China, the vast “Middle Kingdom” is rich and varied in its cultural traditions and customs. In general when we Westerners think “China” we think of the Han people but it is important to remember that China is made up of hundreds of different cultures, ideas and people groups all of which hold to their own traditions.

Thanks to books like Wild Swans, One Man’s Bible, Red Scarf Girl and literally hundreds and hundreds of other the Cultural Revolution is perhaps the best know time period of China’s history. A time period in which traditions were looked down upon and a great collective effort was made to eradicate traditional customs. It is therefore necessary to look to either very old or very recent publications in order to learn about China’s cultural traditions.

Lucky for the entire world, there are some excellent sources available for learning about these practices and the list provided below is simply a small introduction to this exciting topic.

My top ten books about Chinese traditions:

1)China A to Z: Everything You Need to Know to Understand Chinese Customs and Culture by May-Lee Chai and Winberg Chai. This book is perfect of you are looking for a breif overview of all topics relating to Chinese culture and tradition.

2)China: Culture Smart! A Quick Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Kathy Flower. This book is great if you like indexed information for quick facts.

3)The Chinese Have A Word For It by Boye Lafayette De Mente. This is a fun look at China’s rich use of language to convey nuance. It also discusses how Chinese language has influenced culture and vice-versa.

4)Moonbeams, Dumplings and Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities and Recipes by Nina Simonds. This is a fun and engaging look at some Chinese traditions which is suitable for all ages.

5)Basics of Traditional Chinese Cultue by Zhi Ei Xiang. Though this is a somewhat scholarly volume it provides some interesting and valuable information on the topic.

6)Chinese Opera: Images and Stories by Peter Lovrick and Wang-Ngai Siu. A study of Chinese Opera can be a great introduction to Chinese traditions and culture! These operas convey traditional stories and history using traditional costume, language, dance, movement, instrument and idiom. This is an excellent book with photographs.

7)The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic family Recipes for celebration and Healing by Grace Young. Food is such an important part of Chinese culture and history. No Chinese event is complete without special foods and no one can understand or explore Chinese traditions without exploring what and how they eat and prepare thier meals and banquets.

8)The Chinese House: Craft, Symbol and the Folk Tradition by Ronald G. Knapp. Chinese architecture is full of meaning and beauty. A study of the Chinese House is an eye opening study of the traditions which have influenced the Chinese people for centuries.

9)A Clever Rabbit Has Three Hiding Places by Chao Hsiu Chen. This is a scholarly look at several Chinese traditional educational tales. Its engaging and enlightening.

10)Voices of Qi: An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine by Alex Holland and Fred Lanphear. What look at Chinese traditions would be complete without looking at thier traditional medical practices?

I reiterate that this is just a beginning! There are so many excellent books about this rich subject that I nearly hesitated to stop at a top ten list but this should get you started.

Zi jien!