Essay Sample on Culture of China

Introduction

Any individual is born in the surroundings of culture from where he finds a way to behave in the appropriate society. Culture takes different meanings depending on the context. Culture may be defined as a complex whole including beliefs, arts, region norms and other abilities acquired by a person or a member of a society (Fang, (2012). It involves the inheritance of human experience from one generation to another.

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There are several characteristics that describe culture. One has to learn the norms of the relevant society. Culture is passed on to successive generations through social interactions such as drinking and dressing. It is also an outcome of a society and as such, it is social. Culture is social because individuals acquire the virtue through associations. For a society to have common customs, traditions, and beliefs, they must share. Certain behaviours and practices are maintained amongst different generations (Crawford, & Macnamara, 2012). Culture is therefore transmitted from older generations to newer generations through communication. Finally, the passing of beliefs between generations makes a culture to be continuous. Different countries with different races and people have varying unique culture. This paper attempts to describe the culture of the People's Republic of China (PRP).

China is the third largest republic globally. The approximate size of the country is 9.6 million square kilometers. China has a fast growing economy, therefore has several advanced cities. The main cities include Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Xian. Each town has unique terrain in terms of the topography and drainage basins. For instance, Beijing is located at the mouth of China Sea while Hong Kong is along the Pearl River port. Moreover, Guangzhou is an inland city that lie along the Northern China plains while on the other hand, Xian is characterized by river plains of the Pearl River.

Infrastructure is essential to the economy of any nation. China is advanced in three main infrastructural sectors; energy, water, and transport. The consumption of electricity in the country is on an increasing trend. The production of electricity doubles nearly after every 10 years to meet the rising industrial demand. The republic produces over 15% of global electricity. The target for China is to reduce water consumption in industrial production. Domestic consumption is, however, on the rise. Water companies, therefore, pump water over long distances to reach consumers and treatment plants. Different government departments manage different water systems with efficiency. The quality of water improves further due to the application of integrated water resource management. The Republic of China is striving to improve road networks and improve the quality of life of its people. The length of roads has increased by over 300% over the years. Residential areas are distant from offices hence encourage large part of the population to drive.

Military conflicts existed and are still present in China and other neighbouring states. There are several instances where the military of the PRC faces off with rival military forces. The defense forces of China and India have been in conflict. The dispute is due to China constructing a road in the region that Bhutan claim to possess. Although Indian government advocate for democracy, China has forced way to protect their territory. Among the most significant past war was the Chinese civil war between the year 1927 and 1950 (Graff, & Higham, Eds.). According to Graff and Higham, the effect of the conflict was the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of Taiwan. The two states both recognize themselves to be legitimate sovereign countries. Although the war faded after more than two decades of conflict, there is still the possibility of new conflict and war.

Climate varies across China due to the dynamics of the topography. For instance, the far northern parts have the Arctic climate while the Tropical condition characterizes the South of the republic. The Western region is a desert while fertile arable land occupies the East. The arable fertile land that covers more than 13 % of the republic has a higher population due to high food production (Urry, 2015). With the changes in weather due to climate change, China might experience varying impacts on agriculture. The rise in temperature due to global warming promotes rain-fed agriculture.

Chinese people are unique due to their wide variety of culture and social structure. The Chinese people are the largest nationality globally. The population is composed of about 56 ethnic groups. These groups include the Han who are approximately 900 million. The other communities are minor and include the Tibetans, Mongols, Manchus, the Naxi, and the Hezhen. The Chinese population is rich in cultural practices with each community owning unique beliefs. The differences in interests range from food, religion, and arts. Food preferences among the people depend on geographical location and the ethnic background. Rice is a staple food for the Chinese and as such, helped the society to develop (Sun, D'Alessandro, & Johnson, 2014). There are meals such as the Szechuan made from peanuts and Cantonese which is majorly stir-fried.

Conclusion

Culture, therefore, is an important element of any society since it can be said to be common wealth. A social practice of any community connects the past; present and the future. China, therefore, as a state, needs to care about its rich heritage and decisions on their culture. The people of china need to ensure the best use of their culture as they ensure its transmission to their successive generations, as such, ensure its conservation.

References

Crawford, R., & Macnamara, J. (2012). An 'outside-in 'PR history: Identifying the role of PR in history, culture and sociology. Public Communication Review, 2(1), 45-59. Retrieved from: epress.lib.uts.edu.auFang, T. (2012). Yin Yang: A new perspective on culture. Management and organization Review, 8(1), 25-50. Retrieved from: http://www.indigenouspsych.orgGraff, D. A., & Higham, R. (Eds.). (2012). A military history of China. University Press of Kentucky. Retrieve from: books.google.com

Sun, G., D'Alessandro, S., & Johnson, L. (2014). Traditional culture, political ideologies, materialism and luxury consumption in China. International journal of consumer studies, 38(6), 578-585. Retrieved from: Wiley Online Library

Urry, J. (2015). Climate change and society. In Why the social sciences matter (pp. 45-59). Palgrave Macmillan, London.