Geek in China: Discovering the Land of Alibaba, Bullet Trains and Dim Sum

By Matthew B. Christensen

For every fan of kung fu, steamed dumplings, Confucius and giant skyscrapers, A Geek in China is a hip, smart and concise guide to the Middle Kingdom.

Packed with photographs and short articles on all aspects of Chinese culture, past and present, A Geek in China introduces readers to everything from Taoism and Confucianism to pop music and China's new middle class. A mix of traditional culture, such as highlights of Chinese history, great historical and mythological figures, traditional medicine, how the Chinese language works, real Chinese food, martial arts, and how the Chinese Communist Party works, is complimented with information on what makes China unique today.

Chapters discuss why China is so crowded, what it's like to work in an office, internet and cell phone culture, dating and marriage practices, top popular movies and movie stars, the contemporary art scene, China's amazing new architecture and infrastructure, and popular holidays. It also contains chapters on what makes the Chinese tick, such as the importance of harmony in society, the practice of humility, and the importance of hierarchy. For visitors to the country, the author includes sections on what to see, both common cultural sites and off-the-beaten-track sites, and how to get around in China. Sections on visiting Hong Kong and Taiwan are also included.

This China travel guide is a unique guide to the world's most populous and longest continuous culture. Readers will learn essential information about China's past and present to be able to understand the many references to history, politics, and pop culture that come up in everyday conversation and in the media.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
• Release date: Nov 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781462918362

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

CHINA PAST AND PRESENT

China has the longest continuous history of any country on earth with a standardized writing system that has been in use since around 1000 BCE. China’s famous historical and mythological figures are well known in and outside of China and Chinese philosophies are revered the world over. The Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors are Chinese icons recognized by everyone all over the world. China’s past has created a fascinating backdrop for China’s emergence in the modern world.

HISTORICAL AND MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES WHO STILL MATTER TODAY

Although some of China’s famous historical and mythological figures, such as Confucius and Laozi, are well known around the world, many are unknown to us in the West. Many famous and important people from China, is past—from emperors and philosophers to military generals and poets—are still revered in China today.

CONFUCIUS

Confucius (551–479 BCE) is the most celebrated figure in China’s history. He was a philosopher, educator and reformer. His thought and philosophy form the basis of Confucian or Ru thought in China and the entire moral codes of China and other East Asian countries like Japan and Korea. Whereas in the West we follow Judeo-Christian ethics, in China people live by a Confucian code of ethics.

Confucian philosophy is rooted in the concept of ren or compassion and love for others. This involves deprecating yourself as you show concern for others. Confucius’s golden rule was ‘What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.’ He also believed in the importance of reciprocal relationships: ruler to subject, father to son, husband to wife, brother to brother and friend to friend. In each relationship there is responsibility on the side of both parties. For example, a husband treats his wife with kindness and she, in return, is obedient and loyal. One’s place and status in society are also important. Confucius’s sayings were collected by his disciples and compiled into a book called The Analects.

LAOZI

Laozi, literally ‘old master’, was an ancient Chinese philosopher who is said to have written the short book Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching), often translated as Classic of the Way and Virtue. According to Chinese tradition, he was a brilliant thinker who lived in the 6th century BCE during the Zhou Dynasty and was from the state of Chu (present-day Hunan). But there is no hard evidence that he even existed. In religious Taoism he is considered a god. According to early historical records, he was a contemporary of Confucius who consulted him regarding mourning and funeral rites. Confucius praised his wisdom. After Laozi witnessed the decline of the Zhou kingdom, he wandered off to the far northwest border of China. There he met an official at the border crossing who asked him to write down his teachings, whereupon in 5,000 characters he wrote the meaning of dao or ‘the way’ and virtue. He is much revered in China as the founder of Taoist philosophy and religious Taoism.

EMPEROR QIN SHI HUANG

Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BCE) was the first emperor of China and ruled over the short-lived Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE). He was the ruler of one (Qin) of seven states in China that were vying for power at the time. He was successful in conquering and unifying the other states and creating the first unified kingdom in China. To unify the empire, he instituted reforms and models, such as standardizing the written script, coinage and axle width, which improved the road system. He also began construction of a wall that later evolved into the Great Wall. For all the good he did, he was a ruthless ruler who regularly executed scholars who did not agree with his policies. Thousands of young men were also forced to work constructing the Great Wall as well as his elaborate mausoleum, which includes the famous Terracotta Warriors.

