[Bin He]

After reading this article about the factors that affect architectural form, I would like to share my observations on Chinese architecture: intra-Asian hybridities, cross-cultural currents, and socio-religious transfers from the roof tiles.

One is the small blue tile, which is curved. It may be a bit like a butterfly after being covered. Some people call it a butterfly tile. In order to adapt to the humid climate and prevent the wood from decaying, the butterfly tiles are directly laid between the two flat square rafters, with the concave side facing up and the open side of the cover tile covering the gap between the two rows of bottom tiles to facilitate ventilation. Therefore, the butterfly tile is designed based on practical use, which is very common in civilian buildings.The other tile is the tube tile. Because it looks like a tube, the bottom tile of the tube tile is almost the same as the top. The barrel tiles are connected and more straight because they are very smooth and straight, so it has become a symbol of social status. Therefore, it is mainly used in more solemn places such as temples and official buildings. 

 

Butterfly tile：

 

 

Tube tile

 

 

[Bin He]

Dear all, 大家好！It is a privilege to participate in the this seminar. My Name is Bin He, a current Chinese teacher at Harvard Westlake School in Los Angeles. Before coming to Los Angles, I taught the Chinese language and culture at the U.S. State Department and a public middle school in China for four years each. Last fall, I  teach a new course named 'History's Imprint on Modern Chinese Culture 'and hope to learn more from this seminar regarding Asia culture and its impact. That's why I am a big fan for USC US-China Institute. I look forward to meeting you all soon!

[Bin He]

 

1) The basics - Hi everyone, this is Bin He, a world language teacher who is working at Harvard Westlake in Los Angeles.

2) Experience with East Asia - I have attended two webinars held by USC US-China Institute, and I like how we learned from the speakers and each member. My favorite food is Kung Pao chicken. Also, I started a new cultural course about how ancient Chinese culture impacted modern China. So It has become a part of my life to share the Asia culture and history with others. 

3) I hope I can deepen my understanding of all perspectives of East Asia and learn from all of you about how to teach the culture in the class.

 

 

 

 

[Bin He]

 

 

Speaking of food in the media reminds me of a documentary eight years ago, A Bite of China.

The series, in general, is pretty good, showing the different varieties of Chinese cuisine, spanning north-south and east-west. The whole show is not just about the food but also the culture and the traditions behind the various dishes. This episode is the most exciting and impressive for me because of the emphasis on the sophistication of Chinese cooking beyond the different types of cooking methods, including intricate knife work. My favorite part is the chef's demonstration of his expert knife skills by thinly slicing silken tofu with a giant cleaver. That's the kind of precision and skill that can only come after years of practice. Later, there were four more seasons produced. But because of more official interference in later documentaries, the content of the food is less, and more reflects the "positive aspects of society."

But this documentary is still worth watching if you are interested in Chinese food. It covers China's eight main cuisines and local specialty snacks and tells the significance of food to contemporary Chinese.

The link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2168980/

 

 

[Bin He]

In addition to analyzing the impact on the Chinese food culture we saw in the article, this reminded me of another symbol of Chinese food culture-hot pot. Now you can see many hot pot restaurants in North America.

In my personal view, the hot pot represents a kind of acceptance and integration. All people eat in the same pot, and everyone can choose their favorite seasoning. This not only expresses a unified will but also allows for personal preferences. So from Guangzhou to Sichuan, almost everyone loves hot pot. In addition, the bottom material of the hot pot will also change due to geographical characteristics. For example, there are spicy flavors in Sichuan, porridge in Guangzhou, and mushrooms in Yunnan. These all reflect the identification of common eating styles in different geographies. Hot pot has also shown its flexibility with the changes of the times. In order to cater to the taste needs of more people, "Mandarin Duck Pot": a pot is divided into two halves, half spicy and generally tomato flavor. Now there is even a hot pot with nine grids. The hot pots used to be big pots, but now you can also choose single-person small pots. From this, we can see the influence of western food culture.

