Chinese & Japanese Tradition

ChineseandJapanesetraditionsLike other Asian theatrical traditions, almost every element ofjingxi, including makeup, is rigidly controlled by convention. Actors playing the roles of men and old women wear simple makeup. All actors playing male roles, except those of young heroes, wear beards. For female roles other than old women, an actors face is painted white with the area immediately around the eyes coloured a deep red that shades into pink. Actors playing unbearded male roles wear a white base, but the contrasting colour around the eyes is less pronounced. The makeup for the so-called painted-face roles is the most spectacular. It uses brilliantly coloured, elaborately patterned designs that are symbolic of the specific role the actor is playing. While white patches around the eyes are a common feature of all comic roles injingxi, primarily black patterns are used to identify the specific type of each clown.JapaneseNohandKabukitheatres offer different visual treatments of the actors face. In Noh the characters, typically played by mature men, wearmasksrather than makeup. These masks, which generally portray either a neutral or a very strong emotion, depict stock character types found in... (200 of 16,873 words)"Heritage" is defined as thecustoms andtraditionsthat are handed down from generation to generation offamilies and society. A person withAsian heritageis someone whose family originates from Asia. Let's check out some Asiantraditions.Asian HolidaysChinese New YearDespite the name, ChineseNew Yearis actually celebrated in a lot of countries. The 2004 Chinese New Year is theYear of the Monkeyand is celebrated on January 22nd. It celebrates the first day of the ChineseLunar Calendarand is the most important yearly festival for the Chinese. Each year is named after one of the 12animalsof the Chinese Zodiac.Ching Ming FestivalThis Chinese holiday, celebrated onApril5th, is the Ching Ming Festival (aka Qingming Festival.) Ching, in Chinese, means pure or clean and Ming means brightness. Most people call thisholidaygrave-sweepingday because people head to the cemetery to clean graves.HoliHoli is a spring festival that is celebratedthroughout India. For two days, people party it by droppingpowdered colorsfrom the rooftops, drench each other withballoonsfilled with colored water and have huge feasts. This festival is held to celebrate the defeat of themythical creature,Holika. Holi starts off with a big bonfire to help clear theleavesand twigs of theautumnthat has just past.Asian Traditions and Culture Buddhism:While there are as asmany religionsin Asia as there are anywhere else,Buddhismis one of the predominant ones. Buddhism was established in northernIndiaabout 2500 years ago in response to the life and teachings of Gautama Siddhartha who was given the title "Buddha" or "awakened-one." Dim Sum:A traditionalChinese mealthat consists of lots of small dishes of a bunch of different kinds offoods, including steamed or fried dumplings. Tea:Teaplays amajor roleinAsian culture- whether it's in China, India or Malaysia - tea ceremonies, in theirvariousforms, are a major part of mostAsian cultures. Origami:Origami is the art offolding paper. While it is quite popular inJapan, it is believed to haveoriginated in Chinain the first century AD. One of the most popular origami shapes isthe crane. The crane is thought to be asacred animalin Japan and legend has it that if you fold1,000paper cranes, yourwish will come true.

ChineseandJapanesetraditionsJapan Home

TraditionsMany Japanese traditions stem from their deep roots in religions.Two main religions dominate the Japanese culture: Buddhism and Shintoism.BuddhismHistory:Buddhism was brought to Japan from China in the early 6thcentury and was established as a national religion by Prince Shotoku.The Japanese were attracted to Buddhism because it carried with it the ideas of a unified nation and equality among people.It began to help Japan work towards an altruistic society and presented a unified state rather than individual uji or clans. Health and protection were concrete benefits of Buddhism that were greatly appealing to the Japanese.

Practices:Buddhist practices and beliefs in Japan stemmed from practices in China and were very similar to those in China.Buddhist teachings came from the Sutras and from the Vinayarules for monastic life.The Buddhacharita or Acts of the Buddha is a mix of historical information and religious instruction that helped structure the religions beliefs.Four Noble Truths (Content of the first sermon of the Buddha)1.Life is full of sorrow because it is inevitably associated with sickness, old age, and death.2.Sorrow is due to cravinghappy moments are always fleeting and you can never rely on them.3.Sorrow can only be stopped by ceasing craving.4.Ceasing craving can only be done by the eight-fold path that leads out of suffering.The Five Precepts (The simplest form of Buddhist morality that was intended for the leifolk, not monks and nuns.)1.No killing2.No stealing3.No lying4.No sexual misconduct5.No use of intoxicantsShintoismHistory:Japanese culture, while on the cutting edge, is also a very primitive culture that we learn about through archeological sources, written sources, Chinese, and contemporary practices.What is known about Shinto beliefs has been learned through todays practices.

