Chinese Characters

As the language of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, the history of Chinese characters is a dense one. Chinese characters number in the tens of thousands, many of which average Chinese citizens have memorized. This language, which is most commonly divided by foreigners into its two most well known dialects (Mandarin and Cantonese) cannot be defined by its pinyin, (the word's pronunciation and tones) but it's characters. Characters, which are the Chinese form of letters, are calligraphic and vary depending on whether the speaker relies on traditional or simplified speak. Those who speak traditional Chinese often reside in more rural or agriculture areas, whereas cities like Beijing are filled with simplified Mandarin speakers.
Characters are based off of the oral interpretation of what the word means. One of the distinctive differences between simplified and traditional characters is that the traditional characters are more drawn out and require more strokes. Strokes are what makes up the radical, or how many brush strokes one must make in order to get part of the word. Radicals are what make up characters. Radicals can have their own meaning, but they are often used as puzzle pieces. In other words, you can put a variety of radicals next to other radicals in order to form different words.
These very characters were used in Oracle Bones, which were a series of ancient animal bones that were used during the Bronze Age in divination. The earliest known woodblock printing on paper, was discovered in 1974 in an excavation of Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. It is a dharani sutra, which was originally printed on hemp paper and dates back to 650 to 670 AD. During the Tang Dynasty, this art form flourished but was considered very new to the Chinese. That being said, the art of the Chinese character is far more extensive than one might believe. Said to have been invented during the Huan Dynasty, characters were introduced by the Yellow Emperor's historian Cangjie. Legend states that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented characters, Chinese deities began to cry millet. Since his story is shrouded in mythical speak, he is not known solely as the inventor, but his story is still told today.
I am interested in Chinese characters because I am currently a Mandarin 1 student and would love to extend my knowledge on the vast variety of words within Chinese language.

Source 1: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/china-guide/

      This site is accurate because National Geographic is a magazine that employs archeologists and scientists in hopes of providing educational value to its readers and preserving historical and scientifically finds.

Source 2: http://www.bbc.com/news/world/asia/china

BBC is a radio/ website dedicated to informing its readers about current and past historical finds. Therefore, it employs people with historical backgrounds to research.

Buddhism

Silk, paper and other goods weren't the only things that were shared and spread on the Silk Road, so was Buddhism. It is said that in China during the first century, the emperor Han Ming had a dream in which Buddha appeared. The next day he ordered his officials to go find out why his certain dream had occurred. The officials traveled west on the Silk Road and eventually came upon two monks with two white horses. With them the monks carried a picture of Buddha, and holy sculptures on their horses. The Chinese officials then invited them to come to the Chinese Capitol, Chang'an so they could introduce them to the emperor. Once they arrived safely back to the town the emperor meet the two monks and saw a sculpture of Buddha, whom he recognized in his dreams. From then on it is said to be that Buddhism was practiced in China and slowly spread throughout the continent. Throughout the Silk Road Buddhist monks shared their beliefs with other traders and Buddhism began to influence the Chinese culture in the later centuries. Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk in the 5th and 6th century. He is known as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism and the training of the monks in the Shaolin monastery, which later led to the creation of Kung fu. Another historic monument in Buddhism are the Mogao Caves, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas. It is located in the southeast center of Dunhuang, a religious and cultural crossroad on the Silk Road. These caves contain ancient Buddhist art from a span of 1,000 years. Mogao caves means "a cave high up in the desert", monks on the Silk Road would go and draw on the cave walls. Buddhism has shaped Chinas culture in many ways, art, politics, literature, philosophy, medicine, and material culture. One concept in Buddhism is Samsara which is the continual cycle of birth and death and ones actions in the past, present and future. Karma is the force that drives samsara, it is the sum of a persons actions in their past life and is used to decide the fate of that persons future existence. Reincarnation is that after ones death, the soul or spirit can begin a new life in a different body. The four noble truths are the central teachings of Buddhism, the first is the truth of dukkha (suffering, anxiety, unsatisfaction), the second is the truth of the origin of dukkha, the third one is the truth of the cessation of dukkha, and the last one is the truth of the path leading to the cessation of dukkha. The eightfold path is a set of eight connected factors that when they are all intertwined together lead to the cessation of dukkha. The eightfold path is called the middle way because it avoids the two extremes in life, extreme asceticism and indulgence, it is right in between. Nirvana is the state in which there is no suffering, sense of self or desire, it is the final stage in Buddhism. In the end, Buddhism took a big part in a new Chinese lifestyle and had a large impact on the silk roads and the culture. 

