Rites and Customs
Name
The name is a linguistic symbol used to distinguish people from each other and it is also an important component of Chinese culture.
According to the history of names, the most complete name system is composed of surname, given name, courtesy name and pseudonym, but today only the combination of "surname plus given name" has been retained. Usually the surname consists of one single character, and some surnames are composed of 2, 3, or even 4 characters. Based upon Chinese tradition, children generally follow about their father's surname. As for the given name, it is commonplace to use one or two characters, and the choice of the given name often conveys parents' best wishes and expectations for their children. The courtesy name and pseudonym are applied to people of the ancient and early modern times, and basically they no longer exist today. The courtesy name is often related to the meaning of the given name as an explanation or supplement, and it is not given at the child's birth. Instead, it is given by the parents when the capping ceremony, a symbol of the child's adulthood, is held at the age of 20. After that, the person is called by his courtesy name instead of his given name to show respect. Unlike the two titles mentioned above, the pseudonym is usually named by oneself with no restriction of character number. In history, ancient literati preferred pseudonyms, and usually they integrated their experiences, personalities, and ideals into their pseudonyms to demonstrate feelings and aspiration.
Names also contain a rich cultural significance. Throughout Chinese history,naming is often based on the family hierarchy, and one can tell the kinship and seniority order from a person's name. Besides, the sequence of the sumame coming before the given name reflects the values of families and clans of the Chinese people and Confucianism has a far-reaching influence on Chinese naming system.
Like a treasure-house with great cultural values, the name is not only a simple symbol to meet social needs, but also a comprehensive manifestation of acountry's poliics, economy, customs,and characteristics of the times.
Totem
The Chinese term tuteng or totem is a loanword from the Indian language, and its original meaning is "relatives". In the primitive society, people considered certain animals or plants as their relatives or patron saints with the hope that long-term security can be ensured, and they took them as the symbol of their clansmen. These plants and animals endowed with special meaning and mysterious air are totems.
There are many types of totems in China,most of which are animals and the dragon totem is the most prevalent. Emperors of different dynasties claimed themselves to be the "Son of Heaven", indicating that they are the incarnation of the dragon and have extraordinary power. The totem culture also penetrates into art and culture. In terms of literature, there are stories about various totems in Chinese myths and legends, in addition to a few idioms related to totems. In terms of painting and sculpture, totems were painted or engraved on potteries and bronze utensils in ancient times to express people's reverence. Totem designs can also be found in the traditional costumes of some ethnic minorities in China and they have totem tattoos and hold totem body decoration activities. Moreover, totem dances and music as performing arts, although produced in the primeval society, are still popular in today's artistic stage. In addition to the rich cultural manifestation, totem taboos are also the way for people to show their worship of totems. For example, there was a ban on the marriage of members of the same totem group in the primitive society, while the custom of not hunting and eating totems is still preserved in some ethnic minorities in China today.
Most nations in the world have their totem culture. As a valuable asset in human history, it is an important basis for people to study the culture, customs and art of various nationalities.
The Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese Zodiac is uesd to symbolize the year in which a person is born, and it is composed of twelve animals, namely rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. With twelve years as a cycle, each year is represented by a certain animal with the fixed order.
According to its source and relationship with human beings, twelve animals can be divided into three categories. Six domestic animals, namely, ox, horse, goat, rooster, dog, and pig as the first category, have historically been most closely related to humans for they are not only the source of human food, but also people's helpers in farming, transportation, and warfare. Therefore it is not surprising for them to be selected as members of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. The second category includes five wild animals that people revere, avoid and like in ancient times, namely, rat, tiger, rabbit, snake and monkey. The dragon, which is considered as an imaginary deity, belongs to the last category. It is the most common totem of the Chinese nation, and signifies auspiciousness and wealth because it is an integration of different features of a couple of animals.
In the long process of its development, people often associate the twelve Chinese zodiac signs with one's marriage, career, wealth and health, forming a divination system similar to the foreign astrology. Colorful cultures and folk customs are also contained in the zodiac signs. In various art forms such as poetry, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, and embroidery, there are a large number of works themed on the tewlve animals. The Chinese Zodiac Birth Year, also the manifestation of the zodiac culture, is the year in which the zodiac is consistent with one's year of birth and it appears once every twelve years. Since it is usually considered ominous, people will wear red clothing and accessories tied with red strings to get rid of bad luck and avoid disasters. In addition, during the New Year period, China and overseas countries with Chinese residents will issue zodiac stamps to spread Chinese culture and celebrate the Chinese New Year.
