Concise explanation of many aspects of the Chinese culture.

1. The Culture of China
• Dragon
• Forbidden City
• Great Wall
• Shaolin Temple
• Chopsticks
• Spring Festival
• Qingming Festival
• Duanwu Festival
• Mid-Autumn Festival

2. dragon
• Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology
and folklore.In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as
long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs. In
yin and yang terminology(术语), a dragon is yang and
complements a yin fenghuang “Chinese phoenix(长生鸟)".
• In Chinese daily language, excellent and outstanding people are
compared to the dragon while incapable people with no
achievements are compared with other, disesteemed creatures,
such as the worm. A number of Chinese proverbs and idioms
feature references to
• the dragon, for example: “Hoping one‘s son will
• become a dragon” (望子成龙).
• Many Chinese people often use the term
• “Descendants of the Dragon” (龙的传人)
• as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend
• started in the 1970s when different Asian
• nationalities were looking for animal
• symbols for representations.The wolf
• was used among the Mongols(蒙古), the monkey among

3. Fenghuang
• Fenghuang are mythological birds of East Asia that reign
over all other birds. The males are called Feng and the
females Huang. In modern times, however, such a
distinction of gender is often no longer made and the Feng
and Huang are blurred into a single feminine entity so that
the bird can be paired with the Chinese dragon, which has
male connotations.
• In ancient and modern Chinese culture, they can often be
found in the decorations for weddings or royalty, along with
dragons. This is because the Chinese considered the dragon
and phoenix symbolic of blissful （极幸福的） relations
between husband and wife, another common yin and yang
metaphor.
• “Dragon and Phoenix infants” (龙凤胎) is an expression
meaning a set of male and female fraternal twins(异卵双
生).

4. Forbidden City
• The Forbidden City was the Chinese
• imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty
• to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is
• located in the middle of Beijing, China,
• and now houses the Palace Museum.
• For almost five hundred years, it served as
• the home of emperors and their households,
• as well as the ceremonial and political center
• of Chinese government.
• The palace complex exemplifies traditional
Chinese palatial architecture,and has influenced cultural and
architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The
Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987,and
is listed by UNESCO (联合国科教文组织) as the largest collection
of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

5. Great Wall
• The Great Wall of China is a
• series of stone and earthen
• fortifications in northern China,
• built originally to protect the
• northern borders of the
• Chinese Empire against
• intrusions by various nomadic groups.
• Several walls have been built since the 5th century
BC that are referred to collectively as the Great
Wall, which has been rebuilt and maintained from
the 5th century BC through the 16th century. One
of the most famous is the wall built between 220–
206 BC by the first Emperor of China,
Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains; the
majority of the existing wall was built during the

6. Chinese Classical Garden
• The Chinese Classical Garden is a place for solitary or social
contemplation of nature.
• Chinese gardens were created in the same way as a combination of
landscape and paintings together with poems - this was the so-called
“poetic garden.” The design of Chinese gardens was to
provide a spiritual utopia(乌托邦) for one to connect with nature,
to come back to one‘s inner heart, to come back to ancient
idealism. Chinese gardens are a spiritual shelter for people, a place
they could be far away from their real social lives, and close to
the ancient way of life, their true selves, and nature. This was an
escape from the frustration and disappointment of the political
problems in China. They used plants as symbols. Bamboo(竹子) was
used in every traditional Chinese garden. This is because bamboo
represents a strong but resilient( 达观的) character. Often pine
(松树) is used to represent longevity( 长寿), persistence,
tenacity(坚韧) and dignity(庄严). The lotus(莲花) is used to
symbolize purity. Flowering peaches( 碧桃花) are grown for spring
color, and sweet olive(橄榄) as well. The chrysanthemum(菊花) is
used to symbolize splendor, luster( 光彩) and "the courage to
make sacrifices for a natural life". Peonies(牡丹) symbolize
wealth and banana trees are used simply for the sound they make
in the breeze.

7. Chinese folklore
• Chinese folklore includes songs, dances, puppetry( 木偶戏),
and tales. It often tells stories of human nature, historical or
legendary events, love, and the supernatural, or stories
explaining natural phenomena and distinctive landmarks.
• The main influences on Chinese folk tales have been Taoism(道
教), Confucianism(儒教) and Buddhism(佛教).
• Well-known Chinese folk tales include:
• The story of Qi Xi(七夕), also known as the Story of the
Magpie Bridge(鹊桥) or the Story of Cowherd( 牛郎) and the
Weaving Maid(织女), which tells how the stars Altair( 牵牛星)
and Vega(织女星) came to their places in the sky.
• The story of Hua Mulan(花木兰), the female warrior who
disguised herself as a man.
• The story of Chang'e(嫦娥), the goddess of the moon.
• The story of the Magic Paintbrush( 神笔马良).
• The story of Meng Jiangnü(孟姜女), the woman who sought
her husband at the Great Wall.
• The story of Sun Wukong(孙悟空), the Monkey King - from
the popular novel Journey to the West(《西游记》).