 

 

 

 

[Bin He]

Canned foods were very popular in China between 1980s to 1990s. At that time, Chinese people often sent canned fruits when they visited patients. But after 2000, canned fruits have almost completely withdrawn from the market.

I personally feel that because transportation was far from developed at that time, and the efficiency of information transmission is far less than it is now. Many fruits have a short shelf life, unless they are in large cities, many small counties cannot eat fresh fruits, and more Not to mention the remote villages that occupy the absolute majority of the Chinese population. But people have the need to eat fruit, so canned fruit came into being. The fruit is sealed in the can, so that people all over the country can eat the fruit, although it is not very fresh. Since 2000, transportation has become more and more convenient, and the efficiency of information transmission has become faster and faster. In every county throughout the country, you can eat all kinds of fresh fruits, including those tropical fruits that you rarely eat before.

Nowadays, there are not only more types of fruits than in the past, but also cheaper prices than in the past, and they are also fresh. In addition, as the income of Chinese people has increased, they are more willing to spend money on high-quality products rather than inferior ones.

 

 

[Bin He]

Dear all, 大家好！It is a privilege to participate in the East Asian Foodways Across Borders continually. I'm so glad to meet you all here and can't wait to start our journey with you all! My Name is Bin He, a current Chinese teacher at Harvard Westlake School in Los Angeles. Before coming to Los Angles, I taught the Chinese language and culture at the U.S. State Department and a public middle school in China for four years each. This fall, I  teach a new course named 'History's Imprint on Modern Chinese Culture 'and hope to learn more from this seminar regarding Asia culture and its impact.   

[Bin He]

"We eat who we are."  

Just like in our video, we can see the changes in rice, tea, and other foods in different countries, and we can also see that they are affected by other factors (climate, geography). On the other hand, food also changes the trajectory of human activities—for example, the Tea Horse Road in China and Asia. Tea and salt are necessities for people in high-altitude areas, and people will explore a passage for this, even if it is to traverse complex terrain. This ancient tea-horse road has also become a trade channel established artificially in human history because of the demand for food. In history, food is also a symbol of kingship. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the government began to treat salt production as a government-specific industry and prohibited private salt production. To a large extent, the attributes of food have surpassed its material meaning. I think this is why this topic is worthy of our time to study again.

[Bin He]

Do the Han people in China have faith?

 

Now some scholars have put forward a new perspective: the Han people do not have true religious beliefs.

First, they think there is no supernatural and supersecular being in the Chinese, and there is no creation myth in the Chinese. Maybe the Chinese people once had, but then disappeared. For example, Pangu made the sky and the earth separate,  but he is not creating the world, so he cannot be counted as the world's god. Nuwa was the creator of humans. Before she created humans, the loess already existed, so she was not the creator of the world. God. There is no god in the Chinese who said, "There must be light, so there will be light." Without the creation god, the Chinese would not have the ultimate creator. So does the Chinese believe in anything? Yes, the Chinese believe in gods and Buddhas and so on. But the Chinese believe in these things pragmatism, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Taishang Laojun, Tathagata Buddha, Land Father-in-law, Mazu, and their own ancestors. Multiple beliefs are no beliefs, and believing in everything is equivalent to not believing in anything. There is a saying in China called "Believe it if it's useful, don't believe it if it's useless."  Some people say that you have to pay respects to a certain temple. It is very spiritual, and so on. All in all, Chinese worship is pragmatic, there are so many objects of worship, and each of these gods has its own division of labor.  

 

Therefore, the civilization of the Han people is characterized by ghosts and gods without religion, worship without belief.Do the Han people in China have faith?

 

Now some scholars have put forward a new perspective: the Han people do not have true religious beliefs.

