Discover China
Welcome to China!
By Xuemin Li, EurAupair China
I’m honored to have the opportunity to introduce my country to you. There are so many things I want to share with you. So, come with me, as I show you my country!
As many know, China is one of the world's oldest civilizations with a chronicled history of more than 5,000 years. In 221 BC, Qinshihuang established the Qin Dynasty, the first feudal autocracy in Chinese history, thereby unveiling a 2,000-year period of feudalism which was to last through a succession of dynasties such as the Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing, a period which finally met its demise in the bourgeois democratic Revolution of 1911 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen. October 1, 1949 saw the founding of the People's Republic of China.
In general, Chinese people are humble, peaceful and hardworking. With a history of Confucianism, they have a strong respect for elders, as well as a love of children. They believe in harmony and tend to avoid direct confrontation.
Chinese communication is very concerned with humility and has a style quite different from that of Western cultures. Take, for example, greetings and farewells. In China, we always greet by asking, “Have you eaten yet?”, “ What are you going to do?” or “Where are you going?” to show our consideration for the listener. As for parting, expressions include “You are busy, I won’t trouble you any longer.” or “You must be tired, please have a rest early and I’ll leave” etc… Chinese leave-taking is very short and quick, with many apologies such as “I’m sorry that I have troubled you” or “I’m sorry that I have taken up much of your time”. It should be noted that these expressions are employed by Chinese guests to show concern for their hosts. On the other hand, a Chinese hostess, if she is complimented on her cooking skill, will apologize for giving you “Nothing”. Instead, she may say, “I just made some dishes casually and they are not very tasty.” This doesn’t mean the hostess doesn’t respect your opinion. It’s more that the Chinese regard modesty as a very valuable virtue.
In many cultures, food is a great way to get to know a people and China is no exception! With such a vast territory and so many ethnic groups, China has an incredible variety when it comes to its food. It might be helpful to think of Chinese food being roughly divided into eight regional cuisines namely, Sichuan, Fujian, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong (Cantonese), Jiangsu, Anhui and Hunan. Sichuan Cuisine, as many know, is characterized by its spicy and pungent flavor. Fujian Cuisine is distinguished for its choice of seafood, beautiful color and magical taste of sweet, sour, salty and savory. Next, Zhejiang Cuisine wins its reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness and smoothness of its dishes with mellow fragrance.
Sichuan Cuisine
Shandong Cuisine is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. Often familiar to Westerners, Guangdong (Cantonese) Cuisine usually chooses poultry and game to produce originative dishes. Jiangsu Cuisine is light, fresh and sweet and has a delicate elegance. Anhui Cuisine chefs focus much more attention on the temperature in cooking and are good at braising and stewing. Finally, Hunan Cuisine characterizes itself by thick and pungent flavors with plenty of chili, pepper and shallots being used.
Food, of course, plays a big part in the festivals in China. And, while there are many traditional festivals, the two festivals celebrated the most are Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Day. Spring Festival, known as Chinese New Year to many Westerners, is the grandest and busiest festival in China and commonly referred to as 'seeing the new year in.’ On New Year's Eve, families join together for a luxurious dinner. People in northern China typically will eat dumplings (jiaozi), symbolizing the end of the old year and the beginning of the New Year. In southern China, people usually eat rice cakes representing that their level of life will become higher. People still burn firecrackers on New Year's Eve and at dawn on New Year's Day. Starting with the second day of the festival, people will call on each other with New Year's gifts with an emphasis on the preparation and consumption of sweets and fruits. Hosts of these get-togethers will thank their guests by preparing yet another opulent dinner. Not only is there a lively atmosphere in every household, there is partying in the street as well! Every night dragon and lion dances, Shehuo (a traditional folk performance) and flower and lantern fairs occur throughout China especially in the countryside. It’s truly a beautiful sight to see!
Mid-Autumn Day falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar calendar month, which is the middle of autumn. According to folklore, this day is the birthday of the moon and the moon on this particular night is more perfectly round than on any other night during the year. Offering sacrifices to the moon, eating moon cakes and watching the moon are the main activities of this festival. Traditionally, moon cakes were made of sweet bean-paste filling, with golden brown flaky skin. ’Round’ in Chinese also means reunion, so we celebrate this holiday with our family reunion.
While I hope this article has given you a taste of China, my country is more than just food and festivals. It is another world, full of people who are honest, industrious, friendly and hospitable. If you want to know this world a bit more, why not say “Ni hao” by hosting a EurAupair Au Pair from China this year?!
Facts
Country: The People's Republic of China
States: There are altogether 34 administrative units at provincial level in China, including four municipalities, five autonomous regions, two special administrative regions and 23 provinces.
Population: 1305.76 million (by 2005)
Capital: Beijing
Language: Putonghua (Beijing Dialect, Mandarin)
Religion: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Christianity, and Catholicism
Government: The National People’s Congress
Area: 9.6 million square km
Terrain: Plateau, Plains, Mountains, Hills, and Basins
Highest point: 8,848 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, Jade, fish, salt, stone, sand, wood.