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You are about to embark on an exciting adventure to China. Your guide for this exploration is an 80-year-old peasant man from Guilin. He is going to take you to exciting places and teach you all about Chinese Culture so be prepared to learn lots of exciting information.
To begin the journey
you must first find out a few facts about China. Bi Baobin has written you a letter and wants you to find out the
answers to his questions. He also wants
you to follow begin a journal for your adventure. The journal is your ticket to
China and the tour with Mr. Baobin.
The Letter
Dear Explorer,
You are about to learn all about my country and all of our customs. We will visit many beautiful places including my home of Guilin, China. I will tell of you stories from Chinese literature, show you our money, our zodiac, and take you to exotic places. You will learn what it might be like to live in China. Please open your minds and come prepared to learn.
Prepare a journal with your
class. This journal will be your ticket
to all of the exciting places we will visit and it will be your scrapbook when
we have completed our cultural exploration.
Divide yourself, or have your
teacher divide you, into groups. This
group will be your cultural exploration group – you will work on your journals
and exploration together. SO get
started with the journal . . .
See you soon.
Bi Baobin
Find out the answers
to the following questions by visiting www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/nationality/index.htm
In 1990, what was the population of China?
What percent of the
world’s total population is this?
How many Chinese have
been to school?
What is the most popular
nationality in China?
What percent does it
make up?
If you were Chinese
and lived on a border region of the North, would you more likely be Han Chinese
or another nationality? Why?
Now that we have a
few pieces of information we are ready to meet Mr. Bi Baobin. But first you better visit www.weatherchannel.com and find out
the forecast for this weeks weather in Beijing. Write it in your journal and find the weather for one other city
in China. What providence is the city
you picked located in?
We are on quest now –
so fasten your seatbelts and get ready to learn all about China and the
culture!
Bi Baobin wants us to
feel more at home in China. He feels
that our American names do not fit with the culture here. Chinese parents take great pride in what
they name their children just as we do in America. They take into account the birth date, gender, and zodiac sign. Parents also include personality traits they
wish their children to have when they grow up.
Some parents think intelligence is more important than beauty, and some
believe happiness is more important than virtue. It is an individual choice.
Also, Chinese surname are usually passed down from the father, women
generally keep their maiden name after they get married. Bi Baobin wants you to translate your name
into a Chinese name. We will be going
out to a restaurant later and he wants you to properly greet the host when
asked your name.
To find out your
translated name visit the website http://www.mandarintools.com/.
Please answer the following questions in your journal:
Write down your name
(first and last), birth date, gender and desired personality essence in
English.
What is your given
name in Chinese?
By changing your
desired personality essence, see what you come up with. In English, what is your new essence?
What is your new
Chinese name?
Bob Barker was born
on September 15, 1925. His best
attribute is his mind and intelligence.
What is his Chinese Name?
Now that we have our
Chinese name we can get started exploring China. Prepare to see many exotic places and learn about a new culture
much different from our own – while visiting different places think about how
the Chinese culture is different or similar from our own.
Bi Baobin is taking
us to one of many outdoor markets today.
We will first be visiting a fruit stand in Beijing. There are many fresh fruits and vegetables
there
To be bought and
eaten right on the spot. While shopping
notice the money people are using.
Their money is not the plain green money we use in America, but is
colored and beautiful. We suddenly
notice that their whole money system is set up different than ours. Before we can buy anything we must go to the
bank and exchange our dollars for Chinese Yuan. At the bank we notice the rate exchange is $1.00 to 8.28
Yuan. The teller at the bank informs us
that the currency exchange rate can differ from day to day. He tells us that tomorrow, $1.00 could equal
a different amount all together. We
take our beautiful new Yuan and get ready for shopping!!! Since we are going in
the morning, we will want to go back to the fruit stand and purchase our
breakfast there. Next, we will be
going to another market that sells arts and crafts. There are many people here selling their wares. A lot of women make pottery, paper cuts, and
dolls to sell at the market to help supplement their husband’s income. After lunch, we will be going to another
outdoor market that sells clothing.
There is everything many from men’s suits to women’s bridal
kimonos. We will want to buy a kimono
to wear to out tonight for a very special, culture filled evening.
Visit http://finance.yahoo.com/m3 to find out the answers to the following
question.
At the first outdoor
market, you want to buy an orange for breakfast. The orange you picked would cost $0.52 in America. How much does it cost in Chinese Yuan?
