SOUTH KOREA 

Well hello, it’s me… (If you get it… ok ill stop) WELCOME EVERYONE! And thank you for tuning in for today’s adventure, if you are new don’t worry, lay back and enjoy the ride that we will give you today, Now stretch your legs and start moving because we’ve just arrived to SEOUL, the capital of South Korea!

Final stop: South Korea

 The name “Korea” comes from Goryeo, which was the name given to the dynasty established by General Wang Geon in AD 918. Goryeo means “high and clear.” Some poetic interpretations of the name Korea are “Land of High Mountains and Sparkling Streams” and “Land of the Morning Calm.”

Now South Korea is the largest market for plastic surgery per capita in the world. It is estimated between 1/5 and 1/3 of the women in Seoul have gone under the knife for at least one cosmetic procedure. This is astounding as there have been reports of Chinese and Japanese women that have been so changed by their surgical procedures that airlines have trouble knowing if it’s really them, because they look nothing a like with their passport photo.  

Now that you know what an amazing country we will be in let’s take a ride into the unknown and discover our last stop…

HISTORY

Now as we’ve done in all our previous travels, you know the drill, you can’t possibly try to understand a country without knowing its background, now s we all have heard during one point or another, Korea wasn’t always as divided as it is now, part of the culture shock visitors might present can be with the way of development in human interactions with Korean people. That’s why it is important (as we’ve already seen) to know our background.

So as always please hang on tight, because we are about to engage in a time travelling experience to learn more about South Korea… !!

According to myths, Korea was formed in 2333 BC by the god-king Tangun. Archaeological evidence, however, shows signs of life on the Korean Peninsula 700,000 years ago. It has existed either independently or as a collection of states for thousands of years and has experienced many invasions from neighbouring countries. Many of these were repelled despite considerable internal turmoil. Historically, the country has not welcomed foreign influence. It was a single independent country from the seventh century, when it was formed from three states, until the 20th century. The Russo-Japanese war resulted in the country becoming a protectorate of Japan in 1905 before being annexed as a colony in 1910. The following years of colonial rule were a time of growing resentment as Japan tried to suppress the Korean language and culture.

Independence was regained at the end of World War Two when Japan surrendered to the United States in 1945. The Republic of Korea (ROK) was formed in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula on 15 August 1948. In the north of the peninsula a Communist style government was formed in September of the same year: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The Korean War broke out when northern troops invaded South Korea in June 1950. They were backed by China and the Soviet Union. Troops from the United Nations and the United States fought with soldiers from the southern Republic of Korea to defend it from the Communist north. In 1953 an armistice was signed by the Korean People's Army, the Chinese People's volunteers, and the United States-led United Nations Command, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarised zone. The war resulted in over three million Koreans being injured or killed and countless families separated by the divide along the 38th parallel.

With help from economic aid from the United States, South Korea subsequently experienced rapid economic growth while the north remained economically and politically isolated from the rest of the world. The decades following the war were politically turbulent with autocratic leaders and strong protests by students and labour union activists against authoritarian rule.

After 32 years of military rule Kim Young-sam became the first civilian president of South Korea in 1993. In 1997 Kim Dae-jung was elected from a major opposition party. He had been a life-long human rights and democracy activist and his election marked a huge step forwards in the country's democracy. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his Sunshine Policy regarding North Korea. A family reunification programme was started in 1985 and continues to this day. Serious tensions remain with North Korea which is highlighted by the sinking of the warship Cheonan by North Korea in 2010 and the artillery attack on South Korean soldiers and civilians later in the same year.

POLITICS AND ECONOMY

Something I did not include in our previous travels was this section, since I thought the historical context would be more than enough to give you a background of the actual context, now I will probably add in that part later I am not sure but the reason I am including this section here is because I find a lot of misunderstandings and concerns following the South Korean government, with the hope of trying to dissipate some of these misconceptions or doubts I decided it would be a good idea to include this section.

Starting on with the politics we can say South Korea is a republic whose president is the head of state and whose prime minister is the head of government. It is a multi-party system. The president is elected for a single five-year term in office by popular vote. The prime minister is appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly. The National Assembly (Kukhoe) is made up of 299 seats; 245 are decided in single seat constituencies, the rest being elected by proportional representation. Members serve a four-year term. Legislative power is shared by the government and the National Assembly. A State Council is appointed by the president after recommendation by the prime minister.

The country is divided into nine provinces and seven cities which are administratively separate: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Ulsan, Daejeon and Gwangju. The legal system in South Korea is a mixture of European civil law, Anglo-American law and classical Chinese thought. A Supreme Court is run by justices appointed by the president with the consent of the National Assembly. South Korea joined the United Nations in 1991, as did North Korea.

Now as for the economy we can travel back in time and remote to when South Korea traditionally had an agricultural economy, which shifted towards manufacturing, and with service industries becoming increasingly important. It has a state-led market economy which has grown since the Korean War. The country benefited from economic aid from the United States following the war. It has developed from being one of the world's poorest countries to become one of the world's top 20 economies today.

