C H I N A

1. C H I N A

4. Fast Facts • Largest 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 ½ times more people than in the USA

5. The capitol city is Beijing • The government is Communist • Religion in mostly Buddhist orTaoist

6. Renminbi (Yuan) = 14 ¢

7. Music • Scale 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

8. Qin

9. ErhuPipa

11. Chinese Inventions • Gunpowder & fireworks • Silk • Compass • Kite • Umbrella

12. Fireworks

13. 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 China’s economy

14. 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 caterpillar’s head Each cocoon has a tread that is 1000-3000 feet long

16. 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

17. Compass

18. Kite

19. Umbrella

20. Traditional Clothing

21. Chinese Animals • Giant Panda • Red Panda • Snow Leopard • White Crane

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

24. Wild pandas only eat bamboo • They spend 12 hours each day just eating • They don’t hibernate • They are very shy & live alone most of their lives • A baby panda is born weighing less than an apple, the smallest newborn of all the mammals

25. They are in danger of extinction • Only about 1500 pandas are left in the world • They only live in 6 small areas in China • The places where they live & the bamboo they eat are being destroyed by humans moving into their territory • Scientists are trying to keep them from becoming extinct both in the wild & in zoos

26. Red Panda

27. Snow Leopard

28. White Crane

29. Food • Starvation has been common in China’s history • A large number of people lived on land that didn’t grow food well • Chinese learned to eat all sorts of things that normally wouldn’t be considered food: bear paws, shark fins, rats, cats, dogs, bamboo

30. Staple Foods • Rice • Soy/tofu • Garlic • Vegetables • Tea

31. Soy

32. Tea • Tea 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

33. 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

35. Great Wall of China • Built 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

36. Is currently over 4000 miles long One of the largest construction projects ever completed in the world Can be seen from Earth’s Orbit, but, contrary to legend, not from the moon

38. Forbidden City • Located 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

39. 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

41. 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

42. Chinese New Year January 26, 4706 2009

43. Chinese Calendar • Dates back 2600 years B.C. • Is based on phases of the moon, unlike the modern calendar which is based on phases of the sun • Years are determined as part of a 12-year cycle • Each year is represented by one of 12 animals

45. The year starts on the 2nd New Moon after the Winter Solstice (shortest day of the year) • New Year’s 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

46. 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

47. Red couplets

48. Food • Dumplings • Orange & tangerines • Togetherness Tray contains 8 different kinds of candied fruit • Jai

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

50. Activities Fireworks Visiting houses of family & friends Exchanging red envelopes Parade of Lanterns Dragon dance