When you first arrive
at the arts and crafts market, you want to buy a souvenir for a friend back in
America. After looking around, you
decide on a paper cut of a beautiful purple dragon that an old woman is
selling. She tells you it costs only
26.90 Yuan. How much is that in dollars?
For your special
evening out on the town, you need to buy a traditional Chinese Kimono. The most you can spend on it is $70.00. What is the maximum price in Yuan that you
want to spend?
Your family back home
is in the process of buying a new car.
If the car cost $12,750.00 in America, how much would it cost in China?
You look in your
wallet to discover you will need to go back to the bank tomorrow because you
only have 329.28 Yuan left. How much is
that in dollars?
Now we must learn
more about this culture in China there are many treasure to see, feel, touch
and taste. We will see celebrations and
entertainment that will excite the senses! You will learn the important animals
to the Chinese and visit an ancient road that leads to everywhere.
First, a festival to
enjoy:
Lantern Festival
The people of ancient China believed that celestial spirits could be seen flying about in the light of the first full moon of the new lunar year. Over time, their torch-lit search for spirits evolved into the Lantern Festival, now celebrated in temples and parks with colorful lanterns.
Traditionally, Chinese parents prepared lanterns for their children to carry on the school day of the new year to symbolize the hope that the children would have bright futures. In modern Taiwan, small children carrying lanterns roam the streets on the evening of the festival.
The Taipei Lantern Festival, held at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, features thousands of elaborate lanterns, dragon and lion dances, folk arts demonstrations, acrobatic performances, and ceremonial temple processions. This grand, three-day celebration B Chinese culture attracts millions of revelers every year.
The week-long Tourism Festival is held during the same week as the Lantern Festival, and is an excellent time to tour the island since many tourist hotels offer room discounts and major scenic spots have reduced admission.
One of the world's most unique festivals, coinciding with the Lantern festival, is the famous "rocket hives" fireworks show at Yenshui. For nearly 200 years the town has fired off these "hives," each of which launches of large, unaimed bottle rockets, to commemorate a successful fight against a plague. But beware; even with protective clothing, eye injuries and burns occur.
Chinese New Year – This is the most celebrated holiday in all of China. Homes are decorated, special food is baked and cards are sent. Experience different aspects of this special holiday by visiting the following links:
http://deil.lang.uiuc.edu/web.pages/holidays/ChineseNewYear.html Visit this site for general information and a guide to how the Chinese New Year is determined.
http://www.macyber.com/chineseny/ny-food.asp Some of these foods sound delicious. Read over this list and determine what you would make for the New Year. Is it symbolic of anything?
http://www.macyber.com/postcard/default.asp We have not sent any postcards from our adventure – so lets send one! Visit this site and pick a postcard to send. You must send one to your teacher and if you want to send one to your parents you may.
Use these sites to answer your journal questions!
As we
have already explored in the festivals – the Chinese Lunar Calendar is
important. The Chinese Lunar Calendar
is a yearly calendar like the western calendar, except that the start of the
lunar year is based on the phases of the moon.
Thus the beginning of the year can fall anywhere between late January
and the middle of February. In
traditional China, dating methods were cyclical, meaning that the years repeat
according to a pattern. The repetition
is in increments of twelve years.
The
Chinese Lunar Calendar goes further and names one of twelve animals as a symbol
for each year. A Chinese legend
explains that all animals of the world were invited to come and visit Buddha. Only twelve came. In order to reward these animals for their loyalty, Buddha named
a year after each one in order that they appeared before him.
A
second legend gives another version of the determination of the order of the
animals. The twelve animals quarreled
one day as to who was to head the cycle of years. The gods were asked to decide and they held a contest: whoever
reached the bank of the river first would win be head of the first cycle, and
the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their
finish.
All
twelve animals gathered at the riverbank and jumped in. Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped upon
his back. As the ox was about to jump
ashore, the rat jumped off the ox’s back and won the race. The pig, who was
very lazy, ended up last. If one knows
the animal of a person’s birth, the person’s age can be known through the
calculation as the animals repeat every twelve years.
The
Chinese Culture, like many western cultures, predicts certain characteristics
of a person’s personality based upon his or her birth date. However, while many western cultures base
this expected fortune on the location of the stars and planets on the date of
the person’s birth, the ancient horoscope predicts a certain set of
characteristics based upon the year in which a person was born. In China, this very personal method is not
just a fortune telling game for self-amusement; rather it is a historically
practiced religious art in the temples in which proverbs also become part of a
fortune.