FOOD

So far we have done our go to historical review, plus the politic and economical state of the country, we will now move on to one of our favorite topics here… you guessed it… FOOD.

For centuries, the Koreans have eaten the products of the land and sea. They began growing grains thousands of years ago, and rice cultivation was introduced to some parts of the country around 2000 b.c. During this time they also grew millet (a type of grass grown for its edible seed), soybeans, red beans, and other grains. They cured and pickled fish, were skilled in making wine and bean paste, and often used honey and oil in cooking.

Chinese and Japanese invasions during the fourteenth through twentieth centuries gave rise to a culinary influence on Korea that remains today. Like the Chinese and Japanese, Koreans eat rice with almost every meal and use chopsticks. Eating with chopsticks means the food is usually cut up into little pieces that are easy to pick up. Food cut this size cooks fast, which cuts down on the use of fuel.

Unlike China and Japan, however, Korea was never a tea-drinking nation. Historically, China and Japan had to boil their water for it to be fit to drink. Korea's water was pure, which led them to discover other beverages, such as ginseng and ginger drinks (made from herbs of the same name), wines, and spirits. Soo Chunkwa (ginger drink) is often served on joyous occasions during the winter, and especially at New Year's.

Upon visiting Korea, people are without a doubt impressed by the large number of dishes and large volume of food served from theKorean course menu called hanjonshik. While this is a characteristic of the Korean culture, the Japanese point of view wonders, if there is too much food to be eaten, why not decrease the quantity and lower the price? The extravagant Korean course menu adheres to traditional convention by mustering rice, soup, kimchee, namuru (seasoned vegetables),chige(a stewed dish),chimu(a steamed dish),kui(a grilled dish), pokkumu (a fried dish), chorimu (a boiled dish), chon (a seared

dish), fe (sashimi or raw fish), chokkaru (a salty dish), and more for course meals. The highlight is a large number of trays with a variety of dishes presented. So many dishes are presented that it seems that the legs of the table will break with their weight and the food is rarely all eaten, but the pure lavishness of it all is truly impressive.

One thing that we should all keep in mind is that, even if the countries we have visited so far are in Asia and in some points are very much alike, it is very important to notice that there IS a difference when it comes to types of food, traditions and much more.

ARTS 

Let us now dive into the fascinating world of arts traditionally, Korean art has borrowed heavily from the aesthetics of both Chinese art and Japanese art, using similar concepts, motifs, techniques, and forms. But despite this close association with the characteristics of traditional Chinese art, Korean artists have over the centuries developed a distinctive style of their own. The unique character of Korean art lies in its understated simplicity and spontaneity, together with a feeling of harmony with nature.

One of the main characteristics of Korean art is its close association with naturalism, a characteristic already noticable by the time of the Three Kingdoms period (c.57 BCE - 668 CE) but fully established by the Silla period (668–935). The practice of accepting nature as it is, led to a highly developed appreciation for the simple and the unadorned. In wood carving, for instance, Korean sculptors favoured the unaltered beauty of the natural wood grain. In ceramic art, the Korean potter was not interested in achieving technical perfection (in his surfaces, curves, or shapes), but in bringing out the natural characteristics of his materials and medium.

LANGUAGE

Surprisingly as it may be, if you have read my previous entries you will now know that in comparison to Japanese and Chinese you will soon find out that the Korean  language is very simple, and can be similar in structure to ours, for you to get a better idea, I will explain it.

As expected Koreans speak Korean, and if you can learn a handful of words ahead of travelling it will be very helpful to you. The Koreans consider themselves to be one family and they speak one language. They have a strong cultural identity. The Korean language is spoken by 65 million people living in or near to South Korea. Elsewhere in the world 5.5 million people speak Korean.

The language is very different to any Western language in terms of the grammar and the pronunciation. Whereabouts you are in South Korea will determine the dialect spoken. The Seoul dialect, is understood and spoken by almost everyone. Notably amongst the other dialects, the Gyeongsang dialect which is spoken around Busan and Daegu is considered to sound aggressive compared to standard Korean, and the Jeju dialect spoken on Jeju island is known for being almost incomprehensible to speakers of standard Korean, however the pure Jeju dialect is becoming less and less common.

The way Koreans write is surprisingly easy to learn and understand. It is a unique phonetic writing system called hangul.

The writing system uses sounds, stacked into blocks that represent syllables.

The system was designed by a committee it looks when you first glance at it like it is predominantly right angles and small circles. It is very logical and so you may find you can start to recognise elements.

Many Korean words can also be written with more complicated Chinese characters, known as hanja in Korean. These are still occasionally mixed into text but are becoming less common. These days, hanja are mainly used for making words less ambiguous - if the meaning is ambiguous when written in hangul. Hanja are also used to mark newspaper headlines, Korean chess pieces, as well as personal names on official documents.

