in June 2024: How to Benefit from the Rainy Season
China Weather in July 2024: How to Avoid Heat and Crowds
China Weather in August 2024: Weather Tips & Where to Go
China Weather in September 2024: Weather Tips & Where to Go
China Weather in October 2024: Where to Go, Crowds, and Costs
China Weather in November 2024: Places to Go & Crowds
China Weather in December 2024: Places to Go and Crowds

Get Inspired with Some Popular Itineraries

More travel ideas and inspiration, sign up to our newsletter.

Be the first to receive exciting updates, exclusive promotions, and valuable travel tips from our team of experts.

Why China Highlights

Where can we take you today.

Southeast Asia
Japan, South Korea
India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri lanka
Central Asia
Middle East
African Safari
Travel Agents
Loyalty & Referral Program
Privacy Policy

Address: Building 6, Chuangyi Business Park, 70 Qilidian Road, Guilin, Guangxi, 541004, China

Officials, scholars highlight need to build cultural confidence at forum in south China

Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends and makes a keynote speech at the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024 in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Enhancing cultural confidence is necessary to make greater strides in building China's cultural strength, according to participants of the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024.

The forum was held Thursday in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made a keynote speech at the event.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, also addressed the forum.

The forum was hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Culture and publicity officials at all levels attended the forum, as did scholars from related think tanks.

Participants discussed the necessity of promoting innovation in the cultural sector, enhancing the preservation and passing on of cultural heritage, deepening cultural exchanges and mutual learning, and acting upon the Global Civilization Initiative.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, attends and addresses the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024 in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

Go to Forum >> 0 Comment(s)

Add your comments....

User Name Required
Your Comment
Enhancing cultural confidence is necessary to make greater strides in building China's cultural strength, according to participants of the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024.

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

Simina Mistreanu, Associated Press Simina Mistreanu, Associated Press

Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press

Leave your feedback

Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/in-his-inauguration-speech-taiwans-new-president-lai-emphasized-china-must-stop-military-intimidation

In his inauguration speech, Taiwan’s new President Lai emphasized China must stop military intimidation

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, said in his inauguration speech Monday that he wants peace with China and urged it to stop its military threats and intimidation of the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

“I hope that China will face the reality of (Taiwan)’s existence, respect the choices of the people of Taiwan, and in good faith, choose dialogue over confrontation,” Lai said after being sworn into office.

READ MORE: China sends 43 planes and 7 ships near Taiwan in ongoing military pressure campaign

Lai pledged to “neither yield nor provoke” Beijing and said he sought peace in relations with China. But he emphasized the island democracy is determined to defend itself “in the face of the many threats and attempts at infiltration from China.”

Lai’s party, the Democratic Progressive Party, doesn’t seek independence from China but maintains that Taiwan is already a sovereign nation.

The Chinese office in charge of Taiwan affairs criticized Lai’s inauguration speech as promoting “the fallacy of separatism,” inciting confrontation and relying on foreign forces to seek independence.

“We will never tolerate or condone any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist activities,” said Chen Binhua, spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China’s State Council.

“No matter how the situation on the island changes, no matter who is in power, it cannot change the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one China … and cannot stop the historical trend of the motherland’s eventual reunification,” Chen said.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce on Monday also announced sanctions against Boeing and two other defense companies for arms sales to Taiwan.

Lai, 64, takes over from Tsai Ing-wen, who led Taiwan through eight years of economic and social development despite the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s escalating military threats. Beijing views Taiwan as a renegade province and has been upping its threats to annex it by force if necessary.

Lai is seen as inheriting Tsai’s progressive policies, including universal health care, backing for higher education and support for minority groups, including making Taiwan the first place in Asia to recognize same-sex marriages.

In his inauguration speech, Lai pledged to bolster Taiwan’s social safety net and help the island advance in fields such as artificial intelligence and green energy.

Lai, who was vice president during Tsai’s second term, came across as more of a firebrand earlier in his career. In 2017, he described himself as a “pragmatic worker for Taiwan’s independence,” drawing Beijing’s rebuke. He has since softened his stance and now supports maintaining the status quo across the Taiwan Strait and the possibility of talks with Beijing.

Thousands of people gathered in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei for the inauguration ceremony. Donning white celebratory hats, they watched the swearing-in on large screens, followed by a military march and colorful performances featuring folk dancers, opera performers and rappers. Military helicopters flew in formation, carrying Taiwan’s flag.

