China – Historical
Highlights
Michael Abraham
Historical Periods
2700 BCE–1911 CE > Dynastic or “Imperial Era”
1911–1949 CE > Republican or “Nationalist” Period
1949–1976 > Communist Period under Mao Zedong
1976–Present >
Reform Period
Mythological Beginnings
Chinese civilization lacks both a universal creation
story, and the concept of a creator god responsible
for all life. Chinese mythology draws upon many
accounts, dated from the 4th cent.– 2nd cent. CE
Yin and Yang
Themes most often repeated include:
• Existence of primeval elements (vapor), and the
later separation into yin and yang
• Separation of earth from sky and a finite world
picture – heaven above; earth below
• Earthly life stemming from a semi-divine being Pan Gu, who himself was born from a cosmic egg
Pan Gu
• Human life being shaped from either the semigod Nu Wa (female) or along with her consort Fu
Xi, (“the first man and woman”)
Nu Wa and Fu Xi.
Culture Bearers
Chinese folklore credits many
“culture bearers”, turned semi-divine.
Jade Emperor who presides over
heaven and the four poles.
Huang Di –Yellow Lord”, first of predynastic rulers, (2697 -2597 BCE)
Fu Xi – first man, ox tamer, discover
of writing (i.e. multi-functional)
Sui- Jen – fire driller
Qu Ling – the river god
Shen Nung – farmer god
Major Dynasties of Imperial Era
For thousands of years, China was
governed by ruling families known as
dynasties. Dynastic rule ended in
1912.
Xia
2100 BCE–1600 BCE
Shang
1600 BCE–1046 BCE
W. Zhou
1046 BCE-771 BCE
E. Zhou
771 BCE – 256 BCE
Warring States 475– 221 BCE
Qin
221 BCE–206 BCE
Han
206 BCE – 220 CE
Three Kingdoms
220-265 CE
Sui
581 CE–618 CE
Tang
680 CE – 918 CE
Song
960 CE–1279 CE
Yuan (Mongol) 1279 CE–1368 CE
Ming
1368 CE -1644 CE
Qing (Manchu) 1644 CE -1912 CE
Mandate of Heaven –
The right to rule as
granted from heaven. A
dynasty kept the
mandate of heaven so
long as they ruled
wisely, and in the
interests of the people.
Pillars of Chinese Civilization
•
•
•
•
Agriculture
System of Writing
Confucianism
The Bureaucratic
System (including
a strong emperor
and ruling house)
Shang 1600 – 1046 BCE
The Shang era is noted for:
•Origins of writing system
•Use of oracle bones
•Bronze technology/weaponry
•Practice of ancestral worship
Chinese Writing
Dates back to the Shang
era. (2nd mill. BCE).
Based on pictographs characters representing
objects, and ideographs
combinations of pictographs
used to represent ideas.
Question: What challenges
might a logographic system
like written Chinese pose
compared to a phonetic
system, in which letters
represent sounds?
Strokes and Stroke Order
Individual strokes are learned
before complete characters
Note: both stroke order and
direction are important
Character - Forever
Note: There are two competing
systems of writing Chinese.
Simplified Version is spoken in
Mainland China, while Traditional
Version is spoken in Taiwan.
(Chineseoutpost.com)
The Zhou Dynasty
Western Zhou (1046 -771 BCE)
Eastern Zhou (771 – 256 BCE)
The Western Zhou period was noted for:
• Use of iron for tools and weapons
• Concept of the Mandate of Heaven
The Eastern Zhou is further split into the
Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC–481
BC), a time when China’s “Hundred
Schools of Thought” arose, and the
Warring States Period (403 BC – 221 BC),
a period of civil war, largely due to the rise
of feudal lords and private land ownership.
Chinese Crossbow
Ancestral Worship
The emphasis on veneration, or
respect of one’s ancestors pre-dates
the teachings of Confucius in Chinese
society. Why might ancestral worship
have played such a large role?
Confucianism
Confucianism is a philosophy based upon the ideas of Kong
Fu Zi, or “Confucius” (551-479 BCE). It emphasized the
importance of moral training and the setting of
examples (li – etiquette) in order to attain a peaceful
society in which individuals practice ren (kindness).
Five Relationships
1. Ruler-Subject
2. Father-Son
3. Husband-Wife
4. Older – Younger Sibling
5. Friend-Friend
Essential Questions
Did Confucius perceive man as good or evil by nature?