RELIGION 

Now as we’ve understood or at least we now have a brief glimpse of what the Korean language and culture involves we can be bothered to learn about the religion, s you may have thought at the beginning of our journey that there was one religion for all Asia, we have learned so far that the roots (as in the majority of things) are the same, but later on as they develop they can take different turns, directions or meanings, Koreans, like other East Asians, have traditionally been eclectic rather than exclusive in their religious commitments. Their religious outlook has not been conditioned by a single, exclusive faith but by a combination of indigenous beliefs and creeds imported into Korea. Belief in a world inhabited by spirits is probably the oldest form of Korean religious life, dating back to prehistoric times. There is a rather unorganized pantheon of literally millions of gods, spirits, and ghosts, ranging from the "god generals" who rule the different quarters of heaven to mountain spirits (sansin). This pantheon also includes gods who inhabit trees, sacred caves, and piles of stones, as well as earth spirits, the tutelary gods of households and villages, mischievous goblins, and the ghosts of persons who in many cases met violent or tragic ends. These spirits are said to have the power to influence or to change the fortunes of living men and women.

Korean shamans are similar in many ways to those found in Siberia, Mongolia, and Manchuria. They also resemble the yuta found on the Ryukyu Islands, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Cheju Island is also a center of shamanism. Shamans are normally only women.

BEAUTY

Finally before this marvelous adventure comes to an end, let’s take a quick trip into Korean beauty, the complex, somewhat desired and in some people’s point of view, polemic out take in the beauty industry.  Taking the example of K-pop idols we can sometimes think that they seem so flawless it can’t be real. But that’s how high Korean beauty standards are.

South Korea is a hotbed of cosmetic innovations and trends, but it's also dealing with extreme plastic surgery and expectations of beauty. You've already seen how Chinese women are flocking to the nation to alter their appearance (to the point that they are unrecognizable in their passport photos!) but thanks to Korean-American woman Julianna Haahs, we're all getting a closer look at just how problematic these high beauty standards are.

First, let’s talk about the standard for female. This is probably the most detailed standards. First thing that Koreans tend to observe is the size of someone’s head aka proportion. For head size, the smaller is the better. Korean singer Ivy is known for her small head and many people including celebrities envy that. The ideal head: body ratio is 1:8 and it applies to both male and female.

Second thing is the forehead. Full round forehead is considered more beautiful either than the flat one or the one with a pronounced browbone.

High eyebrows means it has noticeable distance to the eyes, it’s prettier than the one that is too close to them.

For eyelid area, there are two things that we need to consider. First, the area itself. The pretty one is the flat one, and in contrary, the sunken one is not pretty because it makes people look older. The second thing is the lid. Of course you are all aware that double eyelid is necessary for female to look beautiful in Korea. But at the moment the half way double eyelid is more popular. It’s basically double eyelid that start from the middle of the eyes. And don’t forget about the eyes, they have to be big.

Lately, the ideal shape of nose is the one that is medium high with round tip. High nose in girl consider unnatural and even unattractive. For jaw, v shape is still preferable eventhough it’s not as important as before. Someone with square even round jaw still can be beautiful if she meets the other criteria above.

And last but not least, beautiful girl is preferably to have fair skin. Pretty girl with tanned skin is okay, but even better if she’s fair. Finally, in addition to cuteness, aegyo sal is almost a must.

For male, the standards are not as strict as female. If someone is handsome, then he is, despite not having certain best feature. Let me give two example of male celebrities that is well known to be handsome. They are Kim Soo Hyun and member of Infinite, L. You will see that both of them has different forehead, eyes, nose, and jaw line, but they are both very attractive.

Kim Soo Hyun has defined forehead, mono eyelid, quite-high nose with medium width, inverted triangle jaw, and a little bit definition on his cheek. His eyes is medium in size and he has a subtle aegyo sal.

L has a similar defined forehead only not as strong, he has a little bit double eyelid, higher and slimmer nose, oval jaw line, and softer cheekbone. Same with Kim Soo Hyun, Infinite L also has medium size eyes and aegyo sal. So, now you can see that both faces are very different but they are known to be handsome in Korea.

But one thing that is important for male is that they have to be tall to be attractive. Both Kim Soo Hyun and Infinite L are exactly 180 cm tall. 170 cm pretty much the superficial minimum standard for guy. It is amazing how beauty standards can be so changed from one point of view to another.

 

Korea is a wonderful place, filled with a variety of cultural facts and collisions with both their beauty standards and society, with this I finally conclude my travel blog throughout Asia, it is time to pack our bags and take the one way ticket to our home town. I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog, and thank you so much for reading. I once again clarify that I have no profit intentions with this blog, it is originally made for the single purpose of informing people who are interested in Asia and it is also my final English project.

Thank you so much for reading, until the next trip, keep being adventurous and never back down on your travelling dreams! 

CHINA

Hello adventurers! And welcome to another of our journeys, today we’ve arrived to China. China is one of Asia’s biggest countries and normally the most known, yet not many people are familiar with the culture and customs that this marvelous country has to offer.