THE MONKEY KING

The Monkey King is the central character in the classic novel Journey to the West (also translated as Monkey), written in the 16th century by Wu Cheng’en. The story is based on the legendary journey of the Buddhist monk Xuan Zang to India to obtain sacred Buddhist texts. In this fantastical fictionalized account, four guardians accompany him on his journey. One of them is Sun Wukong, a monkey born from a stone nourished by the five elements. He has magical powers that allow him to fly, transform himself into other beings and be immortal. The story is hugely popular all over the Chinese-speaking world and there have been countless adaptations, from comic books to movies, TV series, plays and video games.

CAO CAO AND ZHUGE LIANG

Cao Cao was the emperor of the kingdom of Wei during the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280 CE). He fought to reunify China and was successful in northern China. His forces were defeated by Zhuge Liang in the famous Battle of Red Cliffs but he was never able to conquer the southern kingdoms.

Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao are still famous today for their roles as the principal characters in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century. The novel is part history and part myth. It tells the story of the break-up of the Han Dynasty, the division of China into three kingdoms, Shu, Wu and Wei, and the struggles of Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao to reunite the country. The stories portrayed are well known by the Chinese as there have been countless adaptations, movies, TV series, video games and comic books based on the novel.

LI BAI AND DU FU

Li Bai (701–262 CE) is the the most famous poet in Chinese history. He is as well known in China as Shakespeare is in the Western world. Sometimes referred to as the ‘banished immortal’, he was considered a poetic genius who spent most of his life wandering, indulging in wine and writing poetry. Every schoolboy and girl in China memorizes a few of his poems. He was heavily influenced by Daoism and Buddhism.

Along with Li Bai, Du Fu (712–770 CE) is a household name in China. He is also a Tang Dynasty poet who was revered for his ability to master all forms of poetry. He was a Confucian who lived in a time of political turmoil. He spent much of his life either working for the imperial court or defending imperial rule when in exile. He is sometimes called the ‘poet historian’ as many of his poems are about daily life and current events during his time.

ADMIRAL ZHENG HE

Zheng He (1371–1433) was a palace eunuch, diplomat, explorer and mariner during the Ming Dynasty who rose to the ranks of Admiral. Between 1405 and 1433 he commanded large expeditions that explored and traded with countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa. He was undoubtedly China’s greatest maritime figure. At a time when maritime exploration was in its infancy in the West, and nearly a century before Columbus set sail for the New World, Admiral Zheng commanded fleets of hundreds of ships manned by thousands of sailors. His first voyage left Suzhou in 1405 with 317 ships and 28,000 crewmen. Some of his ships were so large that the combined fleets of Columbus and Vasco da Gama could fit on the deck of a single ship in Zheng’s armada. During his various voyages, he presented gifts of gold, silver, silk and porcelain, and in return received such exotic gifts as ivory, ostriches, camels, zebras and even a giraffe. It is speculated that the purpose of his voyages was to expand the Chinese empire by creating tributary states.

Drawing of the poet Du Fu.

Painting of Li Bai by Liang K’ai called 'Li Po Chanting a Poem'.

Detail of Chinese Running Style calligraphy.

HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINESE HISTORY

During the Warring States Period (481–221 BCE), China was ruled by seven semi-independent kings. Each of their kingdoms had its own language, customs and cultural practices. The Qin kingdom in western China along the Wei River, a tributary of the Yellow River, began conquering its neighboring kingdoms. In 221 BCE, the Qin successfully conquered the other six kingdoms and, for the first time, unified the country under central rule.

The king of Qin declared himself Qin Shi Huang or the first emperor of Qin. The name of this new unified kingdom, Qin, was eventually Latinized as ‘China’ or China. The emperor of Qin instituted several changes, including a common monetary system. He also built roads and standardized axle widths, established a common language and writing system and a strong central rule with a well-developed bureaucracy. The dynasty was short-lived, however, as the emperor ruthlessly suppressed dissent, imposed heavy taxes, distrusted the scholar class (even burning books and killing intellectuals who he considered a threat to his rule), and was obsessed with finding a means to immortality. Before the emperor died, he conscripted tens of thousands of workers to build a tomb that included thousands of lifelike terracotta warriors.

An 18th-century depiction of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's imperial tour across his empire.

Terracotta warriors guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (r. 221–210 BCE).

