Chinese Culture文档格式.docx

1、 Thats for sure! Historically, Chinese calligraphy and politics were closely intertwined. Over 2,000 years ago, Emperor Qin Shihuang, the first Emperor in Chinese history, established the official Chinese writing characters. The new, simplified characters made writing calligraphy less complicated. I

2、t allowed people to use characters with more straight strokes, thus making it easier to write with brushes. This created the Li genre. Over time, other variations were also developed, which eventually lead to the formation of the five genres in Chinese calligraphy. These were the Zhuan, Li, Kai, Xin

3、g and Cao genres. Ive heard that most emperors were good at calligraphy. The Tang Dynasty Emperor Li Shimin was an avid collector of Wang Xizhis writings. Thats right. Qing Dynasty Emperor Qian Long played a key role in compiling an authoritative collection of calligraphy. To some extent, preference

4、s of the Emperors had an influence on the rise and fall of certain calligraphy genres. Ordinary Chinese people also seemed to like calligraphy a lot. Part of the reason was the sponsorship by the Emperors. Another reason was the Imperial Civil Service examinations that started in the 7th century. Th

5、ose examinations were focused on writing and provided a way for ordinary people to achieve a better life. As a result, calligraphy became widely accepted. Calligraphy also had its practical values because it was a good way to make friends and was more presentable as a gift rather than jewelry or mon

6、ey. Does calligraphy still have these practical functions now? Yes. Many people practice calligraphy as a way to raise their cultural accomplishment. Older people use calligraphic writing as a method to keep fit. They believe that when a person concentrates on writing calligraphy, his inner wellbein

7、g is stimulated. I had thought computers would lead to the disappearance of Chinese calligraphy. Now I understand thats not likely to happen. How can you give your boss computer-printed calligraphy as a gift? You dont, unless you want him to fire you.02. The Significance of Chinese Paintings Its int

8、eresting that Chinese paintings can be created on the spot, even though most of them have similar subjects. Peony, plum blossoms, mountains, creeks or cottages are very popular. There are often painters at significant celebratory and commemorative events. Their educational function is, in fact, a un

9、ique feature of Chinese painting. Human profiles were used as a method to either glorify heroes or condemn traitors 2,000 years ago. Tang Dynasty officials even tried to bring painting into Confucian ideology. The Court of the Song Dynasty published an official guide to paintings. This raised criter

10、ia not only for human profiles but also for landscape and object paintings. Oh, what was that? It classified paintings into ten categories covering religious beliefs, Confucianism and state power. This classification gave an official definition of the value and significance of the paintings. The pur

11、pose of landscape paintings was to portray the five mountains, while fruit and birds were used to exemplify or eulogize the Gods. In this case, the subjects were used as references to people in order to deliver moral messages. For example, peony and peacocks represented wealth and fortune; pine tree

12、s, bamboo, plum blossoms and orchids represented elegance and accomplishment; and pine trees and cypresses symbolized loyalty. As far as I know, painters who did not have to make a living by painting used different skills to those specified in the guide, even though they painted the same subjects. A

13、rtists are usually against pragmatism. They like to give meaning to the subjects they paint. Bamboo symbolizes integrity and pine trees symbolize never giving up. Artists also like landscapes. It doesnt take a lot of training to paint landscapes. It all depends on the painters personality and abilit

14、y, as well as his unique touch. Most of todays non-professional painters follow the landscape style. The objective of these painters is purely entertainment and self-satisfaction. The more successful artists have the opportunity to exhibit at public functions. That is probably the climax of their pa

15、inting careers. What are professional painters doing? Some of them make a great effort to improve their painting skills. They want to develop new and innovative painting methods by borrowing from other genres. Others are busy making money. They have found ways to produce commercially attractive pain

16、tings. Some people say they are no longer artists. Instead they have become manufacturers of paintings. 03. Rediscover ConfuciusDid you see the statue of Confucius launched by the China Confucius Fund? Yes, I did. It doesnt quite match the Confucius image in my mind though. I heard there are many di

17、fferent opinions about this so-called official statue. But, to be fair, its an impossible job to create an official statue of someone who lived more than 2,500 years ago. No one knows what he looked like, just like no one in the West knows what Plato looked like. Nevertheless, Confucius was a great

18、philosopher, an educator, a politician, as well as the founder of Confucianism, which still has a tremendous influence over people today. Confucianism seems to be back in fashion again. As far as I know, about five to six million Chinese students are currently studying The analects of Confucius. Som

19、e companies are using Confucianism as a management tool. The government is also promoting the Confucian values of ethics, fairness, and honesty. They see it as a way to address the social problems that have emerged as a result of the accelerated economic growth. Confucianism is the backbone of Chine

20、se culture. Confucius developed his philosophy around the concept of benevolence. The Analects of Confucius is a record of his political views. Confucianism represents a set of moral principles because it stresses fairness and harmony in human relationships, as well as the individuals social respons

21、ibility for their country. For Confucius, political honesty is based on individual ethical integrity. Some American scholars did a comparative study of Confucius with Greek and Roman philosophers. Their conclusion was that there is more practical value in Confucianism. Why it that? Well it has exten

22、sive application in Chinese society. Confucius was also an accomplished educator. He treated his students as his equal by teaching them democratic and open-minded ideas. In the words of the American scholars, Confucius wanted to train his students to become more unrestrained and adaptable to externa

23、l influences. There is also an increasing awareness of Confucianism in other parts of the world. This may be a result of various political, cultural, and environmental challenges due to Chinas growing economic importance. As a result, the rise of individualism in the community has become a serious t

24、hreat to social harmony and progress. A different set of values are needed as a counterbalance. Confucianism emphasizes courtesy and respect when dealing with people or nature so it should be very beneficial for building harmony in any society. You are right. A scholar once said that answers concern

25、ing our survival can be found in the wisdom of Confucius, even though he lived more than 25 centuries ago.04-Differences between Chinese and Western Medicines For many years, there have been repeated discussions to give up Chinese medicine. Its recently become a hot topic once again. And because bel

26、ieve the Chinese medicine is not scientifically based in comparison to Western medicine. Although it is debatable why Chinese medicine is scientifically sound. You cannot deny it has a rich philosophic significance. This is very different from Western medicine. Usually, a Chinese medicine practition

27、er approaches on the home and abroad perspective, emphasis its entirety and dialectical implications. This is why some people view it as a holistic medicine. In contrast, a Western doctor deals to recipe with symptoms. For instance, if someone has a sore throat, a Western doctor will treated it as a

28、 throat problem while a Chinese doctor may link it to the disorder of the patients stomach. Whats the difference between Chinese and Western medicines? A Chinese doctor examines its patients by using methods like observing, smelling, asking and feeling. His Western counterparts rely on symptoms or e

29、vidence, like body temperature and lab tests. A Chinese doctor determines the problem of patients interior organs by influence through observing very exterior signs such as complexion or the tongue. A Western doctor, on the other hand, makes his judgment based on the results of lab tests on the inte

30、rnal organs. He then reinforces its judgment by examining exterior symptoms. A Western doctor uses chemical based medicines and surgery, but a Chinese doctor relies on some herb medicines and acupuncture. For patient, which is preferable? It depends. Usually a Chinese doctor will recommend Western m

31、edicine for intensive treatment and Chinese medicine for the recovery. In fact, Chinese medicine is probably more effective in treating some functional diseases, while the cause is difficult to discover. What will happen if Chinese medicine is indeed abandoned? No idea, but for people with terminal diseases, Chinese medicine may be the last result. Chinese medicine can not only alleviate pain but also offers the option of different treatment. 05-The Role of Operas In his book,