8. Study of Chinese
Folklore in China
• The Book of Songs (诗经), the earliest known
Chinese collection of poetry, contains 160 folk
songs in addition to courtly songs and hymns. One
tradition holds that Confucius(孔子) himself
collected these songs, while another says that an
emperor compiled them as a means to gauge the
mood of the people and the effectiveness of his
rule.It is believed that Confucius did encourage
his followers to study the songs contained in the
Shi Jing, helping to secure the Shi Jing’s place
among the Five Classics( 五经). After Confucian
ideas became further entrenched( 确立) in
Chinese culture, Confucius’ endorsement led many
scholars to study the lyrics of the Shi Jing and
interpret them as political allegories and
commentaries.

9. Shaolin Temple
• The Shaolin Monastery or Shaolin Temple is a Ch
ánBuddhist temple at Song Shan near
Zhengzhou City Henan Province in Dengfeng, China
.
• It is led by Venerable abbot Shi Yǒngxìn and
martial abbot Shi De Li. Founded in the 5th
century, the monastery is long famous for its
association with Chinese martial arts(武术) and
particularly with Shaolin Kung Fu. The Shaolin
Monastery and its famed Pagoda Forest were
inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
2010 as part of the "
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng."

10. Kung Fu
• China is one of the
• main birth places
• of Eastern martial arts.
• The names of martial
• arts were called Kung Fu
• or its first name Wushu.
• China also includes the
• home to the well-respected Shaolin Monastery and
Wudang Mountains. The first generation of art
started more for the purpose of survival and
warfare than art. Over time, some art forms have
branched off, while others have retained a distinct
Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has produced some
of the most renowned martial artists including
Wong Fei Hung(黄飞鸿) , Bruce Lee(李小龙)and

11. Numbers in Chinese
culture
• In Chinese culture, certain numbers are believed by some to
be auspicious (吉利) or inauspicious (不利) based on the
Chinese word that the number name sounds similar to.
However some Chinese people regard these beliefs to be
superstitions. Since the pronunciation and the vocabulary
may be different in different Chinese dialects, the rules
are generally not applicable for all cases.
• Because of the supposed auspiciousness of certain numbers,
some people will often choose, attempt to obtain, or pay
large sums for numbers that are considered to be lucky for
their phone numbers, street addresses, residence floor
,driver's license number, vehicle license plate number, bank
account number, etc.
• Lucky numbers are based on Chinese words that sound
similar to other Chinese words. The numbers 6, 8, and 9 are
believed to have auspicious meanings because their names
sound similar to words that have positive meanings.

12. table manners
• Chinese table manners are the traditional styles that are
used for eating in the region of China. In most dishes in
Chinese cuisine(烹饪), food is cooked in bite-sized pieces
and easy to grab and eat. Therefore, chopsticks are used at
the table instead of forks and knives.
• Eating is a dominant aspect of the Chinese culture. In China,
eating out is one of the most accepted ways to treat guests.
Similar to Westerners drinking in a bar with friends, eating
together in China is a way to socialize and deepen
friendship.
• There are many traditions that govern table manners in
China such as the correct treatment of guests and how to
use chopsticks correctly. Although each Chinese household
has its own set of table manners and rules, the foundational
traditions used to welcome guests are the same.

13. Chopsticks
• Chopsticks are small tapered sticks used in pairs
of equal length as the traditional eating utensils
(用具) of China. Generally believed to have
originated in ancient China, they can also be found
in some areas of Tibet and Nepal that are close to
Han Chinese populations. Chopsticks are most
commonly made of bamboo or plastic, but are also
made of metal, bone, ivory, and various types of
wood. The pair of sticks is maneuvered in one
hand, between the thumb and fingers, and used to
pick up pieces of food.

14. Cuisine
• The overwhelmingly large variety of Chinese
cuisine comes mainly from the practice of
dynastic period emperors hosting banquets(宴会)
with 100 dishes per meal. A countless number of
imperial kitchen staff and concubines were
involved in the food preparation process. Over
time, many dishes became part of the everyday-citizen
culture. Some of the highest quality
restaurants with recipes close to the dynastic
periods include Fangshan restaurant in Beihai Park
Beijing and the Oriole Pavilion. Arguably all
branches of Hong Kong eastern style or even
American Chinese food are in some ways rooted
from the original dynastic cuisines.

15. Leisure
• A number of games and pastimes are
popular within Chinese culture. The
most common game is Mah Jong. The
same pieces are used for other
styled games such as
Shanghai Solitaire. Others include
Pai Gow(牌九). Weiqi and Xiangqi are
also popular. Ethnic games like
Chinese yo-yo(溜溜球) are also part
of the culture.