Chinese Martial Arts

        Introduction
        Chinese Kung Fu is a series of fighting styles which has developed over a long time period in China. Nowadays, it is gaining more and more popularity and even stands as a representative for Chinese culture. Styles including Shaolin, Tai Chi and Qigong have many followers worldwide. Some westerners think that all Chinese people are Kung Fu masters. That’s not true, but this traditional heritage has its unique existence in modern times and left much influence worldwide. Although being fighting styles, Kung Fu’s purpose is peace and calmness. The turbulences in one’s heart and the disconnection with nature is unacceptable and will lead to destruction. 

        Classification
        The classification of this system of over 300 boxing styles is really difficult and The styles in northern and southern China are quite different. Therefore it is hard to be simply classified. Some of the schools are classified by geographical locations, for example, the Southern Fist (Nanquan) prevailing in south China, and Shaolin School based at Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. Some are named after the creator and master, like the Chen Style Tai Chi and Yang Style Tai Chi. Some are identified by different training methods, such as the Internal Boxing Arts (Neijiaquan) that concentrate on the manipulation of the inner breath and circulation of the body, and the External Boxing Arts (Waijiaquan) concentrating on improving the muscles and the limbs.

         Famous Fighting Styles
         Some of the most famous fight styles in Chinese Martial Arts are Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, which are classified due to their location on the famous mountains near their training temples. Also, Tai Chi, Eight-Diagram Form, Southern Fist, Qigong is also famous, and they are derived from some ancient forms and adopted some new styles and ways to perform. Chinese martial arts have a deep connection with the Tao and the pursuit of internal freedom and peace. 
         Bruce Lee and Influence of Kung Fu
         Bruce Lee is probably the most well-known Kung Fu master from China. Due to his poor health during his childhood, Lee was sent to a master at the age of 7 to practice Tai Chi, which was good for fitness. By age 13, he also learned Wing Chun from Ye Wen, a brilliant Wing Chun master. Later he learned Praying Mantis, Hung Kuen, Shaolin Boxing, Tam Tuei, Springing Leg, Jie Boxing and White Crane Boxing. He also explored Qigong and Yinggong, all of which laid solid foundation for his eventual creation of Jeet Kune Do. Besides Chinese boxing skills, he studied western fists skills and learned the boxing methods, steps and motions of some masters. Bruce was good at playing Long Staff, Short Staff, Nunchakus and many other weapons. He even organized a Chinese martial arts team in his university to practice and perform in extracurricular time. He took a break during his sophomore year at the university to establish the Jun-fan Martial Arts Club. The club became well-known ever since news spread about him saving a girl in Chinatown, Florida, by defeating four gangsters with bare hands. Very soon, branches of his club were established in Seattle, Auckland, Los Angeles, amongst others. He became well-known in America. An increasing number of learners or boxing stars, including Karate star Chuck Norris and King of Boxing Muhammad Ali, came to him. It was through this way that he spread Chinese Kung Fu by teaching and exchanging experiences.

  

