In the novel, Snow Falling In Spring, a memoir by Moying Li, art and culture played a big role in the daily lives of the Chinese people. During this book, China was going through the Cultural Revolution and at that time, many people were criticized by the things that they did and said; because of this, most people followed the rest of society so they would fit in and not be looked at as outcasts. Also during this time period, the Chinese had been experiencing a lot of difficult times; such as a famine, torture from their government, and a lot of stress from mainly everything in their lives. Along with America, China had made its people believe that they all had to be alike, whether it was the simple things like their taste in music, the clothes they wore, the way they entertained themselves or even their education. I believe that the society in America today is very similar to the society back then in China.
Beijing, China
Cultural Revolution
Bound FeetOne custom that the Chinese had was bound feet. At the time in China, women had believed that binding their feet showed beauty. Moying Li says how feet binding was their ideal of beauty, but she also says this, "The smaller one's feet, the more desirable one would be considered by her future husband."(24). Although this custom showed beauty, Lao Lao's father did not allow Lao Lao's feet to be bound. Her father knew the pain and the responsibilities that came with binding feet and he didn't want Lao Lao to have to endure all of that. Many of the women might have believed that since Lao Lao's feet were not bound, that she would not be desirable enough to make a family, but she was and she did.
A woman's bound foot.
Two X-rays of feet-one normal and one bound.
MusicThere are two major different types of music in China, Traditional and Modern. There are different styles that branch from these, but these are the main styles that the Chinese people are listening to. The way the instruments were played depended on the mood and setting of a situation. If someone had passed they would use slower music, just like if they were happy they would play faster music. Their music was very intricate, you could tell how someone was feeling just by the way they were playing. In my opinion, Chinese music is very soothing and relaxing, I enjoy listening to it when I am very stressed out. Its soothing sounds create a comfortable environment for me and I am sure it has the same affect on many others. Traditional Chinese music is the older styles of music. This style of music includes instruments such as stone chimes, bronze bells, panpipes, and the Sheng.
Modern Chinese music is the newer styles of music. This style of music includes both instruments from Traditional music and mixing it with popular instruments of the Western cultures. This is a modern music video that is from this year in China. It shows you how it used the older instruments, but also added in new styles. Beautiful Chinese Music, Modern
EducationDuring the Cultural Revolution, not many people were able to be enrolled in schooling, but after 10 years of waiting, they finally started accepting people. Moying Li was one lucky person along with about 100 others to be picked. When Moying Li finds out that she has made it in, she says, "For me, the door had opened to my first choice-the Foreign Language Institute"(153). Moying Li knows that this was a huge deal and she is ready to work hard to be the best she can. Although Moying Li had the chance to study at her school of choice, Lao Lao however, did not. Lao Lao didn't study at her school of choice, but she was still smarter than most of the other woman. Many of the women in the neighbor hood would come to Lao Lao for help because they knew of her great knowledge. The Cultural Revolution introduced many problems to the Chinese, but in more ways than one. We know of the school situations, but do we know about the Red Guards? The Red Guards were active Chairman Mao supporters. In the novel, Snow Falling In Spring, a memoir by Moying Li, the Red Guards had taken things too far, causing riots with the schools teachers. After this happened, the children were let out of school for their own safety. Moying Li was released from school at a young age, only leaving her with the knowledge she had at the time until her next chance to enroll in school, which happened to be in 1978.
Red Guards
ClothingThere are many different colors and styles of Chinese clothing. Back then, the styles and colors were based on your dynasty. As the dynasties would progress overtime, so would its clothing. Their clothing was somewhat similar, but represented their own personal ideas of beauty. There are three main styles of dresses and they are, pien-fu, the ch'ang-p'ao, and the shen-i.
Chang Pao
Pien Fu
Shen-i
Chinese clothing has progressed over the years and now they were comfortable clothes. The clothing styles may have changed, but they still try to incorporate a little of the old styles by adding some similar things such as lions, dragons, clouds, lightening, masks, etc. We can see that throughout the Chinese culture, they try to incorporate the old styles with the new to satisfy both the young and the elderly.
