Download China: From Past to Present Part One: Geography

China: From Past to Present
Part One:
Geography,
Traditional Religions,
and Beliefs
Teacher's Guide
China: From Past to Present
Part One: Geography,
Traditional Religions, and Beliefs
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Table of Contents
Introduction to the Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Introduction to the Program . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Links to Curriculum Standards . . . . . . . . . .2
Instructional Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Pre-Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Student Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Student Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Introducing the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
View the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Discussion Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Description of Blackline Masters . . . . . . . .6
Extended Learning Activities . . . . . . . . . . .7
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Script of Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
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China: From Past to Present
Part One: Geography, Traditional Religions,
and Beliefs
Viewing Time: 15 minutes plus a one-minute,
five-question Video Quiz
Grades 5-9
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES
China: From Past to Present was filmed in locations
across China and Nepal, as well as in the United States.
It offers a fascinating look at the long history, varied geography, and amazing civilization of the world's largest
nation. The series is made up of two fifteen-minute and
one twenty-minute programs. Part One takes a look at
China's geography, traditional religions, and beliefs. Part
Two examines life in the ancient capital cities of Xian and
Beijing. Part Three presents some of the most important
changes in government in China from the time of the first
emperor up to modern times. Important topics such as the
Silk Road and the Great Wall of China are presented in
this program.
INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAM
This fifteen-minute program presents the following topics:
• Geography, neighboring countries, language, population
• Confucianism
• Taoism
• Buddhism
• Traditional Beliefs: yin and yang, feng shui, tai chi, the
Eight Trigrams, the I Ching
1
LINKS TO CURRICULUM STANDARDS
McREL Standards
World History Standards
Era 3 - Classical Traditions, Major Religions, and
Giant Empires, 1000 B.C. - 300 A.D.
Standard 9: Understand how major religions and largescale empires arose in China and India from 500 B.C. to
300 A.D.
Grades 5-6
5. Understands the fundamental elements of Chinese society under the early imperial dynasties (e.g., the life of
Confucius and the fundamentals of Confucianism and
Taoism, what life was like for ordinary people in ancient
China as illustrated in Chinese folktales).
7. Understands the origins of Buddhism and fundamental Buddhist beliefs.
Grades 7-8
3. Understands fundamental social, political, and cultural
characteristics of Chinese society under early imperial
dynasties.
Era 4 - Expanding Zones of Exchange and Encounter,
300-1000 A.D.
Standard 25: Understands major global trends from 1000
to 1500 A.D.
Historical Understanding Standards
Standard 2: Understands the historical perspective.
Grades 7-8
1. Understands that specific individuals and the values
those individuals held had an impact on history.
2. Analyzes the influence specific ideas and beliefs had
on a period of history.
2
Grades 9-12
1. Analyzes the values held by specific people who influenced history and the role their values played in influencing history.
Geography Standards
The World in Spatial Terms
Standard 2: Knows the location of places, geographic
features, and patterns of the environment.
Grades 6-8
1. Knows the location of physical and human features on
maps and globes (e.g., cultures; land forms; climate,
regions).
Grades 9-12
1. Knows the approximate locations of major political and
economic cultures.
Places and Regions
Standard 4: Understands the physical and human characteristics of place.
Grade 6-8
1. Knows the human characteristics of places (e.g., cultural characteristics such as religion, language, politics,
technology, family structure, gender, population characteristics, land uses, levels of development).
Human Systems
Standard 10: Understands the nature and complexity of
Earth's cultural mosaics.
Grade 6-8
2. Knows ways in which communities reflect the cultural
background of their inhabitants (e.g., distinctive building
styles).
Grade 9-12
1. Knows how cultures influence the characteristics of
regions.
3
2. Understands how human characteristics make specific
regions of the world distinctive (e.g., the impact of Buddhism in shaping social attitudes in Southeast Asia).
INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES
Before presenting this lesson to your students, we suggest that you preview the program, review the guide and
the accompanying Blackline Master activities in order to
familiarize yourself with their content.
As you review the materials presented in this guide, you
may find it necessary to make some changes, additions,
or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We
encourage you to do so; for only by tailoring this program
to your class will they obtain the maximum instructional
benefits afforded by the materials.
PRE-TEST
Pre-Test is an assessment tool intended to gauge student
comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program. Explain that they are not expected to get all the
answers correct. You can remind your students that these
are key concepts that they should focus on while watching the program.