Lai accepted congratulations from fellow politicians and delegations from the 12 nations that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, as well as politicians from the U.S., Japan and various European states.

Lai, also known by his English name William, has vowed to continue his predecessor’s push to maintain stability with China while beefing up Taiwan’s security through imports of military equipment from close partner the U.S., the expansion of the defense industry with the manufacture of submarines and aircraft, and the reinforcing of regional partnerships with unofficial allies such as the U.S., Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken congratulated Lai on his inauguration. “We look forward to working with President Lai and across Taiwan’s political spectrum to advance our shared interests and values, deepen our longstanding unofficial relationship, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” Blinken said in a statement from his office.

The U.S. doesn’t formally recognize Taiwan as a country but is bound by its own laws to provide the island with the means to defend itself .

Japan’s government spokesperson, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said it continues to expect a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan issue through dialogue.

“The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait is important not only for the security of Japan but the stability of all of the international community,” Hayashi said Monday.

Lai’s relatively conciliatory tone will come across as reassuring to foreign governments that may have been concerned about his past reputation as a firebrand, said Danny Russell, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.

“There is virtually nothing that Lai could have said, short of ‘unconditional surrender,’ that would satisfy Beijing,” he said.

Although Lai signaled he would maintain the overall direction of Tsai’s policy regarding Beijing, he struck a more sovereignty-affirming tone in his speech, said Amanda Hsiao, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group.

“This likely fits within Beijing’s low expectations of Lai, so it won’t necessarily change their response,” Hsiao said. “China was always going to respond negatively to Lai.”

During her tenure, Tsai oversaw a controversial pension and labor reform and extended the military conscription length to one year . She also kickstarted a military modernization drive.

READ MORE: How Taiwan preserved election integrity by fighting back against disinformation

Tsai’s leadership during the pandemic split public opinion, with most admiring Taiwan’s initial ability to keep the virus largely outside its borders but criticizing the lack of investment in rapid testing as the pandemic progressed.

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Humanities scholars research free speech, AI, sports culture and the Supreme Court

5/21/2024 By | Kathy Hovis , A&S Communications

Elizabeth Rene ’24 has had an interest in the court system since her high school days watching “Law and Order,” but she became particularly attentive to what was going on in the Supreme Court when Donald Trump became president.

“It was the greatest attack on our democracy and a lot of students my age felt this,” she said. “We started seeing invalidations of landmark precedents, such as Roe vs. Wade, and you don’t see that happening very often in democracies, where you establish a constitutional precedent and then get rid of it.”

That curiosity to understand what was going on in the court, an institution that is supposed to be impartial, sparked Rene to focus on the court for her senior thesis in the Humanities Scholars Program (HSP). She presented her work, along with 34 other students at the HSP Spring Research Conference May 3 at the A.D. White House.

“This year’s HSP conference was spectacular. The range of topics covered, the diversity of approaches, and the level of mastery demonstrated by the students were inspiring,” said Lawrence B. Glickman , Stephen and Evalyn Milman Professor of American Studies in the Department of History and interim director of the Humanities Scholars Program. “So too was the support that their friends, classmates, and teachers demonstrated with their presence and their questions. It was a marvelous demonstration that humanistic scholarship at Cornell is thriving.”

VerityPlatt , professor of classics, will take over as HSP director this fall.

“It has been very exciting to see the HSP develop under the inspired leadership of Durba Ghosh and Larry Glickman into a dynamic program that nurtures undergraduate research in the humanities,” she said. “I am honored to be taking on this new role and look forward to working closely with the dedicated, creative, and inspiring students of the HSP.”

At the May event, students covered topics focused on countries around the globe and ranging from immigration, home care workers and female sports culture to the U.S.-China relationship, the repatriation of cultural objects and AI and literature.

Victoria Rinn ’24 used the resources of the Cornell Law Library, as well as an interview with her grandmother, as she compared the way legal language impacts identity politics and freedom of expression in China and Hong Kong.

“I've always been interested in the history of Hong Kong because my family escaped communist China—when Mao Zedong began persecuting the land-owning members of society—to Hong Kong not only because of the economic freedoms but also due to the larger degree of individual autonomy due to its colonial status,” she said. “Following the 2019 National Security Law protests in Hong Kong, I began to question the intersection between legislation and individual expression.”