The Twenty-four Solar Terms
The twenty-four solar terms are a time knowledge system summarized by the ancient Chinese through observing changes in phenology and climate, and the annual movement of the sun. It is mainly used to guide farmers in agricultural production and daily activities.
The twenty-four solar terms divide a year (the time the earth revolves around the sun for one circle) into twenty-four equal parts, and fall into three categories based on the source and meaning. The first category contains eight solar terms distinguishing the four seasons, namely Start of Spring, Spring Equinox, Start of Summer, Summer Solstice, Start of Autumn, Autumnal Equinox, Start of Winter and Winter Solstice. The first term in each season represents the commencement of a new season while the second means reaching or beginning to reach the seasonal extreme. Spring Equinox and Autumnal Equinox are right in the middle of their respective seasons, when the day and night are equal in length. Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice respectively signify the upcoming hottest and coldest time in a year. The twelve solar terms are included in the second category, reflecting climate and precipitation characteristics. Among them it is obvious that five terms, namely Minor Heat, Major Heat, Limit of Heat, Minor Cold and Major Cold are named on the basis of their hotness and coldness. The remaining seven, Rain Water, Grain Rain, White Dew, Cold Dew, Frost Descent, Minor Snow and Major Snow, are all close indicators of the variations in state and amount of precipitation caused by temperature changes in specific seasons. The last category consists of four, namely Waking of Insects, Pure Brightness, Grain Full and Grain in Ear, whose names come from the corresponding phenological phenomena and farming activities. For example, the term Waking of Insects indicates the arrival of spring awakens the torpid insects and animals, and Grain Full means the crops begin to plump and mature.
The twenty-four solar terms not only have the practical value as a guide of agriculture and people's life, but also have rich folklore connotations, which are vividly reflected in festival celebrations, dietary habits, health-preserving customs and culture and art. The twenty-four solar terms was officially added to UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
Traditional Wedding
In ancient China, the complete wedding consists of pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding ceremonies.
Specifically, five steps are involved in practicing the pre-wedding ceremony. The very first step is Nacai. That is , the bridegroom's side invites the matchmaker to come to the bride's to propose a marriage, often with a wild goose as a gift, meaning unswerving love. What follows next is Wenming,whose purpose is to check the birth date and the eight characters of a horoscope to ascertain wheter the two are fairly well matched. The next two procedures are Naji and Nazheng. The former refers to the etiquette of bringing the good news of divination to the bride's, and the latter is the betrothal gifts-giving. This step marks the establishment of the marital relationship, and both parties are not allowed to withdraw at will. Later on, a lucky day for wedding, called Qingqi, will then be fixed.
The last part is the most-marriage ceremony. On the morning after the wedding, the bride needs to serve tea to her mother-in-law and father-in-law to show respect. On the third day, the newlyweds are to bring gifts to pay a visit back to the bride's, and the bride's family also prepares a sumptuous feast for their new son-in-law.
Family Values
Chinese people have strong attachment to the family for both its center position in society and its vital importance in the survival and development of its members. Major family activities like production, reproduction, children education and caring for the elderly are conducted on a family basis. Family interests are often emphasized in tradition and personal obedience to the family and personal sacrifices are required if necessary. The "family-centered" idea in China has a far-reaching influence and up till now, people with the same family name tend to feel very close to each other, and most of China's holidays are themed on family and reunion.
As an important family feature, filial piety refers to the virtual and behavioral norms of the younger toward the elder in a family. Taking esteem as its basis, filial piety requires children not only to fulfill their supporting obligations, but also to maintain respectful attitude toward their parents. In the traditional view, children should be absolutely obedient to their parents, and any behavior that violates the will of their parents is considered unfilial. During the feudal times, continuity of the family clan is the primary task of marriage, and the birth of a boy is fundamental in stabilizing and maintaining the lineage of the whole family. Having successors especially grand-generativity is also the wishes of the parents, which is regarded as the way to reciprocate the clan's cultivation and express filial piety.
In addition,family ties including marital and blood relationships is also an important part of family values. Although the husband-and-wife bond is generally considered the core in modern concept, the blood relationship is the foundation for maintaining the family in traditional Chinese society, and the father-son relationship is of the most significance. Influenced by the traditional concept of male superiority coupled with the economic attachment of women after marriage, the wife has to be obedient to her husband, and even to her son.
In modern times, many traditional family concepts have changed, but their impact still exists and it is an indispensable part of traditional Chinese culture.