Did Confucius perceive society as egalitarian (equal)?
Did Confucius place greater value on individuality or
conformity
What might be the strengths and weaknesses of a society
influenced by the principles of Confucianism?
Sedan chair
Debate Over the Nature of Man
Menzi, or Mencius (370 – 286 BCE) was a
Confucian scholar who argued man was
essentially good and capable of being shaped
primarily by education and modeling. Menzi may
have compiled the Analects, a collection of
Confucius’ teachings
Xunzi, another Confucian scholar (298–238 BCE)
also saw the need for modeling, ritual and
education but contrasted Menzi by arguing man
was essentially evil thereby requiring more
rigorous application of ritual and study.
Han Feizhi was Xunzi’s student. He argued that
since man was prone toward the bad, uniform
laws and consequences were necessary to
govern. This became the basis of the philosophy
known as Legalism in China.
Daoism
Daoism (“Taoism”) began in the 6th c.
BCE. Its mythical founder was Lao Zi
Its sacred text was The Dao de Jing, or
“Classic of the Way”.
Daoism emphasized wu wei, exerting
little effort and following the dao, or
“way” or road. Daoism also placed
emphasis on balancing the forces of yin
(feminine) and yang (masculine).
The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and
earth
The named was the mother of the myriad
creatures
The Dao De Jing (excerpt)
Know the Masculine, cleave to the Feminine
Be the valley for everyone
Being the valley for everyone
You are always in virtue without lapse
And you return to infancy
Know the white, but don’t stray from the Black
Be a model for everyone
Being the model for everyone
You are always in virtue and free from error
You return to the limitless
Know Glory, but hold humility near
Be the valley for everyone
When your constancy in virtue is complete
You return to the uncarved block
The block is cut into implements
The sage uses them to fulfill roles
Therefore the tailor does not cut
Zhuangzi (369 – 286 BCE)
Zhuangzi was another well
known Daoist credited with the
text The Zhuangzi. He warned
against the “classification of
things”, and described the fine
line between the real and
“unreal”.
Zhuangzi dreamt that he was a
butterfly, enjoying himself,
fluttering about … suddenly he
awoke, but he did not know if
he was Zhuangzi who had
dreamt of being a butterfly, or a
butterfly who was dreaming of
being Zhuangzi.
Legalism
The philosophy of legalism
was developed by Han
Feizi (280 BCE – 233 BCE),
a philosopher who lived
during the Warring States
Period.
Han stressed the idea that
man was essentially evil,
and that society needed
extensive bodies of law in
order to attain a civil
society, and to protect the
governed as well.
The Warring States
Period
The latter part of the
Zhou period was known
as The Warring States
Period (474 BCE – 221
BCE).
Some 70 states
competed for the
Mandate of Heaven.
The most powerful
proved to be the Chu, Qi
and Qin. The Qin would
eventually conquer their
rivals and unite China.
Shi Huang Di - The
“First Emperor”
Ying Zheng took over
the Western state of Qin
in 247 BC and by 221
BCE led it to victories
over the rival states of
Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu,
Yan and Qi.
King Zheng is credited
with unifying China and
founding the Qin
Dynasty (221-206 BCE).
He later took the title Shi
Huang Di, meaning“First
Emperor”.
Qin Governance and
Uniformity
The Qin emperor enacted a
number of unifying and
centralizing measures such
as the standardization of
the script, roads and coins.
The Qin emperor also ruled
in adherence to the
principles of Legalism, the
philosophy that
emphasized the need for
codified laws and
consequences in
governing.
The Wall of 10,000 Li
Starting east near the Bohai Sea,
The Great Wall, a World Heritage
Site, stretches west to Dunhuang
for some 1500 miles.
The Qin emperor is credited with
uniting separate walls into one.
Most of the present wall was
constructed during the later Ming
period.
One of China’s great folk tales is
The Story of Meng Jiang Nyu.
Recommended Site: UNESCO’s
World Heritage Sites
The Terracotta Army
The First Emperor sought
immortality. He may have
achieved it through the
construction of his life size
terracotta army located in his
capital of Xian.
Recommended Site: UNESCO’s
World Heritage Sites
Photos – World Heritage Organization
The Burner of the
Books
In 213 BCE Shi Huang Di
ordered the burning of
Confucian and Daoist texts
as well as the recorded
histories of many of the
neighboring states.
He also had some 460
scholars buried alive.
