Folk culture is often cited as against elite culture. While elite culture represents the high-end accomplishments of a nation, often in the form of fine arts, philosophy, literature, etc. created by outstanding, talented people, folk culture is the collective achievements of the nation’s entire population. As the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies asserts, culture is the way of life of the ordinary people. In this sense, folk culture is more meaningful than elite. It is the fundamental element and gene of Chinese culture.
1. China Folk Sports
China boasts numerous interesting and eye-dazzling folk sports with long history such as Dragon Dance, Flying kites, Chinese Chess, Tug-of-war. They embodied the intelligence of Chinese people and shed light on its profound culture.
2. Chinese Paper Cutting
Paper cutting is a popular Chinese folk art. In the past, every girl was expected to master it, and brides were often judged by their paper cutting skills. At festivals and other festive occasions like a wedding, the Chinese would decorate walls, windows, doors, columns, mirrors, lamps and lanterns in homes with paper cuts, or simply gave out paper cuts as gifts. Good luck is supposed to be with the household decorated with paper cuts.
Chinese paper cutting
3. China Love and Marriage Customs
In this section, you can read the most incredible and romantic love and marriage customs in China, such as the Walking Marriage of the Mosuo people living along Lugu Lake.
Bai People’s Wedding Ceremony
Yunnan Love and Marriage Customs
4. Chinese Furniture
People may be deeply dazzled with Chinese diversities of furniture when visiting the traditional mansions of ancient China like Prince Gong Mansion in Beijing, Chengde Summer Resort, Suzhou Humble Administrator’s Garden and Yuyuan Garden of Shanghai. This is the first impression of Chinese furniture to the westerners.
Chinese Furniture
5. Chinese Shadow Plays
According to a survey made by the late writer Sun Kaidi, Chinese shadow play dated back to the mid-or late Tang Dynasty, or the later Five Dynasties (907-960). During that period, it served as a media for the preaching of Buddhist Dharma of transmigration and retribution. In temples, shadow figures were used as the supposed souls of the dead when their sin was expiated after death by monk preachers in charge of public service.
Chinese Shadow Play
6. Chinese Knots
Traditional Chinese decorative knots, also known as Chinese knots, are typical local arts of China. They are a distinctive and traditional Chinese folk handicraft woven separately from one piece of thread and named according to its shape and meaning. In Chinese, “knot” means reunion, friendliness, peace, warmth, marriage, love, etc. Chinese knots are often used to express good wishes, including happiness, prosperity, love and the absence of evil.
Chinese Knots
7. Tibetan Opera
Standing out as the most popular and distinguished minority opera, Tibetan Opera emerged during Ming dynasty, which is 400 years earlier than Beijing Opera. Together, they complement one another and rank as UNESCO World Intangible Heritage.
