David's Homework

Does Chinese traditional culture have a positive or negative effect on modern life?

Traditional culture is the consists culture of the beliefs and practices held or observed by specific human groups that have been passed down from their ancestors through their grand-parents, parents and the society around them. Different countries have their own traditional cultures, China is no exception. Chinese traditional culture had a great impact on Chinese people’s life in education, habit, custom and so on. However, with the development of the times change, Chinese traditional culture is less important than before. In my opinion, Chinese traditional culture is still important and we should take measures to protect it. So, firstly, this essay will mention the positive effect of Chinese traditional culture on modern life, and then argue about the Chinese traditional culture have negative effect on modern life, the last part is the ways to protect the traditional culture.

Chinese traditional festivals have been an essential part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. In the past, these festivals were associated with myths and folklore tales, it was important and special for Chinese people. However, in modern times, Chinese traditional festivals is still important not because of the myths or folklore tales but because of the special meanings. For example, the Moon Cake Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival is specifically aimed at families and in particular family reunions. On the Mid-Autumn day, the moon is always full, so when the full moon rises, families will meet together. They watch the glowing moon rise, eat moon cakes and sing moon poems. In China, the moon symbolizes beauty and reunion. Family reunion is very important for Chinese. Because of this special meaning, Mid-Autumn Festival still has a great effect on Chinese people's life.

Chinese traditional culture is not only has a great impact on Chinese people but also has a great impact on the world. Chinese traditional culture is beginning to capture the attention of the world. Asian countries have long history to know about the greatness in Chinese traditional culture. Their own cultures are a mix of their native culture and those Chinese characteristics. South Korea and Japan long ago adopted Chinese traditional culture such as Confucianism which is still continue today even challenged by Pop Culture. On the other hand, Kung Fu, especially, has had a great impact on the millions of people who first learned about China through it. From that, they may come to China and learn about other aspects of this culture, such as traditional operas like the Beijing and Sichuan ones. Western countries learned such things as Fengshui and other concepts that are unique in Chinese traditional culture. Currently, China is taking steps to further this spread of its culture by establishing Chinese Cultural Centers in such places as the United States and Europe, with the help of Chinese traditional culture, China is gradually to be known by the world.

But there are two sides to every coin. Some people thought traditional culture do have a negative effect on modern life. One of the opinion was that traditional festivals are clashing social values, it should be exerted cultural critique to the traditional festivals (Birgit Meyer,1998). The author used the Spanish case to show festivals always with conflict even physical violence, he also said that some traditional festivals affected by the politics. Obvious in his opinion, traditional festivals have negative effect on modern life, but it is not exactly true in China. Firstly, Chinese people celebrate traditional festivals just with their families or friends, every family has its own activities, So the ways to celebrate is different from some other countries’ traditional festivals such as “Carnival” or “Encierro”. Secondly, Chinese traditional festivals’ meaning is to have family reunions or to commemorate ancestors which are handing down for hundreds of years, it never affected by the politics. In conclusion, Chinese traditional festivals mix with the social values. It is no doubt that family love and friendship have important role in people’s modern life. People can deepen this feeling through these traditional festivals.

In the process of cultural heritage, due to the stability of the traditional culture, traditional Chinese values of education had negative effect. "Studying to becoming rich"(Borge Bakken 1988 )is traditional view of Chinese people. Traditional culture reflected in education values is to cultivate "government officials" or "celebrity" as education evaluation standard of success. It is still true that many students in China are studying for getting more money, because considering country's basic condition that only education can change people’s life and let them be rich, In the history of China, for the poor people, education is the only way to change their life condition. But as the country develops, this concept is gradually changing.

In conclusion, Chinese traditional culture still have a positive effect on modern life. It is necessary for us to take some measures to protect it .Here are two proper advices had come up by the experts to protect the traditional culture. First of all, keep traditional culture as traditional culture was. We all know that many old cities or villages keep their traditional architecture or traditional festivals for hundreds of years which attracts millions of tourists to tour and make sense of the culture. To keep it as it was that is the most direct method to protect the traditional culture and reveal it to the modern people. However, it is hard to use this method to protect the invisible traditional culture but the next method can do. The method is traditional culture adhering to modern means. For example, we make CDs for classic music so that it can not only meet modern needs but also spread further and more successfully in the modern world. The appearance of traditional culture changes, but the essence will never change and will be well accepted. So the traditional culture lies in life, forever continuing. It also has reference value for the Chinese traditional culture.






Bibliography:

Birgit Meyer(1998) 'Make a Complete Break with the past.' Memory and Post-Colonial Modernity in Ghanaian Pentecostalist Discourse, Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol. 28, Fasc. 3 (Aug., 1998), pp. 316-349
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1214170?seq=1

Borge Bakken(1988) 'Backwards Reform in Chinese Education.'The Australian Journal of Chinese Affairs, No. 19/20 (Jan. - Jul., 1988), pp. 127-163
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2158543

Reference:

http://www.tamu.edu/classes/cosc/choudhury/culture.html