Traditional Chinese Culture - Essay Example

Topic Traditional Chinese Culture Introduction The Chinese culture influences its national identity and philosophies. The present-day Chinese traditional culture is a mixture of old world traditions and a westernized lifestyle. Diversity and inclusivity are aspects that promote harmony among the various Chinese ethnic groups. The significant elements to consider pertaining to the Chinese traditional culture entail architectural designs, language, ethnicity, Religion and national heritage. Cultural preservation and observation enhances coordination and interaction with other neighboring countries. The values of traditional Chinese culture are relevant to today’s dialogue among world cultures because of social interactions and national philosophies that encourage tolerance and appreciation. Distinct Language The Chinese traditional distinct language is a cultural value that establishes a mutually tolerant and universally embraceable world order. Language is a communication symbol that connects the Chinese citizens with external contacts. This is because a person has to learn the traditional Chinese language in order to transact business with the locals (Zhang 9). The distinct grammatical and phonological set up of the language inspires interest among foreigners. Similarly, the unique writing style requires one to understand the sentence formation for easy communication. For instance, business interactions require the usage of a common communication model understood by all partners. The traditional Chinese language has been studied across the world because the country boasts of sophisticated industrial and technological advancements (Zhang10). As a result, this has inspired a mutually tolerant and universally embraceable world order where people from diverse backgrounds come together to learn a common language. Religious Practices Religion is always a unifying element that brings together believers to embrace and accept each other. China has three main religious denominations that people profess to for spiritual nourishment and divine intervention. The Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism have contributed to the Chinese civilization through their spiritual teachings. Buddhism is the most practiced religion in the country and spreads across other Asian nations (Zhang 15). The social and ethnic relevance of the religious associations has enabled the believers to develop their generation. It is apparent that Buddhism has had a remarkable contribution to Chinese civilization because most of the words and phrase used in the country have roots in the Buddhist origin. The religions have also facilitated the development of literature and business in the country. Chinese religious culture also portrays the ancient architectural designs found in the temples, caves and holy mountains (Zhang 19). These temples and caves are tourist attraction centers that generate revenues directly and indirectly to the local citizens. Chinese traditional religious values are relevant to today’s dialogue among world cultures since they established a mutually tolerant and universally embraceable world order inspired by the spiritual teachings and literary development. Ethnicity China comprises of a diverse ethnic combination that shares a common a national heritage. The different Chinese ethnic groups strive towards developing their country because they possess various distinct skills and capabilities. Similarly, the relationships between the ethnic groups have facilitated international companies to associate with them in business affairs (Yang 32). The tranquility and cooperation among the locals enhances stability in business operations, which is an incentive in international trade. The country has 56 official ethnic groups that embrace the traditional identity within the communities and national significance (Yang 32). Literature and the Arts are elements that emerged from the ethnic groupings with each group coming up with unique artistic and literary messages. The dialogue among world cultures starts from the unity of diverse ethnic groups that can establish a mutually tolerant and universally embraceable world order. Martial Arts Sport Martial art is another value in the Chinese traditional culture that is relevant to today’s dialogue among world cultures in establishing a mutually tolerant and universally embraceable world order. Martial Art is a sporting activity with its origin and influence in China. The sport has spread to various regions that take part in international competitions (Yang 32). The Martial Arts sport is a cultural activity undertaken during competition and traditional ceremonies to display individual skills. Martial Arts have united the Chinese people with the rest of the world through exchange programs and sporting activities (Yang 36). This aspect makes the world a mutually tolerant place where people can unite for a sporting activity and create friendship among them. Controversial Values Cuisines, fashion and etiquette are among the different values of Chinese traditional values that ought to be criticized or abandoned. It is apparent that the Chinese cuisine comprises of over 50 dishes per meal prepared by different cooks (Bunchua 20). A person cannot sample all the dishes served at the table, which amounts to concerns of food wastage. The cuisine comprises of various food staples that, sometimes, contain the same nutritional values. Another cultural aspect that needs to be criticized is Chinese fashion that depicts social class, eras and trends. For instance, the emperors and dynasty members wore yellow or red fashion trends during the Imperia Era (Bunchua 23). The other common persons had to don the common gowns and full Hanfu dress that symbolized the regions and time of the dynasties. This implies that the Chinese fashion industry does not embrace westernized trends and remains conservationists in nature. It would be essential to adopt fashion from other regions in order to offer varieties to the people, instead of confining them to the usual clothing lines (Bunchua 27). Although the fashion cloths represented the dynasties during the eras, the emperors wore the first quality attires that indicated their social classes. Chinese etiquette and customs in dining should also be criticized. The people observe many customs and protocols practiced in formal dining, such as services offered and the seating arrangements. The table setting has to be in a certain order when serving elders in formal places while the dishes must be shared communally. The dining etiquette takes a lot of time delaying the guests who are not aware of the customs followed. The Chinese should try to serve dishes that one person can be able to sample without the use of chopsticks. The snacks should not form part of the main dishes, but desserts or appetizers because they fill the tables for nothing. I think it would be appropriate to abandon the Chinese eating etiquette that consumes a lot of time and space during formal meetings (Bunchua 30). Works Cited Bunchua, Kirti. The Bases of Values in a Time of Change: Chinese and Western. Washington, DC: Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 1999. Print. Yang, Shaorong. Chinese Clothing: Costumes, Adornments, Culture. San Francisco: Long River Press, 2003. Print. Zhang, Qizhi. Traditional Chinese Culture. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 2004. Print. Read More