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army
     In 1974, workers digging a well outside the city of Xi'an, China, struck though the earth and hit a life-changing discovery: one out of 7,000 life-sized Terracotta soldiers poised for battle. They notified the government, which dispatched archeologists to the site that would uncover one of the most famous archaeological discoveries ever: Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army.
     Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who created the Terracotta Army, began his rule in 246 BCE. His birth name was Ying Zheng, but upon taking the throne he took the name Qin Shi Huang, which means the first emperor of Qin. During his rule, Qin did many important things such as standardizing coins, weights, and units of measurement. He also created canals and roads between the states for easier traveling, is credited for the first version on the Great Wall of China, and came up with the idea of the Terracotta Army.
     Shortly after he began his rule, Qin commissioned an enormous tomb filled with everything he would need for the next life, including a vast army, terra cotta sculptures, life-sized figures of acrobats, dancers and other entertainers, and valuable artwork. This mausoleum is located at the base of Mount Li, and many rooms, hallways, and offices filled with valuable artifacts. Four experimental pits have been dug around the tomb itself to see these artifacts. Three pits are filled with Terracotta soldiers, from generals to infantry, in battle formation. The construction of the mausoleum was never completed, so the fourth put was never filled and is still empty today.
     Even though the parts surrounding tomb have been thoroughly explored, the emperor's tomb itself has not been opened. However, using remote-sensing technology, Chinese archeologists have probed the mound on top of the tomb and discovered that it contains four stair-like walls designed to house the emperor's soul. According to Siam Qian's (a Chinese historian) writings,  "The tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices as well as fine vessels, precious stones and rarities." The archeologists have not broken into the tomb because doing so may damage these treasures, and set off a booby trap that is mentioned in one of his other writings. It is apparently rigged with crossbows and washed by rivers of toxic mercury, and therefore may even be dangerous to open.
     The Terracotta warriors are all extremely detailed, and even have real, brand-new (brand-new when they were buried), weapons. These weapons include bronze swords, halberds, crossbow triggers and nearly 40,000 arrowheads, which were bundled in groups of a hundred to fit in a quiver. Archaeologists are still speculating about how the 7,000 warriors were manufactured. The two most popular theories are that each statue was based off of an actual soldier, and that the statues were put together in a Mr. Potato Head-like fashion (separate limbs put together). They are completely life-sized, and also differ depending on the rank in the army. Each rank of warrior has a different hairstyle, height, and uniform. The sheer number of these statues is incredible and extremely intriguing. It is said that it took about 700,000 workers to create the entire Terracotta Army and necropolis in which they resided. Overall, the Terracotta Army and Qin's tomb are fascinating artifacts that were perfectly preserved for hundreds of years underground.

-Claire Young

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a system of medicine in which hot needles are placed into a persons skin in order to calm their nerves and relieve stress or pain. It was first invented nearly 4,000 years ago and is still on large use today. First, people used sharp stones instead of the needles. As the years passed, the tools developed into narrow needles constructed out of bronze, silver or gold. Eventually, people learned the specific points to place each needle. They understood the different points and channels of the body. This idea of points and channels was first brought up in the Nei Ching Su, a book written about acupuncture. The book also mentioned that, wherever the pain is, that is the spot to be punctured. This was a very important piece of knowledge for later acupuncture work.
In around 562 the knowledge of acupuncture was spread to other countries. Some of these include  Korea, Vietnam and Japan. The Japanese studied the methods carefully so they could learn to perfect them. In 702 the knowledge of acupuncture was spreading widely throughout Japan and Korea. Colleges were bursting out of both countries taking focuses of medicine, including acupuncture. These schools have remained today.
As centuries passed, the techniques of acupuncture did not drastically change. The old methods were only improved, but they were still used. Many people started practicing acupuncture and learning much from the old works. One man, Kao Wu, managed to collect all the little bits of information about acupuncture from the past couple hundred years, and compiled into one summary of all of it. He called this A Summary of the Writings of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Kao Wu's book is still sometimes referred to today, but people have definitely changed his methods from what they used to be. People have come up with many new ideas that are all based on the traditional teachings of acupuncture. One main difference is the invention of ear acupuncture. This was invented because the book, The Ling Shu says that "the ear is the place where all the channels meet." It has proven quite useful to acupuncturists.
Today, acupuncture seems to be its most popular since its invention. This span of popularity is quite new for acupuncture, though. In the late 1890's the Europeans believed that deadly diseases were arriving in China so, by 1912, the was a massive decline in all medical techniques. After the hoax was over, it took some time to bring acupuncture back to its full deal. But with time and energy, people opened up boutiques and salons for acupuncture to be done in. People are much more fond and natural around the ideas of acupuncture today.