Rinn, who plans to attend law school, said the research methods course offered to HSP students, as well as many of her classes in the China and Asia-Pacific Studies Program, were instrumental as she worked on her project.

“My government major seminar focused on China, Tibet and Xinjiang, thereby granting me the research tools necessary for my Humanities Scholars research topic,” she said. “Moreover, the Humanities Scholars Program granted me a cohort of intellectually-alike students who share a passion for the arts as I do.”

Ethan Kovnat ’24, a philosophy major, centered his work on autism and moral psychology, responding to a paper by philosopher Jeanette Kennett, who argued that since people with autism experience empathy in a different way, they cannot be considered “moral agents” under the traditional philosophical definition put forth by philosopher David Hume.

“I read this paper and thought ‘something doesn’t seem quite right,’ “ Kovnat said. “One of the things that I appreciate about Kennett is that she cites myriad psychological evidence to support her conception, but I encountered more recent literature and found empirical evidence that better reflected the actual experiences of autistic people.

“I’m arguing that Hume’s conception of agency, slightly amended, is able to accommodate autistic moral agents.”

Kovnat said his HSP cohort provided a valuable network for peer review. “Whenever I wrote something, I had this community I could go to for advice and feedback,” he said.

Rene’s research project focused on two justices, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, and their different understandings of “originalism,” a way of interpreting the U.S. Constitution following how it would have been understood at the time it was written.

“Originalism rose as a theory after the conservative backlash following the Warren court,” Rene said, referring to the period between 1953-1969 when Earl Warren served as chief justice of the court and the court handled such landmark cases as Brown v. Board of Education, Plessy v. Ferguson and Miranda v. Arizona.

Rene studied five major cases that set precedent during the Warren court, including 15 others to better understand the actions and motivations of Thomas and Scalia.

“Clarence Thomas has a tendency to encourage the court to reverse a whole bunch of precedents set decades and decades ago,” she said. “My analysis consisted of looking back and forth at moments in history to see why that precedent was so important to be established in the first place and then looking at the modern era to see how it’s been threatened by the conservative supermajority on the court today.”

The conservatives on the court, Rene argues, claim that their opinions are neutral using originalism at their defense, but the numerous inconsistencies in the way these interpretations happen allow strong polarizations to impact the court’s decisions.

“Justices are always going to possess some degree of political bias, but the degree to which the supreme court is intertwined with other branches is a recent development,” she said.

Her classes in constitutional law, along with a class taught by Alexander Livingston , associate professor of government and a member of the HSP Faculty Advisory Board, focused on W.E.B. DuBois and Martin Luther King, helped her craft her work, as they “taught me how to extrapolate someone’s writing, but also the background of the life they lived before writing that,” she said.

Rene said she also appreciated the close relationship she developed with her advisors because of HSP.

“As HSP students, we were actively seeing our advisors, who were really making sure we were using all of the resources available to us,” she said.

Peter Loewen named dean of Arts and Sciences

Personal crises reduce voter turnout, but may prompt other political action

Hard work, personal stories bring speech team big wins

Reynolds Foundation commits $1.25M to fund Brooks School initiatives

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Taiwan's new president calls out China in inauguration speech

In the southern city of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, dozens of people attended Friday prayers near the destroyed Islam Mosque.

Prayers and protests amid Gaza conflict

A researcher examines General Sherman, the world's largest tree, in Sequoia National Park, California.

Giant sequoia health check amid beetle threats

Latest news bulletin | May 26th – Morning

Latest news bulletin | May 25th – Evening

Latest news bulletin | May 25th – Midday

FILE - Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on buildings near the separating wall between Egypt and Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

Fighting rages in Gaza despite ICJ ruling Israel offensive must stop

Workers set up a huge black screen on a stretch of sidewalk at Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

Japanese town builds giant black screen to block views of Mount Fuji

A Russian Iskander missile pictures on May 21, 2024

Ukraine hits Crimea as Russia launches nuclear drills in area

Director Michel Hazavanicius and leading crew of 'The Most Precious of Cargoes' line up at the Cannes premiere on May 24, 2024.

Cannes 2024: Which film will win this year's coveted Palme d'Or?

Sean Baker's 'Anora' wins the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival

Sean Baker's tribute to sex workers 'Anora' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes

Firefighters put out a fire after two guided bombs hit a large construction supplies store in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, May, 25, 2024.

