![0102ph002](https://chiculture.org.hk/sites/mainsite/files/styles/free_style_image_styles/public/2019-07/0102ph002.jpg?itok=JqJ4I7Cc)
Ancient Chinese Culture
Ancient Chinese culture encompasses both prehistoric civilization and human society throughout the majority of the Xia (ca. 2100–ca. 1600 BCE), Shang (ca. 1600–ca. 1100 BCE), and Zhou (ca. 1100–256 BCE) dynasties.
Confucius said, “Wise people love water; virtuous people love mountains.” From the ancient’s point of view, water is the source of all living things, and mountains are places to respect. They not only provide rich material wealth, but also bring us spiritual nourishment that feeds our hearts and pleases our eyes.
Ancient Chinese culture encompasses both prehistoric civilization and human society throughout the majority of the Xia (ca. 2100–ca. 1600 BCE), Shang (ca. 1600–ca. 1100 BCE), and Zhou (ca. 1100–256 BCE) dynasties.
Su Shi (1037–1101), courtesy name Zizhan, art name Dongpo Jushi, born in Meishan, Meizhou (now Meishan County, Sichuan Province) was a famous Chinese statesman and litterateur who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty. His father was Su Xun, and his younger brother was Su Zhe.
The term "feast (fan ju)" originated in the Song Dynasty and has a history of over a thousand years. "Ju" originated as a chess term, evolving to signify "situation" or "position". Over time, it extended to convey meanings such as "gambling", "gatherings", or "traps". In Chinese history, there have been numerous thrilling and intricate feasts, far from simple dining occasions.
Chinese opera is renowned not just for its exquisite language and melodious music, but also for its vivid depiction of historical stories with complex and captivating plots. Due to its great popularity among the people, Chinese opera has been widely spread and deeply ingrained in their hearts.
The Yuan dynasty refers to the period when China was ruled by the Mongol Empire. As nomadic tribes, the Mongol rulers were free-spirited and embracing, contributing to the free development of diverse cultures. During its expansion, the empire embraced cultures of various ethnic groups, making the Yuan dynasty a state with splendid culture.
The character of knight-errant (Xia, 俠) can be found in many classic Chinese works, such as Han Feizi (《韓非子》), Water Margin (《水滸傳》), The Three Heroes and Five Gallants (《三俠五義》), and martial arts novels from Louis Cha Leung-yung. A knight-errant was someone who held others by force or this kind of forcible behaviour.
The Ming philosopher Li Zhi (李贄, 1527-1602) once praised Emperor Qinshihuang (255-210 BCE) as the “Emperor of All Ages” and held even greater admiration for Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-98), whom he hailed as the “Emperor Through the Ages”. What contributions did he make to earn him such high praise from the prideful scholar like Li?
The Yuan dynasty was founded by the nomadic Mongols who adopted many Han (漢) customs after taking the Central Plains. Chinese culture was long dominated by Confucianism. Many Khans, from Genghis Khan to Emperor Renzong (仁宗) of Yuan, learned about Han culture through translation.
China witnessed frequent battles on its land during the thousands of years of history. Some battles stood out for their significance at that time. We are presenting to you the 13 famous ones on this “Splendid Chinese Culture” website.
Wang Anshi (1021- 86), whose courtesy name as Jiefu (介甫) and pseudonym as Banshan (半山), was born in Linchuan (臨川), Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province. Titled as Jingguogong (荊國公), this famous politician and writer during the Song dynasty (宋朝) had some controversial political achievements handed down from more than nine centuries ago.
The Spring and Autumn Period featured several vassals fighting for hegemony. After King Ping of Zhou (周平王) moved the Western Zhou dynasty’s (西周) capital eastward to Luoyi (洛邑, present-day Luoyang [洛陽]), the power of the dynasty gradually weakened, causing vassals to scramble for territories.