Chinese characters history and origins

There is not one single Chinese language, just like there are different accents of The English language except that there is not a complete different version of the English language like the Chinese which has many different versions or dialects including Wu, Cantonese and Taiwanese. Northern Chinese, also known as Mandarin, is the most commonly used language for China with a figure of 70% of the population that understand and speak it. English and Chinese have many significant differences. This makes learning English a serious challenge for Chinese native speakers and vice a versa. The Chinese do not have an alphabet but uses a logographic system for its written language. Each symbol can represent a word or a phrase. Also English has more vowels than the Chinese do as the Chinese don't have an official alphabet and distinctive vowels and consonants.
            The oracle bones where one of the first legible scripts that had engraved into them Chinese symbols and questions. These bones were used during the late Shang Dynasty. The oracle-bone script was, at its time, a very sophisticated and well-developed writing system. The bones were actually written by the yellow emperor. The oracle bones are believed to show the legend of the genealogy of the Shang king. Oracle bone inscriptions were the records of the rituals with the spirits and where performed in communication with royal ancestral spirits. The shortest are only several characters long, whilst the longest are thirty to forty characters in length. The Shang king  used these bones as a means to communicate with his ancestors on topics relating to the royal family, military success, weather forecasting, ritual sacrifices, and other related topics.
             According to legend, Chinese characters were invented by Cangjie, a bureaucrat under the legendary Yellow Emperor. He had been Inspired by his study of the animals and nature in our world. the landscape of the earth and the stars in the sky, Cangjie is said to have invented symbols called zì and many other words and phrases that are used today.  The characters that we know now have evolved from pictograms and have become more complex.
                Chinese characters were first invented and used by bureaucrat of the yellow empire. Not only was the emperor known for apparently creating the Chinese calendar and Chinese astronomy but also he was credited to write the first Chinese characters on shells and bones hence the name the oracle bones. The Chinese language has evolved over thousands of years and this is what we know of where it started from and its history.

Theodor G. Pop

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a popular method of medicine that originates from Chinese culture. Acupuncture started in what is estimated to be around the year 1500 bc. This means that acupuncture began during the Stone Age. Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into different parts of the human body in hopes of relieving stress and healing the body. When acupuncture first began, doctors would insert sharp rocks into the body. Now, needles are used. There are many different types of needles. Some are longer than others and are made of different materials. Some needles that specify towards different conditions and contain special medicines. The body has certain key points where the needles would be inserted. The placement of these needles is crucial, as one misplaced needle could result in the puncturing of a vein. If placed correctly, then the patent is relieved of all pain. Early acupuncture beliefs relied on a type of life force energy called qi. Qi was believed to flow from the body's primary organs to the "superficial" body tissues of the skin, muscles, tendons, bones, and joints through channels called meridians. They believed that when someone was feeling pain or discomfort, it was an imbalance of qi. Therefore, acupuncture was considered a great way to allow qi to flow correctly To make sure the patient was cured and the qi was restored, a doctor would stick certain sized needles in pot the place of discomfort to bring the qi into that area. When the qi balance was restored  throughout the body and the needle were removed, the pain should be gone and the patient would be able to go about his or her everyday life. This concept of qi was often applied to a variety of diseases and sickness. Acupuncture is still a common form of medicine today.
Scientists around the world were very skeptical about if acupuncture actually works. Some research says that acupuncture makes your central nervous system release natural chemicals that alter bodily systems, mostly pain. The chemical is like a natural morphine. Other researchers say that acupuncture effects your body on multiple levels. They're experiment says that first acupuncture stimulates the conduction of electromagnetic signals, which will then release immune system cells or pain-killing chemicals. Second, the acupuncture triggers something called the opoid the system which causes pain relief or induces sleep. Third, the body effects the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. These body systems will effect other body systems. Last, the body changes the the chemistry of the brain to feel more positive. It was scientifically proven with a MRI scanner that acupuncture does have a effect on the brain. Acupuncture isn't just a scam but is an authentic treatment of medicine.