Art and Culture
In the novel, Snow Falling In Spring, a memoir by Moying Li, art and culture played a big role in the daily lives of the Chinese people. During this book, China was going through the Cultural Revolution and at that time, many people were criticized by the things that they did and said; because of this, most people followed the rest of society so they would fit in and not be looked at as outcasts. Also during this time period, the Chinese had been experiencing a lot of difficult times; such as a famine, torture from their government, and a lot of stress from mainly everything in their lives. Along with America, China had made its people believe that they all had to be alike, whether it was the simple things like their taste in music, the clothes they wore, the way they entertained themselves or even their education. I believe that the society in America today is very similar to the society back then in China.
Bound FeetOne custom that the Chinese had was bound feet. At the time in China, women had believed that binding their feet showed beauty. Moying Li says how feet binding was their ideal of beauty, but she also says this, "The smaller one's feet, the more desirable one would be considered by her future husband."(24). Although this custom showed beauty, Lao Lao's father did not allow Lao Lao's feet to be bound. Her father knew the pain and the responsibilities that came with binding feet and he didn't want Lao Lao to have to endure all of that. Many of the women might have believed that since Lao Lao's feet were not bound, that she would not be desirable enough to make a family, but she was and she did.
MusicThere are two major different types of music in China, Traditional and Modern. There are different styles that branch from these, but these are the main styles that the Chinese people are listening to. The way the instruments were played depended on the mood and setting of a situation. If someone had passed they would use slower music, just like if they were happy they would play faster music. Their music was very intricate, you could tell how someone was feeling just by the way they were playing. In my opinion, Chinese music is very soothing and relaxing, I enjoy listening to it when I am very stressed out. Its soothing sounds create a comfortable environment for me and I am sure it has the same affect on many others.
Traditional Chinese music is the older styles of music. This style of music includes instruments such as stone chimes, bronze bells, panpipes, and the Sheng.
Traditional Chinese Music, Picking Flowers
Modern Chinese music is the newer styles of music. This style of music includes both instruments from Traditional music and mixing it with popular instruments of the Western cultures. This is a modern music video that is from this year in China. It shows you how it used the older instruments, but also added in new styles.
Beautiful Chinese Music, Modern
EducationDuring the Cultural Revolution, not many people were able to be enrolled in schooling, but after 10 years of waiting, they finally started accepting people. Moying Li was one lucky person along with about 100 others to be picked. When Moying Li finds out that she has made it in, she says, "For me, the door had opened to my first choice-the Foreign Language Institute"(153). Moying Li knows that this was a huge deal and she is ready to work hard to be the best she can. Although Moying Li had the chance to study at her school of choice, Lao Lao however, did not. Lao Lao didn't study at her school of choice, but she was still smarter than most of the other woman. Many of the women in the neighbor hood would come to Lao Lao for help because they knew of her great knowledge.
The Cultural Revolution introduced many problems to the Chinese, but in more ways than one. We know of the school situations, but do we know about the Red Guards? The Red Guards were active Chairman Mao supporters. In the novel, Snow Falling In Spring, a memoir by Moying Li, the Red Guards had taken things too far, causing riots with the schools teachers. After this happened, the children were let out of school for their own safety. Moying Li was released from school at a young age, only leaving her with the knowledge she had at the time until her next chance to enroll in school, which happened to be in 1978.
ClothingThere are many different colors and styles of Chinese clothing. Back then, the styles and colors were based on your dynasty. As the dynasties would progress overtime, so would its clothing. Their clothing was somewhat similar, but represented their own personal ideas of beauty. There are three main styles of dresses and they are, pien-fu, the ch'ang-p'ao, and the shen-i.
Chinese clothing has progressed over the years and now they were comfortable clothes. The clothing styles may have changed, but they still try to incorporate a little of the old styles by adding some similar things such as lions, dragons, clouds, lightening, masks, etc. We can see that throughout the Chinese culture, they try to incorporate the old styles with the new to satisfy both the young and the elderly.