颐和园(the Summer Palace)是世界上规模最大，保存最完整，文化内涵最丰富的皇家御苑，被誉为皇家园林博物馆。园内建筑吸收了中国各地建筑的精华。东部的宫殿区和内廷区，是典型的东方四合院(quadrangle)风格。南部的湖泊区是仿杭州西湖景色，一道西堤(dyke)把湖泊一分为二，具有浓郁的江南情调；万寿山(Longevity Hill)的北面，是典型的西藏喇嘛庙宇(Tibetan lamasery)风格，有白塔及城堡式建筑；北部的苏州街，店铺林立，水道纵通(cricroing watercourses)，又是典型的江南水乡风格。
中国人喜欢喝茶，也常常用茶来招待朋友和客人。茶叶是中国人生活中的必需品。茶树原产于中国。中国古人发现茶树后，起初是把茶叶用于药用，后来才当作饮料。花茶（scented tea）是中国独有的一个茶类，是在茶叶中加入香花熏制而成的。最有名的花茶是福建产的茉莉花茶(jasmine tea)。喝茶不但可以止渴，还能消除疲劳，帮助消化，预防一些疾病。长期饮茶，对人的身体很有益处。
文学是文化中最有活力，最灿烂辉煌的一部分。在历史发展的长河里，中国古代文学蕴含(embody)了中华文化的基本精神，体现了中国人的美学(esthetics)追求，承载了中华民族的理想信念，表现出自己独特的个性和风采。从远古(primeval times)神话(mythology)到唐诗宋词，明清小说......各种文学形式，高潮迭起，连绵数千年，涌现出许多古今文明的文学家(litterateur)和不朽的文学作品。
丝绸之路(the Silk Road)是公元前二世纪开始出现的一条联系中国和欧亚大陆的交通要道，由于这条道路开始时以丝绸贸易为主，所以人们便称它为丝绸之路。这条陆上道路从中国长安开始，经甘肃，新疆，进而到中亚，西亚，并一直联结到地中海(the Mediterranean)沿岸各国。丝绸之路不仅是一条古代通商的道路，它更是连接古代中华文明，印度文明，埃及(Egypt)文明，希腊(Greece)文明和美索不达米亚(the Mesopotamian plains)文明的纽带，是东西方文化和科学技术交流的桥梁。
中国是风筝的故乡。放风筝有益于身体健康，所以，许多国家十分流行放风筝。中国人不仅把放风筝当作有趣的游戏和有益于身体健康的体育活动，也常常把风筝当作装饰挂在墙上。目前，中国的风筝已经远销到日本以及东南亚和欧美的许多国家，受到了世界各国人民的欢迎。近年来，山东潍坊每年都要举行国际风筝节。
旗袍(cheong-Sam)源自清代满族(Manchu)女性服饰，被誉为中国传统服饰(habilatory)文化的典范。它不仅在整体造型的风格方面符合中国文化和谐的特点，而且它的装饰手法也展现着浓厚的东方特质(oriental idiosyncrasy)。另外，穿旗袍可以增加形体的修长感，配上中高跟鞋，更可以抬升人体的重心(the center of gravity)，将东方女性的端庄(civility)，典雅和含蓄的美展露出来。因此旗袍在中华民族服装中独领风骚，久盛不衰。
汉语是中国汉民族使用的语言，汉语历史悠久，在3000多年前就有了相当成熟的文字。汉
语有超过12亿的使用者，是使用人数最多的语言之一，除了中国，新加坡，马来西亚等国也有相当一部分人使用汉语，分布在世界各地的几千万华侨，华裔，也以汉语的各种方言为自己的母语。汉语是中国人使用的主要语言，也是联合国的工作语言。
中国人的生活多姿多彩，有许多很有意思的民俗(folkways)。最有意思的可能要数中式婚礼了。中国人结婚与西方人不大一样，西方人要进教堂，而中国人要大摆筵席；西方人要上帝赐福，而中国人要拜天地，拜父母；西方人穿着洁白的婚纱举行婚礼，而中国传统的婚礼需要新郎新娘穿红衣服，因为红色在中国象征着吉利、喜庆。
The Summer Palace is the largest and the best-preserved royal garden in the world with the richest cultural connotation, hence it is honored as a museum of royal gardens.The buildings in the palace are the architectural cream from all parts of China.The administrative and residential areas in the east of the palace are typical of the quadrangle in northern China,Where the enclosed courtyards are connected by various roofed causeways.The lake in its south,however,is an imitation of West Lake of Hangzhou,where a dyke divides the lake in two,thus giving it an obvious touch of southern China landscape.On the north side of Longevity Hill,the scene is that of Tibetan lamasery,where stand white pagodas and buildings like blockhouses.And in the north,the Suzhou Market Street,with all kinds of shops its cricroing watercourses,is again in the style of the waterscape in southern China.