16. architecture
• Chinese architecture, examples of which can be found from
over 2,000 years ago, has long been a hallmark of the
culture. There are certain features common to Chinese
architecture, regardless of specific region or use. The most
important is its emphasis on width, as the wide halls of the
Forbidden City(故宫) serve as an example.
• Another important feature is symmetry, which connotes a
sense of grandeur as it applies to everything from palaces
to farmhouses. One notable exception is in the design of
gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like
Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the
garden's composition is to create enduring flow, to let the
patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as
in nature herself. Feng shui has played an important part in
structural development.

17. music
• Mo Li Hua ,which means ‘Jasmine Flowers’, is a
popular Chinese folk song. It was created during
the Qianlong Emperor period of the Qing Dynasty.
There are two versions of the song, the more well
known one from the Jiangsu Province, and the
other from Zhejiang Province. They have different
lyrics and a slightly different melody( 曲调).
• The melody has become well known among Western
listeners as it was included by Giacomo Puccini in
his opera Turandot(图兰朵), where it is associated
with 'Turandot's splendor'.
• This song was sung by a young Chinese girl and
broadcast to the world, at the closing ceremonies
of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece,
to introduce the next Olympic Games site,
accompanied by the music by Peking University
students. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, this

18. Spring Festival
• Spring Festival is the most important of
the traditional Chinese holidays. It is
often inaccurately called “Lunar New
Year”, because - as part of the lunisolar
Chinese calendar(农历) - the date is
partially determined based on lunar phase
. The festival traditionally begins on the
first day of the first month in the
Chinese calendar and ends with
Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day.
Chinese New Year‘s Eve, a day where
Chinese families gather for their annual
reunion dinner, is known as chú xī (除夕).
It literally means “Year-pass Eve”.
• Red envelopes or red packets( 红包)

19. Chinese New Year
• According to tales and legends, the beginning of
Chinese New Year started with the fight against a
mythical beast called the Nien (年). Nien would
come on the first day of New Year to devour
livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially
children. To protect themselves, the villagers
would put food in front of their doors at the
beginning of every year. It was believed that
after the Nien ate the food they prepared, it
wouldn’t attack any more people. One time, people
saw that the Nien was scared away by a little
child wearing red. The villagers then understood
that the Nien was afraid of the colour red.
Hence, every time when the New Year was about
to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and
red spring scrolls on windows and doors. People
also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nien.
From then on, Nien never came to the village
again. The Nien was eventually captured by
Hongjun Laozu, an ancient Taoist monk. The Nien
became Hongjun Laozu's mount.

20. Qingming Festival
• The Qingming Festival is a
traditional Chinese festival on the 104th
day after the winter solstice(冬至) (or
the 15th day from the Spring Equinox(春
分)), usually occurring around April 5 of
the Gregorian calendar(公历)
.Astronomically(天文学上) it is also a
solar term(节气) .The Qingming festival
falls on the first day of the fifth solar
term, named Qingming. Its name denotes a
time for people to go outside and enjoy
the greenery of springtime ( 踏青 ) and
tend to the graves of departed ones.

21. • A drizzling rain falls like tears on the
Mourning Day;
• The mourner's heart is breaking on his
way.
• Where can a winehouse be found to
drown his sadness?
• A cowherd points to Almond Flower ( 杏
花) Village in the distance.

22. Duanwu Festival • Duanwu Festival ，also known as Dragon Boat
Festival, is a traditional and statutory holiday
associated with Chinese. The festival occurs on the
5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar on
which the Chinese calendar is based. The focus of
the celebrations includes eating the rice dumpling
zongzi, drinking realgar wine(雄黄酒) ,and racing
dragon boats.
• The best-known traditional story holds that the
festival commemorates the death of poet Qu Yuan.
• Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in
the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar
month.
• It is said that the local people, who admired him,
threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish
so that they would not eat Qu Yuan's body.This is
said to be the origin of zongzi. The local people

23. Mid-Autumn Festival
• The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon
Festival or Zhongqiu Festival is a popular harvest
festival celebrated by Chinese .
• The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of
the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is
in September or early October in the
Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the
autumnal equinox(秋分) of the solar calendar, when
the moon is at its fullest and roundest. The
traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of
which there are many different varieties.
• The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the few most
important holidays in the Chinese calendar. Farmers
celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season
on this date. Traditionally on this day, Chinese
family members and friends will gather to admire

24. Thank you!

27. SSpprriinngg FFeessttiivvaall
 The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one
month later than the Gregorian calendar. It originated in the Shang
Dynasty (c. 1600 BC-c. 1100 BC) from the people's sacrifice to gods and
ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one.

 Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of
the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next
year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the
first three days. The Chinese government now stipulates people have
seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

 Many customs accompany the Spring Festival. Some are still followed
today, but others have weakened.

28. SSpprriinngg FFeessttiivvaall
 Before the New Year comes, the people completely clean the
indoors and outdoors of their homes as well as their clothes,
bedclothes and all their utensils.

 Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an
atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. All the door panels will
be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese
calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The content
varies from house owners' wishes for a bright future to good
luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and
wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits
and welcome peace and abundance.

29.  The Chinese character "fu" (meaning blessing or
happiness) is a must. The character put on paper can
be pasted normally or upside down, for in Chinese
the "reversed fu" is homophonic with "fu comes",
both being pronounced as "fudaole." What's more,
two big red lanterns can be raised on both sides of
the front door. Red paper-cuttings can be seen on
window glass and brightly colored New Year
paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on
the wall.

30. LLaanntteerrnn FFeessttiivvaall
 The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, usually
in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. As early as the Western
Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25), it had become a festival with great
significance.

 This day's important activity is watching lanterns. Throughout the Han
Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), Buddhism flourished in China. One emperor
heard that Buddhist monks would watch sarira, or remains from the
cremation of Buddha's body, and light lanterns to worship Buddha on the
15th day of the 1st lunar month, so he ordered to light lanterns in the
imperial palace and temples to show respect to Buddha on this day. Later,
the Buddhist rite developed into a grand festival among common people
and its influence expanded from the Central Plains to the whole of China.

31. LLaanntteerrnn FFeessttiivvaall
 Guessing lantern riddles"is an essential part of the
Festival. Lantern owners write riddles on a piece of
paper and post them on the lanterns. If visitors have
solutions to the riddles, they can pull the paper out
and go to the lantern owners to check their answer. If
they are right, they will get a little gift. The activity
emerged during people's enjoyment of lanterns in the
Song Dynasty (960-1279). As riddle guessing is
interesting and full of wisdom, it has become popular
among all social strata.

32.  People will eat yuanxiao, or rice
dumplings, on this day, so it is also
called the "Yuanxiao
Festival."Yuanxiao also has another
name, tangyuan. It is small dumpling
balls made of glutinous rice flour
with rose petals, sesame, bean paste,
jujube paste, walnut meat, dried
fruit, sugar and edible oil as filling.
Tangyuan can be boiled, fried or
steamed. It tastes sweet and
delicious. What's more, tangyuan in
Chinese has a similar pronunciation
with "tuanyuan”, meaning reunion.
So people eat them to denote union,
harmony and happiness for the
family.

33. QQiinnggmmiinngg FFeessttiivvaall
 The Qingming (Pure Brightness)
Festival is one of the 24 seasonal
division points in China, falling
on April 4-6 each year. After the
festival, the temperature will rise
up and rainfall increases. It is the
high time for spring plowing and
sowing. But the Qingming
Festival is not only a seasonal
point to guide farm work, it is
more a festival of
commemoration.

 The Qingming Festival sees a
combination of sadness and
happiness.

34.  The Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival was usually one day before
the Qingming Festival. As our ancestors often extended the
day to the Qingming, they were later combined.
 On each Qingming Festival, all cemeteries are crowded with
people who came to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. Traffic
on the way to the cemeteries becomes extremely jammed. The
customs have been greatly simplified today. After slightly
sweeping the tombs, people offer food, flowers and favorites
of the dead, then burn incense and paper money and bow
before the memorial tablet.

35. DDrraaggoonn BBooaatt FFeessttiivvaall  The Dragon Boat Festival, the 5th day of the 5th lunar
month, has had a history of more than 2,000 years. It is
usually in June in the Gregorian calendar.
 Dragon boat racing is an indispensable part of the festival,
held all over the country. As the gun is fired, people will
see racers in dragon-shaped canoes pulling the oars
harmoniously and hurriedly, accompanied by rapid drums,
speeding toward their destination. Folk tales say the game
originates from the activities of seeking Qu Yuan's body,
but experts, after painstaking and meticulous research,
conclude that dragon boat racing is a semi-religious, semi-entertaining
program from the Warring States Period (475-
221 BC). In the following thousands of years, the game
spread to Japan, Vietnam and Britain as well as China's
Taiwan and Hong Kong. Now dragon boat racing has
developed into an aquatic sports item which features both
Chinese tradition and modern sporting spirit. In 1980, it
was listed into the state sports competition programs and
has since been held every year. The award is called "Qu
Yuan Cup."

36. DDoouubbllee SSeevveenntthh FFeessttiivvaall  The Double Seventh Festival, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar
month, is a traditional festival full of romance. It often goes
into August in the Gregorian calendar.
 This festival is in mid-summer when the weather is warm and
the grass and trees reveal their luxurious greens. At night
when the sky is dotted with stars, and people can see the
Milky Way spanning from the north to the south. On each
bank of it is a bright star, which see each other from afar. They
are the Cowherd and Weaver Maid, and about them there is a
beautiful love story passed down from generation to
generation.