Practices:Shintoism believes in kami or spirits that are anything out of the ordinary or awe-inspiring.There are four types of kami in Japanese society:1.Nature Kami (sun goddess and the star goddess) are the most common.2.Kami that protect the uji3.Hero kami (great marshal men, scholars, and poets4.Kami of locales (areas that kami presided over)According to Shinto beliefs, when bad things happen they are due to unhappy kami and so they use rituals to appease the kami.These rituals have four components:1.Purification- before one can approach the sacred a cleansing process must be completed2.Offerings- gifts for the kami such as cloth, water, food, and dance are expected at a ritual ceremony3.Prayer- the recital of magic, certain words and sounds that are repeated again and again4.Sacred Meal- a communal meal is eaten after the ritual is performed to promote health and healing*The above information on religion was gathered through a series of lectures by Professor Paul Watt at DePauw University.Japanese Tea CeremonyHistory:The Japanese Tea Ceremony is a cultural tradition that originated in China.The tea was considered medicine that promoted physical and spiritual health and was consumed for enjoyment purposes primarily.The spiritual aspect involves harmony between the persons participating in the ceremony, respect for those involved in the ceremony, and purity.These three aspects bring tranquility to those who participate in the tradition.

The Ceremony:Before the ceremony begins the host cleans the serving bowls, boils water, prepares a sweet treat for the guests, and then mixes the tea.

The tea is a bitter green tea called Matcha and when mixed with water it creates a warm bitter taste.The combination of the bitter and sweet compliment each other and are a sign of harmony.Proper Behaviora.When you recieve your chawan--cup of tea--you should bow.b.Take the tea with your right hand and place it in the palm of your left handc.Turn the chawan clockwise three times before you take a drinkd.When the tea is gone, make a loud slurp to show the host that the tea was truly enjoyede.Wipe the part of the chawan your lips touched with your right handf.Turn the chawan counterclockwise and return it to the hostThe above tea ceremony information was gathered fromwww.city.kanazawa.ishikawa.jp/bunka/trad/way/tea/teaE.htmand alsoresearchpapers.hypermart.net/art/Japanese%20Tea%20Ceremony.htmlJapanese TheaterNoh DramaNoh drama is rigidly traditional Japanese drama which in it's present form dates back to the early 14th century. Noh plays are short dramas combining music, dance, and lyrics, with a highly stylized ritualistic presentation.

Kabuki DramaKabuki drama combined elements of no drama and folk theater. Dance was the basis of performances and the musical dance dramas that developed revolved around stories that were romantic and often erotic performed by women. It was then decided that they were too erotic to be performed by women and mens troupes were formed to impersonate the women and do the performances.These small exerps on Japanese Theater were taken from Professor Steve Timm's History of Theater class at DePauw University.For more information on Japanese Theater please visit:gojapan.about.comand select traditions/cultureHolidaysThe following information on Japanese Holidays was gathered from Griffin and Shurgin'sThe Folklore of World HolidaysThe Japanese New Year Celebration (January 1-15)In Japan, the celebration of the New Year is the most significant and important holiday.During this time they begin the New Year with a clean slate, spend time with family and friends and prepare for the events of the New Year.Preparation:In preparation for the New Year the Japanese clean their houses thoroughly, discard of any items that are not needed any more and pay all outstanding debts so that they are able to start the New Year anew.-Repairs to the house are made-Old items in need of replacement are replaced-When the cleaning is finished members of the household take a hot bath to finish the cleansing processAfter the cleaning, houses are decorated with straw ropes and pine bough that is burned in a ceremonial bonfire at the end of the New Years celebration.

