The关系guanxi
Relations in everyday life in China:
A history of flow and balance
J'ai beau me repeat that often English and Chinese are very similar, there is still many cultural differences that it is sometimes difficult. Evidenced few thoughts that I came as a result of simple events of everyday life that occurred this weekend.
Facts of life
Sunday, I planned to visit a Chinese girlfriend pregnant. Since she lives near the 5th ring road, to visit him ask me every time several hours of transport. I can not see it as often as I would like, but when I do, I do not feel it at all as a constraint.
This Sunday it, it seems that my friend felt a little guilty that I come from as far away as I had homework to do, and that is what arises as the rest of the events.
We spent the morning after quietly discuss everything and nothing, including gender roles in couples. My friend told me that such men should pay the bulk of the expenditure incurred by their girlfriend when they went out together, including clothes, food, etc.. I was shocked by this utilitarian vision that is often found in China. My Chinese friends have confirmed to me later that yes, girls often felt that their boyfriends had to (almost) all their pay ... and also to bring their business to those who live in China, you will notice that you often see men wearing handbags female, which is not a chimera but a sign of the role they play aupres de their partner.
I was going to live in reality the application of the theory a little later.
My friend had to leave in the city center, and her husband had to go drive the car before leaving himself with his work. Naturally, they offered me to take me. For me, it was so, I was able to shorten my journey in making me a file a bus station or subway near me. But my friend did not design the same things as me. She wanted her husband, after having filed, escorted me to my house to the other side of the city before starting its work! For me it was out of question to make a large detour, while I could easily take a bus or metro, and I knew very busy. On the way, so I insisted they lay me on a bus pass or who could carry me home. My friend was sorry, but let me do. To reassure them, I send a text message arriving in my home telling them that everything was fine and that this had been rapid.
But strangely, shortly after, my friend called me on my telephone to tell me that her husband was sorry not escorted me home. She also said, to my surprise my "I admire you very much for and have taken the bus, none of my Chinese friends have done what you did, they would take the car to my husband for escort. " Estomaquee I said with a laugh that it was not even when an extraordinary feat of taking the bus, and that her friends would have probably done so. But she tells me her idea and told me she was sorry. We discussed a bit before hanging up, and that is, considering this phone, I tell myself that something was wrong.
Discovery of hidden meaning
True, it was so weird to say "I admire you very much" and "I'm sorry"! Nothing that I made to feel the need to call me for 10 minutes while I sent him a message saying that I was well rentree was strange.
I had already taken a first step towards understanding this strange finding, but the second was not done with the help of other Chinese friends who I expressed my concerns.
In fact, I realized that I had made serious cultural errors in trying to be nice and save the husband of my friend to escort me:
- I had no doubt, though to a lesser extent, is "losing face" was my friend before her husband telling her that her husband had a lot of work and I did not want it to lose its time (especially in the morning, her husband had already had to accompany the parents of my girlfriend somewhere before taking his own parents). Since the idea came from my friend, the contest was probably wrong, although for my part I felt we turned a little slave.
- But above all, after the explanation of my other Chinese friends, I had broken the equilibrium in the flow of our friendship, or phone call from my friend to try to restore: indeed, my friend liable because he felt that I had come from afar, not to mention some that I had given to other opportunities. Being able m'arrangerait in turn making me escort her husband allowed her to make me turn a service, and maintain the relationship and balance of his trips. By denying this, I do not allow him to serve me, and suddenly I had unwittingly created its stock symbol "charges or debts of friendship" that desequilibre our relationship. Where apparently his phone, saying she was sorry. In fact she was sorry for not able to get what she thought my duty. Wanting to help, I really had difficulty setting!
Another point concerns his phone call and the Chinese way of saying things through the back door. At the beginning, for example, she did not say: "I'm sorry", but "My husband is sorry." In my opinion, her husband was quite happy and relieved not escorted me, in fact he had not suggested any escort me and had not objected to my proposal to take the bus or metro . So it was not her husband, but she was sorry that, as she told me towards the end of the phone.
Then I took a replay of my Chinese friends need to understand the "I admire you very much" as a criticism deguise, although it was probably a little criticism, or rather an expression of gene. It does not m'admirait have managed to take the bus, naturally! It expressed rather a misunderstanding of my conduct, while his other friends in China, they would take the car to get back safely.
In reliving this episode, I say it is impressive to see how cultures construct the meaning of the relations completely different way. As I explained to my friends at home if a friend wants to go home by bus in order not to disturb, we try to convince him a little, but if it's really his choice, do we leave and not to occupy more. There is no history at all to maintain and balance the flow of the relationship, at least not in the case of small actions of daily life! It seems to me that in France, it does not judge the choices and lives of others, the balance can be found in the reasons to the individual, whereas in China, for small things like 'example I gave is the balance in the relationship between individuals and not in people themselves.
