The Chinese being practical people with a highly developed social consciousness, their thoughts and customs generally center on human relations, moral values and government.

Complementary to this is a corresponding mystical side of the Chinese character, which demanded that the highest aim should be to transcend the world of society and everyday life and to reach a higher plane of consciousness.

This is the plane of the sage, the Chinese ideal of an enlightened person who has achieved mystical union with the universe. fully realized human beings, in the words of Chuang Tzu, "by their stillness become sages, by their movement kings."

These two trends represent opposite poles in Chinese thought and custom, but in China they were always seen as poles of one and the same human nature. Learn more about Chinese thought and customs at the following links:

Chinese Proverbs Proverbs offer us a window into the differences and the similarities between various cultures. Chinese proverbs are universally admired for their simplicity and wisdom.		Yin and Yang In Chinese culture, Yin and Yang represent the two opposite principles in nature. The ancient Chinese concept extents to a belief that this dual complementary force throughout the universe.		Chinese Dragons Dragons are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, so Chinese often consider themselves, 'the descendants of the dragon.' The dragon a symbol of prosperity and good fortune also plays an important part in Chinese Festivals		Gods and Ghost Chinese mythology is marked by its sense of humor. Ghosts have been believed and worshipped for thousand years and most Chinese Gods and Goddesses are as prone to mistakes as we are.
Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism In T'ang times, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism was known as the Three Doctrines, or the "Three Teachings" constituting the essence of traditional Chinese culture.		Family Life The concept of family has had the most unusual twist and turns as the Chinese are influenced by tradition, immigration, and modernization. From ancestral worship to patriarchal rule to paper son, Chinese culture is rich and highly influenced by all of these.		Feng Shui Feng Shui is an ancient art related to the law and order of the universe and the power of nature. A complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure the health and good fortune for people inhabiting it.		Chinese Etiquette Ancient Chinese traditional customs are manifested in all the spheres of Chinese life. Westerners may have a hard time figuring out all the customs and formalities that are different from the customs and formalities in other Asian countries.