Second stop: China

  China is an extremely large country, and the customs and traditions of its people vary by geography and ethnicity.

More than 1 billion people live in China, according to the Asia Society, representing 56 ethnic minority groups. The largest group is the Han Chinese, with about 900 million people. Other groups include the Tibetans, the Mongols, the Manchus, the Naxi, and the Hezhen, which is smallest group, with fewer than 2,000 people.  

"Significantly, individuals within communities create their own culture," said Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. Culture includes religion, food, style, language, marriage, music, morals and many other things that make up how a group acts and interacts.

HISTORY

Now as every country, to be able to have a more global view and understand the depth of this culture, grab on tight to your seats because you guessed it, we are taking a dip in the past…

As we all know, or may not know, China’s history is very vast, the base of today’s society depends totally in the actions of the past, the characters (language which we will review in depth further) all descend of pictures or simple drawings that represent actions, and when combined we get different words etc.

After 10,000 BC people in China lived by hunting and gathering plants. Then, about 5,000 BC, the Chinese began farming. From about 5,000 BC rice was cultivated in southern China and millet was grown in the north. By 5,000 BC dogs and pigs were domesticated. By 3,000 BC sheep and (in the south) cattle were domesticated. Finally horses were introduced into China between 3,000 and 2,300 BC. The Shang were polytheists (they worshiped many gods). The most important god was called Di. Furthermore during the Shang dynasty in China the practice of ancestor worship began. Ancestor worship is the belief that the dead can intervene in the affairs of the living. Offerings were made to them to keep them happy. Ancestor worship became part of Chinese culture for thousands of years.

Zhou Society

The dynasty ruled China from about C. 1022 BC to 221 BC. The first part of the Zhou era from C. 1022 BC to 771 BC is called the Western Zhou (because the rulers had their capital in the west of China). The second part of the era, from 770 to 476 BC is called the Spring and Autumn period. The lastDuring the Zhou period in China there was a class of officials who advised kings and rulers on the right way to behave and also how to carry out rituals. The most important of these was Kong-Fuzi (known in the West as Confucius). During his lifetime the old feudal social and political order was breaking down. Appalled by this state of affairs Kong-Fuzi tried to restore ancient principles. part of the era from 476 to 221 BC is called the Warring States period.

Ancient Chinese Beliefs

The Zhou period is sometimes called China's formative period because so much of Chinese philosophy developed at that time. The Chinese form of divination called I Ching was probably developed during the early part of the Zhou era. The idea of Yin and Yang also appeared during the Zhou dynasty. The ancient Chinese believed that all matter is made of 2 opposite and complimentary principles. Yin is feminine, soft, gentle, dark, receptive, yielding and wet. Yang is masculine, bright, hard, hot, active, dry and aggressive. Everything is a mixture of these 2 opposites. The ancient Chinese also believed there were 5 elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water. During the Zhou period the Chinese art of acupuncture was invented.

As we can observe china has had many dynasties throughout its history, thus forming the extensive language that it is today. But let us skip forward in time until the Chinese revolution.

In 1966 to reassert his authority Mao launched the Cultural Revolution. Students began to call themselves the Red Guard and they held rallies in Beijing. Soon a movement began to root out old habits, beliefs and attitudes and cause a cultural revolution. The Red Guard began to attack intellectuals and also officials. In 1967 they forced the mayor and other officials in Shanghai to resign. The same thing happened in other cities as well. Many party officials were purged and removed from power.

During the Cultural Revolution religion was persecuted in China. Many places of worship were destroyed. (Mao like all Marxists was an atheist and he detested religion).

RELIGION

Now as we’ve seen in our previous post these countries (China and Japan) part from the same heritage and roots, meaning that their historical context has influenced (like in any other country) their beliefs, practices and lifestyle. As we have seen in the last part of our historical travel, the revolution in China led to many not only political but also religious uprising, clashing with the values that are so characterized in Asian cultures.

The Chinese Communist Party that rules the nation is officially atheist, though it is gradually becoming more tolerant of religions, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Currently, there are only five official religions. Any religion other than Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism are illegal, even though the Chinese constitution states that people are allowed freedom of religion. The gradual tolerance of religion has only started to progress in the past few decades.

About a quarter of the people practice Taoism and Confucianism and other traditional religions. There are also small numbers of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. Although numerous Protestant and Catholic ministries have been active in the country since the early 19th century, they have made little progress in converting Chinese to these religions.

LANGUAGE 

Taking on the subject that I had briefly talked about earlier here is a more detailed and accurate history and development of language in china.

There are seven major groups of dialects of the Chinese language, which each have their own variations, according to Mount Holyoke College. Mandarin dialects are spoken by 71.5 percent of the population, followed by Wu (8.5 percent), Yue (also called Cantonese; 5 percent), Xiang (4.8 percent), Min (4.1 percent), Hakka (3.7 percent) and Gan (2.4 percent).