37.  Long, long ago, there was an honest and kind-hearted fellow named Niu
Lang (Cowhand). His parents died when he was a child. Later he was
driven out of his home by his sister-in-law. So he lived by himself herding
cattle and farming. One day, a fairy from heaven Zhi Nu (Weaver Maid)
fell in love with him and came down secretly to earth and married him. The
cowhand farmed in the field and the Weaver Maid wove at home. They
lived a happy life and gave birth to a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, the
God of Heaven soon found out the fact and ordered the Queen Mother of
the Western Heavens to bring the Weaver Maid back.
 With the help of celestial cattle, the Cowhand flew to heaven with his son
and daughter. At the time when he was about to catch up with his wife, the
Queen Mother took off one of her gold hairpins and made a stroke. One
billowy river appeared in front of the Cowhand. The Cowhand and Weaver
Maid were separated on the two banks forever and could only feel their
tears. Their loyalty to love touched magpies, so tens of thousands of
magpies came to build a bridge for the Cowhand and Weaver Maid to meet
each other. The Queen Mother was eventually moved and allowed them to
meet each year on the 7th of the 7th lunar month. Hence their meeting date
has been called "Qi Xi" (Double Seventh).

38. MMiidd--AAuuttuummnn FFeessttiivvaall
 The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month,
usually in October in Gregorian calendar.
 Folklore about the origin of the festival go like this: In remote antiquity,
there were ten suns rising in the sky, which scorched all crops and drove
people into dire poverty. A hero named Hou Yi was much worried about
this, he ascended to the top of the Kunlun Mountain and, directing his
superhuman strength to full extent, drew his extraordinary bow and shot
down the nine superfluous suns one after another. He also ordered the last
sun to rise and set according to time. For this reason, he was respected and
loved by the people and lots of people of ideals and integrity came to him
to learn martial arts from him. A person named Peng Meng lurked in
them.

39.  Hou Yi had a beautiful and kindhearted wife named Chang E. One day on
his way to the Kunlun Mountain to call on friends, he ran upon the
Empress of Heaven Wangmu who was passing by. Empress Wangmu
presented to him a parcel of elixir, by taking which, it was said, one would
ascend immediately to heaven and become a celestial being. Hou Yi,
however, hated to part with his wife. So he gave the elixir to Chang E to
treasure for the time being. Chang E hid the parcel in a treasure box at her
dressing table when, unexpectedly, it was seen by Peng Meng.
 One day when Hou Yi led his disciples to go hunting, Peng Meng, sword
in hand, rushed into the inner chamber and forced Chang E to hand over
the elixir. Aware that she was unable to defeat Peng Meng, Chang E made
a prompt decision at that critical moment. She turned round to open her
treasure box, took up the elixir and swallowed it in one gulp. As soon as
she swallowed the elixir her body floated off the ground, dashed out of the
window and flew towards heaven. Peng Meng escaped.

40.  When Hou Yi returned home at dark, he knew from the maidservants what had
happened. Overcome with grief, Hou Yi looked up into the night sky and called out
the name of his beloved wife when, to his surprise, he found that the moon was
especially clear and bight and on it there was a swaying shadow that was exactly
like his wife. He tried his best to chase after the moon. But as he ran, the moon
retreated; as he withdrew, the moon came back. He could not get to the moon at all.
 Thinking of his wife day and night, Hou Yi then had an incense table arranged in
the back garden that Chang E loved. Putting on the table sweetmeats and fresh
fruits Chang E enjoyed most, Hou Yi held at a distance a memorial ceremony for
Chang E who was sentimentally attached to him in the palace of the moon.
 When people heard of the story that Chang E had turned into a celestial being, they
arranged the incense table in the moonlight one after another and prayed
kindhearted Chang E for good fortune and peace. From then on the custom of
worshiping the moon spread among the people.

 People in different places follow various customs, but all show their love and
longing for a better life. Today people will enjoy the full moon and eat moon cakes
on that day.

41. DDoouubbllee NNiinntthh FFeessttiivvaall
 The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival, or Double Ninth Festival. It
usually falls in October in the Gregorian calendar. In an ancient and mysterious book Yi Jing, or The Book
of Changes, number "6" was thought to be of Yin character, meaning feminine or negative, while number
"9" was thought to be Yang, meaning masculine or positive. So the number nine in both month and day
create the Double Ninth Festival, or Chongyang Festival. Chong in Chinese means "double." Also, as
double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify "forever", both are "Jiu Jiu," the Chinese
ancestors considered it an auspicious day worth celebration. That's why ancient Chinese began to
celebrate this festival long time ago.
 The custom of ascending a height to avoid epidemics was passed down from long time ago. Therefore, the
Double Ninth Festival is also called "Height Ascending Festival". The height people will reach is usually
a mountain or a tower. Ancient literary figures have left many poems depicting the activity. Even today,
people still swarm to famous or little known mountains on this day
 In 1989, the Chinese government decided the Double Ninth Festival as Seniors' Day. Since then, all
government units, organizations and streets communities will organize an autumn trip each year for those
who have retired from their posts. At the waterside or on the mountains, the seniors will find themselves
merged into nature. Younger generations will bring elder ones to suburban areas or send gifts to them on
this day.

