Chinese Culture
The Divine Land
Names tell a tale, they say. of the many names for China over the centuries, one stands out for all that it promises to tell: Shenzhou- "The Divine Land."
Stretching across the canvas of Chinese history is a profound inclination, apparent in fields as diverse as urban planning and internal medicine, towards a world beyond, to a greater higher presence. The very earliest works of Chinese art, drawn with remarkble care, depict godly figures and acts of veneration. In the earliest dynastic times, rulers considered heaven's will fundamental to the well-being and integrity of the state. The earliest extant Chinese writing, carved into tortoise shells, was solely devoted to discerning the will of a greater spiritual power. Entire cities were laid out so as to align with a higher, invisible order. Chinese fiction and the novel, meanwhile, were born of Buddhist moral tales. Chinese metallurgy was interfused with, and often driven by, Daoist visions of alchemically transmuting the body into divine substance.
In almost every facet of China's traditional culture can be found a wish to align human activity and thought with that of a greater spiritual presence or order, called variously "Dao" (the way), "Fa" (the law), "Tian" (heaven), "Shen" (god), or "Li" (principle). This applied to carpentry and architecture, the martial arts, poetry and painting, astronomy, acupuncture, the festival calendar, and even military strategy, to name a few. Hardly any aspect of China's classical culture can be understood absent this. For this is the cultural legacy of Shenzhou-China- The Divine Land.
From: Divine Beauty, 2004-2006 Chinese New Year Global Gala Album
Chinese New Year
Beginning in mid-December, families all around China start preparing for Chinese New Year, creating an atmosphere of joy and renewal.
A time of gratitude and family togetherness, New Year's Eve is spent by bidding farewell to the old year and thanking one's ancestors and the gods for their blessing and protection. Children who have left their hometown return on this day to share New Year's Eve Dinner with their families, and for those unable to make the journey, a table setting is placed to symbolize their presence in spirit if not in body. At the end of dinner, the parents and older generation give New Year's money to the children, who have been waiting with growing anticipation for this moment to arrive. Finally, to watch the old year out and bring in the new year, families stay up until the wee hours of New Year's Day.
With the arrival of New Year's Day, life is renewed and the new year begins to unfold amidst the noise of firecrackers. The Chinese begin the day by worshipping their ancestors, following which the streets become filled with people making New Year's visits to friends and relatives and with the lively display of dragon dancing, lion dancing, and other folk activities.
To insure the arrival of luck and wealth in the new year, several taboos must be heeded. Floors may not be swept and garbage may not be disposed for fear of casting riches out the door; cussing and quarreling is to be avoided at all costs; and anyone who breaks a dish on this day must quickly say "Peace for all time," to avoid incurring misfortune.
On the second day of the new year, married women return to their natal home to visit family; on the fourth day, the gods return to the world of the living; and on the fifth day, many new stores and old businesses open their doors for the first time due to the auspiciousness of the day. The festive air of celebration continues in this manner all the way up to the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the new year before slowly ebbing back to normal life again.
Though the customary festivities held on Chinese New Year have been handed down for millennia, they still retain tremendous significance today. The cleaning and arrangement of one's living environment improves household sanitation and symbolizes a new beginning; the worship of ancestors and deities reflects the Chinese emphasis on filial piety and family ethics, and serves as an expression of gratitude; sitting around the hearth symbolizes unity and the value of spending important occasions together with family; and the customs of making New Year's visits and returning home to one's parents after marriage helps to maintain important social bonds between friends and families. Taboos may perhaps be seen as ancient ways of harmonizing and regulating one's lifestyle. Thus, preserving and incorporating the values of these New Year traditions into modern day life is a goal Chinese people strive for.
From: www.gio.gov.tw/info/festival_c/spring_e/spring.htm
From Chinese Antiquity, Tea Has a Long History
By: Juexiao Zhang
As one of the most popular drinks in the world, tea has celebrated a triumphant procession into almost every household. The tea plant’s rich history began in China, where the tradition of cultivating and enjoying tea is very old.