The problem is that the theory is to understand one thing, but achieving and applying it is another proof with what happened to me. So the adventure is not necessarily the realization exploits "external", but may very well be a "live" another culture in daily life, and internal. In any case, as I saw my experience in China, as an adventure interieure, to the exoticism of Segalen.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Emblem of China: what does happen?
National Emblem of the People's Republic of China Tiananmen present at the center illuminated by five stars and surrounded by sheaves of wheat and cog wheels. The sheaves of grain, stars, Tiananmen and cogwheel are gold, the part inside the circle and hanging ribbons are red and this because these two colors to represent China in the prosperity and happiness.
Tiananmen symbolizes the spirit of the Chinese people in their struggle against imperialism and feudalism, and sheaves of wheat and cog wheels representing the working and peasant classes, and five stars recall the great unity of Chinese people under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
Chinese Flag
There are several versions of the interpretation to be given to the five yellow stars of the flag of the People's Republic of China.
According to official sources (IRC)
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China, adopted in 1982 states that China has used the flag and emblem that had been selected on the eve of the proclamation of the People's Republic on 1 October 1949, at the 1st Political Consultative Conference of the Chinese people.
In June 1949, during the first meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Political Consultative Conference a committee was formed with the mandate to draft a flag, emblem and national anthem. The group inquired from various circles of project proposals and, in a month, received 4912 draft flag and emblem in 1120. Can a project has ended up being chosen. Its designer is Liansong Weng, who worked at the Agency of Modern Economics in Shanghai.
The national flag of the People's Republic of China is a red flag rectangular format (3x2), which carries top five-star yellow left: a large and four small. The five yellow stars and five branches are concentrated in the upper left of the flag, and four smaller ones form a semi-circle on the right of a star greater. The five stars symbolize the great unity of the people (small star), around the Chinese Communist Party, the great star. Red is the symbol of the revolution and the yellow, the light flooding the Chinese territory.
The red flag with five stars was hoisted for the first time on Tiananmen Square on 1 October 1949. Since that day, he became the national flag and is listed as such in the Constitutions of 1954, 1975, 1978 and 1982.
Other sources are also less formal version
1 - The red flag is the traditional color of revolution, the large gold star represents "the Common Program of the Communist Party" and smaller gold stars represent the four classes united by the joint program:
* Workers (工Gong)
* Farmers (农nóng)
* The "petty bourgeoisie" (城市小资产Chengshi xiǎozīchǎn or more classically商Shang: trader, dealer)
* The "patriotic capitalists" (民族资产minzu zīchǎn, or more classically学xue: scholar)
2 - There is another interpretation that relates to the period of the founding of the Republic of China by Sun Yat-sen (1911): The large star represents the majority population, the Han (ethnic Chinese speaking); four small, four main minorities at the time: Manchus, Tibetans, Mongols and Huis (满藏蒙回) today and ethnic minorities in general.
The number five (there are five stars on the flag) has traditionally been a splendid figure in Chinese culture, like the color red, which by happy coincidence is also the symbol of the socialist revolution.
Chinese dragon
The Chinese dragon (龙; pinyin: long) is a fantastic creature. Long a potent symbol of power in favor folklore and Chinese art, is the personification of the concept of yang and associated with climate and water as one who brings rain.
Legend of the Yellow Emperor
The legend states that Huang Di (Yellow Emperor) used a snake for his coat. Every time he conquered another tribe, he added the emblem of his own enemy. Huang Di was immortalized into a dragon which seems like his arms. This explains why the Chinese dragon has the body of a snake, scales and tail of a fish, the antlers of a stag, the face of a qilin (a mythical creature kind suede with fire all over his corp), and two pairs of eagles greenhouses and the eyes of a demon. They fly in the sky amidst the clouds. Almost all the images of Chinese dragons are playing with a pearl of fire. It is assumed that the latter gives them their power and enables them to ascend to heaven.
Also, as the Chinese consider Huang Di as their ancestor, they refer to themselves sometimes as "the descendants of dragons."
Legend of carp
Another legend said that the carp can jump over the dragon gate become dragons. Several waterfalls and cascades in China are considered the locations of doors dragon. This legend is an allegory of the conduct and efforts to overcome obstacles.
Dragon toes
The imperial Chinese dragons have five toes on each foot, the Korean and Indonesian dragons have four Japanese and three. To explain this phenomenon the Chinese legend states that although dragons are Chinese in origin as far as they went they were losing their toes and to explain that they only exist in these countries if they had gone further they no longer had a toe. The Japanese legend is that the inverse dragons first appeared there, and they had more toes as they moved farther t that they had too many fingers to work properly. Korea and Indonesia both explanations apply depending on which direction journey dragon.