42. WWiinntteerr SSoollssttiiccee FFeessttiivvaall
 As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period
(770-476 BC), China had determined the point of Winter Solstice by
observing movements of the sun with a sundial. It is the earliest of
the 24 seasonal division points. The time will be each December 22
or 23 according to the Gregorian calendar.
 The Northern hemisphere on this day experiences the shortest
daytime and longest nighttime. After the Winter Solstice, days will
become longer and longer. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, or
muscular, positive things will become stronger and stronger after
this day, so it should be celebrated.

43.  In some parts of Northern China, people eat dumpling soup on this day;
while residents of some other places eat dumplings, saying doing so will
keep them from frost in the upcoming winter. But in parts of South China,
the whole family will get together to have a meal made of red-bean and
glutinous rice to drive away ghosts and other evil things. In other places,
people also eat tangyuan, a kind of stuffed small dumpling ball made of
glutinous rice flour. The Winter Solstice rice dumplings could be used as
sacrifices to ancestors, or gifts for friends and relatives. The Taiwan
people even keep the custom of offering nine-layer cakes to their
ancestors. They make cakes in the shape of chicken, duck, tortoise, pig,
cow or sheep with glutinous rice flour and steam them on different layers
of a pot. These animals all signify auspiciousness in Chinese tradition.
People of the same surname or family clan gather at their ancestral
temples to worship their ancestors in age order. After the sacrificial
ceremony, there is always a grand banquet.

44. Symbolism In Chinese Culture
---Meaning of Numbers
Li Liang
(liangli214@126.com)

45. 1. The Daoism View of Nature and
Numbers
 The whole universe is made of two basic
forces: yin （阴 ） and yang（阳）

46.  Yin: the feminine or negative principle in
nature.
 Yang :the masculine or positive principle
In nature.
 Yin and yang are thought to arise together
from an initial quiescence or emptiness
(wuji, 无极), and to continue moving in
tandem until quiescence is reached again.

47. Characteristics of Yin Yang
 Yin yang are opposing
Yin yang describe opposing qualities in
phenomena.
For instance, winter is yin to summer's yang
over the course of a year, and femininity is
yin to masculinity's yang in human
relationships.
It is impossible to talk about yin or yang
without some reference to the opposite.

48.  Yin yang are rooted together
Since yin and yang are created together in a
single movement, they are bound together as
parts of a mutual whole.
 A race with only men or only women would
disappear in a single generation, but men
and women together create new generations
that allow the race they mutually create (and
mutually come from) to survive.
The interaction of the two gives birth to
things.

49.  Yin yang transform each other
Like an undertow in the ocean, every
advance is complemented by a retreat, and
every rise transforms into a fall.
E.g. A seed will sprout from the earth and
grow upwards towards the sky - an
intrinsically yang movement. Then when it
reaches its full height, it will begin to weaken,
and eventually will fall back to the earth in
decay - an intrinsically yin movement.
Yin always contains the potential for yang,
and yang for yin.

50.  Yin-yang are balanced
Yin-yang is a dynamic equilibrium.
They arise together they are always equal
 If one disappears, the other must disappear
as well, leaving emptiness.
This is rarely immediately apparent, though,
because yang elements are clear and
obvious while yin elements are hidden and
subtle.

51.  Yin-yang are omnipresent
e.g. time/space/ relationship:
Chinese place names: 洛阳、淮阴
food：寒凉、滋阴壮阳
medicine： 针灸（ acupuncture）
通则不痛，痛则不通,阴阳失
调
so energy line system rebalanced

52. 2. Yin and Yang Corresponding Energies
Yin Yang
Dark Light
Matter Spirit
Earth Sky
Female Male
Passive Active
Even
Numbers
Odd
Numbers

53.  Can add more to this binary system:
winter/summer, death/life, cold/hot,…
 So the point is basically there is no
distinction between good/bad, etc,
numbers inclusive.
 All are indispensable pairs in this system
of balance.

54. 3. Why Lucky and Unlucky numbers?
 Western: religion? 7: lucky
13: unlucky
 Chinese:
1）traditional Chinese philosophy
2）words that sound similar
(homophones)

55. 4. Meaning of Numbers
 一（ yī） : unity /initiation/ beginning
Daoism ：“ One begets two.”
father of the children of numbers
holds yang/masculine energy.
has a thrusting energy that surges
forth new growth and potential.
e.g. 一心一意（yī xīn yī yì ）
九九归一 (jiǔ jiǔ guī yī ）

56.  二 （ èr ）：duality /germination/harmony
mother of numbers
even number: feminine/yin energy.
“good things come in pairs”
（好事成双 háo shì chéng shuāng ）
e.g. wedding
a pair of red candles/pillows/shoes
couplets

57. 三（ sān） :
 The first offspring from the union of
numbers 1 and 2.
 number three is forever linked with the
sanctity of life, progeny and childbirth.

