As a 3 year old Chinese girl, I've definitely had my fair share of experience with Chinese culture. I was born in Shanghai, China and moved to the US at age 4. I vividly remember my experience in China with many of my friends and family. Back then I didn't really think much of it, as if it was just another special day that happens every now and then but now I realize how special and unique Chinese culture is. With each traditional Chinese culture I experience, my respect for my heritage and culture goes up. Even as of now, living in the US, I still am able to experience the culture and essentially that I’ve been raised with it.
My favorite thing about my culture is the food. With each festival that happens there are many different delicious foods to eat and try, with my favorite being the zongzi eaten during the dragon boat festival. It’s shocking how even food can have meanings. The story for the zongzi and how it was used to feed fish so that they don’t eat Qu Yuan’s dead body. Qu Yuan was a famous Chinese poet who lived 300 years ago, and people memorialize him eating zongzi on the fifth day on the fifth month of the Chinese calendar. Many other foods eaten on other Chinese festivals also have their own unique origins and stories.
Ancient poems were also a prominent part of Chinese culture that I was surrounded by as a kid. I memorized a bunch of Chinese poems as a kid from authors such as Li Bai and Du Fu. Back then I didn't understand the meanings of the words but as I have grown, I have fully understood and appreciate the thoughts and expressions shown with the words that are used. With the words being from thousands and thousands of years ago, it’s crazy how significant the poems are, showing the reflection of nature and feelings in such a beautiful way.
Another amazing thing about Chinese culture is the traditional clothing. The traditional clothing not only has historical backstories and cultural richness, but it also has artistic beauty and uniqueness. Each piece of the clothing has a story, and it shows off the values, diversity, and creativity of Chinese culture. From the “hanfu” to the qipao, each is unique in its own way and its own way to show China's history.