THE HAN DYNASTY

Ethnic Chinese today call themselves Han after the Han Dynasty. The Han period is considered one of the most important in China’s history, as it was a time when a political system was established that remained intact, with some modifications, until the 20th century. Confucianism became the governing philosophy and helped shape the very character of the Chinese people. This was also a time of great prosperity. During the later part of the Han Dynasty, the capital of Luoyang housed half a million people, the largest city in the world at that time.

One very important development was the examination system whereby scholars could join the ruling elite based on merit. These exams were based on the Confucian Classics, a series of five books that included poetry and history, political speeches and guidelines for ritual practice established by Confucius and his later followers. Those who scored the highest in the exams were given jobs of more importance, such us mayors, governors, even prime minister, and personal aids to the emperor. This system of meritocracy was used in China all the way up to the 20th century.

TANG AND SONG DYNASTIES

The capital of the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an (present-day Xi’an), was the largest city in the world. This was a high point in Chinese civilization, even surpassing the glories of the Han Dynasty. It was a golden age of literature, art, religion and cosmopolitan culture. The Tang Dynasty is best known for its flowering of Chinese poetry. China’s most revered poets—Li Bai, Du Fu and Wang Wei—wrote during this illustrious period. Today in China people still study these Tang Dynasty poems and learn to write in these forms. An 18th-century anthology of Tang poetry has become a treasured book familiar to all educated Chinese. Landscape painting also developed and became important during this time.

Tang court ladies, from the tomb of Princess Yongtai, Qianling Mausoleum, near Xi'an, Shaanxi.

Spring outing of the Tang court.

Buddhism gained a loyal following and many monasteries and temples were constructed during this period. It was also during this time that Buddhist doctrine was modified to conform with existing Chinese thought and philosophies.

The Tang Dynasty was so important in Chinese history that to this day many Chinese refer to themselves as ‘Tang people’, just as they also refer to themselves as Han.

The Song Dynasty continued the flourishing of the arts that began in the Tang Dynasty. New poetic forms were developed and art, religion and philosophy continued to flourish. The invention of woodblock printing led to a significant increase in literacy and many texts became widely available.

The economy expanded considerably during the Song and the country’s population doubled, an integrated system of waterways was built, the first paper money was issued and commerce increased through trading of necessities and luxury goods. This resulted in an urban revolution where 10 percent of the population lived in cities. The last innovation was the appearance of large-scale industry, such as the production of iron. Some have argued this was the beginning of capitalism.

HERE COMES THE WEST: THE OPIUM WARS

Until the latter part of the 18th century, China had little contact with the West. Jesuit missionaries arrived in small numbers in the 15th century but had little impact. For centuries China had contact with other Asian nations, particularly Korea, Japan and Vietnam, but contact with the West was sporadic and minimal.

By the 1760s, tea imports to Great Britain were far greater than Britain’s exports to China. This trade imbalance had to be made up with British silver. To offset the disparity, Britain began exporting raw cotton from India to China, along with an initially small but lucrative trade in opium, also from India. In time, the opium trade, smuggled into China and distributed by Chinese triads (organized crime gangs) grew until by 1820 the trade imbalance switched in favor of Great Britain. This caused a silver drain in China, making it difficult for peasants to pay their land taxes. Various violent incidents occurred which escalated into the First Opium War (1839–42). The British navy proved far stronger than the Chinese and they took control of ports along the eastern seaboard. In the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, the Chinese opened five ports to foreign trade and residence. These included Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai. The Chinese government set up an office of ‘barbarian affairs’ to deal with the encroaching Westerners.

The Second Opium War (1856–60) was caused by Britain further encroaching on Chinese territory. With the Treaty of Tianjin in 1858, the Chinese agreed to open ten more ports, allowed foreigners, including missionaries, to travel into China’s interior, legalized the opium trade and agreed to a British minister residing in Beijing.

For most of China’s history, outsiders, whether Asian or European, were considered barbarians with nothing to offer China. It was during the Opium Wars that China realized that its technology, particularly military might, was not up to Western standards. This period in Chinese history marked the beginning of the end of imperial rule in China. As more Westerners arrived in China and trade increased, the Chinese began to realize that a foreign policy of isolationism was not the best way to go. The Manchu government grew increasingly weak and ineffective in ruling a changing China. At the same time, Western powers were forcing China to open up and engage with them.

British troops land at the western gate of Chinkiang (Zhenjiang) during the First Opium War (1839–42) in their bid to secure ports along the eastern seaboard of China.

Painting of fighting between British and Chinese troops at Guangzhou during the Second Opium War (1856–60).