After the death of the Qin
emperor in 206 BCE, the
empire shortly fell apart.
Qin proverb: You can conquer an empire
on horseback, but it is difficult to govern
from horseback.
Hero (2002)
Hero, directed by Zhang Yimou
stars Jet Li as a legendary assassin
known only as Nameless, who sets
out to eliminate Sky, Snow, and
Broken Sword, three would be
assassins of Shi Huang Di, the First
Emperor. The reward for Nameless’
efforts is a direct audience with the
emperor himself.
The film was inspired by the
legendary assassination attempt on
Shi Huang Di, (aka - King Zheng)
by the assassin Jing Ke in 227
BCE.
The Great Han Dynasty
(206 BCE – 220 CE)
The Han period is regarded as one of the
greatest in China’s history.
It saw Confucianism adopted as a
governing philosophy, and the
establishment of a civil service exam for
officials based upon learning of the Five
Classics and the teachings of Confucius.
At this time, references to China as
zhong guo, or “central country” appear.
In time, Chinese would refer to
themselves as Sons of Han, or simply
Han.
It was also at this time that China
engaged in more regular contact with
other civilizations.
The 6th Han Emperor - Wu
Di 141- 87 BC, was
benevolent at home, yet
waged war against the
Xiongnu abroad. During
his reign, China’s borders
stretched to nearly the
extent of today’s borders.
Sima Qian (145-85 BCE) –
“The Court Historian”
Sima Qian was a Han court
historian who wrote the “The
Historical Records”, or Shi ji. In
doing so he relied upon
documents back to the Shang
era as well as contemporary
documents in order to compile a
history of China.
Portrait Sima Qian
Shiji – Commentary on the
Xiongnu
The Silk Routes
Starting in the Han Period,
the silk routes linked
China with central Asia,
India, Persia and Europe.
China exported silk, jade,
bronze goods, lacquered
products and eventually
porcelain for glassware,
gemstones, and spices.
Most coveted by China
were the “heavenly
horses” from Central Asia.
Question: What religion
came to China from India
via the Silk Routes?
A Mosaic of Peoples
Trade along the Silk Routes
brought China in contact with a
broad range of ethno-linguistic
groups. Included were
Soghdians, Parthians, Indians,
Gandharans, Persians and
many others.
Early Silk Road Cities
Jiaohe and Gaochang were
military outposts built by the
Han government some 29 miles
southeast of the Silk Road city
Turfan at the foot of the
Flaming Mountains.
Jiaohe Ruins (Abraham)
Gaochang girls (Abraham)
The Steppe
The peoples of the grasslands to the
north and west preoccupied China’s
rulers from early on. Its relations with
tribes such as the Xiongnu ranged from
trade and marriage diplomacy to military
conflict.
In 139 BCE, a Chinese military envoy
named Zhang Qian journeyed to the
Central Asian steppe to recruit enemies
of the Xiong-nu as allies of China.
Bronze Heavenly
Horse from 2nd c.
BC Excavated
from a tomb in
Gansu Province.
Gansu Provincial
Museum.
Zhang Qian – Han general sent by Emperor
Wudi to recruit allies to fight the Xiongnu.
Dunhuang Academy.
Spread of Buddhism
Starting in the 1st cent. CE, Buddhist
pilgrims from India journeyed along the
Silk Routes to spread the dharma, or
teachings of the Buddha. Buddhism
appealed to the Chinese for its offer of
universal salvation, something not
addressed in Confucianism or Daoism.
The type of Buddhism to take root in
China (and Korea and Japan) was
Mahayana Buddhism. It allowed for the
presence of many buddhas and
bodhisatvas. It placed less emphasis
on the study of scripture and the
monastic life.
The earlier form of Buddhism was
known as Theravada Buddhism. It
stressed traditional teachings and the
life of the historical Buddha. It became
widespread popular in Southeast Asia.
Bamiyan Buddha’s
Guanyin (Sui period)
Buddhism
Buddhism was founded in India in
the 6th c. BCE. by a prince,
Siddhartha Gautama. The
Buddha’s teachings (dharma)
emphasized moderation, pursuit
of enlightenment and release
(nirvana) from reincarnation
through accruement of good
karma.