Forbidden City O'Reilly

   
     The Forbidden City was an imperial palace used in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is located in the center of Beijing. It was originally used as the home of the emperors and the political center of the government. Now it houses the Palace museum. The large complex has 980 buildings and spans 180 acres. The Forbidden City is popular for tourists and has over 14 million visitors a year.
I have seen pictures of it before but I never knew the name of it. I find it interesting because of its unique design. Also, many of our overseas students are from Beijing, so it could be a way to learn about where they're from.
    The main building has marvelous architectural designs. It was inspired from Chinese and East Asian designs and is now an inspiration for other buildings today. The whole entire complex is completely symmetrical. Throughout the building there are many palaces: The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. The building was constructed based off the belief that humans should be one with nature. The emperor believed he ran the whole nation so he built the building in the dead center of the city. The main frames of the palace are built of wood. There are statues of animals surrounding the tops of the roofs of he building. The animals are said to each have a special purpose. "The kissing dragon is said to be one of the nine sons of the dragon to watch fire; the phoenix is to bring happiness and good luck to the building; the lion indicates the power of the owner; the horses show their ability to reach both heaven and the sea; Suanni, also one of the sons of the dragon, is the king of the animal kingdom; Yayu, the fish-like dragon, is able to collect clouds and extinguish fire; Haetae, a unicorn, stands for justice and upright; Douniu, the bull-like fighting dragon, fights for peace; and Xingshi, the flying monkey, is an animal for prevent the destruction by thunder" (travelchinaguide.com). The colors of the building also have their own culture. Yellow, meaning respect, was typically used on the roofs. Red was used to show the emperor's hope of national stability. The Forbidden City has a unique history and is located in the home of many of our school's students, making it an interesting topic for all of us.

The Great Wall of China - Le

The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest structures ever built in history. The Great Wall of China was created by Qin Shi Huan the first emperor of China during the Ming Dynasty. When the Great Wall of China was built around 221 B.C it was mostly built by soldiers and convicts. It is said that about 400,000 people died during the construction of the Great Wall and many of the builders were buried in the wall itself. The Great Wall of China is built of stones, bricks, tamped earth, wood and more materials. The entire length of the Great Wall of China is 13,171 miles long. The Great Wall of China was built back then to protect the borders from attackers from spears and swords. The Great Wall of China was also for border control for the goods on the Silk Road. The Great Wall of China is a great creation in the world. The Great Wall of China is also the longest man made structure ever. It is also the largest man made structure to be ever built in terms of mass and surface area. It is so impressive to me that a wall could be that big and only be built with hands. We have so much more technology answer probably build something that massive like the Chinese did. After the death of Qin Shi Huan and the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the Great Wall fell into disrepair. The Bei Qi kingdom repaired more than 900 miles of the Great Wall. The Sui Dynasty also repaired the Great Wall many times. Like a dragon the Great Wall of China goes through deserts, basins, plains, and mountains of North China. The Great Wall of China is a amazing structure that will hopefully live for a long time. 

Chinese New Year

What is Chinese New Year? When is it?

    Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival is the most important festival of China. It falls on different dates each year in the Gregorian calendar, a date around February, but it is the first date of the year in lunar-solar Chinese calendar and spread over fifteen consecutive days.  

What is the myth for Chinese New Year?

    There is an old legend about Chinese New Year and it help to explain why people should set off fireworks or firecrackers and put red decorations on doors during that period of time. Back to the old days, there was a monster called "Nian", a creature that looked like a lion with rhinoceros horns. It went out of the woods and entered town to decimate crops and people's livestocks on the day of the New Year and it would even hurt people. Once, Nian came out of the forest as usual and walked to the front of a house. The family lived in that house were hanging their red bed sheet  on a rope since they supposed to clean up old stuffs to welcome the New Year. However, Nian was terrified and ran away from that house, shouted. Another family was putting the new lights on and sweeping the floor. Surprisingly, it sacred Nian again and it ran back into the woods. After that, people knew that this monster was afraid of red colors, bright lights and loud sounds. Therefore, every year Chinese paste red spring festival couplets on the gateposts or door panels, and then they explode firecrackers and let it spluttering. That way the monster will not come and hurt humans so that people can celebrate New Year peacefully.