First, they think there is no supernatural and supersecular being in the Chinese, and there is no creation myth in the Chinese. Maybe the Chinese people once had, but then disappeared. For example, Pangu made the sky and the earth separate,  but he is not creating the world, so he cannot be counted as the world's god. Nuwa was the creator of humans. Before she created humans, the loess already existed, so she was not the creator of the world. God. There is no god in the Chinese who said, "There must be light, so there will be light." Without the creation god, the Chinese would not have the ultimate creator. So does the Chinese believe in anything? Yes, the Chinese believe in gods and Buddhas and so on. But the Chinese believe in these things pragmatism, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Taishang Laojun, Tathagata Buddha, Land Father-in-law, Mazu, and their own ancestors. Multiple beliefs are no beliefs, and believing in everything is equivalent to not believing in anything. There is a saying in China called "Believe it if it's useful, don't believe it if it's useless."  Some people say that you have to pay respects to a certain temple. It is very spiritual, and so on. All in all, Chinese worship is pragmatic, there are so many objects of worship, and each of these gods has its own division of labor.  

Therefore, the civilization of the Han people is characterized by ghosts and gods without religion, worship without belief.

 

References:

http://indi.cssn.cn/zhx/zx_zhyj/201501/W020150129534068553293.pdf

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/41452128.pdf

http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/simp/hi/newsid_7770000/newsid_7775200/7775287.stm

 

 

[Bin He]

 

It just so happens that today is the Dragon Boat Festival. Every year on the Internet, there will be a war between Korean and Chinese netizens about the Dragon Boat Festival.

When I was in China, I often heard many Chinese people once asked similar questions: Why does South Korea regard Chinese culture as its own culture, and why does it claim that China's Dragon Boat Festival belongs to South Korea?  

From these questions raised by the Chinese, we can see the influence of Chinese attitudes towards culture and Chinese nationalism on people's thinking. The Chinese have always believed that China is the greatest country in the world or a country with the longest history and profound cultural traditions. This kind of psychology is deeply rooted in the hearts of every Chinese, and it will produce a sense of superiority when treating the culture of other neighboring countries. Most Chinese tourists who come to Korea or Japan are proud that these countries also use chopsticks and Chinese characters. Some Chinese people I met always say that a large part of Korean culture comes from China, including the Spring Festival, Chinese characters, and chopsticks. Then I will be complacent.

Although the culture of South Korea is not much different from that of China, South Korea retains its own unique cultural essence. The Chinese always have a sense of superiority, believing that China has passed on its excellent culture to South Korea, while South Korea takes Chinese culture as its own. The Chinese feel very uncomfortable about this and think that every Korean should know that Korean culture comes from China.

 

[Bin He]

 

For the last debate, I have some new ideas, which I would like to share with you all here.

1. The topic of the debate can be a current hot topic in the United States. For example, gun control, abortion or environmental protection, etc. It can shorten the distance between students and the knowledge they have learned.

2. The form of debate can be more diversified. For example, let students role-play great men in history and discussion around a common topic.

3. Regarding the setting of the scoring system, you can ask students and teachers to make it together. Teachers can give students some necessary evaluation items, such as their understanding of their scholars, analysis of specific issues, the number of questions, the number of participation, etc. You can even invite students on campus to come to class and listen to debates to vote for students.

 

[Bin He]

 

In the short time from 1405 to 1433 AD, the boat navy commanded by Zheng He made seven valorous voyages throughout the Chinese Sea and the Indian Ocean, from Taiwan to the Persian Gulf, and far beyond the hearts of the Chinese. The Eldorado in China-Africa. Although China learned of the existence of Europe from Arab merchants, Europe, the "Far West", can only provide wool and wine, which is unattractive to them. During these 30 years, foreign goods, medicines, and geographical knowledge have been imported into China at an unprecedented speed; relatively, China has also extended its political space and influence throughout the Indian Ocean. At that time, half of the world was in China's control, plus an invincible navy. If China wants it, the other half is not difficult to become China's sphere of influence. Thus, in the 100 years before the advent of Europe's era of great adventure and significant expansion, China has the opportunity to become a colonial power in the world.

But history always has its script. After Zhu Di, Renzong Zhu Gaochi and Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji followed Confucian officials' advice and believed that the ban on going to the West and opening the sea would hurt the national cultural traditions and Confucian custom. As a result, they reintroduced the seashore ban, forced Zheng He to stop sailing, restricted private merchants, and prohibited private trade with foreigners. And China began a long period of close-doors for nearly 500 years.

