Society.
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Photo: Garry Green |
China: A nation boasting 5000 years of history, spanning over more than 20 dynastic periods ruled by hundreds of emperors. The home of Confucianism and Taoism, Tai Chi and Kung Fu. The birthplace of gunpowder, paper, printing, the compass, noodles, acupuncture, the kite, and even toilet paper.
The China of old, however, is fading into the past. It was in 1911 that China's last emperor lost the throne, making way for almost a century of rapid political and social change. After several decades of inner turmoil, the Communists - under Mao Zedong - took over in 1949, significantly altering Chinese culture and society with their policies. Following a socialist ideology with a strong anti-bourgeois stance, the new regime, aiming to end the feudal landlord system that had been prevalent for so many centuries, favored a redistribution of wealth and regarded peasant worker life as an ideal for all members of society.
During the infamous cultural revolution, traditional Chinese culture - in particular its deeply rooted Confucian values and hierarchical structure - was strongly opposed. During this time countless cultural artifacts were destroyed and many millions of intellectuals were persecuted, including the millions of urban-educated Chinese youth who were sent into the countryside to be "reeducated".
Since 1978, after political and economic reforms and the transition to a "socialist market economy" under Deng Xiaoping, China has continuously opened itself more and more to the world, thus also increasingly opening itself to capitalism. The nation's booming economy is evident in the towering skyscrapers and shiny, new cars that are now abundant in the larger cities. China's class of nouveau riche keeps getting richer, while the new, growing middle class is helping to reduce the gap between rich and poor.
Today's Chinese society comprises of approximately 1.4 billion people, and the population is still growing despite the one-child policy introduced in 1979. Although many still live in rural areas and poverty has certainly not been eradicated, China is developing at an extraordinary rate into a fast-paced, modern society - that in some respects seems much further along than the likes of the U.S. or Europe.
Still, there are aspects of ancient Chinese culture that are still present in modern-day Chinese society, such as the Confucian value of respect for one's elders and those with a higher social status. In recent years, Beijing has seen a revival of the hutong culture, aiming to rebuild many of the traditional Chinese-style homes that were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, as well as in the years following in order to make way for the giant high-risers now dominating the city's skyline. Today's China may not be the same as it once was, but the current hybrid of old and new, particularly in light of the events of the past century, is what makes this nation a truly fascinating and enchanting place.