Russia strikes crowded Kharkiv DIY store in deadly attack

Demonstrators hold a Georgian national flag during protest against "the Russian law" in the center of Tbilisi (AP Photo/Zurab Tsertsvadze)

US pressures Georgia government to ditch 'foreign agent' law

Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrives for a meeting (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

Poland FM accuses Russia of interfering in EU elections

Video. taiwan's new president calls out china in inauguration speech.

Taiwan’s new President Lai Ching-te in his inauguration speech has urged China to stop its military intimidation against the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

“My fellow citizens, as we pursue the ideal of peace, we must not harbour any delusions," Lai said

More from no comment

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a welcome ceremony at the Palace of Independence in Minsk, Belarus.

Putin visits Republic of Belarus amid strengthening alliances

Italy's Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and Bank of Italy Governor Fabio Panetta await their counterparts at the G7 Finance Ministers meeting in Stresa, northern Italy.

G7 Financial meeting in Italy

Ornithologist Francesca Rossi holds a newborn female Attacus lorquinii

WATCH: Italian museum recreates Tanzanian butterfly forest

Piglets feeding on the backyard grass and interacting with yoga class participants

WATCH: Find balance and joy in yoga with Animals!

Italy pledges millions to support Palestinians at Rome meeting

Aston Barrett Jr, the reggae musician transcending generations

Legacy and transmission in the music of Aston Barrett Jr

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023.

Putin afraid of what peace summit can achieve: Zelenskyy

This week's participants in Brussels, my love?

Brussels, my love? The future of the Green Deal after the elections

Judo World Championship: Japan remain mixed team champions

Demonstrators hold up a banner with writing reading in Italian "Lets free Ilaria Salis", in front of the Pantheon monument, in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.

Italian anti-fascist activist Ilaria Salis stands trial in Hungary

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, right, speaks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels.

How Italian media see von der Leyen's willingness to work with Meloni

The ICC's chief prosecutor said that he’s seeking arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders in connection with their actions during the seven-month war.

State of the Union: Europe's divisions over the Middle East

Georgia at the crossroads as foreign influence law deepens divisions

The FIPRESCI Prize aims to promote new, young and original cinema.

FIPRESCI Award: Film critics circle targets young talent at Cannes

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, centre, and Portugal's Prime Minister Luis Montenegro walk during their meeting at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, Friday, May 24, 2024.

Scholz against far-right support for next European Commission chief

"Romantic and joyful": Elham Etemadi's new exhibition opens in Lyon

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) shaking hands with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, May 24, 2024.

Putin goes to Minsk for two-part meeting with Lukashenko

Two demonstrators wave the Palestinian flag outside the Peace Palace, rear, housing the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, May 2024.

Top UN court rules Israel should cease Rafah offensive

EU elections: What do voters want and candidates promise?

Nicola Procaccini: Reformist group seeking balance of power shift in EU parliament

Polls predict a surge for Conservatives

Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

May 24, 2024 • 25:18 Whales Have an Alphabet
May 23, 2024 • 34:24 I.C.C. Prosecutor Requests Warrants for Israeli and Hamas Leaders
May 22, 2024 • 23:20 Biden’s Open War on Hidden Fees
May 21, 2024 • 24:14 The Crypto Comeback
May 20, 2024 • 31:51 Was the 401(k) a Mistake?
May 19, 2024 • 33:23 The Sunday Read: ‘Why Did This Guy Put a Song About Me on Spotify?’
May 17, 2024 • 51:10 The Campus Protesters Explain Themselves
May 16, 2024 • 30:47 The Make-or-Break Testimony of Michael Cohen
May 15, 2024 • 27:03 The Possible Collapse of the U.S. Home Insurance System
May 14, 2024 • 35:20 Voters Want Change. In Our Poll, They See It in Trump.
May 13, 2024 • 27:46 How Biden Adopted Trump’s Trade War With China
May 10, 2024 • 27:42 Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand

I.C.C. Prosecutor Requests Warrants for Israeli and Hamas Leaders

The move sets up a possible showdown between the international court and israel with its biggest ally, the united states..

Hosted by Sabrina Tavernise

Featuring Patrick Kingsley

Produced by Will Reid , Diana Nguyen and Shannon M. Lin

Edited by Liz O. Baylen and Michael Benoist

Original music by Elisheba Ittoop

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

This week, Karim Khan, the top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, requested arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

Patrick Kingsley, the Times’s bureau chief in Jerusalem, explains why this may set up a possible showdown between the court and Israel with its biggest ally, the United States.