Also important were the three
jewels: the Buddha, dharma and
sangha (community), and the
Four Noble Truths:
1). Life is suffering
2). Cause of suffering is desire
3). To eliminate suffering, One
must eliminate desire
4). To eliminate desire, one must
follow the Eightfold Path
Buddha overcoming Mara,
India 12th c. CE,
Metropolitan Museum of Art
5th
Buddha teaching law.
c. CE India (Image Saint
Barbara City College)
Journey to the West
(Xi You Ji)
Journey to the West, (a.k.a. “The
Monkey King”) was written in the 16th
c. CE by Wu Cheng En and is
regarded as one of the four Ming
classics.
The story centers around a 7th
century Chinese monk named
Xuanzang (Hsuan-Tsang) who
journeys to India to acquire sacred
Buddhist texts.
However, the monk’s story is
overshadowed by the exploits of a
“monkey king”, who has undergone
special Daoist training, yet abused his
skills. In order to repent, the Lord
Buddha forces “Monkey” to serve as
a companion to the monk Xuanzang
and oversee his safe journey to and
from India.
One good translation of the story is Arthur
Waley’s Monkey. www.China-OnSite.com
Mogao Caves of Dunhuang
Dunhuang, in present day Gansu, was
home to the Mogao Caves, or “Caves
of A Thousand Buddhas”. From the
4th c. CE onward, Buddhist pilgrims
created grottoes out of limestone. In
these caves, they translated sutras,
and produced murals, sculptures and
stupas portaying events in Buddhist
folklore as well as Chinese life.
Diamond Sutra, 868 CE, Dunhuang, seven
strips woodblock print. (British Museum)
Dunhuang – Western China
“Foreign Devils on the Silk Road”
termed by Peter Hopkirk
Around the turn of the 20th century, a continuum
of explorers from Europe, Russia and Japan
made their way to Dunhuang. With the
complicity of a Daoist abbot who had been
charged with safeguarding the treasures, the
explorers procured countless treasures. Today,
they rest in museums and private collections
around the world.
Far left: Aurel Stein and
expeditionary team. Near left:
Paul Pelliot w/manuscripts.
Above: Abbot Wang Yuanlu.
Photos courtesy of BBC News.
Guan Yin (Kuan-Yin)
Starting in the Tang period, the
bodhisattva Guan Yin,
“goddess of mercy” rose to
great popularity among
Buddhist figures in East Asia.
Buddhism itself took a
prominent position alongside
Confucianism and Daoism in
Chinese society.
For common visual portrayals
see Buddhist Art by Charles F.
Chicarelli)
Bodhisattva Guanyin (Kuan-yin), 11th/12th cent.
Wood with paint , 95 inches high (241.3 cm)
Northern Song (960-1127 AD) or Liao (907-1125 AD)
Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City
Amitabha and the
Pure Land Sect
In the 5th c. CE, a Buddhist
sect known as Sukahavati,
or "Pure Land” developed.
It revered Amitabha the
“Buddha of Infinite Light”.
Pure Land emphasized
the use of mantras and
visualization of Amitabha
seated in his Western
Paradise, where devotion
would be rewarded with
rebirth in paradise.
Mogao Caves, Dunhuang
705 – 780 CE, Courtesy of
Dunhuang Academy
The “Three Kingdoms” (220–265 CE)
The Three Kingdoms, that rose to brief prominence
as the Han Dynasty declined, included the northern
kingdom of Wei and the southwest kingdom of Shu
Han and the southeast kingdom of Wu. Ultimately,
the latter two kingdoms allied to defeat the Wei,
though all three dissolved by the late 3rd century.
Battles and intrigues between these states
constitute the plot of China’s greatest historical
romance, The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
(Sanguo yanyi).
Battle scene illustration from Romance
of the Three Kingdoms
Tang China (618 – 906 CE)
The Tang are regarded as one
of the greatest dynasties of the
imperial period. The jinshi, or
civil service exam was formally
instituted and the code of law
expanded to civil affairs.
Meanwhile, China’s borders
were expanded, while trade
along the Silk Routes grew.
Chang’an became the most
cosmopolitan city in the world.
Nomadic Horsmen, National Palace Empress Wu
Museum
(Map – Ebrey)
Emperor Taizong
Ming portrait of Jian Shunfu. Two
cranes indicate civil service exam
graduate of the first rank. Nat. Palace
Museum, Taiwan.
Chang’an (Xian)
Almost one million people
resided in the city including
Turks, Mongols and
Tibetans. In addition to
Buddhism, pilgrims
practicing Manichaean and
Zoroastrian dualism,
Nestorian Christianity and
Islam arrived.