STUDENT PREPARATION
Set up a Learning Center with pictures, maps, diagrams,
and charts, etc., relevant to the topics presented in this
program (i.e., Chinese geography, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, tai chi, feng shui, yin and yang, the I
Ching).
Visit http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxasia.htm
for free printable outline maps of China and Asia.
4
Pass out copies of Blackline Master #5, Timeline and
TImeline Activity, that includes historical events within
this region and copies of Blackline Masters #6 and #6a,
Vocabulary List, that includes definitions for geographical terms and historical names and places referred to in
this program.
STUDENT OBJECTIVES
After viewing the program and completing the follow-up
activities, students should be able to:
• Outline China on a map of Asia and identify the 14
nations that border it.
• Explain the importance of China as the world's oldest living civilization and the most populated country on Earth.
• Identify on a map the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, Gobi
Desert, Tibetan Plateau, Himalayan Mountains, China
Sea and Yellow Sea, Pacific Ocean, and Taiwan.
• Identify on a map of China the area that is most suitable
for farming and where the majority of the Chinese population exists.
• Name the three traditional religions of China (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism) and briefly describe
the history and the fundamental beliefs of each religion.
• Describe several of ancient Chinese beliefs and traditions such as yin and yang, feng shui, the I Ching, and tai
chi.
INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM
Duplicate and administer Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test.
Remind your students that they are not expected to know
5
all the answers. Suggest that they use these questions as
a guide for taking notes on the key concepts while viewing the program.
VIEW THE PROGRAM
Running Time: 15 minutes plus a one-minute, five-question Video Quiz.
Hand out Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz, and Blackline Master #7a, Map of Asia, that may be used for notetaking while viewing the program.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
After viewing the program, you may find it helpful to discuss these topics as a class. (You may also choose to use
these topics to begin a discussion prior to viewing the program.)
• Overview of the ancient civilization of China.
• Compare and contrast Chinese civilization to western
civilizations.
• Population issues in China and elsewhere in the world.
• China's current contribution to the global economy.
• Communism and capitalism in China.
• Compare and contrast the traditional religions and beliefs of China to those of the Judeo-Christian tradition.
DESCRIPTION OF BLACKLINE MASTERS
Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test, is an assessment tool
intended to gauge student comprehension of the objectives prior to viewing the program.
Blackline Master #2, Post-Test, is an assessment tool to
be administered after viewing the program and completing additional activities. The results of this assessment
6
can be compared to the results of the Pre-Test to determine the change in student comprehension before and
after participation in this lesson.
Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz, is intended to reinforce
the key concepts of the program following the presentation of the program. Student awareness that a Video Quiz
will be given also helps promote attention to the video
presentation.
Blackline Master #4, Crossword Puzzle, is a puzzle
game based on information presented in the Vocabulary
List.
Blackline Master #5, Timeline and Timeline Activity,
presents important dates in Chinese history and includes
a" fill-in-the-blank" exercise.
Blackline Masters #6 and #6a, Vocabulary List and
Activity, includes important names, people, places, and
terms relating to events that occurred during this era in
history with a "fill-in-the-blank" exercise.
Blackline Masters #7 and #7a, Map Exercise of China,
includes a map of Asia and a list of items for the student
to locate and label. This activity could be expanded into a
research project that promotes using a variety of outside
educational resources.
EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES
Research papers, oral reports, news reports, or
PowerPoint® presentations could be done on the following
subjects:
• How communism affected the practice of religion in
China.
7
• Current conflicts between Nationalist China and the
People's Republic of China.
• Hong Kong: past, present, and future.
• The invasion and conquest of Tibet.
• A comparison of traditional Chinese medicine to "western medicine."
• Population problems and controls in China.
• Industrialization in China
• How and why ancient Chinese traditions have influenced life in America, such as feng shui as a guide in planning environments; tai chi as a popular form of exercise;
and using the I Ching, or Book of Changes, for spiritual
advice and guidance. (For "firsthand" experience of
ancient Chinese thought, students could do some coin
tosses that correspond to hexagrams, then the I Ching
could be consulted for its explanations).
ANSWER KEY
Blackline Master #1, Pre-Test
1. False. India is second in population after China.
2. True
3. False. Buddhism began in India.
4. True
5. False. China is the world's largest communist country.
Blackline Master #2, Post-Test
A. True or False
1. True
2. False. Most of China's citizens live in the eastern third
of the country.