Chinese dialects are very different, according to Jerry Norman, a former professor of linguistics at the University of Washington and author of "Chinese (Cambridge Language Surveys)" (Cambridge University Press, 1988). "Chinese is rather more like a language family than a single language made up of a number of regional forms," he wrote. "The Chinese dialectal complex is in many ways analogous to the Romance language family in Europe. To take an extreme example, there is probably as much difference between the dialects of Peking [Beijing] and Chaozhou as there is between Italian and French."

The official national language of China is Pŭtōnghuà, a type of Mandarin spoken in the capital Beijing, according to the Order of the President of the People's Republic of China. Many Chinese are also fluent in English.

As someone who is actively studying and practicing their Chinese, I can assure you that it is a relatively easy language, it is only complex because the structure can be totally different from ours. For someone who is used to see the same a, b, c, d etc. characters over and over again repeatedly over the most common languages, and with very little exception or little room for variation, coming in contact with more than 3,000 characters that are all totally different and have certain precision can become more than a challenge at first.

FOOD

Like other aspects of Chinese life, cuisine is heavily influenced by geography and ethnic diversity. Among the main styles of Chinese cooking are Cantonese, which features stir-fried dishes, and Szechuan, which relies heavily on use of peanuts, sesame paste and ginger and is known for its spiciness.

Rice is not only a major food source in China; it is also a major element that helped grow their society, according to "Pathways to Asian Civilizations: Tracing the Origins and Spread of Rice and Rice Cultures," an 2011 article in the journal Rice by Dorian Q. Fuller. The Chinese word for rice is fan, which also means "meal," and it is a staple of their diet, as are bean sprouts, cabbage and scallions. Because they do not consume a lot of meat — occasionally pork or chicken — tofu is a main source of protein for the Chinese.

THE ARTS 

Chinese art is greatly influenced by the country’s rich spiritual and mystical history. Many sculptures and paintings depict spiritual figures of Buddhism, according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Many musical instruments are integral to Chinese culture, including the flute-like xun and the guqin, which is in the zither family.

Eastern-style martial arts were also developed in China, and it is the birthplace of kung fu. This fighting technique is based on animal movements and was created in the mid-1600s, according to Black Belt Magazine.

Ancient Chinese were avid writers and philosophers — especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties — and that is reflected in the country’s rich liturgical history.

CUSTOMS AND CELEBRATIONS 

One of the main attractions of China are the year round festivities, these attract many people from all around the world, and no wonder why. They are most certainly one of a kind. But why wait a year round when we can grab a ticket and go through all of them in a row! Let’s go!

Famous Ethnic Festivals in China

Festivals seem to fill the yearly calendar. The following are some of the most important ethnic festivals in China. We’ve also designed several Chinese Festivals Tours that take you to celebrate the festivals as local people do.

The largest festival — also called the Spring Festival — marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. It falls between mid-January and mid-February and is a time to honor ancestors. During the 15-day celebration, the Chinese do something every day to welcome the new year, such as eat rice congee and mustard greens to cleanse the body, according to the University of Victoria. The holiday is marked with fireworks and parades featuring dancers dressed as dragons.

Many people make pilgrimages to Confucius' birthplace in Shandong Province on his birthday, Sept. 28. The birthday of Guanyin, the goddess of mercy, is observed by visiting Taoist temples. It falls between late March and late April. Similar celebrations mark the birthday of Mazu, the goddess of the sea (also known as Tianhou), in May or June. The Moon Festival is celebrated in September or October with fireworks, paper lanterns and moon gazing.

New Year of the Miao Ethnic Group

It is the most important festival for the Miao people. It marks the beginning of a new year. Actually the exact dates vary each year and in different regions, and are only disclosed one or two months in advance. The celebration in Leishan County, Kaili City of Guizhou Province is the grandest one. During the event tourists can enjoy watching enchanting Miao customs come alive through various kinds of ethnic activities.

Shoton Festival of the Tibetan People

Shoton Festival is one of the most popular traditional festivals in Tibet. It celebrates eating yogurt, the Tibetan monks who end their season of meditation, the watching of Tibetan dramatic operas, and Tibetan Buddhism. It is held annually in the month of August, or late in the sixth month or early in the seventh month of the Tibetan calendar. The festival is a great occasion for both Tibetans and tourists. On the first day of the festival, the Thangka is scheduled to be unveiled at the Drepung Monastery. Then the celebrations will begin at Norbulingka. The residents of Lhasa will gather in the park and celebrate by eating yoghurt and watching the operas.

New Year Festival of the Tibetan People

The Tibetan New year, also known as Losar, is the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar. It is celebrated over a period of 2 weeks. It is marked with ancient ceremonies that represents the struggle between good and evil, by chanting, and by passing fire torches through the crowds. A certain amount of levity is provided by events such as the dance of the deer and the amusing battles between the King and his various ministers. On New Year's Day, Tibetans get up early, and put on new clothes after having taken a bath. They then worship the gods by placing offerings in the front of their household shrines. In addition, this day is for family members to exchange gifts. Families also have a reunion dinner, which usually consists of a kind of cake called Kapse and an alcoholic drink called chang, which is consumed to keep warm.

