The Best of China
By Theo Medicielo, hr 5
Geography
- Shanghai is 8 Times bigger than New York.
- Chinese believed that China was the Middle Kingdom because it was located on the middle of the earth.
- China's total area is generally stated as being approximately 9,600,000 km2.
- China's climate is mainly dominated by dry seasons and wet monsoons, which lead to pronounced temperature differences between winter and summer.
- China has suffered from severe environmental deterioration and pollution.
- China did not have a caste system
- The People's Republic of China is one of the world's few remaining socialist states openly endorsing communism.
- By 2009, over 17% of China's energy was derived from renewable sources – most notably hydroelectric power plants, of which China has a total installed capacity of 197 GW.
- The country also has water problems. Roughly 298 million Chinese in rural areas do not have access to safe drinking water.
- China has over 32,000 species of vascular plants, and is home to a variety of forest types.
CULTURE
- Government
- Religion
- Economic System
- Social Organization
- Customs and Traditions
- Language
- Arts and Literature
Government
- The primary organs of state power are the National people's congress (NPC), the President, and the state council.
- The President (formerly, Chairman) and Vice president are elected by the National People's Congress for five-year terms.
religion
- The three most general religion of china are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
- Chinese religions are family-oriented and do not demand exclusive adherence, allowing the practice or belief of several at the same time.
Economic System
- When the Communist Party of China came to power in 1949, its leaders' fundamental long-range goals were to transform China into a modern, powerful, socialist nation.
- Faced with economic collapse in the early 1960s, the government sharply revised the immediate goals of the economy and devised a new set of economic policies to replace those of the Great Leap Forward
Social Organization
- There wasn't any feudalism in china.
- the emperor was no longer in charge on the late 1800s'.
Customs and Traditions
- The largest festival — also called the Spring Festival — marks the beginning of the lunar new year.
- Many people make pilgrimages to Confucius' birthplace in Shandong Province on his birthday, Sept. 28.
Language
- There are seven main dialects of Chinese — Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Wu, Min, Xiang and Gan.
- Pŭtōnghuà, the type of Mandarin based on the speech in the capital Beijing, is the official national language of mainland China.
Arts and Literature
- Chinese art is greatly influenced by the country’s rich spiritual and mystical history.
- Many sculptures and paintings depict spiritual figures of Buddhism.
Data Base Question
China's landscapes vary significantly across its vast width. In the east, along the shores of the Yellow Sea and the East China sea, there are extensive and densely populated alluvial plains, while on the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the north, broad grassland predominate. Southern China is dominated by hills and low mountain ranges, while the central-east hosts the deltas of China's two major rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River . Other major rivers include the XI,Mekong, Brahmaputra and Amur. To the west sit major mountain ranges, most notably the Himalayas.
- What are the two major rivers in china?
- where does the yellow Sea lays?
Compare and Contrast
China, contrast
- Confucianism and Taoism began in china.
- Religion does not play an important part in society.
- By 3rd century, Buddhism was imported from India to china
- Confucius taught people to be kind and love mankind. Taoism teaches you to live in harmony and leave nature alone.
- The two highest class group in Chinese society are the scholar officials who work in government and the wealthy landowners.
- Father of the family is in charge and the family owes him respect, obedience, and loyalty.
- Girls marry in prearranged marriages marriages set up by father.
compare and Contrast
India, contrast
- Hinduism and Buddhism began in India.
- Religion dictates and controls ways of life.
- Arabs from Persia brought Islamic religion to India in 8th century.
- in all of the major religions in India, strict rules of living must be followed.
- Indian society is divided by a caste system with the Brahmans on top and untouchable on the bottom.
- The oldest living male is the head of the family.
- Girl marry in prearranged marriage but only within their caste.
compare
India and china
- Religion and/or philosophy control the people.
- family is the most important thing in society.
- each began its Owen religion.
- both touches the Himalayas.
- both have prearranged marriage.