3. False. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism
4. True
5. True
6. False. It is bordered by 14 nations.
7. True
8
8. False. The I Ching, or Book of Changes, is a book
many Chinese use for spiritual guidance.
9. True
10. False. China's population is around 1 billion, 300 million.
B. Fill in the blanks
1. Mandarin, dialect
2. Yangtze and Yellow (Yalu)
3. Himalayan
C. Essay
Confucianism is based on the teachings of a philosopher
named Confucius, who formulated his ideas around 500
B.C. Confucius developed detailed rules for personal
behavior that promoted mutual respect, generosity,
honor, strong family bonds, a deep sense of personal duty
to society, and even the worship of one's ancestors.
Confucius believed that a superior ruler, father, husband,
or older brother was naturally worthy of respect and obedience, just as long as he set a good example of proper
moral behavior. Confucius predicted that trouble would
result whenever a bad example was set.
In many ways, Confucianism turned out to be much more
of a system of rules for proper behavior and for good government than an actual religion. Nevertheless, the vision
and ideals of Confucianism ended up uniting China and it
provided the Chinese people with a strong foundation for
a stable, long lasting society.
Taoism played a major role in shaping Chinese thought
and culture. It is a religion that offered a more relaxed and
natural way of finding happiness, compared to the numerous rules of Confucianism. Taoism dates back to 300
B.C., but certain parts of the religion are much older.
Taoism is largely based on the Book of Tao, or Tao-Te9
Ching, a mystical text that may have been written by a
religious visionary named Lao-tzu.
Taoists believe that everything in the universe arises from
the Tao: a silent, pure, all-powerful force that existed
before there was a heaven or an earth. The early Taoists
thought that the best way to find true peace and happiness was to gain firsthand experience of the Tao by living
in harmony with nature, leading simple lives, and by not
acting in anger. When it began, simplicity was an important aspect of Taoism, but as time went by, Taoist temples
filled up with ornate shrines, brilliantly colored statues,
and bowls brimming over with offerings. This happened in
part because, over the centuries, Taoists "adopted" many
ancient Chinese folk gods and began to worship them.
Today Taoist priests conduct public rituals during which
they offer up prayers to the ancient gods and to other
divinities that represent different qualities of the Tao.
Taoists also believe that it is possible for humans to attain
immortality, that is to live forever, and that is why they
worship a special group of gods whom they believe once
lived on Earth as human beings.
Buddhism is the most recent religion to play an important
role in shaping Chinese culture, and Buddhist temples
and religious images abound in China. Buddhism began
in India and is a religion based on the teachings of a man
known as the "Buddha," or "Enlightened One." The
Buddha taught the value of compassion or “loving kindness," as a way to overcome the striving and desire that
cause human suffering. Around the year 650 A.D., a religious pilgrim returned to China from India and brought the
Buddhist scriptures with him. This towering temple, or
pagoda, was built to house those precious books. In
China, pagodas can take many different forms. Most
pagodas were built in the centers of Buddhist monasteries. Monasteries are sacred places filled with temples and
10
other buildings that are home to monks and nuns who
devote their lives to religious practice. Lamas, the
Buddhist monks who live in the mountainous Tibetan
region of China, as well as in Mongolia, Bhutan, and
Nepal, often construct distinctive pagodas, like this one,
called stupas. Stupas are filled with sacred offerings, holy
relics, and shrines. They are often adorned with strings of
rippling prayer flags that are believed to transmit prayers
on the winds. And at the foot of some stupas, "prayer
wheels" can be turned to send out prayers, as well.
The lamas of the Tibetan region of China follow a style of
Buddhism known as Vajrayana Buddhism. The supreme
spiritual leader of the Vajrayana Buddhists is known as
the Dalai Lama.
Blackline Master #3, Video Quiz
1. True
2. True
3. True
4. False. Buddhism began in India.
5. False. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art based on
the concepts of yin and yang.
Blackline Master #4, Crossword Puzzle
1
3
2
C
G O B
I
A
N
4
E
5
U
6
H
I
A
S
I
S M
A
I
A
W
G
U
L
7
R U S S
I
T
C O M M U N
X
9
O
F
H
T
I
A
M
S
8
A
L A M A S
N
Y
10
P A G O D A S
N
11
Blackline Master #5, Timeline Activity
1. 214 B.C.