58.  Associated with endings in the Chinese meaning of
numbers.
（三军、三生： not means “three”)
 From three, the family of numbers branches out to create
diversity and complexity.
 Daoism : Great Triad (Heaven-Mankind-Earth) which
can be loosely translated to mean the path from obscurity
into manifestation.
 Daoism ：
“ 道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物, 万物归于道。”
 Also sounds similar to
shēng (生, birth or 升，rising）

60. 四 （ sì） ： sounds similar to
sǐ（死，death）
 Many numbered product lines skip the "4“
or any number chains ending with “4 ”
 But it sounds similar to shì: 事（things）or 世
（world，life）
e.g 四四如意= 事事如意 (shì shì rú yì) ：
Everything done as wished.
四季发财（sì jì fā cái）
May you be prosperous all four seasons.

61.  五 （ wŭ) ：associated with the five
elements in Chinese philosophy

62.  The doctrine of five phases describes two
cycles, a generating or creation ( 生,
shēng) cycle, also known as "mother-son"
 and an overcoming or destruction ( 克/剋
, kè) cycle, also known as "grandfather-nephew",
of interactions between the
phases.

63. Generating
 Wood feeds Fire;
 Fire creates/produces Earth (ash);
 Earth bears Metal;
 Metal carries Water (e.g H2O is created by reactions
catalyzed by metal oxides when molten volcanoes
erupt);
 Water nourishes Wood.
 Other common words for this cycle include "begets",
"engenders" and "mothers."

64. Overcoming
 Wood parts Earth (such as roots);
 Earth absorbs (or muddies) Water;
 Water quenches Fire;
 Fire melts Metal;
 Metal chops Wood.
Also:
 Wood absorbs Water;
 Water rusts Metal;
 Metal breaks up Earth;
 Earth smothers Fire;
 Fire burns Wood.
 This cycle might also be called "controls", "restrains" or
"fathers".

65. Significance of Wu Xing Theory
 feng shui: e.g. architecture
 Traditional Chinese medicine
五脏（阴）六腑（阳）
 Martial arts: The Five Steps of Taiji
 Music/astrology/sensory……

66.  Forbidden City：5 arches/5 gates

67. Folklore: Wu Fu Lin Men （五福临门）

68. Wu Fu Lin Men （ Con’t)

69.  Also sounds similar to
wǔ（吾） : poetic “I”
e.g 吾爱
吾生
wŏ（我）： 520=I love you
555=呜呜呜 

70.  六（ liù）： harmony/expansion
e.g. 六合（ liù he）
six cosmic points of directions ：
东、西、南、北、上、下
 pronounced similar to liú （流， fluid）
e.g. 六六顺（ liù liù shùn）
六六大顺

71.  Good/smooth for business.
e.g.
666 : one of the luckiest numbers of all
AW666: license plate numbered was sold
for RMB 270,000
 Western: devil’s number?

72. 七（ qī）： spiritual or ghostly.
 The seventh month ：“ Ghost Month”.
 not commonly associated with luck.
 Traditional Chinese Memorial Days：
7*7=49 days
1st 7: 头七
2nd 7:二七… .7th 7: 尽七
BUT……

73. Chinese Valentine’s Day
 七夕节（ qīxījié） : On July 7 according to
Chinese Lunar calendar
 Also called The Girls’ Festival （女儿节）
 Originated from legendary story
“The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid”
（牛郎织女,niú láng zhī nǚ）

74. The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid” （牛郎织女）

75. The Story
 about the 7th daughter of Emperor of Heaven
and an orphaned cowherd.
 They were separated by the Emperor.
 The 7th daughter was forced to move to the star
Vega and the cowherd moved to the star Altair.
 They are allowed to meet only once a year on
the day of 7th day of 7th lunar month.

76.  鹊桥会（què qiáo huì ）

77. Example:
鹊桥仙 Fairy Of The Magpie Bridge
秦观 by Qin Guan （1049-1100）
纤云弄巧 Among the beautiful clouds,
飞星传恨 Over the heavenly river,
银汉迢迢暗度 Crosses the weaving maiden.
金风玉露一相逢 A night of rendezvous,
便胜却人间无数 Across the autumn sky.
柔情似水 Surpasses joy on earth.
佳期如梦 Moments of tender love and dream,
忍顾鹊桥归路 So sad to leave the magpie bridge.
两情若是久长时 Eternal love between us two,
又岂在朝朝暮暮 Shall withstand the time apart.

78. Chinese Ceremonies
 Girls prepare fruits, melons and incense as
offerings to the weaving maiden
 Girls throw the five-color ropes on the roof for
magpies. Magpies will carry ropes to build the
bridge.
 Girls pray to acquire high skills in needlecraft,
hoping to find satisfactory husbands.
 In the evening, people sit outdoors to observe
the stars.