Taboo Numbers and Colors
Among all the numbers,"six" and "eight" are people's favorite because their homophonic sounds are "smooth" and "flourishing" respectively. In all the choices pertaining to numbers, from the phone number and the license plate number to the date of new store opening and wedding, those with "six" and "eight" are people's first option. By contrast, "four" and "seven" are often taboos. The pronunciation of "four" is the same as that of "death" in Chinese, which people try to avoid in everything, and even some combinations of numbers containing four are undesirable. And "seven" is considered unlucky for it is often associated with funerals. The "first seven night" is a Chinese funeral custom with mourning activities held on the seventh day of the deceased by one's family members.
In terms of color,Chinese people prefer red because they believe that red means auspiciousness and joy. Therefore, red clothing and red ornaments are often worn and used in many celebrations such as weddings and festivals. White and black, on the contrary, are the colors people dislike and tend to avoid. White in Chinese traditional culture is the sign of death and ominousness. In traditional funerals, the families of the deceased need to wear white filial clothes and hats, and set up a white mourning hall to hold a "white funeral ceremony" to comfort the deceased. In addition, white also has the connotative meaning of being insidious and crafty. In Chinese Peking Opera, the character with white facial makeup is usually a villain, for example, Cao Cao, one of the most celebrated figures in the Three-Kingdom period. Black is not a color whose negative implications are as strong as white, but it still has mysterious and special meanings. On the one hand ,black is reminiscent of derogatory words such as sin, darkness, and terror. On the other hand, influenced by western culture, Chinese people at mordern funerals, also wear black clothes with black armband to express respect for the deceased in this atmosphere of solemnity and reverence.
Reciprocal Courtesy
Gifts giving is a universal social etiquette and activity to maintain relationships between people. China is a country of etiquette and ceremonies and Chinese people attach great importance to reciprocal courtesy, with the purpose of achieving harmonious and balanced interpersonal relationships. Harmony refers to mutual benefit and cooperation and balance means that gift giving is a two-way behavior, and that one good turn deserves another.
Chinese are very particular about gift selection and gift giving occasions. There is an old Chinese saying that it's not the gift that counts, but the thought behind it. The aim of giving gifts is to express your affection and friendship instead of showing how rich you are, so the receiver's needs and preference should be taken into account and practical applicability is the priority in the choice of gifts. In addition, it is generally believed in China that good things should be in pairs. And this can be applied in gifts giving both in the form of money and real objects. Chinese people always take seriously the birthdays of the elders, and the gifts are often intended to send "health and longevity" wishes such as the peach-shaped cake and pastries. When attending important occasions like weddings and funerals, the relatives and friends who are invited often take cash as the gift. When consoling a patient, the gifts people carry are usually foods such as fruit and nourishment. For ordinary social occasions like parties and housewarming, the common gifts are fruit, wine, tea, and local specialties.
With their own way of accepting gifts, Chinese people tend to refuse the gift initially while the gift giver insists. When accepting the gift, the recipient will not open or take a close look at it in the face of the gift giver. Sometimes the recipient will give a small gift in return when they part to show mutual courtesy.
Social Etiquette
Social etiquette is the behavioral norms that people observe in their daily ineracions. As one of the birthplaces of world civilization, China has its unique etiquette system. Here the manners of meeting and guests entertaining are introduced.
The meeting etiquette mainly refer to a set of customs and rules involved in introduction and gestures. Chinese introduction etiquette is the same as that of most countries in the world. Chinese people pay great attention to the introduction order. It is common to first introduce the young to the elderly and man to woman to show respect for the latter. Handshake is also a universal rite, but the "fist and palm salute" is unique for traditional Chinese culture. It is done by holding two hands together in front of the chest and more frequently used in mass greetings and festive celebrations nowadays.
China is different from the West in entertaining the guest. When a guest pays a visit, everyone in the family will come to meet the guest and make small talk. When the guest is seated, a cup of tea will be served by the host with two hands and it can't be filled up, to show politeness to the guest. If a meal is needed, the seating arrangements are very particular. The seat facing the gate belongs to the host, and that of the guest of honor will also be arranged in advance. During the meal, communication is of vital importance and the lively dining atmosphere is much preferred. Meanwhile, the host and the guest will urge each other to eat and drink, and even if the table is full of delicacies, the host will still be modest, saying the food is not sumptuous enough, and that the guest is not well entertained. The farewell and see-off are the concluding part. The guest is ready to leave when he expresses such a wish, while the host will repeatedly try to persuade the guest to stay. When they part, the host will say some formulae, such as "Visit us again when available and take care" and the guests will reply with "Don't bother to see me out". In this way the visit ends with the warm farewell speech.
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