2. 1275 A.D.
3. 105 A.D.
4. 1368 A.D.
5. 551 B.C.
Blackline Master #6a, Vocabulary Activity
1. rural
2. tradition
3. moral
4. dialect
5. ancestors
Blackline Master #7, Map Exercise of China
12
13
RESOURCES
Web sites for teachers:
About Geography
http://geography.about.com/
What You Need to Know About: Geography. Home page
has links to maps, as well as to sites dealing with physical, political, cultural, historical, and economical topics
pertaining to world geography.
About Geography
http://geography.about.com/library/blank/blxusa.htm
Free printable outline maps of China and Asia.
Chinese Philosophy Yin and Yang
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHPHIL/YINYANG.HTM
A very helpful and concise explanation of yin and yang.
Includes links to information on other Chinese beliefs.
Chinese Philosophy Confucius
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHPHIL/CONF.HTM
A very helpful and concise explanation of the ideas of
Confucius. Includes a link to a glossary of terms related to
Confucianism.
Chinese Philosophy Taoism
http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHPHIL/TAOISM.HTM
A very helpful and concise explanation of Taoism.
Includes a link to a glossary of terms related to Taoism.
Where Does the Chinese Symbol Yin and Tang Come
from?
http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/yinyang.htm
A great description with illustrations of how the ancient
Chinese used the night sky and the changing universe to
determine the meaning of these symbols.
14
The Road to Ancient China, Buddhism
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Chinalife.html#BUDDHA
Includes a useful description for use in the classroom of
Buddhism, Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold
Path, and other significant symbols and rules that are part
of the Buddhist philosophy.
The Road to Ancient China
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listchinamr3.ht
ml
An Internet resource specifically designed for classroom
use that includes links to many sites on ancient Chinese,
arts and crafts, literature, religions and traditions.
Books for the classroom:
Dorling Kindersley Children's Atlas. Dorling Kindersley
Publishing, London: DK Publishing, Revised edition
September, 2003, ISBN 0789458454.
A beautiful children's atlas that is organized by continent,
then broken down by country. It is packed with maps, photographs, illustrations, and diagrams that examine the
physical and human geography of the world. There are
many fun-filled facts that pertain to each country and a
useful glossary.
The Ancient Chinese. Silver Burdett Company,
Morristown, N.J. Silver Burdett, 1981, ISBN 0382064461.
Learn about the ancient Chinese by perusing this
resource packed with descriptions and illustrations of life
in China from over 3,500 years ago to present day.
Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books Ancient China.
Cotterell, Arthur, Dorling Kindersley Publishing: New York,
NY, 2000, ISBN 0789458667.
A very informative guide to the history of the Chinese
15
empire and the customs and traditions of its people.
Loaded with photographs and descriptions.
Ancient China. Simpson, Judith, Time-Life Books, Weldon
Owen Pty Limited, Australia: 1996, ISBN 0809492482.
Useful reference includes colorful illustrations and
descriptions depicting life in ancient China: food, clothing,
myths and symbols, art, ways of thinking, new ideas, and
a timeline of the Dynasties of Ancient China.
SCRIPT OF NARRATION
China: From Past to Present
Part One: Geography, Traditional Religions,
and Beliefs
Introduction
China is an amazing country where rich traditions and
unique customs and beliefs thrive.
China is the birthplace of the world's oldest living civilization; a civilization that dates back some 3,700 years.
Throughout its history, China has undergone periods of
growth and periods of loss, periods of strength, and periods of weakness. But it has always survived. For most of
that time, China has been the most populated country on
Earth. And today its booming economy has made it a
leader among the industrialized nations of the world.
The Geography of China
China, which today is called the People's Republic of
China, is a huge country with a communist government
that covers about one-fifth of the continent of Asia. Today,
at the start of a new millennium, China is home to one billion, 300 million people, roughly one-fifth of the world's
population. China is bordered by 14 different nations; to
its north is Mongolia; and then moving westward are the
Muslim countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan,
16
Afghanistan, and Pakistan. From there, China borders
India and after that, the small Hindu and Buddhist kingdom of Nepal; then tiny Bhutan. After that, China's border
meets India again, until it reaches Myanmar, Laos, and
Vietnam. China's coastline runs along the China Sea and
the Yellow Sea, which are parts of the Pacific Ocean. Off
the coast, the nation of Taiwan, or Nationalist China, was
governed from the mainland capital of Beijing before the
communists took over in 1949; and it is still claimed by the
People's Republic today. In the northeast are the last of
China's neighbors. One is the small communist nation of
North Korea and the other is the enormous nation of
Russia.