Another interpretation: according to several sources the Chinese dragons had four toes - but the Imperial Dragon had five. It was a felony for another as the Emperor of the symbol of the dragon to five greenhouses.
The number nine
The number nine is considered lucky in China and Chinese dragons are often connected. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually scales to 117 - 81 (9x9) male and 36 (9x4) female.
Chinese zodiac
The dragon is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals are used to designate the year in the Chinese calendar. It is assumed that each animal is associated with certain personality traits.
Symbol of the emperor
An imperial robe from Qing DynastyLe dragon was a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties. During the end of the Qing dynasty the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. It was an offense punishable by death for manants (ordinary people) to wear clothing with the symbol of the dragon.
The dragon is the manifestation of imperial power, the Empeureur emblem and symbol of royal functions. It represents the Empeuruer, while the phoenix is a symbol of impératice.
Control of the seas: The dragons are considered as those who order on the seas. They may be in typhoons or tornadoes over water.
Master of Elements
Dragons rule the seas and oceans. They may be in a tornado or typhoon. Keepers of the water, they are rather good, but they can be awkward, the wrong task, asleep or drunk, and then the disaster is beyond the river, the storm ravaged the coast, or, On the contrary, the sources dry up, drought threat. It should then call them to order, or even punish them if the rain delay too, despite the prayers on the fate of the dragon statue outside the temple for display in bright sunshine, because it is well known that the Dragons do not like too much sun ...
Many dragons haunt the skies of China. Some tirelessly pursuing the sun and moon, causing eclipses. (It is interesting to note qu'astronomiquement, head and tail of the constellation of the dragon are the nodes of the moon, the points where eclipses occur). A large dragon fire determines the moods of his life: he opens his eyes and this is the day it closes and it is night. His breath caused storms. Thunder is a manifestation of his anger, or his battles with other dragons.
They also play a vital role in agriculture and represent the cycle of vegetation, represented by the hexagram K'ien principle of heaven and creation, including 6 solid 6 represent the stages of manifestation of life Plant:
* The first is the "invisible dragon", the image of the buried seed, the power of creation not yet expressed.
* The second is the "dragon fields", like the seed that grows, but is not yet visible.
* The third is called "dragon visible", and symbolizes the seeds appearing out of land.
* The fourth is the "leaping dragon": the plant grows and bears its fruit.
* The fifth is called "flying dragon", the image of seeds and pollen swarm.
* The sixth is finally the "dragon hovering" is the mind that directs it all, the dragon king of heaven.
We find that association of the dragon with the element water and the cycle plant in the Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place on lakes and rivers in some Chinese provinces in memory of suicide in 290 BC of poet Qu Yuan, in despair that his talents are not recognized by the king. This memorial ceremony is also linked to the time of planting green shoots of rice, which takes place at the same time, after the heavy rains of spring.
Nine types classics
* Tianlong, the celestial dragon
* Shenlong, the dragon spiritual
* Futs-Lung, the dragon of hidden treasures
* Dilong the dragon underground
* Yinglong (应龙), the winged dragon
* Qiulong (虬龙), the horned dragon
* Panlong (蟠龙), the coiled dragon: inhabits the waters
* Huanglong (黄龙), the yellow dragon, which emerged from the River Luo to show Fuxi elements of writing dragon king.
The first Chinese dragon
The oldest archaeological object representing a dragon was discovered in 2005 in a tomb of the noble palace of Erlitou (二里头) in Henan, supposed site of the capital of Xia. His age was estimated at 3700 years and is composed of some 2,000 pieces of turquoise. Other artifacts in the shape of a dragon have been found on the current territory of China, but in outlying regions.
Legend of the Yellow Emperor
The legend states that Huang Di (Yellow Emperor) used a snake for his coat. Every time he conquered another tribe, he added the emblem of his own enemy. Huang Di was immortalized into a dragon which seems like his arms. This explains why the Chinese dragon has the body of a snake, scales and tail of a fish, the antlers of a stag, the face of a qilin (a mythical creature kind suede with fire all over his corp), and two pairs of eagles greenhouses and the eyes of a demon. They fly in the sky amidst the clouds. Almost all the images of Chinese dragons are playing with a pearl of fire. It is assumed that the latter gives them their power and enables them to ascend to heaven.
Also, as the Chinese consider Huang Di as their ancestor, they refer to themselves sometimes as "the descendants of dragons."
Legend of carp
Another legend said that the carp can jump over the dragon gate become dragons. Several waterfalls and cascades in China are considered the locations of doors dragon. This legend is an allegory of the conduct and efforts to overcome obstacles.
Dragon toes
The imperial Chinese dragons have five toes on each foot, the Korean and Indonesian dragons have four Japanese and three. To explain this phenomenon the Chinese legend states that although dragons are Chinese in origin as far as they went they were losing their toes and to explain that they only exist in these countries if they had gone further they no longer had a toe. The Japanese legend is that the inverse dragons first appeared there, and they had more toes as they moved farther t that they had too many fingers to work properly. Korea and Indonesia both explanations apply depending on which direction journey dragon.