The Chinese people like to drink tea,and often entertain friends and guests with it.The tealeaf is a neceity in the life ofthe Chinese people.China is the homeland of tea.The ancient Chinese first used it for medicinal purposes before developing tea as a drink.Scented tea is peculiar to China,which is made by smoking tea leaves with fragrant flowers.The most famous one is jasmine tea produced in Fujian Province.Drinking tea can quench one’s thirst,dispel fatigue,help digestion and prevent some diseases.The constant drinking of tea is quite beneficial for people’s health.
Literature is the most dynamic and splendid part of Chinese culture.Throughout the long history,Chinese ancient literature has embodied the underlying spirits of Chinese culture,reflected the Chinese people’s pursuit for esthetics and faith for ideal society,and moreover,demonstrated the distinctive Chinese character.For centuries,a succeion of diversified literary forms,for instance,mythologies in primeval times,poems and Ci in the Tang and Song dynasties,novels in the Ming and Qing dynasties,etc,have come into being.Many great litterateurs are still remembered today and their masterpieces have gained perpetual fame.
The silk Road refers to a transport route connecting ancient China with Central Asia,West Asia,Africa,and the European continent.It appeared as early as the second century and was traveled mainly by silk merchants,herce the name.The Silk Road began in Chang’an,paing through Gansu and Xinjiang to Central Asia,West Asia,and to lands by the Mediterranean.The Silk Road functioned not only as a trade route,but also as a bridge that linked the ancient civilizations of China,India,Egypt,Greece and the Mesopotamian plains.It also helped to promote the exchange of cultures and science and technology between east and west.
China is the birthplace of kites.Because flying kites is beneficial to one’s health,it is gaining popularity in many countries.The Chinese regard it as an interesting game as well as a sport helping keep fit.Some people also hang kites on the wall for decoration.Chinese kites,which are popular among people all over the world,are now available for sale in Japan,Southeast Asia and many countries in Europe and America.In recent years,the annual International Kite Festival has been held in Weifang of Chandong Province.
The cheong-sam has its origin in the Manchu female’s costumes in the Qing dynasty and han been regarded as the model of Chinese traditional habilatory culture.As for the reason,the cheong-sam not only accords with the characteristic of harmony within Chinese culture in terms of the style,but also shows rich oriental idiosyncrasy with regard to ornamental techniques.In addition,the cheong-sam will give more prominence to a lady’s slender figure,and also help to heighten the center of gravity of human bodies together with high-heel shoes,so that civility,elegance and dignity will be fully displayed.Therefore,the cheong-sam developed its own trend,which has been long lasting.
Used by the Han people in China,the Chinese language has a long history,having established a fairly mature written language more than 3000 years ago.The Chinese language has more than 1.2 billion users and can be regarded as the one spoken by the greatest number of person.In addition to China,some people in Singapore and Malaysia also use Chinese,and millions of overseas Chinese and foreign citizens of Chinese origin distributed around the world use various Chinese dialects as native language.The Chinese language is the main language used by Chinese,also one of the working languages of the United Nations.
The Chinese life is colorful with many interesting folkways.The Chinese wedding may be a focus of interest.There are many differences between the Chinese and the West in weddings,as the people in the West go to church while the Chinese celebrate with a feast.Westerners hope that God will ble them while the Chinese thank heaven and their parents.Westerners wear white wedding drees while the bride and groom wear red according to Chinese tradition,because red symbolize good luck and happine.