China has several important rivers that are used for
transportation. The two main rivers are the Yellow River
and the Yangtze River.
Huge parts of China are very dry and quite thinly populated, such as the region near the vast Gobi Desert along
the Mongolian border; and the high, very cold, Tibetan
Plateau that runs along the towering peaks of the
Himalayan Mountains that are the highest mountains on
Earth.
Most of China's citizens live in the eastern third of the
country where the best land for farming is found. Almost
all of the most well-to-do Chinese live in huge cities such
as Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. But the majority of
Chinese are less prosperous farmers, like those seen
here, that live in rural areas. Nearly everyone in China
writes and reads the official language called Mandarin.
But the Chinese speak many different dialects. That is
why people from different regions of the country often
have difficulty understanding one another.
17
The Traditional Religions of China
The unique civilization of China has been strongly influenced by three traditional religions—those of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism—that are sometimes referred
to as "The Three Ways." The roots of these religions date
back thousands of years and each one has played its own
special role in shaping personal behavior, family life, government, art, and even scientific thought in China. Until
the onset of communism in the 20th century, people were
rarely persecuted for their religions. Overall, China has
had such a history of religious tolerance that traditional
religious beliefs have blended together to such a degree
that elements from one religion are quite likely to be found
in another.
Confucianism
Confucianism, the first of the traditional Chinese religions,
is based on the teachings of a philosopher named Confucius, who formulated his ideas around 500 B.C. Confucius developed detailed rules for personal behavior that
promoted mutual respect, generosity, honor, strong family bonds, a deep sense of personal duty to society, and
even the worship of one's ancestors. Confucius believed
that a superior ruler, father, husband, or older brother was
naturally worthy of respect and obedience, just as long as
he set a good example of proper moral behavior.
Confucius predicted that trouble would result whenever a
bad example was set.
In many ways, Confucianism turned out to be much more
of a system of rules for proper behavior and for good government than an actual religion. Nevertheless, the vision
and ideals of Confucianism ended up uniting China and it
provided the Chinese people with a strong foundation for
a stable, long lasting society.
18
Taoism
Taoism is the second religion that played a major role in
shaping Chinese thought and culture. It is a religion that
offered a more relaxed and natural way of finding happiness, compared to the numerous rules of Confucianism.
Taoism dates back to 300 B.C., but certain parts of the
religion are much older. Taoism is largely based on the
Book of Tao, or Tao-Te-Ching, a mystical text that may
have been written by a religious visionary named Lao-tzu.
Taoists believe that everything in the universe arises from
the Tao: a silent, pure, all-powerful force that existed before there was a heaven or an earth. The early Taoists
thought that the best way to find true peace and happiness was to gain firsthand experience of the Tao by living
in harmony with nature, leading simple lives, and by not
acting in anger. When it began, simplicity was an important aspect of Taoism, but as time went by, Taoist temples
filled up with ornate shrines, brilliantly colored statues,
and bowls brimming over with offerings. This happened in
part because, over the centuries, Taoists "adopted" many
ancient Chinese folk gods and began to worship them.
Today, Taoist priests conduct public rituals during which
they offer up prayers to the ancient gods and to other
divinities that represent different qualities of the Tao.
Taoists also believe that it is possible for humans to attain
immortality, that is to live forever; and that is why they
worship a special group of gods whom they believe once
lived on Earth as human beings
Buddhism
Buddhism is the third and most recent religion to play an
important role in shaping Chinese culture, and Buddhist
temples and religious images abound in China.
Buddhism began in India and is a religion based on the
teachings of a man known as the "Buddha,” or "Enlighten19
ed One." The Buddha taught the value of compassion or
"loving kindness," as a way to overcome the striving and
desire that cause human suffering. Around the year 650
A.D., a religious pilgrim returned to China from India and
brought the Buddhist scriptures with him. This towering
temple, or pagoda, was built to house those precious
books. In China, pagodas can take many different forms.