What are the traditions for Chinese New Year?

   The Eve of Chinese New Year is usually celebrated with a family dinner. This is the time to bring family together for feasting. Some families like to go out and eat, others might prefer stay at home and cook. Round dumpling is the most essential food for Chinese New Year, because it represents togetherness and reunion, and that is what people want for the new year. Noodles is another indispensable dish since it symbolize long life. Moreover, Chinese considered regular dumplings can bring them wealth because the shape of dumpling is similar with ancient Chinese gold ingot. During the Chinese New Year, people wear new clothes and clean up their rooms in order to get rid of sins and inauspicious lucks. Traditionally, people might decorate their houses with red lanterns. Chinese try to expel evil spirits by displaying firecrackers and fireworks. Company and offices are closed so that people can stop  whatever they are working and join their families, people are expected to be relax and pleasant on the first day of the year, so that they will not have a busy and tiring following year. Many groups go to a temple to pray for their good lucks on the first or second day, that is the most crowded time of the year in temples. People visit their relatives and greet each other with sincere wishes. Children can get red pocket money if they meet some elders. This is a festival of harmony and happiness.

Chinese New Year- Sabrina

Chinese New Year 

Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar. It is celebrated on the Chinese lunar new year, which falls anywhere between January 21 and February 20. It is also called the moon festival or the spring festival, because it is tied to the lunar and solar calendar. The festival lasts for 15 days. The earliest we know Chinese New Year was celebrated was in the 14th century BCE. In China it is known as the most important social and economic holiday. This celebration is surrounded in mythology. The legend says that the Chinese New Year started with a mythical beast who would eat the villagers. The villages protected themselves by putting food outside their doors. When they figured out the beast was scared of the color red and firecrackers, they decorated their doorways in red, set off firecrackers, and all wore red to protect themselves. After that the beast never bothered them. Now people still decorate their houses with red lanterns, red paper, set off firecrackers, and light incense. The traditional meal that is eaten on the Chinese New Year is called the Reunion dinner. This meal is made of special meats, and could be equivalent to the American's thanksgiving dinner. A whole fish stands for abundance, and a whole chicken stands for good luck. Some families make and eat dumplings together at 12:00 midnight, because it is said they bring good fortune to the household. Another thing that is eaten are long noodles, but in order to live a long life you can not cut the noodles while eating them. Another thing that people make are special new year cakes. There is a countdown to the new year that is aired on t.v., and when it is officially the new year they light firecrackers. They keep the doors closed, so that they can wait until the morning to open the doors. When they wait to open the doors until the morning, it is a ritual called, "opening the door of fortune." People also clean out their houses to get rid of the bad luck and ghosts, to make room for new things. They also might get a haircut or settle debts to start off the new year right. Red is the color of good luck, so most people wear red on the holiday. It is not good to wear black, because black is associated with death. During the celebration they greet people in a very loud and enthusiastic way, usually with specific words or phrases. Another way they send their wishes is by giving out red envelopes with gold characters printed on it. This holiday provides an excuse to get together and catch up with family. Chinese New Year is now celebrated in many countries all over the world, not just in China. 

