Mandarin Chinese

China’s name is zhōngguó. Zhōng means middle or central, and guó means country or nation. Together, they create the term “Middle Kingdom.” The Chinese believed themselves to be the center of the world, the most advanced civilization in existence, and anyone outside their civilization was a barbarian. The great rulers of the Zhou united the vast kingdom under their divine rule granted to them by the Mandate of Heaven. These strong rulers created an ideal of tiānxià, a kingdom united “all under…

Confucius: Taking a Stand Philosophy played a big role in ancient history. In some cultures, philosophy was like their religion, such as China. Much Chinese do not consider themselves to be religious but follow a philosophy, such as Confucianism. Confucius took a stand in ancient history by going against oppressive government and teaching China his philosophy which started a communist revolution and became an official state of belief of China. The founder of Confucianism was Confucius. At first…

Confucianism was one of the many ideas to come out of the “Hundred Schools of Thought.” Each intellectual way of thinking had one goal and that was to bring peace to the Warring States and unify all of China. Confucianism tried to take a very peaceful way of ending the war by making the people believe that one should follow a strict moral code. This moral code is called the ‘Junzi” or the “The Gentlemen.” The junzi was meant to have men act good towards one another by insuring that it was the…

for its culture such as art galleries, museums, broadway, theaters, music, concert hall, zoos… Chinatown The largest Chinatown in the United States is located in New York City. Home to Chinese immigrants in New York, it becomes an important destination for tourists from all over the world. Populated with Chinese cultures, markets, stores and restaurants, the streets are always packed and crowded. The buildings in Chinatown are squeezed together to provide accommodation to the growing…

The Way is mystical, magical, and perfect: a spiritual reality that eludes identification. Daoists reject a strong government because they believe people can control their own actions and do not need a ruler. Taoists have faith in preparation in advance and must carefully consider each action before taking it. A Taoist is kind to other individuals in part because kindness tends to be reciprocated. Taoists believe people are compassionate by nature and if left to their own devices they will show…

During the 20th century, China experienced several changes that had a deep impact on Chinese music culture. In the early 1900s, China’s government had changed drastically because of a nationalist party revolution. As a result of the revolution, the government shifted from the Qing dynasty that has been around for hundreds of years, into the establishment of the Republic of China. A change from an imperialist rulers into a republic government policy would lead people of China to create new…

societies, unfortunately, the answer to what makes an American is not that simple, as shown in American Born Chinese. Throughout this graphic novel, Jin, the protagonist, struggles with the questions of what it means to be an American, what it means to be Chinese, and how the two identities intertwine and compete. In Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese, the differences between the Chinese…

The Voyages of Zheng He (1405-1433), Zheng He’s first trip took him from South China Sea through the Indian Ocean. The purpose of the emperor’s expedition seems to have been to obtain recognition and gifts from other rulers. The voyagers did not intend to conquer or colonize, but they were prepared to use military force against those who refused to respect them. After Zheng He’s death China did not continue with these navigations. I believe china wanted to stay isolated so they didn’t have any…

Many Chinese peoples originally accepted Buddhism and defended its policies (docs 2, 1, 3, 5). Between 220 C.E. and 570 C.E, after the collapse of the Han Dynasty, China experienced a period of political instability and disunity which resulted in the gradual increase in Buddhist converts. Consequently, Buddhism served as a shelter for Chinese citizens during a politically uncertain and chaotic time. Zhi Dun's argument supporting Buddhism was justified by the current political leaders’ inability…

Chinese immigrants had come to San Francisco as early as 1838, but large numbers of Chinese only began to come in 1850 for the same reason many Americans were going to California during the 1849 Gold Rush. The Chinese immigrants were mainly peasant farmers who left home because of economic and political troubles in China. Most intended to work hard, make a lot of money, and then return to their families and villages as wealthy men. In this goal, the Chinese did not differ from many immigrants…