On today’s episode

Patrick Kingsley , the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times.

Karim Khan, in a head-and-shoulders photo, stands outside a palatial building.

Background reading

Why did a prosecutor go public with the arrest warrant requests ?

The warrant request appeared to shore up domestic support for Mr. Netanyahu.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Patrick Kingsley is The Times’s Jerusalem bureau chief, leading coverage of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. More about Patrick Kingsley

COMMENTS

Chinese
Chinese Culture China Communication Primary Author. Chara Scroope, Nina Evason, 2017 ... Their speech is often ambiguous, and they may understate their point. The purpose of this is to maintain harmony throughout the conversation and prevent a loss of {face} on either end of the exchange. The best way of navigating this rhetoric and finding the ...
Confidence in Chinese Culture
The Chinese culture is both historical and contemporary, belonging both to the Chinese nation and the whole world. ... in a distinctive Chinese style and Chinese ethos. * Part of the speech at the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Ninth National Congress of China Writers ...
Chinese Culture, Customs and Traditions (A Complete Guide)
It boasts a vast and varied geographic expanse, 3,600 years of written history, as well as a rich and profound culture. Chinese culture is diverse and unique, yet harmoniously blended — an invaluable asset to the world. Our China culture guide contains information divided into Traditions, Heritage, Arts, Festivals, Language, and Symbols.
Come Together: The confidence power of Chinese culture renaissance
12:04. "Cultural confidence represents a fundamental and profound force that sustains the development of a country and a nation," Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out at the 19th CPC National Congress, and that's how significant cultural confidence is, especially for a country with a history dating back to 5,000 years ago.
Chinese culture talk
Chinese Culture Talk is a series of lectures on Chinese philosophy, religion, literature, cuisine, medicine and other traditional culture-related subjects. It is sponsored by the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Chinese Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture selects three or four groups of young and middle-aged ...
English speeches on traditional culture to send youth to ...
To celebrate traditional Chinese culture with confidence and innovative thinking, 48 teenagers from all around China gathered in Beijing at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, one of the capital's most ...
The A-Z guide to Chinese culture, customs and traditions
It dates back to the Zhou Dynasty (1,111-255 BC) so it's ingrained in Chinese culture and traditions. Kung fu is a combination of spirituality, exercise, and unarmed personal combat. There are various movements in kung fu, most of which are imitations of the fighting styles of the snake and mythical dragon.
Chinese youth give speeches on cultural confidence
To reiterate the lineage of Chinese heritage and cultural confidence, the first youth keynote speech of FlagTalk took place last Sunday in Beijing. In the presence of more than 300 audience members, nine teenaged leaders from around China shared their stories promoting Chinese culture.
Full text: Speech by Chinese premier Li Qiang at the opening ceremony
The following is the full text of the speech: ... The traditional Chinese culture very much values credibility. China is a country that attaches great importance to commitments, honoring its words ...
Why learn more about traditional Chinese culture?
As Professor Lehmann noted, "Learning about Chinese philosophy, history, music, painting, calligraphy and literature will bring culturally enriching rewards.". Chinese culture, both modern and traditional, can seem very 'alien' to many westerners. But even with a world of resources available to you to learn more about China, why exactly ...
9 Chinese Conversation Scripts to Prepare You for Real-world ...
Talk about recent activities. Another casual conversation you can have (especially if you really hit it off with someone) is discussing what you or they have been up to. This also works great if you run into an acquaintance or friend you haven't see in a while. Here's a sample dialogue between two old pals: A: 好久不见!.
A Journey into China's Tea Culture
LongJing Green Tea, 3.5oz/100g, Chinese Dragon Well Green Tea Loose Leaf. $14.99. The famous LongJing Green Tea of Hangzhou, China is a perfect gift for yourself or a friend, colleague, or family member. Suggested brewing: 3 grams of tea in 300-350ml of 85-90℃ water, and enjoy! Buy from Amazon.
Transform and Boost Traditional Culture in a Creative Way
We should learn to transform and boost traditional culture in a creative way, to integrate old and new, and let both of them serve our current mission of cultivating the people. * Part of the speech at the opening ceremony of the International Conference Commemorating the 2565th Anniversary of Confucius' Birth and the Fifth Congress of the ...
Promoting traditional Chinese culture has strategic significance
Earlier, on June 2, President Xi delivered a speech at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development, stating that "only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we effectively promote the innovative development of China's magnificent traditional culture and the construction of socialist ...
