Effects of Chinese Culture on Life - Essay Example

The effects of Chinese culture on my life This is a blue print document that captures the impact of Chineseculture in my upbringing. The introduction of the paper cites that cultural practices and beliefs are imperative in the development of an individual from childhood to adulthood. In order to understand an individual’s behavior and personality, a study of their cultural practices is essential. Human beings do develop as members of a cultural community (Lewis, 24). In this paper, I discuss how Chinese cultural practices and circumstances of society influence my development. Culture plays an important role in the upbringing of individuals. The Chinese culture focuses on molding children into morally upright individuals of the society. Many life teachings as championed by early prominent persons such as Confucius are at the center of upbringing in the Chinese culture (Colson, 45). I have learnt many lessons from the teachings, which guide me in my daily dealings. For instance, Confucius’ teaching on unlocking personal excellence has propelled me to success and within reach of my full potential. Confucius says that “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The Chinese culture has shaped me into a morally upright member of the society. Confucius lessons are instrumental in personal empowerment and decision-making on issues such as choosing a career path (Hall, Mod. 1). The sensitivity of an individual to other cultures is paramount in establishing good relations. The important aspects of the Chinese culture have made me sensitive to other cultures. Initially as I grew up, I ignored other cultures simply because they were not part of my life. However, after moving to America, I have been able to learn new things and life became more interesting as I integrated other cultures into my way of life. There should be no fear of other cultures and instead for individuals to reach their full potentials, they should explore the diversity of cultures (Hall, Mod. 1).The diverse nature of Chinese culture has helped me make formidable relationships with my peers from other cultures. The anxiety to learn from each other and empower ourselves has been the key driving force to this course. Due to different cultures, individuals have different personalities. This has made it easier to form all-round academic and social groups with friends and classmates (Hall, Mod. 1). Belief System and Discipline are important values of any culture. My parents use guan as the primary practice of valued discipline. Confucianism is a feature of the Chinese culture that is widely used by many parents. The disciplinary system based on Confucianism teachings buoy up positive criticism as a way of promoting social values (Colson, 39). It is for this reason that I would take criticisms and occasional banter politely from the people around me. The Chinese culture advocates for collectivism, which is relies upon criticism to correct the wrong doings in society (Hall, Mod. 1). In America, not all people take criticism on a positive note and it may sow bad blood among individuals or groups (Lewis, 27). Through these teachings, I have learnt that the more one loses, the more they gain, and short-term interests should not blind a view of the future. Obedience of long-term commitments is the root of China’s stability as a society (Colson, 43). Different cultures have different ways of educational practices. The Chinese tradition on education puts a lot of emphasis in education that little there is no room for extra-curricular activities. The academic system is rigorous in China and tests only determine admission to college (Colson, 47). This tradition is different to the American system where extra-curricular activities play a role in admission to college (Lewis, 29). The rigidity of the education tradition in China prompted me to seek college education in America. This has made me receive more freedom, not only in education but in life too. I am able to give attention to other personal activities such as hobbies and sports that I would not have achieved under the rigorous Chinese tradition (Josselyn, Mod. 2). The art, music, and literature of Chinese are usually traditional with origins dating back to 15th century. Music Instruments are made of different materials such as clay, stone, bamboo, wood, and silk among others (Colson, 59). During my fifteenth birthday, my Uncle bought me a Konghou, an ancient stringed music instrument. I pluck this instrument during my free time and as it helps me forget the worries of the life. Initially, I was not a big fan of Chinese music. However, with the evolution and blending of the music with western beats, the music is more appealing. The modern urban course that most Chinese artists have taken has increased Chinese music fan base worldwide. Most Chinese music contains moral teachings. These teachings range from matters of love, family, and socio-economic issues. My music playlist always has Chinese music. Butterfly Lovers is an internationally acclaimed music and an epitome of Chinese music with good lyrics. I always hum a few lines of the violin symphony whenever am in the shower. Most of the time, I spend the weekend out with friends and family in a club playing Chinese music. Clothing is an important aspect of every culture. The Chinese culture has different views on clothing. According to the culture, the mother to an expectant mother buys the child’s entire outfit. The maternal grandmother sends a suite of clothing to her expectant daughter a month before delivery. Among the package is a white cloth for wrapping the newborn (Colson, 63). Engineers had to stop renovating our house during the pregnancy of my sister. In the Chinese culture, hammering and construction works on a pregnant woman’s life would lead to fetal deformities or abortion (Colson, 64). The cross collar is the main characteristic of Chinese traditional attire. When I was young, I used to wear the traditional Chinese attire. However, with integration with the western world since moving to America, my wardrobe mainly contains modern clothes. However, I still have a collection of the traditional Chinese attire that I use when attending ceremonies, festivals, or religious occasions. I like wearing scarves and coronets just like my father. This culture is characteristic of the Hanfu, which is the clothing that Han ethnic group wore long time ago. On my wedding day, I will wear red Chinese traditional costumes. According to Chinese culture, red color is a sign of happiness, luck, and auspiciousness (Colson, 67). There exist different legends in the Chinese culture. The most popular Legend is the Kylin, an animal like creature that can live for as long as 2,000 years. Ancient people believed that Kylin is a conveyor of the will of heaven. Most of the ornaments I wear bear Kylin images. My grandfather gave me the ornaments to protect and bring luck my way. The candle Dragon is another popular legend in the Chinese culture. Over the years arguments have been set forth to discuss the existence of day and night and the four seasons. While there exists scientific, biblical other dimensions to these phenomena, the Chinese myth of the Candle dragon gives a weird account of nature. According to Chinese culture, there once lived a god in Zhangwei Mountain. Whenever the god closed his eyes night befell and when he opened them, night would turn into daytime. Once the god breathed, there would be severe winds and heavy rain. Whenever he blew, there would be winter with heavy storms experienced all over earth and his sniffs would lead to midsummer with sizzling hot sun (Colson, 70). I tend to believe in this myth of the candle dragon that whenever there is a sudden change in climatic conditions I find myself shouting the name candle dragon (Josselyn, Mod. 2). In conclusion, culture directly determines any individual’s way of life. From the discussions above, the Chinese culture has had a big impact on my values, personality, and the way I relate with others. The culture affects my social life as it influences my personal beliefs and norms. Indeed, without the Chinese culture, I would probably be a different person from what I am today. Work Cited Colson, Mary. Chinese culture. Chicago, Ill.: Heinemann Library, 2013. Print. Hall, Bradford J. Among cultures: the challenge of communication. Second ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. Print. Lewis, Richard D. Cross cultural communication: a visual approach. Rivers down, Hampshire: Tran screen Publications, 2009. Print. Read More