 

 

 

 

[Bin He]

When it comes to the influence of Christianity on contemporary China, we must talk about Christmas.

"Chinese-style" Christmas is a fascinating Chinese contradiction: on the one hand, Christmas has become a trendy holiday in China, and the related business is very prosperous, but on the other hand, because China is not a religious country, The government has always been cautious about Western religious culture.

But what is interesting is that Christmas in China is becoming more and more Chinese. Maybe we, as teachers, can use it as an example of cultural transfer and localization when teaching.

 

1. People treat Christmas more like St. Patrick's Day or Valentine's Day. In other words, it is a happy day. People go out to meet with friends instead of spending time with their families like Westerners. Typical ways to celebrate Christmas include watching movies, singing karaoke, or shopping. Christmas Eve is an important shopping time of the year. Young couples or couples have always regarded it as a romantic day.  Watching movies, engaging in promotions, big bargains, big sales...

2. On Christmas Eve, a gift called "Peace Fruit." Because the Chinese word Ping An and the first letter of Apple are homophonic, so everyone will be superstitious about the custom of sending "Ping An Fruit" on Christmas Eve. Of course, it is only seen in China.

 

 

[Bin He]

Seeing that there are descriptions of the Song Dynasty culture in the video, I also want to discuss my views on the Song Dynasty. Because in the eyes of many people, the Tang Dynasty is the only pinnacle of Chinese culture in China. But in fact, there were many milestones in the development of Chinese civilization during the Song Dynasty:

 

From the perspective of urban design, in the capital city of Kaifeng at that time, there was a military patrol shop 300 meters apart in each street and lane, and there were five soldiers in the shop responsible for public security patrols. In other words, tens of thousands of soldiers need to be deployed throughout the city. Every corner of Kaifeng was built with bricks at high places to build Wanghuo Building. There were people watching day and night, and more than 100 soldiers were stationed downstairs to be responsible for fire prevention.

 

From the social welfare system perspective, the Song Dynasty may be the dynasty with the complete social welfare in Chinese history. All scholars who studied at school received government subsidies for students. Orphanages are set up in various places to support them for life. If the poor are sick and have no money for treatment, there are national shelters to keep them alive and provide free medical care and medicine. After their death, the government will help them find vacant land as a cemetery.

However, solid social welfare is supported by ordinary people's taxes, and the burden of the Song Dynasty middle class is relatively heavy.

Reference:

Emperor Huizong –by Patricia Buckley Ebrey

 

 

 

[Bin He]

Seeing my classmates discussing the problem of little feet reminded me of the little feet that appeared on Chinese TV in recent years-many TV dramas about the Qing Dynasty. Perhaps many people would be curious that the end of the Qing Dynasty was a kind of national scar for many Chinese people. Why are Qing palace dramas appearing in large numbers and popular in recent years? Let me talk about my views:

1. Sufficient reference materials.

On the one hand, because the Qing Dynasty is the closest dynasty to modern times. Detailed cultural relics and historical materials provide the possibility of filming and reproducing sophisticated dramas; on the other hand, rumors, legends, secret history, and unofficial history circulating in the market have become "references" for the narratives of official history.

2. Easier to pass the review by the Bureau of Radio, Film, and Television

Historical dramas need to undergo very strict censorship in China, especially modern and modern historical dramas. For directors, there are too many untouchable topics. However, to a large extent, there is no need to worry too much about the court dramas of the Qing Dynasty or the cross dramas that are changed based on the online text.

3. The impact of female consumers

Unlike the female images portrayed in traditional film and television works, the female images that tend to be shaped and displayed in film and television works in the Internet age are often "liberated women." In historical dramas of the Qing Dynasty, female roles are often full of dissatisfaction and resistance to the present. These characters are set to a certain extent to cater to the psychological needs of women at the moment. Therefore, the ratings of palace dramas have always been high, and in turn, the market will prioritize the production of Qing palace dramas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Television_series_set_in_the_Qing_dynasty

 

 

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