79. Ancient Seventh-sister Party

81.  八（ bā） :sounds similar to
fā （发: prosperity or wealth） .
 发 is short for 发财 （ fā cái）： get rich
 恭喜发财 （ gōngxĭ fācái）：
congratulations and get rich.

82.  In Chinese New Year it can mean
Happy new year!
Congratulations and best wishes for a
prosperous new year！

83.  Also a visual resemblance between two
digits, “88” and 囍
 The most favoured number in Chinese
culture

84. Examples:
 In Chengdu： telephone number with all
digits being eights was sold for $270,723
 In Hangzhou ： license plate reading
A88888 for RMB 1.12 million (roughly
$164,000 USD).
 The opening ceremony of the Summer
Olympics in Beijing are scheduled to open
on 8/8/08 at 8:08:08 pm.

85. More…
 phone numbers:
6252-8888. Holiday Inn Crown Plaza in
Shanghai
6279-8088: Northwest Airlines
6247-8888: China Travel Services

86.  九（ jiŭ）：the greatest of single-digit
numbers
 was historically associated with the
Emperor of China

87.  Number 9 is a homophone of the word for
“longlasting” （久， jiǔ）
 It signifies friendship, love, and long life.
e.g 长久 （ cháng jiǔ）
长长久久
友谊地久天长（ yǒu yì dì jiǔ tiān
cháng）
May our friendship last forever.

88. Double-9th Day （重阳
节， chóngyángjié）
 on the ninth day of the ninth month in
Chinese lunar calendar.
 The highest odd number, or yang
number, appears in double ，so literally
double yang.
 a history of more than 2,000 years.

89. Main Conventions
 going on a journey
 ascending height （Height Ascending
Festival）
 inserting cornel
 appreciating chrysanthemum
 eating Double-Ninth cake and drinking
chrysanthemum wine.

91.  The Chinese government set September
9 in the lunar calendar as "the Elder's
Festival" in 1989.
 Now the Double-Ninth Day has been
enlisted as Intangible Cultural Heritage of
China.

92. 5. Number Combinations
e.g
168 ：“ road of prosperity” or to “be
prosperous together”.

93. Fun with Number Combinations
 14
 518
 1314
 1314920
 88、886

94. Closing Remarks
1） 信则有，不信则无。
2）Beauty/Auspiciousness is in the eye
of the beholder?

95. Thank You 39 ！

96. FFaammoouuss SSyymmbbooll ooff
CChhiinnaa CCuullttuurree
莞尔西
水

97. Beijing Forbidden City
Tea
Great Wall
China
Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang
Dragon

98. Beijing Forbidden City

99. Beijing Forbidden City
National Palace Museum, also
known as the Forbidden City, locates in
the center of Beijing. Today, people
called her the National Palace, which
means the Imperial Palace in the
past.The Unique style of Beijing
Forbidden City is a famous ancient
architecture in China.

100. Tea

101. Tea
Tea is China's national drink. now tea has
become fashionable drink in the world's three
major non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee and
cocoa), and will be the 21st century king
beverage . China is the birthplace of tea,
known as "tea of the motherland." Tea is the
pride of the Chinese nation!

102. Great Wall

103. Great Wall
The Great Wall was built in the
Spring and Autumn period, which
lasted up to more than 2,000 years,
with a total length of more than 50,000
kilometer. All people who have visited
the Great Wall would think that it is an
extraordinary artistic heritage
symbolizes. It is proud of not only the
Chinese nation but the whole human.

104. China

105. China
China is the home of porcelain. The
beauty of porcelain makes the world
understand China. When hearing the
English words CHINA, what kind of
feeling do you have? The word China
has the mean of Porcelain. you guess it
right! Earth and the fire is the basis of
human evolution.Chinese porcelain
which is the art of the earth and fire
represents the Chinese wisdom.

106. Terracotta Warriors and
Horses of Qin Shi Huang

107. Terracotta Warriors and
Horses of Qin Shi Huang
Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin
Shi Huang locates in Lintong District of
Xi'an.It is the largest group of buried pit of
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum.It is the
epitome of the strong Qin Dynasty .It is
thinked of the Eighth Wonder of the World
and the twentieth century's greatest
archaeological discovery.It was listed as
the world cultural heritage by UNESCO.

108. Dragon

109. Dragon
The Chinese dragon culture in
modern China is not only the
existence of individual sites, but still
maintaining a strong vitality. The
Chinese dragon culture in the
national unity and national
reconstruction can not play a
leading role in the history, but still
has a strong appeal and centripetal
force in the Chinese nation.

110. Dragon
The Chinese dragon culture is not
the kind of worship, but rather create
a culture.In china, the dragon has an
important position and influence.
During the 5,000 years, Dragon has
become a symbol of the China, a
symbol of the Chinese nation, a
symbol of Chinese culture, a symbol
of the rapid advance of the great
motherland.