Water Splashing Festival of the Dai Ethnic People

It is the most important festival observed by the Dai ethnic people of Xishuangbanna Prefecture, and, similar to neighboring Thailand's Songkran Festival, it involves three days of celebrations that include sincere, yet light-hearted religious rituals that invariably end in merrymaking, where everyone ends up getting splashed, sprayed or doused with water. The Water Splashing ceremony is more than just good-natured fun; it also contains a religious element: water is regarded by the Dai as a symbol, firstly, of religious purity, but also of goodwill among people. Therefore, splashing a fellow human being with water during the Water Splashing Festival, whether a close neighbor or a fellow villager, or even a stranger, is an expression of the desire for good luck and prosperity to that person.

Sisters’ Meal Festival of the Miao Ethnic People

It is regard ed as the oldest Asian Valentine's Day. A few days before the Festival, Miao girls collect special wild flowers and leaves in the mountains to produce natural color to dye the glutinous rice, known as "sisters' rice". At festival time, the Miao girls, all dressed up in their holiday best with startling silver headdresses, crowns, and neck rinks gather together by the river banks to prepare their "sisters' rice". The rice is dyed blue, pink, yellow, and white to represent spring, summer, autumn and winter respectively. When the young men arrive they begin to single out the women they hope to marry someday and begin to sing for them. The young women respond to their songs by giving them a drink of rice wine and the sisters' rice wrapped in handkerchiefs with different symbols on them.

Naadam Grassland Festival of the Mongolian People

The Naadam Grassland festival is a magnificent event featuring traditional Mongolian mass recreational and sports activities. Naadam means games in Mongolian. It is held between summer and autumn from July to August when the flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and the cattle and sheep are well-fed. Tourists can participate in and watch horseracing, wrestling and archery, and enjoy the singing and dancing performed by Mongolian artists, or try local Mongolian traditional foods.

Lusheng Festival

It is popular throughout Guizhou, Yunnan, and Sichuan Provinces. The Lusheng Festival in Kaili, Guizhou is the most famous and grandest of the bunch. The festival features a lot of Miao ethnic activities, such as singing, bullfighting, horseracing, and dancing to the rhythm of the Lusheng. All the Miao people come together from different villages. The girls dress up in their best traditional costume and silver headdresses, while the boys carry their lusheng and head to the Lusheng Stadium to celebrate the festival. They circle in rings as the girls dance to the rhythm of the music provided by the boys. The ceremony is performed to bring hope for a favorable harvest in the coming year alongside good health. It is also a chance for the youth to express their admiration and love towards one another.

 

And with this we conclude our visit to China; I hope you’ve all enjoyed this amazing visit to China. Today we have learned about the different Chinese dynasty and historical patterns that have shaped and given China its character and language. But before we conclude our amazing voyage we still have one more place to go, South Korea!!!! Tune in next post to learn all about South Korea. I hope you’ve enjoyed this fun adventure, until next time!

JAPAN

Welcome once again and thank you for tuning in, we will now commence our journey, so please grab on tight to your seats and let’s start the engines of our imagination. 

First stop: JAPAN.

You heard it, our first stop is japan, what better place to commence our journey, than the country that first sees the sunrise. Japan.

Japan has had a fascinating and multifaceted culture; on the one hand it is steeped in the deepest of traditions dating back thousands of years; on the other it is a society in a continual state of rapid flux, with continually shifting fads and fashions and technological development that constantly pushes back the boundaries of the possible. 

As we have learned, Japan is, you could say colliding between the new cutting age technology and fast changing society with its antique conservative traditions and values. We will start with the fascinating “old” side of Japan, to understand their traditions including traditional culture like Geisha, Samurai, Japanese tea ceremony, Japanese gardens, kimonos and Japanese Language, we must first take a two way ticket to the past! So next stop everybody, Traditional Japan!!!!

HISTORY

Traditional Japanese culture has many roots in traditional Chinese culture (which we will be discussing later on hehehe), however Japanese culture, even historically differed from Chinese culture. This differentiation of the cultures is due in part to the separation of the two land masses, plus Japan’s periods of enforced isolation from the outside world, further extended the differences between the two cultures. Many times throughout history the first time a particular aspect of culture was imported from China it was of course very Chinese. However within a relatively short period the designs changed to take on a distinctly Japanese style. This can be seen in the designs of Japanese gardens and temples.

The Great Hall (Kondo) Horyuji Temple in Nara, is one of the first Buddhist temples built in Japan and follows the style from Sui Dynasty of China (6th century) with its double roof structure.

It is with some irony then that in modern times that the younger Chinese generations have looked to modern Japanese culture as a source of inspiration, particularly in field of Japanese fashion culture, where the Chinese are inspired by Japanese fashion magazines.

