Social
Customs
During
the long course of historical development, China’s different peoples
have developed individual customs regarding food, clothing and housing,
in response to their own particular environments, social conditions
and level of economic development. Generally, the Han people take
rice and noodles as their staple diet (people in the south prefer
rice while those in the north prefer noodles), love to eat vegetables,
beans, meat, fish and eggs, and pay particular attention to cooking
techniques. Mongolians often eat beef and mutton, and drink tea
with milk. Tibetans take tsampa (roasted highland barley flour)
as their staple food, and drink buttered tea, and highland barley
wine, but Tibetan herdsmen mainly eat beef and mutton. The Uygurs,
Kazaks, and Ozbeks enjoy roast mutton kebabs, unleavened bread and
rice. Koreans like sticky rice cakes, cold noodles and kimchi (hot
pickled vegetables). The Li, Jing, Dai, Blang and Hani all chew
betel nuts.
The
typical costume of Manchu women used to be the qipao (a close-fitting
dress with high neck and slit skirt). Mongolians wear their traditional
robes and riding boots. Tibetans love to wear Tibetan robes, waistbands
and boots. Koreans are known for their boat-shaped shoes. Uygurs
wear diamond-shaped embroidered skullcaps. Yi, Miao and Yao women
wear pleated skirts, and are often bedecked with gold or silver
ornaments.
Courtyard-type
dwellings were traditionally the rule in Han areas. Most minority
herdsmen living in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Gansu live
in yurts. The Dais, Zhuangs and Bouyeis in southern China often
live in ganlan (multiple-storied houses raised on stilts).
In
China, birthdays are not commonly celebrated, although city dwellers
do so more frequently than their country cousins, and children and
old people more than young and middle-aged people. No special ceremony
is occasioned by a birthday. Many people like to eat “l(fā)ongevity
noodles,” symbols of long life inspired by the noodle’s shape. Nowadays,
many city dwellers choose to eat Western-style birthday cakes instead
of noodles. According to the Marriage Law, a man may legally marry
at age 22 and a woman at 20, by acquiring a marriage license issued
by a marriage registration office. Thus, a wedding ceremony is not
a necessary legal procedure for marriage registration, but only
a way for relatives and friends to congratulate the bride and groom.
The newlyweds will offer “wedding candies” to their colleagues and
friends. In return, their colleagues and friends will present the
newlyweds with gifts.
Funeral
ceremonies in China are very simple. Usually, a memorial meeting is
held to pay last respects to the deceased and allow the living to
express their grief. Cremation is
the rule in cities, and interment in rural areas. White is
the traditional color of mourning, but city people nowadays usually
wear black gauze armbands to show their bereavement.