The Great Wall

The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China could be traced back to the third century B.C. It could also be traced back to the so-called Warring States Period when China was separated into different kingdoms. It is said that the Qin Dynasty was the one who ordered all the walls to be join together as one system to protect China against the attack from the North. Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the wall to be extended for more than 10,000 Li(which is about one third of a mile). This happened around 221 B.C.It is also said that more than 400,00 workers lost their lives during this process. Most of them are actually buried in the wall.
General Meng Tian directed the construction project of the Wan Li Chang Cheng, The Great Wall. General Meng Tian was said to have used a huge army of soldiers, convicts, and commoners as workers. The wall was made mostly of earth and stone. The wall stretched from The China Sea port of Shanhaigua  over 3,000 miles west into Gansu province. From a base of 15 to 59 feet, the Great Wall rose 15-30 feet high and was topped by ramparts 12 feet or higher. The Great Wall of China is also guarded by towers distributed at intervals along it.
Most of the Great Wall of China that exist today was constructed during the Ming Dynasty which  is around 1368-1644. The Ming emperor had little interested in building border fortification. The emperor proclaimed China's new capital Beijing in 1421. A lot of construction was going on in China at that time. Many bridges were built. The construction of the Great Wall didn't start till 1474. The Ming rulers took a large defensive stance. Their reformation and extension of the Great Wall will support this strategy. The Ming wall extended from The Yalu River in Liaoning Province forge eastern and of the Taolai River in Gansu Province.
The Great Wall of China is very significant. In the mid-17 century, the Manchus from central and southern Manchuria broke through the Great Wall and encroached on Beijing. This forced the fall of the Ming Dynasty and began the Qing( Manchu) dynasty. This happened around 1644-1912. The Great Wall emerged as the most common emblem of China for the Western world. The wall also became a symbol for both physical-a manifestation of Chinese strength, and psychological-representation of the barrier maintained by the Chinese state to repel foreign influences and exert control over its citizen.
The Great Wall's significance has changed through time. Today, the Great Wall is recognized as one of the most impressive architecture in history. UNESCO designated the Great Wall a World Heritage site, and a popular claim that emerges in the 20th century holds that it is the only man structure that is visible from the moon in 1987. Some parts of the Great wall has been deteriorated after centuries of neglect. The most popular part of the wall is located 43 miles northwest of Beijing. That part was rebuilt in the late 1950s. The Great Wall attracts thousands of national and foreign tourist everyday.


Kwan L

Journey to the West- Murine

What is Journey to the West?

Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, is a Chinese novel published in the 16th century in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The novel is written by a monk named Wu Cheng’en.  (c.1500-82) The novel is loosely based on the true story of the monk Xuanzang in the 7th century traveled across the desert wastes of Chinese Central Asia to India in order to collect Buddhist text for translation into Chinese. The novel adds elements from ancient Chinese folk tales and the author’s invention—the Buddha gave this task to Tang Sanzang for him to complete with three other characters (The Monkey King, Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing), who agreed to help Sanzang as an atonement for past sins. 

Though we could not be sure if Wu Cheng’en really wrote the book, everything about Journey to the West suggests that it is written by a single author. The ‘Chinese Odyssey’ is written in poems in a simple, lively and descriptive way. The tale is at once an adventure story and traditional folk tale for centuries. Journey to the West is strongly based in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and value systems. The Journey is very inspirational and is an extended allegory in which the group of pilgrims journeying toward India shows people’s journey towards enlightenment.

What is the Novel About?

Journey to the West reveals an epic vision of Imperial China, populated by demons, gods, animals, woodsmen, bandits, and farmers. The novel opens with the birth of Monkey from a stone egg, who later became the King of the Monkeys on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruit. He achieved supernatural Daoist skills and creates havoc on his visits to heaven in vain hope of achieving even higher celestial office. He upsets the Jade Emperor and other deities by eating the peaches of immortality and is incarcerated beneath the Mountain of the Five Elements by Buddha. Many years later, the Monkey King was released to accompany the monk Xuanzang to get the holy Buddhist scriptures from India as an redemption of his past sins. The Story is about how Xuanzang’s pilgrims—The Monkey King, Pigsy(Zhu Baijie), Monk Sha(Sha Wujing) and the dragon horse overcome 81 disasters and fights before finally reaching their goal and returning to China with the text. 

Today’s influence of the Novel

Enduring popularity in China over the centuries, there are a number of dramatic adaptations of the Journey to the West in ceramics, shadow puppets, dramas and operas, as well as modern film and television series. The novel has also proven its global appeal: 

‘This past summer, six years after premiering in Manchester and going on to play in other cities on both sides of the Atlantic, a high-octane stage adaptation, Monkey: Journey to the West, featuring animation, kung fu, song, and dance, from the creators of the British group Gorillaz and the Chinese director Chen Shi-Zheng, enjoyed a much buzzed-about run at New York’s Lincoln Center.’—Los Angeles Review of Books, Monkeying Around with the Nobel Prize: Wu Chen'en's "Journey to the West" by Julia Lovell.