The first historical documents mentioning Japan date to around the 5th century. Japanese myth holds that Emperor Jimmu was the first emperor of an imperial line that is still in place today. The following Asuka regime during the mid 8th century is noted for a more centralized Japan in which Chinese culture significantly influenced Japanese traditions.

Nara was the first centralized capital of the nation established in the late 8th century. After a succession of powerful Shogun, Japan fell into a state of near-anarchy as provinces declared war upon one another during the 15th centuryIn 1867.

The imperial capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, renamed from Edo to Tokyo (Eastern Capital). In the early 1930's there were many small-scale military engagements in so-called "incidents" between the two sides. This culminated into a full-scale war in 1937.

As we’ve learned so far Japan has had quite an interesting history, concerning dynasties and political conflicts. But enough of the history lesson, lets return to the present.

LANGUAGE

And well how on earth are we going to comprehend Japanese people if we don’t understand their language, let’s take a look into the books…

The Japanese writing system consists of three different character sets: Kanji (several thousands of Chinese characters) and Hiragana and Katakana (two syllabaries of 46 characters each; together called Kana). Japanese texts can be written in two ways: In Western style, i.e. in horizontal rows from the top to the bottom of the page, or in traditional Japanese style, i.e. in vertical columns from the right to the left side of the page. Both writing styles exist side by side today.

TOKYO

How do we go to japan and not talk about world famous city Tokyo, not only is Tokyo the capital of Japan, but it is also one of the most technologically advanced places in the world. Tokyo not only holding the secrets of the most advanced artificial intelligence is also a place full of wonder where the clear shock between traditional japan and new japan meet and flow in a completely intriguing flow. Here is a more descriptive report of Tokyo

Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō) is Japan's capital and the world's most populous metropolis. It is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns and villages west of the city center. The Izu and Ogasawara Islands are also part of Tokyo.

Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945.

Today, Tokyo offers a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, entertainment, culture and dining to its visitors. The city's history can be appreciated in districts such as Asakusa, and in many excellent museums, historic temples and gardens. Contrary to common perception, Tokyo also offers a number of attractive green spaces in the city center and within relatively short train rides at its outskirts.

PEOPLE

Now getting back on track on the present Japanese people appear at first glance to be one of the most socially and ethnically homogenous groups in the world.

It is reasonable to equate Japan's rapid post-war economic development to the 1990s with social solidarity and conformism. Despite labour shortages since the 1960s, authorities resisted officially sanctioning foreign workers until the 1980s, relying on increased mechanisation and an expanded female workforce instead. As we’ve been able to deduce in our previous history flashback, women have always had a very centered place in the Japanese society, resembling beauty and grace (such as Geishas still to this day represent in their traditional lifestyle and dances).

RELIGION 

Now, something we as westerners have probably asked ourselves is, what is the religion in Japan? This is a basic question, and can be an as easy or an as complicated concept as you want it to be. Religion in Japan is a wonderful mish-mash of ideas from Shintoism and Buddhism. Unlike in the West, religion in Japan is rarely preached, nor is it a doctrine. Instead it is a moral code, a way of living, almost indistinguishable from Japanese social and cultural values.

 

Japanese religion is also a private, family affair. It is separate from the state; there are no religious prayers or symbols in a school graduation ceremony, for example. Religion is rarely discussed in every day life and the majority of Japanese do not worship regularly or claim to be religious.

However, most people turn to religious rituals in birth, marriage and death and take part in spiritual matsuri (or festivals) throughout the year.

FOOD

Here is the topic where no wrong can be done, food, we all love food, and we all have different perceptions and sometimes misconceptions about the food surrounding different countries around the world.

I am sure that more than one of you have heard (as westerners) that Asian people have rather extravagant tastes regarding the culinary aspect. Which is not completely true in the sense we think it is, When it comes to food, the Japanese are among the most enthusiastic and passionate of any race. Ask any Japanese person about a recent trip within Japan and the conversation almost always includes talk of the local food. In fact, for many Japanese travelling outside of their hometowns, food is often one of the primary motivators for travelling.

For this reason many towns and cities in Japan are known first and foremost for their local speciality, whether it be a type of sweet, fish, noodle, seaweed or tofu etc. Such is the Japanese passion for food that you can turn on your TV at almost any time of the day or night and almost undoubtedly catch a show about food.    

Careful preparation and meticulous presentation are crucial elements of Japanese cuisine. Food is an art form and even the simplest dishes are often prepared by chefs who have trained for many years.

As you can see, Japanese people treat food as not only the thing that you need to live and tastes great, they treat food as an art, which is a unique view that can be very interesting when you come from outside the culture.

GEISHA

Moving onto one of the most typical things here in japan, Geishas, the symbol of beauty by excellence in ancient and traditional times. The distinctive white face, red lips and elaborately decorated hairstyle of the Geisha is an enduring image portrayed throughout the globe as the entrance to a world to which most of us mere mortals are not invited. From somewhat seedy beginnings, the current world of the geisha remains a mystery to most foreigners and Japanese alike.