Celebration:For the first three days of the New Year businesses are closed and the time is used to visit family and friends.The first day of the New Year is a day to give thanks for the events of the past and pray for the future.The arrival is announced to the country by all of the bells of the Buddhist temples.The second day is a ritual commencement to the arts and crafts of ones favorite pursuit.Ritual:Another ritual of the New Year revolves around the dream of the second night of the year (it is not the dream of the first night because that night is too filled with spirits).The desired dream is of a boat bringing wealth to ones family.This is also the time in Japan where cards are sent to family members and friends, sharing with them stories of the past year and wishing them the best in the New Year.Coming of Age DayJanuary 15In keeping with a time honored tradition, the Japanese have a ceremony for every young person who turns 20 over the year.The heads of local government give ceremonial speeches to celebrate and commemorate the occasion.The holiday was created in 1948 because at the age of 20 in Japan young people receive the right to vote, drink, and smoke but they are also considered adults and must uphold the responsibilities of an adult.Shunbun no Hi/ Higan no Chu-Nichi (Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox)The celebration of the equinoxes has its origin in a celebration of the changing of the seasons which reflects the agricultural nature of Japanese society.On these two days many Japanese families visit the tombs of deceased family members and pay their respects.They weed the tombs and place fresh flowers at the grave sites.

Christmas CelebrationsHistory:Since World War II about half of the households in Japan have begun to celebrate ChristmasTraditions:The Japanese traditionally celebrate with a Christmas cake called a decoration cake.The cake is made by bakeries and ordered very far in advance of the Christmas holiday.Santa Claus is a figure in their Christmas traditions and is called Grandfather Santa ClausJapanese children hang their stockings to be filled by Santa Claus by the bathtub because believe they that Santa Claus comes down the pipes.Decoration and Celebration:In decorating their homes the Japanese generally have sparsely decorated trees that do not serve as a center of attention during the season.The parties at Christmas time differ from other parties in the masculine dominated society because women are allowed to come and revel with the men.Christmas is seen as a more democratic holiday because it is geared towards both sexes and not of religious origins.While Christmas is celebrated by many Japanese families it is viewed more as a time to give and receive presents rather than a religious holiday because so few Japanese families are Christian.FolkloreJapanese folklore gives glimpses of morals, lifestyles and values in Japan.Below are links to a few sites on Japanese folktales

Chinese TraditionsLiving in China, you soon learn that Chinese traditions play an integral role in everyday life for every person. It is at the very core of Chinese culture and revolves around values and how people interact with each other, gives a sense of personal identity and sense of self worth. These traditional values help people solve common human problems for survival and become the roots of tradition that Chinese people find important in their day-to-day lives.Values for one society may seem strange to another society, but nonetheless, they are important to that society. For instance, the painful and debilitatingChinese tradition of foot binding, as bizarre as it may seem to our culture, to the Chinese people, it was the esoteric essence of pure beauty and signified status within the family structure, allowing young women with lotus feet better opportunities for marriage with well-to-do families.Traditional Chinese courtyard life, in existence until the early 1900s, was a unique lifestyle where Chinese families and neighbours lived in very close quarters sharing a common courtyard and everyone knowing everyone elses business. Special rules applied for who occupied which space in certain directions. Read more about it by clicking the link above.Chinese Chopsticks, born of necessity in the earliest times, highly influenced the eating and cooking traditions still followed today in China. Click on the link above to learn more about the history of Chinese chopsticks.

Have you ever seen those beautiful tiedChinese knots? Did you know that each different design is a good luck wish? One of the most popular knots is double happiness, which in Chinese tradition is given to newlyweds, signifying a wish for their luck and happiness to double.Xing, Shi and Ming are the most commonChinese family names. There are only 22 ancient Chinese surnames still in use today. The family name indicated a blood tie within the Chinese social structure and was a symbol of class. In ancient China, 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, women were the clan leaders and marriages were only allowed among certain classes.There are many colorfulChinese Festivalshappening all year round. There are some major ones that span out over several days or several weeks that are celebrated all across China, and then there are the ones celebrated in different regions of China by the 53 different minority groups. Chinese Festivals offer a unique insight into the rich 5000 year history and traditions of China. If you are living in China, the Chinese people will graciously invite you to be part of their traditional celebrations. Click the link above to check out some interesting celebrations like Qing Ming - graveyard cleaning and picnic time, the Water Splashing Festival in Yunnan, Chinese Valentine's Day, Dragon Boat Festival and more.

Beijing Operais a uniquely Chinese form of theatre that relates stories of romance, legend and battles. There used to be troupes that travelled China to put on the shows, but today, the best place to enjoy it is in Beijing.Chinese Shadow Puppetryis an ancient form of storytelling which was popular during the Song Dynasty during the holiday season. The stories of the shadow puppets told of events that had happened elsewhere in the country and stories with a Buddhist background.