China’s Populace: an Overview
Population:
- 1,342,100,000
- 19.5% of the world’s population living there, making it the most populous country in the world.
Language:
There are seven dialects of Chinese spoken throughout the country Mandrin/Jin, Wu/Hui, Gan, Xiang, Min, Hakka, and Yue/Ping. However the one that is most commonly used and spoken is Mandrin.
Religion:
Religion in china is very family focused and plays of historical influences of Confucian theory out of which many of the religions practiced today such as Buddhism, Taoism and Shenism derive practices from. There is also a smaller population of the country that practices either Islamic or Christian teachings.
Cuisine:
Rice and tea (china produces 90% of the worlds green tea) both are very important factors in the Chinese diets. Noodles are also an important part of the diet although they are more common in the northern section of china. Dim Sum, meaning small snack, is also a very popular form of cuisine throughout the nation, allowing people to try many different meals within one sitting. Meals are traditionally eaten with chopsticks and regional cuisines vary through out the nation depending on the culture and accessibility to food items.
Culture/Leisure:
Art: Traditional Chinese art consists of pottery (mostly done in porcelain) as well as sculpture traditionally done in jade, painting, calligraphy, and a host of modern visual arts. Dance and music are also important art forms and most traditionally can be seen in the Dragon Dance done on Chinese New Year.
Sports: Throughout china a host of traditional sports such as dragon boat racing, horse racing, archery, and Mongolian-style wrestling coexist along side with popular modern sports such as martial arts, table-tennis, and basketball.
Cultural Values: Chinese culture also places a lot of value on familial bonds and ties that stretch beyond the nuclear family and into both religious practices (ancestral worship) and the business world.
Architecture: Chinese architecture has a heavy focus on structural symmetry as well as horizontal breadth as opposed to height. Many traditional Chinese buildings are built around an inner courtyard or act as a unit with specified grounds surrounding the building, which might include ponds or other water features. It is uncommon for building to have flat roofs tending to favor a more gabled style. Traditional homes might also incorporate symbolic talismans into the structure, most commonly featured on the door.
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