Tang Painter Han-Kan
Wild Goose Pagoda
Great Mosque Xian
Tang painting - Yan Liben portrays Taizhong receiving a
Tibetan prince who is asking for the hand of a Tang princess.
Calligraphy
Following the invention of paper, Calligraphy
became one of the Three Perfects –
calligraphy, poetry and painting.
Possession of the Four Treasures – ink, ink
stone, brush and paper was the first step in
becoming a shidafu, or scholar-gentleman.
Major styles of calligraphy :
Regular Script – Patricia Ebrey
Visual Sourcebook
Formal (Regular)
Running
Cursive
Seal
Official
Recommended:
Asia for Educator’s website and Patricia
Ebrey’s Visual Sourcebook on Chinese
civilization’s sections on calligraphy.
Above: Wang Xizhi’s Record of the Orchid
Pavilion Gathering, composed in 353 CE.
Source: Ebrey Visual Sourcebook
Tang Poetry
Prior to the Tang period, the main poetic device was known as yueh-fu, or
“song bureau”. This style involved the recording of traditional odes or ballads
that were originally sung, and meant to convey a story. (Examples: The Ballad
of Hua Mulan, The Story of Meng Jiang Nyu). These poems were often long,
and not necessarily aware of rhythm or meter. http://history.culturalchina.com/en/60History523.html
During the Tang period, a new style of poetry called jinti shi emerged. This
“modern form” of poetry emphasized:
• A four or eight line structure to poems, preferably eight lines
• 5-7 written characters per line.
• Since each character represented a single word, and Chinese words
are monosyllabic, the poems were often rhythmical.
Among the most famous Tang poets who at times exemplified the jinti shi style
were Wang Wei, Li Bai and Du Fu.
Wang Wei – master calligrapher, painter, musician,
devout Buddhist and jinshi graduate, was also
among the greatest of the jinti shi poets.
“News of Home” by Wang Wei (ca. 699–761)
Coming from my village,
You must have news of home.
The day you left, that winter plum tree outside
my window —
Was it blooming yet?
(Translated by Steven Ratiner, 2005. Published
in The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China.)
Li Bo (701 -762)
Li Bo (Li Bai, Li Po) is regarded by many
as the greatest poet in China’s history.
Li’s poems displayed strong Daoist
influences. They could be simple, playful
or even evoke a sense of fantasy
Li was also known for his fondness of rice
wine, a trait not uncommon among
Daoists of the time.
Still Night Thoughts by Li Bai
Moonlight in front of my bed,
I took it for frost on the ground,
I lift my eyes to watch the mountain
moon,
Lower them and dream of home
Drinking Alone Under the Moon by Li Bai
Here among the flowers, a single jug of wine,
No close friends here, I pour alone,
And lifting cup to bright moon, ask it to join me,
Then face my shadow, and we become three
Drinking Alone With the Moon by Li Bai
From a pot of wine among the flowers
I drank alone. There was no one with me -Till raising my cup, I ask the bright moon
To bring me my shadow and make us three.
Alas, the moon was unable to drink
And my shadow tagged me vacantly;
But still for a while I had these friends
To cheer me through the end of spring....
I sang. The moon encouraged me
I danced. My shadow tumbled after.
As long as I knew, we were born companions.
And then I was drunk, and we lost one another.
....Shall goodwill ever be secure?
I watch the long road of the River of Stars.
Du Fu (712 – 770)
Du Fu was ranked
second only to Li Bai as
a poet. Though a friend
of Li Bo’s, Du’s poetry
reflects strong
Confucian influences.
“Traveling Northward” by Du Fu
Screech owls moan in the yellowing Mulberry trees.
Field mice scurry, preparing their holes for winter.
Midnight, we cross an old battlefield.
The moonlight shines cold on white bones
Source: Rexroth, Kenneth; translator. One Hundred Poems from the Chinese. Copyright ©
1971 by Kenneth Rexroth. Reprinted by permission of New Directions Publishing
Corp.
Song China (960 – 1279 CE)
The Song reunited China, but
attacks and infiltration from the
steppe prompted the move of the
capital from Kaifeng in the north to
Hangzhou in the south.
The Northern Song period (9601127 CE) saw many technological
advances - gunpowder, moveable
printing press. Note Kaifeng’s
location on mouth of Grand Canal.