Another interpretation: according to several sources the Chinese dragons had four toes - but the Imperial Dragon had five. It was a felony for another as the Emperor of the symbol of the dragon to five greenhouses.
The number nine
The number nine is considered lucky in China and Chinese dragons are often connected. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually scales to 117 - 81 (9x9) male and 36 (9x4) female.
Chinese zodiac
The dragon is one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals are used to designate the year in the Chinese calendar. It is assumed that each animal is associated with certain personality traits.
Symbol of the emperor
An imperial robe from Qing DynastyLe dragon was a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties. During the end of the Qing dynasty the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. It was an offense punishable by death for manants (ordinary people) to wear clothing with the symbol of the dragon.
The dragon is the manifestation of imperial power, the Empeureur emblem and symbol of royal functions. It represents the Empeuruer, while the phoenix is a symbol of impératice.
Control of the seas: The dragons are considered as those who order on the seas. They may be in typhoons or tornadoes over water.
Master of Elements
Dragons rule the seas and oceans. They may be in a tornado or typhoon. Keepers of the water, they are rather good, but they can be awkward, the wrong task, asleep or drunk, and then the disaster is beyond the river, the storm ravaged the coast, or, On the contrary, the sources dry up, drought threat. It should then call them to order, or even punish them if the rain delay too, despite the prayers on the fate of the dragon statue outside the temple for display in bright sunshine, because it is well known that the Dragons do not like too much sun ...
Many dragons haunt the skies of China. Some tirelessly pursuing the sun and moon, causing eclipses. (It is interesting to note qu'astronomiquement, head and tail of the constellation of the dragon are the nodes of the moon, the points where eclipses occur). A large dragon fire determines the moods of his life: he opens his eyes and this is the day it closes and it is night. His breath caused storms. Thunder is a manifestation of his anger, or his battles with other dragons.
They also play a vital role in agriculture and represent the cycle of vegetation, represented by the hexagram K'ien principle of heaven and creation, including 6 solid 6 represent the stages of manifestation of life Plant:
* The first is the "invisible dragon", the image of the buried seed, the power of creation not yet expressed.
* The second is the "dragon fields", like the seed that grows, but is not yet visible.
* The third is called "dragon visible", and symbolizes the seeds appearing out of land.
* The fourth is the "leaping dragon": the plant grows and bears its fruit.
* The fifth is called "flying dragon", the image of seeds and pollen swarm.
* The sixth is finally the "dragon hovering" is the mind that directs it all, the dragon king of heaven.
We find that association of the dragon with the element water and the cycle plant in the Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place on lakes and rivers in some Chinese provinces in memory of suicide in 290 BC of poet Qu Yuan, in despair that his talents are not recognized by the king. This memorial ceremony is also linked to the time of planting green shoots of rice, which takes place at the same time, after the heavy rains of spring.
Nine types classics
* Tianlong, the celestial dragon
* Shenlong, the dragon spiritual
* Futs-Lung, the dragon of hidden treasures
* Dilong the dragon underground
* Yinglong (应龙), the winged dragon
* Qiulong (虬龙), the horned dragon
* Panlong (蟠龙), the coiled dragon: inhabits the waters
* Huanglong (黄龙), the yellow dragon, which emerged from the River Luo to show Fuxi elements of writing dragon king.
The first Chinese dragon
The oldest archaeological object representing a dragon was discovered in 2005 in a tomb of the noble palace of Erlitou (二里头) in Henan, supposed site of the capital of Xia. His age was estimated at 3700 years and is composed of some 2,000 pieces of turquoise. Other artifacts in the shape of a dragon have been found on the current territory of China, but in outlying regions.
Dance Yangko
Yangko dance is a sport where you balance your body some rhythms. This normally uses dance movements of the waist and hips to guide the foot, which moves in rhythm with one step forward and half a step back and show fully the rhythmic movements of the body.
Yangko dance has a history dating back 1000 years in China. She was born in the Song Dynasty South and danced mainly at the Feast of Lanterns. It is popular in northern China.
Because of differences in regions and customs, there are variations in the Yangko dances. The most typical are the dances Yangko North East, Shanbei, Hebei and Shandong, etc..
In the history of Chinese dance Yangko, the 1940s are an important period. The Chinese Communist Party establishes a solid base in northern Shanxi Province and recommended Yangko dance. Many artists joined the work and have produced many dance programs Yangko to original content.
After 1949, the new dance Yangko spread throughout China.
Since then, dance Yangko is played both in traditional festivals like the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and in the ceremonies. In addition, dance Yangko, as art folk, joined in the artistic professionals.
It is recognized not only in China but also abroad.
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