From medicine to a drink of the elite
The discovery and application of the tea plant reaches back to the archaize era, to the tribal chieftain Shennong (about 2800 BC). According to tradition, Shennong investigated hundreds of wild growing herbs for their healing effects. Eventually, he wrote his acquired knowledge down in his book “Shennong Bencao Jing.”
The work indicates that Shennong considered tea a medicinal substance, and at first Chinese may only have drunk tea as a medicine. At the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC) tea moved into the houses of royalty, who eventually established their own processes for preparing tea.
In those days, tea was not yet widely known as a beverage. Rather, the cooked tea leaves were eaten as garnish to rice and vegetables, and as a supplement, the tea served as a means for detoxification.
Tea first became a beverage during the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), especially among scholars. Due to the increase in tea consumption at that time, tea rituals at the imperial court gradually developed. When the emperor invited scholars to a reception, he served tea as a sign of strong appreciation. Later, tea became so popular that regents, such as Chancellor Zhu Ge, also known as Kong Ming, cultivated entire tea plantations during the time of the three empires (220-280 AD). Appreciation for tea developed to such an extent that it also came to be placed in the graves of Chinese emperors, along with other goods.
However, until the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD) tea was reserved only to wealthy scholars, officials, and the imperial court. It was traded as a luxury commodity, which was not to be enjoyed by the common people. Not until during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) was tea finally spread among the people.
The Tang Dynasty not only was the pinnacle of Chinese antiquity in the economic, scientific, cultural, and social spheres, but was also the pinnacle of Chinese tea culture.
The emperor obliged tea-growing prefectures to pay a ‘tea tribute’. These tea tributes had to be delivered before the Qingming festival (around 5 April, on the Chinese lunar calendar), so that the tea could be served at the royal household during the Qingming festival. Within the imperial court itself, concubines competed against each other in preparing tea for the affection of the emperor. Regular contests in this discipline were scheduled at the imperial court.
Drinking tea as spiritual enrichment
Finally, tea celebrated its zenith with the invention of the tea ceremony “Chadao” by the scholar Lu Yu (713-756 AD). In his book “Cha Jing” (literally “Tea Scripture”) he describes the preparation and drinking of tea as an artistic process, which includes drying the leaves, selecting the water, teapot, and cups to use, and the procedure of tasting it. Inspired by the Confucian idea of harmony, the Buddhist principle of truthfulness, and Taoist teachings on the unity of men and nature, Lu Yu found that drinking tea was a kind of spiritual enrichment.
To express their appreciation for tea, scholars in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) also composed poetry. Meanwhile, at court it was customary to pay tea tribute in the form of briquettes. The briquettes consisted of ground tea leaves, which, in a complicated manufacturing process, were pressed into exquisite dragon and phoenix motifs. The demand for Chinese tea and tea bowls also increased; the most popular dishes at that time were black porcelain.
The Song Dynasty was followed by the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), which implemented the simplification of tea culture through the foreign rule of the Mongolians. Tea continued to be popular, yet the former appreciation was missing. Practices such as the tea ceremony only remained among scholars.
The last recovery of tea culture took place during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1922 AD) through the development tea houses. The custom used by the authorities at that time, to receive foreign guests and serve them tea, eventually added to the spreading of tea drinking across the world.
Preparation of green tea:
As a suitable accessory one could use a Yixing or Yinko small pot. The smaller the container, the better the tea will come to bear. The ration of tea to water should be about 1:3. Ideal water temperature for green tea with open leaves is about 80-85 degrees Celsius (176-185 Fahrenheit). Stronger fermented teas can be up to 95 degrees Celsius (203 Fahrenheit). Let the tea brew for about 30 to 60 seconds.
HINT: At the beginning, the temperature should be higher and the brewing time shorter. From the third to sixth pouring, only a short brewing time at low temperature is necessary. When the intensity of the taste diminishes, one can increase the water temperature. The tea will change its character from pouring to pouring.
From: www.theepochtimes.com
