Chinese civilization is one of the oldest cultures in the world, from where it has radiated to many East Asian and Southeast Asian countries. Its language, script, art, military science, and countless customs, such as eating with chopsticks, spread to many of the neighboring countries, where they rooted and developed in varied ways.
However, we cannot say that China possesses a single culture, uniform and monolithic, because in its vast territory there are diverse groups that speak different dialects, have dissimilar social structures and are governed by different customs and habits.
Calligraphy (書法 shūfǎ) is, along with ink painting, with which it is closely related, one of the most practiced ancient arts in China. Scholars, poets and painters were often great calligraphers. This art is regarded not only as an aesthetic form of writing but also as a way to cultivate one’s own character and to develop gōng fu 功夫.
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Within Buddhism, Guan Yin 觀音 is the Chinese name of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. His figure has undergone a unique transformation, and it is a great example of how Buddhism, a foreign religion, became so deeply rooted in people’s minds, to the point of becoming authentically Chinese.
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The Theory of the Five Phases (Wǔ Xíng 五行) or Five Processes, sometimes called of the Five Elements, appeared during the Zhou 周 Dynasty, possibly as a way of representing seasonal changes that affected agricultural production, and underwent some important changes throughout history.
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Bodhidharma, known in China as Pútídámó 菩提達摩 or Dámó 達摩, was an Indian monk who came to China in the 6th century, and is usually considered as the founder of Kung Fu and Chán 禪 Buddhism.
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It is likely that on more than one occasion we have encountered the image of a fat, smiling and good-natured Buddha, present either in Buddhist temples, restaurants or any other Chinese establishments. This character, whom many people take for the Buddha, is actually Bùdài 布袋, a Chan 禪 monk of the 10th century whose life was somehow eccentric.
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The Ballad of Mùlán 木蘭辭 (Mùlán cí) is an anonymous poem of the 6th century that tells the story of a young woman whose elderly father is called to fight at the borders of the empire. The young woman, named Mùlán, decides to pass for a man and go to the army to replace her father.
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The Yīn-Yáng 陰陽 Theory emerged in Chinese thought from the observation of nature. This theory postulates the existence of two complementary principles that are present in all that exists. These principles were called yīn, “dark”, and yáng, “luminous”.
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Last Sunday, April 21, Fóshān 佛山 launched ‘Kung Fu Corner’ 功夫角, a program of martial arts activities that promises exhibitions every Saturday from now until the end of the year. We had the honour of being invited with the school of Master Leong Wai Wing 梁偉永.
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Xuán Zàng 玄奘 was a leading figure in the development of Buddhism in China. In the 7th century, he traveled along the Silk Road from China to India to collect Buddhist scriptures, in an incredible journey that lasted for 19 years.
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The plum blossom is a recurring symbol within the Choy Li Fut 蔡李佛 style of Kung Fu. For the Chinese, this flower represents the ideal virtues of the nation, and has been object of admiration and representation in all kinds of arts for many centuries, from painting to poetry.
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