cultural region
March of the Volunteers
Arise! All who refuse to be slaves!
Let our flesh and blood become our new Great Wall!
As the Chinese nation faces its greatest peril,
All forcefully expend their last cries.
Arise! Arise! Arise!
May our million hearts beat as one,
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
Brave the enemy's fire, March on!
March on! March on! On!
The teachings of Confucius which stress obedience and deference to elders and responsibility to community are a dominant part of the Chinese culture. The country is extremely large, so customs and traditions vary by geography and the more than 50 ethnic groups that reside in this country of 1.34 billion people. Here is a brief overview of Chinese culture. Because China is a communist state, there is no official religion and more than half of the population claims no religious affiliation or identifies as atheist. About a quarter of the people practice Taoism and Confucianism and other traditional religions. There are also small numbers of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. Although numerous Protestant and Catholic ministries have been active in the country since the early 19th century, they have made little progress in converting Chinese to these religions.
Eastern-style martial arts were also developed in China, and it is the birthplace of kung fu, which translates to human achievement.The largest festival also called the Spring Festival which marks the beginning of the lunar new year. It falls between mid January and mid February and is a time to honor ancestors. During the 15-day celebration, children receive money in red envelopes for good luck and people thoroughly clean their homes to signify a fresh beginning. The holiday is marked fireworks and parades with dancers dressed as dragons.