Lunar
animal characteristics:
RAT –
imaginative, charming and generous to those you love, though you do have the
tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You will be happy as a writer or actress.
OX - You are a born leader, and inspire
confidence in those around you. Be
careful about being too demanding. You
are also methodical and good with your hands.
You will make a good surgeon, general or hairdresser
TIGER
– You are sensitive, emotional and capable of great love, but you tend to be stubborn about what you think is
right. You will make an excellent boss,
explorer or racecar driver
RABBIT
– You are affectionate, cooperative and always pleasant, and people like to be
around you. You can, however, get too sentimental and seem superficial. You will make a successful businessperson,
lawyer, diplomat or actor.
DRAGON
– You are full of life and enthusiasm and a very popular individual with a
popular reputation for being fun-loving.
You will make a good artist, priest or politician.
SNAKE
– You are wise and charming. You are
romantic and a deep thinker, but you tend to procrastinate and be a bit stingy
about money. You will make a good
teacher, writer or psychiatrist.
HORSE
– You are an amazingly hard working and independent. Although you are intelligent and friendly, you can sometimes be a
bit selfish. You will find success as
an adventurer, scientist or poet.
SHEEP
– You are charming, elegant and artistic, and you like material comforts, but
you have a tendency to complain about things and worry a bit too much. You will make a good actor, gardener or
beachcomber.
MONKEY
– You are very intelligent, clever and well liked by everyone. You will have success in any field you try.
ROOSTER
– You are hard working and definite in your decisions. You are not afraid to speak your mind and
are, therefore, sometimes boastful. You
will make a good restaurant owner, publicist or world traveler.
DOG
– You are honest and faithful to those you love, but you tend to worry too much
and find fault with others. You will
make an excellent businessperson, teacher or secret agent.
PIG
– You are a good friend because you are sincere, tolerant and honest, but by
expecting the same from others, you may be terribly disappointed. You will thrive in the arts as an
entertainer, or you will make a good lawyer.
Discuss these in
class with your teacher and classmates. You will need to use the chart in your
journal to determine your zodiac animal
Please do the worksheets that accompany this lesson.
We must explore the
cuisine of China – lots of vegetables and spices are used with chicken and
beef. Did you see any vegetables at the
outdoor market that were different from the vegetables you might find in the
market in America? Also, the desserts
are delicious! We must explore different
dishes to experience all the rich flavors found here in China. Lets try a few www.chopstix.com/index.html
Please answer these
questions:
Name three vegetables
you might find in fried rice.
What meat is in
General Tso meal?
What is the dish for
the lunar festival?
The Silk Road is
mysterious and will lead you to ancient China. Now lets go on an adventure and explore this Silk Road that will
take you everywhere!
http://sunsite.nus.edu.sg/mw/iss04/silk.html
answer these
questions in your journal:
When was the Silk
Road discovered?
Who discovered it and
why did he call it the Silk Road?
How
many different cultures were involved in developing the road? What were their
functions?
This
afternoon, we will be going to a bookstore that carries old and used
books. Bi Baobin says this store is so
old; it was around when he was a little boy.
He says this store holds a lot of magic and mystery. Bi Baobin says one never knows what one
might find!
As we browse
through the stacks and stacks of dusty old books, you discover that the books
are written in beautiful symbols unlike any books you have ever read. The
writing is so beautiful you notice it looks like artwork more than words. Bi Baobin explains that it is both artwork
and writing. He said it takes many,
many years to learn to write this way.
The Chinese do not use a pen or pencil but tiny brushes. They have characters not letters. Lets explore more about this beautiful
writing:
Calligraphy
means “beautiful writing” and stems from the Greek word “kalligraphos” – kali
means beautiful and graphos means writing.
You may know about know about calligraphy from when you first started writing
– good penmanship or good handwriting is the same thing. There are as many
different kinds of calligraphy around the world as there are languages. Have you ever seen pretty cursive or special
letters in a book?
Chinese
calligraphy is the practice of writing Chinese beautifully. The characters of the language are pictorial
not phonetic like in English. This
means that Chinese is read in pictures not in letters representing sounds. To tell a story or write a letter, one must
put together a series of pictures. We have many pictures in our daily life that
we know represents something – a skull with crossbones means “poison” and a red
eight sided sign means stop. Can you
think of any more? Everyone knows how
to draw a house or a stick figure.