Most pagodas were built in the centers of Buddhist
monasteries. Monasteries are sacred places, filled with
temples and other buildings, that are home to monks and
nuns who devote their lives to religious practice. Lamas,
the Buddhist monks who live in the mountainous Tibetan
region of China, as well as in Mongolia, Bhutan, and
Nepal, often construct distinctive pagodas, like this one,
called stupas. Stupas are filled with sacred offerings, holy
relics, and shrines. They are often adorned with strings of
rippling prayer flags that are believed to transmit prayers
on the winds. And at the foot of some stupas, "prayer
wheels" can be turned to send out prayers as well.
The lamas of the Tibetan region of China follow a style of
Buddhism known as Vajrayana Buddhism. The supreme
spiritual leader of the Vajrayana Buddhists is known as
the Dalai Lama. Although this "Tibetan style" of Buddhism
was at first violently suppressed by the Communists in an
attempt to overthrow the religious government of Tibet,
lamas are still deeply revered in that region, both for their
religious activities and for their fascinating sacred dances
and music, as well.
In China, one the most popular figures from the Buddhist
tradition is Mi-lo-fo, the so-called "Laughing Buddha,"
whose image is encountered everywhere. Mi-lo-fo is very
much beloved because he embodies several important
Chinese ideals. For example, his fat belly symbolizes
wealth. His smile and relaxed manner show that his life is
harmonious. And the tiny figures that are crawling all over
20
him depict his deep love for children, which is one of the
most basic Chinese ideals.
Ancient Chinese Beliefs
In addition to religion, several ancient beliefs have been
extremely important in shaping Chinese culture, as well.
In fact, each of China's traditional religions has themselves been deeply influenced by these ancient beliefs.
Undoubtedly, one of the most basic and widespread of
them is the concept of yin and yang. In the symbol of the
Taoist religion, seen here, the mystical Tao is represented
as consisting of two balanced, but opposing, energies.
One is called yang and the other is called yin. Yin is the
energy associated with femininity, the Earth, the night, the
moon, and softness; while in contrast, yang is the energy
associated with masculinity, heaven, the daytime, the
sun, and strength. It is believed that having either too
much or too little yin or yang in any part of one's life will
lead to problems such as illness.
Each morning in the parks and public places of China,
older people are always seen practicing tai chi, an ancient
art that seeks to balance yin and yang energies while
building strength and agility. And the approach of balancing energy is employed in traditional Chinese medicine,
as well.
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui is also founded on
the concepts of yin and yang. In China, feng shui experts
have long been consulted for help in selecting a harmonious location for a new house or temple. Feng shui principles are used for planning the layouts of rooms and for
deciding on how furniture can be placed to obtain the best
energy flow. For it is believed that when the feng shui of
a house is "correct," meaning that the forces of yin and
yang are properly balanced, the people who live in it will
be happy, healthy, and prosperous.
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Another fascinating aspect of ancient Chinese thinking is
found in the groupings of lines arranged along the outside
of the yin-yang symbol. They are called the Eight
Trigrams and represent different qualities of the yin and
yang energies. A broken line in a trigram stands for yin
and one that is unbroken represents yang. The three
unbroken lines of this trigram represent a completely
yang quality and so the trigram symbolizes strength, creativity, heaven, and father. In ancient times, long before
the great religions were founded, people began to pair the
trigrams with one another to create six-line hexagrams.
People drew straws or tossed coins to represent the yin
and yang lines of the hexagrams. Thus, the hexagrams
could be determined purely by chance. And somehow
over time, the hexagrams came to be seen as possessing
a deep spiritual meaning and power of their own.
Thousands of years ago, a mystical book called the I
Ching, or Book of Changes, was compiled. It sought to
explain the hidden meaning of every line in each one of
the 64 possible hexagrams. And today that ancient and
mysterious book is still consulted by millions of Chinese
people searching for spiritual advice and guidance.
Video Quiz
1. True or False? The People's Republic of China is a
communist country.
2. True or False? Mandarin is the official language of
China, but many dialects are spoken.
3. True or False? Confucius developed a system of rules
for proper behavior.
4. True or False? Buddhism began in China.
5. True or False? Feng shui was the first emperor of
China.
22
China: From Past to Present,
Part One: Geography, Traditional Religions, and Beliefs
Cat. No. 9819
ISBN No. 1-59380-426-1
800-323-9084 FAX 847-328-6706 www.unitedlearning.com