During the Southern Song period
(1127 – 1279 CE), Confucianism
enjoyed a revival. China’s
population hit 100 million by the
early 12th century.
Emperor Taizu
(National Palace Museum, Taipei)
The Shidafu
The Song period is known for
the expansion of the Shidafu,
scholar – gentlemen, or literati
class. In part, this was due to
the reinstitution of the
examination system.
Wen
Chang,
Old Tree, Bamboo and Rock Wu
Zhen, Song Period, National Palace
Museum
Emperor Huizong (10821135 playing qin,
Palace Museum, Beijing
God of
Literature,
Ming
Period,
Ontario
Museum
Landscape Paintings
Inspired by the teachings of
Daoism, landscape painting
reached new heights during
the Song Dynasty.
Working in monochrome,
painters used shades to
portray landscapes.
Mountains (shan) took on
special meaning.
At Right: Fan Kuan’s
Travelers Amid Mountains
and Streams. Ink on silk
from early 11th century. Fan
Kuan was a court painter.
(Ebrey: Visual Sourcebook,
National Palace Museum, Taipei.)
The Chinese Calendar
Legend has it that the Jade
Emperor created the
Chinese Lunar calendar in
2637 BCE. By 2010 CE,
4707 lunar years had
passed.
At right are the 12 animals
that represent each year of
the zodiac in their order of
finish in a legendary river
crossing hosted by the Jade
Emperor.
Rat (2008)
Ox (2009)
Tiger (2010)
Rabbit (2011)
Dragon (2012)
Snake (2013)
Horse (2014)
Sheep (2015)
Monkey (2016)
Rooster (2017)
Dog (2018)
Pig (2019)
The Chinese New Year –
Chun Jie
Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival,
begins on the eve of the second new
moon after the winter solstice. The 15
day period is marked by:
• setting off firecrackers to ward off
the legendary Nian monster
• ritual cleaning
• appeasing of Kitchen God – Zao
Shen (Tsao Chun)
• money in red envelopes “lao see” to
children
• A popular food is sweet dumplings
known as yuanxiao.
• New Year ends on the 15th day of
the month with the Lantern Festival
Honoring the Dead
Burial traditions vary throughout China.
Great effort is made to appease deceased
souls. Other practices:
• a large procession
• wearing of white
•a specified mourning period
•offerings made to the deceased
•a large family meal.
Clear Brightness Festival - Qing Ming Jie
or “grave sweeping festival”, occurs on the
106th day after the winter solstice. Families
visit gravesites and honor deceased
relatives.
Less widely practiced is the Ghost Festival
which occurs on the 15th day of the seventh
month. On this day, the connection
between the underworld and the living is
acknowledged. The roots of this tradition
date back to Daoist and Buddhist religious
beliefs.
The Dragon Boat Festival
Duanwu jíe
Observed on the fifth day of the fifth
lunar month.
Commemorates the Warring States
poet Qu Yuan (c. 340-278 B.C.).
After the defeat of his homeland of
Chu, and the failure of the emperor to
heed his advice, Qu Yuan threw
himself into the Miluo River in present
day Hunan Province.
The tradition of dragon boat races
were originally intended to
commemorate the efforts to rescue
the poet. In some southern locales,
the tradition is said to ward off evils,
and sacrifices are made. People
frequently eat zongzi, or rice balls.
Mid Autumn Festival
Zhong Qiu Jie
The Mid Autumn Fest is celebrated on
the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on
the eve of the full moon.
The full moon is a symbol of peace and
prosperity. Its roundness symbolizes
wholeness and unity.
Traditions associated:
• Reunion of family members.
• Thanks for summer harvests
• Preparation of moon cakes.
• Retelling of story of Lady Chang, the
“moon goddess” and Yi the Archer.
• Eight is also a popular number in
Chinese culture, symbolizing wealth
and prosperity. So people believe this
day is very favorable.
Moon cakes
Hou Yi the archer
Lady Chang
Celebrating Births and
Choosing a Name
Clan name precedes given
name in China
Belief that names should be
unique. However, sometimes
numbers were used to indicate
the order of a child among
siblings.
By tradition, the birth of a boy
“big happiness” or the birth of
a girl “small happiness” were
very special occasions.
Weddings
Traditionally arranged by
professional
matchmakers
Brides usually wore red
and carried in sedan
chairs from home to
wedding site
Brides usually moved in
with husband’s family
Weddings were simplified
greatly after the
communist takeover of
China in 1949.