C H I N A

Fast FactsLargest country in Asia

4th largest country in the world, behind Russia, Canada & the USA

Largest population in the world with 1.3 billion people, about 4 times more people than in the USA

The capitol city is Beijing

The government is Communist

Religion in mostly Buddhist orTaoist

Renminbi (Yuan) = 14

MusicScale only has 5 notes

The qin is the most honored instrument, although very few people know how to play it

Other instruments include the erhu, dizi, pipa, zheng, suona & chiugushou

Vocal music is traditionally sung in a thin, high voice

Qin

Erhu Pipa

Chinese InventionsGunpowder & fireworks

Silk

Compass

Kite

Umbrella

Fireworks

Silk Silk was first made in China about 4000 years ago

Making silk was kept a secret for thousands of years & was a very important part of Chinas economy

Silk is made from the cocoon of a silkworm-moth

Silk from the cocoon is a single, very long thread made from the saliva glands in the caterpillars head

Each cocoon has a tread that is 1000-3000 feet long

Mulberry tree leaves feed silkworm-moths

It takes 1 ton of leaves to rear just 1 ounce of silkworms, making about 6 pounds of silk

Compass

Kite

Umbrella

Traditional Clothing

Chinese AnimalsGiant Panda

Red Panda

Snow Leopard

White Crane

The Giant Panda

Are white with black patches .This coloring may hide the panda in the snowy, rocky places where they liveThey may grow to be 250 pounds & six feet tall, which is about the size of a large human manThe Chinese call them giant bear cat because they have eyes more like a cat than a bearTheir paws are different from other bears. They have 5 clawed fingers & an extra-long wrist bone that acts like a thumb

Wild pandas only eat bambooThey spend 12 hours each day just eatingThey dont hibernate They are very shy & live alone most of their livesA baby panda is born weighing less than an apple, the smallest newborn of all the mammals

They are in danger of extinctionOnly about 1500 pandas are left in the worldThey only live in 6 small areas in ChinaThe places where they live & the bamboo they eat are being destroyed by humans moving into their territoryScientists are trying to keep them from becoming extinct both in the wild & in zoos

Red Panda

Snow Leopard

White Crane

FoodStarvation has been common in Chinas history

A large number of people lived on land that didnt grow food well

Chinese learned to eat all sorts of things that normally wouldnt be considered food: bear paws, shark fins, rats, cats, dogs, bamboo

Staple FoodsRice

Soy/tofu

Garlic

Vegetables

Tea

Soy

TeaTea plants originated in China

Considered one of the 7 necessities of Chinese life, along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce & vinegar

There are over 1000 different kinds of Chinese tea

Tea leaves are also eaten as vegetables & used as medicines

Sharing tea is an important way the Chinese show respect for another person

Pouring tea is a traditional part of many ceremonies

People all over the world drink more tea than any other beverage besides water

Great Wall of ChinaBuilt over 2000 years ago during the Qin dynasty

Was originally built as the first line of defense against invading armies

During the Ming dynasty, watch-towers & cannons were added & the wall was enlarged

Is currently over 4000 miles longOne of the largest construction projects ever completed in the worldCan be seen from Earths Orbit, but, contrary to legend, not from the moon

Forbidden CityLocated in Beijing

Built from 1406-1420

Used for over 500 years as the home of the emperor & the center of the Chinese government, but is now a museum

Called the Forbidden City because no one was allowed inside unless the emperor gave permission

Took 15 years to build & 1 million workers

Built almost entirely of wood

Has 980 buildings & 8707 rooms

Is the largest palace in the world

Terra Cotta Army

7000 life-sized warriors, 130 chariots with horses, & 110 calvary horses

Placed in 3 pits & covered with dirt as part of the tomb of an emperor over 2000 years ago

Arranged in rows & columns as if ready for battle

Was discovered in 1974

Chinese New Year

January 26, 4706 2009

Chinese CalendarDates back 2600 years B.C.Is based on phases of the moon, unlike the modern calendar which is based on phases of the sunYears are determined as part of a 12-year cycleEach year is represented by one of 12 animals

The year starts on the 2nd New Moon after the Winter Solstice (shortest day of the year)

New Years day can occur between late January & the middle of February

Since the Chinese calendar started in 2697 B.C., the current year is considered 4706

Modern Chinese generally only use this calendar for festivals. They use the Western calendar for everything else

Red

Red is the color of LUCK

The word for LUCK is fu

Red envelopes containing money, blessings or lucky coins are given to the host by the guests

Red couplets with blessings are hung on both sides and over the top of the front door

Red couplets

FoodDumplings

Orange & tangerines

Togetherness Tray contains 8 different kinds of candied fruit

Jai

Jai salad

Photo credit: http://examinedlife.typepad.com/johnbelle/salad.jpg

ActivitiesFireworks Visiting houses of family & friends

Exchanging red envelopes

Parade of Lanterns

Dragon dance

Lanterns

Dragon Dance

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

One World Dream

Mascots

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

Mascots - Fuwa

The colors of the 5 Olympic Rings

Represent the playful qualities of 5 little children & their friendship

Also represent 4 of Chinas most popular animals & the Olympic Flame

Also represent the 5 elements of nature: sea, forest, fire, earth & sky

Each has a rhyming two-syllable name, the traditional Chinese expression of affection for children

Beibei = Fish, Jingjing = Panda, Huanhuan = Olympic Flame, Yingying = Tibetan antelope, Nini = Swallow

Putting their names together, Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni, says Welcome to Beijing

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

BeibeiFish & Sea

Carries the blessing of Prosperity

Water sports

Blue Olympic Ring

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

JingjingPanda & forest

Blessing of Happiness

Harmonious relationship between man & nature

Black Olympic Ring

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

HuanhuanBig Brother

Fire & the Olympic Flame

Blessing of Passion

Ball-game sports

Red Olympic Ring

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

YingyingTibetan antelope & Earth

Blessing of Health

Track & field sports

Yellow Olympic Ring

Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

NiniSwallow & Sky

Blessing of Luck

Gymnastic sports

Green Olympic Ring

CitationsBeijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX OlympiadDemas, Antonia. Food is Elementary: A Hands-On Curriculum for Young Students. New York: Food Studies, Inc., 2001.www.enchantedlearning.comwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_calendarwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_inventionswww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese _new_yearwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiacwww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_pandawww.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_china