Chinese culture soft power
The development and promotion of a strong and healthy Chinese culture to counter this trend was an urgent imperative. This focus on soft power has since been taken up by his successor Xi Jinping who, at the beginning of 2014, delivered a speech on the importance of promoting China's cultural soft power by disseminating modern Chinese values.
Confucius and the Chinese culture: address to the Young Experts
This text is based on a speech given in November 2022. Its content seems more relevant today than ever: To get along and to cooperate well, human societies around the world have to overcome a dangerous Cold War mentality that is still lurking and even growing today. In the current atmosphere, the importance of the world's understanding of Chinese culture cannot be overemphasized. In order to ...
Traditional culture of nation holds strategic significance
On June 2, Xi delivered a speech at a symposium on cultural inheritance and development, saying that "only by comprehensively and deeply understanding the history of Chinese civilization can we ...
What is China doing to pass on its traditional culture?
Valuing traditional virtues of peace and harmony, it cherishes diversity, equality, mutual learning, dialogue and understanding. As history testifies, the great spirit of the Chinese nation and fine values of the traditional culture have always empowered people with the inner strength needed to not just survive but thrive in the face of adversity.
Xi stresses building modern Chinese civilization
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, participates in a meeting on cultural inheritance and development, and delivers an important speech in Beijing, capital of China, June 2, 2023.
CSSN-Three steps for Chinese culture to 'go global'
Respond to audience demand. Chinese culture "going global" is an umbrella term that covers a range of content. Judging only from the perspective of translation and communication, this includes both ancient Chinese classics, such as Chinese literature, philosophy, aesthetics, politics, and ethics, which are the distillation of thousands of ...
Alfred University student takes second prize at 'Chinese Bridge' speech
Max Rasilla, an art major and Chinese language and culture minor at Alfred University, won second prize in the College Students Group at the 2024 "Chinese Bridge" Speech Competition for the Eastern United States Region Finals. The event took place on May 18, 2024, at the China Institute in America in New York City.
Chinese Culture for Kids Series: Exploring Chinese Culture with Kids
Exploring Chinese Culture with Kids with Hello, China. Hello, China - Chinese Culture series. One hundred Chinese phrases lead to 100 cultural topics in this series. You can have a general understanding of Chinese culture from Dragon to Kung Fu, and from Chinese medicine to Confucius. Each video is under three minutes long and it is a culture ...
Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History
Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History. Tea is an important part of Chinese tradition. As Chinese society developed and progressed, tea production has played a role in driving economic development while tea consumption has remained a practice of daily life. The practice of tea culture can bring the spirit and wisdom of human ...
Russia and China open cross years of culture • President of Russia
The event took place in China's National Grand Theatre. * * * Xi Jinping Xi Jinping President of People's Republic of China (retranslated): Ladies and gentlemen, friends, good evening.. I am delighted to join you in attending the opening ceremony for the Year of Culture of China and Russia, and a concert in honour of the 75 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries.
Officials, scholars highlight need to build cultural ...
Enhancing cultural confidence is necessary to make greater strides in building China's cultural strength, according to participants of the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2024.
In his inauguration speech, Taiwan's new President Lai emphasized China
The Chinese office in charge of Taiwan affairs criticized Lai's inauguration speech as promoting "the fallacy of separatism," inciting confrontation and relying on foreign forces to seek ...
Humanities scholars research free speech, AI, sports culture and the
Students covered topics focused on countries around the globe and ranging from immigration, home care workers and female sports culture to the U.S.-China relationship, the repatriation of cultural objects and AI and literature.
China Rips Taiwan's Lai for 'Dangerous Signal' in Opening Speech
China sharply criticized the inaugural address of new Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, an early indication he will likely have a rocky relationship with Beijing.. Lai "sent a dangerous signal of ...
Video. Taiwan's new president calls out China in inauguration speech
Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te in his inauguration speech has urged China to stop its military intimidation against the self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.
I.C.C. Prosecutor Requests Warrants for Israeli and Hamas Leaders
This week, Karim Khan, the top prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, requested arrest warrants for Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the country's defense minister ...