Imagine that every word you know has a correlating picture.
Once
this system was in place, people began to learn how to make it beautiful and
more original, so it became an art form.
Almost all Chinese Calligraphy is drawn with brush pens and ink. Over the years, this art form developed from
writing on scrolls to become a visual art.
Painted images often accompanied stories or poems and Chinese script
began to appear regularly in paintings.
Today, writing and painting utensils are referred to in China as the four
treasures of the Study: the brush, the ink, rubbing stone and paper.
For
every word or picture, the drawer must follow a certain pattern – the order in
which the lines are drawn is very important.
Notice the technique used (insert) For fun, try creating a picture or
symbol or your name – what would you draw?
Please
do the pages in your journal so you may learn a few some simple steps in
creating Chinese characters.
While on this
adventure – have you been thinking about any similarities between American
culture and Chinese culture?
Now for a tour of
some famous places in China. Enjoy the scenery and listen to what Bi Baobin
tells you about the places.
The Great Wall of China
Welcome to the Great Wall of China one of the most unique places in the world. The Great Wall is a symbol of Chinese culture and civilization, which has stood for more than 2,000 years. It stretches for 6,350 kilometers – that is almost 4,000 miles! The wall has lots of corners and turns but if you straightened it out, it would be one thousand feet longer than the United States!
The wall was built to protect China from foreign invaders. Soldiers from all parts of China were drafted to spend several years of their life building the wall. The wall is made of granite and bricks. The wall is wide enough for ten people to walk side by side across the top of it – even horses and wagons can be drive it.
The wall is so long that it is one of only two man made objects which astronauts can see from space without a telescope. At different points along the Great Wall, you can climb a flight of stairs and walk along top to get a great view of the country and the wall as it climbs through the mountains of China.
Enjoy views of the Great Wall of
China by going to and finding the Great Wall. http://www.educationplanet.com/search/redirect?id=78682&mfcount=9&mfkw=the%20great%20wall%20of%20china&startval=0
Please do the worksheet questions
for this section.
The Forbidden City
Now you will see another ancient site in China – The Forbidden City. It stand in the middle of Beijing and was given its name because it was forbidden, or off limits, to uninvited visitors for over 500 years. Today it is open to the pubic and that is why we can enjoy it today. It use to be the home to many emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It took 14 years to build its over 9,000 rooms, between the years 1406 and 1420 AD. Notice the city is surrounded by a moat and is over 10 meters high and – that is over 32 feet! See how the wall has four gates, each with a tower mounted above. The towers face in four different directions.
The Forbidden City is divided into southern and northern sections. Let us explore the northern section first. This section was used as the emperors work area. This is where he ruled China. Can you imagine being in this place alone, well with a lot of servants? The south is where he lived. This is where he and family resided. Can you imagine living here with your family?
You will notice all the buildings decorated in yellow – this representing the earth. Even the emperors’ robes were yellow. I am sure you notice a great deal of red used to decorate the Forbidden City. Red is the symbol of imperial power.
I am sure you notice that the number nine can be seen all over the Forbidden City. The number name was considered to be important for two reasons in ancient times. First, it was thought to be the largest number. Second in Chinese the number sounds like the word for “everlasting”. The number nine can be seen all over. For example if you counted the number of house in the Forbidden City you would find there are 9,999 and every row of nails contains exactly nine nails.
Explore more on this tour www.stuebegreen.com/wonderland/photos/fc/pix0.html
Please do the
accompanied worksheet.
Guilin
Our final tour stop is Guilin. This is one of the most majestic places in all of China. It is
also Bi Baobins home. Many refer to the waters around Guilin as “silky waters”. Sit back and enjoy the tour by boat of this
breathtaking site!
http://msn.expedia.com/daily/360/guilin/best-things.asp
Bi Baobin has been a
great tour guide and teacher of Chinese Customs. We have seen many exciting places and been on many adventures now
our quest is over. We may continue
exploring China on our own and add to our knowledge of this exotic land. Bid farewell to your new Chinese friend by
bowing to him – as custom in China.
Now it is time to finish your worksheets and add to your journal – this is your scrapbook from your CHINA QUEST. Remember to explore more on these websites and do five journal entries!