THE LAST EMPEROR AND THE REVOLUTION OF 1911

On October 10, 1911, now known as ‘Double Tenth’, a rebellion broke out in Wuchang in Hubei Province. The province declared its independence from the empire. By December all other provinces had followed suit. A republic was declared, with Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen), a young revolutionary, as provisional president. However, he was not able to consolidate power and did not last long in this position. By this time in China’s history, the country was fragmented and ruled by regional warlords, former military men under the Qing Dynasty. The Qing rulers appealed to a military commander in the north, Yuan Shikai, to support their rule. Instead, he sided with the new republic and forced the emperor to abdicate the throne. Yuan Shikai ruled first as president, then declared himself emperor (1912–16). His death left a political vacuum and for the next decade the country was ruled by various warlords.

THE FORBIDDEN CITY: HOME OF CHINA’S EMPERORS

The Forbidden City sits at the center of the ancient city of Beijing. Built between 1406 and 1420, it was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing emperors, their families and other appointed political figures. It was the ceremonial and political center of China until the Qing Dynasty fell in 1912. It was called the Forbidden City because it was strictly off-limits to anyone outside the imperial household. no one could enter or leave without the permission of the emperor.

The palace complex consists of 980 buildings surrounded by a high wall and wide moat. Four towers stand guard at each corner of the huge complex and large gates are situated on each side. The Meridian Gate faces Tiananmen Square and is the entry point to the palace. The complex has an outer court with large ceremonial halls and an inner court with living quarters, kitchens and informal halls. The Forbidden City was named a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UnESCO for its archeological significance. It is the largest collection of ancient wooden structures in the world.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest hall within the Forbidden City, where emperors hosted enthronement and wedding ceremonies.

THE BLOODY TAIPING REBELLION 1849–1864

As China was reeling after the First Opium War, a young man seized the opportunity of a weakened Qing government to launch the most deadly rebellion in Chinese history. Hong Xiuquan, though from a poor family, received a decent education but failed the imperial examinations twice. After a brief encounter with Protestant missionaries, Hong claims to have met a ‘bearded, golden-haired man who gave him a sword, and a younger man who instructed him to slay evil spirits, who Hong addressed as Elder Brother.’ Highly charismatic, Hong convinced people that God and Jesus had appeared to him. Studying with local missionaries, Hong began preaching and gaining converts, openly denouncing Confucianism and ancestor worship. By 1849 he had 10,000 converts and his doctrine was to form a new Christian community in opposition to the Qing government. He attracted young and old, rich and poor, and by 1850 his following had grown to 20,000. He became a significant threat, finally coming to the attention of the weakened Qing government. An attempt by Qing soldiers to oust Hong was met with defeat. Spurred on by this, Hong declared himself the Son of Heaven and his followers the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (or Taipings). By the end of 1853 his following had grown to 60,000. Cities were attacked and many fell with little resistance. The Taipings gathered money, food, weapons and followers and seized Nanjing, killing 40,000 Manchu men, women and children, and openly declaring war on the Manchu government. Hong set up a Nanjing-based Heavenly Kingdom that survived for 11 years, from 1853 to 1864. The rule of the Taipings was extreme: sexes were segregated; opium, prostitution, dancing and drinking were banned; money was collectively shared; examinations were held on the Bible; and women were allowed into the bureaucracy. Yet, they failed to win over the residents of Nanjing and the surrounding countryside, who were resentful of the Taiping’s constant need for food and supplies and their strange ways. Eventually, the Qing crushed the Taipings, in 1864.

CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF THE COMMUNISTS

The Communist Party of China (CPC) was organized in Shanghai in 1921. From 1928 to 1937, the Nationalists tried to transform China into a modern state based on Western models. This was unsuccessful as there was political fighting with the Communists. In 1931, Japan invaded China. The Nationalists, under the direction of Chang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), were eager to oust the Communists under the direction of Mao Zedong, but after Japan invaded they were forced into a united front with the Communists against the Japanese. When the Japanese were defeated in 1945, the Communists and Nationalists began a full-scale civil war. The Nationalists had their capital first in Nanjing, then retreated to Chongqing before being defeated by the Communists in 1949. The remaining Nationalist troops, along with many civilians, fled to Taiwan where they set up a government in exile.

Chairman Mao Zedong greeting US President Richard Nixon in Beijing on February 21, 1972, an important step in paving the way for normal relations between China and the United States.

MAO ZEDONG AND THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Mao Zedong was born to wealthy parents in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, in