SAMURAI

Another emblematic theme of japan, are the distinctive samurai soldiers, that may not be as we westerners think, of course we might have a vague idea of what a samurai is and such, but the truth is that being a samurai has a much more deeper feeling and meaning than the sense of loyalty and braveness we so often see in movies. Pride and honor are a must when we talk about things that represent or that we associate with samurais. For those interested in Japanese history, samurai culture and the role this military class played in shaping Japan is a fascinating one.

Although samurai no longer exist, the influence of these great warriors still manifests itself deeply in Japanese culture and samurai heritage can be seen all over Japan - be it a great castle, a carefully planned garden, or beautifully preserved samurai residences. It is also deeply ingrained in the psyche of the Japanese people.

The basis of samurai conduct is bushido, "the way of the warrior". This unique philosophy valued honour, reckless bravery and selflessness, as well as duty to the warrior's master with the purpose of giving up one's life and embracing death. There was no place for fear in the way of the warrior and this conduct of self discipline and respectful, ethical behaviour was to become the role model behaviour for other classes throughout Japan's history.

THEATRE 

Coming to another stop we once again get in touch with Japan’s vast historical context that still has a great value and present impact in today’s everyday life for the average Japanese people. We now dive in into what must be one of the most fascinating cultural and historical representations that still carry on today. You're in Tokyo with InsideJapan Tours - why not take in the theatre? If you are shopping or just window-shopping in Ginza in the heart of Tokyo, you are only a few minutes' walk from the Shimbashi Embujo.

 All parts in Kabuki are played by men and some of its greatest actors specialise in playing female characters. Kabuki stars are part of Japan's celebrity culture and you will often see their faces on advertising billboards or in TV commercials.

Apart from Kabuki, the puppet theatre (Bunraku), with each puppet being manipulated by three puppeteers, also dates from the seventeenth century, and Noh, a more stately form of danced theatre in which many main actors wear wooden masks, can  trace its history back to the fourteenth century.

Bunraku is most regularly played in Osaka at the National Bunraku Theatre and earphone guides are also available there. Noh can be watched at the National Noh Theatre in Tokyo, and each seat has a personal subtitling system.

Japan has preserved its traditional theatre forms, but it has a vibrant modern theatre as well. The country was virtually cut off from the rest of the world for two centuries from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, but when it discovered what European theatre was like, it eagerly embraced the major European playwrights: Shakespeare, Ibsen etc.

ANIME AND MANGA

Taking a break from so many cultural activities we take a stop or best said a MUST in our visit to Japan is the anime and manga community that lies here, anime is the word to describe the characteristic style to draw and or animate a story. Originally the term anime was adopted from the American word animation. Anime has a variety of themes, characters, and stories. There is such a wide range of themes that there is most definitely something out there for your tastes.

Before we continue let us first clear up the fact that the international term of “otaku” which is world widely known to describe a person who likes, enjoys, watches or is a fan of anime and manga, in Japan, the term “otaku” is normally seen negatively, it is seen as someone who is socially isolated and has an unhealthy obsession and relationship with the fictional characters that are shown in anime or manga.

Manga books are generally printed in black and white and cover a wide variety of genres and subject matter aimed at both sexes and all ages, not just for young boys - to whom comics are generally marketed in the West. Themes include romance, action adventure, science fiction, comedy, sports and can also venture into darker subject matter for adults such as horror and more risqué material; though the latter tends not to be acknowledged in everyday life and culture.

As it makes up a large section of Japan's publishing industry, manga books can be found and seen everywhere. People reading manga on trains during rush hour is a common sight in Tokyo as well as the rest of the country.

Once certain manga have proven their worth by popularity, the natural progression is for an animated TV series to be created, however, manga is not the only source of inspiration for anime. For example, Pokémon was a worldwide hit as a video game for Nintendo before it was made into manga and anime series.

The obvious differences from manga such as colour, movement and sound bring anime to life, but there is one additional element which is extremely important: the theme song. Artists from the J-pop and J-rock world are all falling over themselves to write the theme songs for the next big anime series as it is almost a guaranteed hit and provides great exposure. The anticipation of which artist it will be can often overshadow the anime itself, being the topic of hot discussion in school playgrounds and internet forums.

Parting from the fictional and intriguing world of Japanese animation, we now approach the end of our amazing journey, today we’ve gone through a journey across the globe towards one of Asia’s most modern countries, arriving clearly seeing how the culture shock may affect us and to get a better understanding of the culture we travelled in time, where we learned about all the political changes the country has endured and how its traditional values have been very preserved colliding nowadays with competing technology and advanced resources that may not compare to the rest of the world.  

 We now take aboard the plane to the amazing CHINA. Do not forget to keep on track of our great adventure, thank you so much for reading, I hope you’ve spend a wonderful time here with me enjoying all the greatness that this country can offer, and see you next time when we land in Bei Jing.