By: Kyan Shikashio

 The Chinese people celebrate special occasions with all kinds of delicious foods, like eating dumplings and suckling pig. A typical Chinese meal however its simple to make. It consists of vegetables, rice soup and meat. The Chinese also love to drink tea.  In fact drinking tea began in China about five thousand years ago. Western China especially the Sichuan province is known for its spicy known food cooked with plenty of chilies. Northerners use a lot of chilies in their food, Just like Beijing uses a lot of chilies and garlic in their food. Chinas minority group have their very own unique dishes.

Chinese people speak many different languages. There's a language called Putonghua (PU-TONG- HUA).The earliest Chinese poems are back to about 600 BCE=Before Christ Era. Many poems are made by classical poets like Li Sau are still read and enjoyed. Chinese legends and folktales have been handed down from cultures.

 Chinese people through out the world they celebrate Chinese New Year. Weeks before the festival, every household cleans the house and decorates it with red paper cuttings. On Chinese new years eve family members set together for a reunion dinner. The dragon festival is another popular Chinese celebration. They make a hang paper lanterns that look like the full moon. On Chinese New Years people decorate doorways with handwritten poems on strips of red paper. Cymbals clang and fire crackers pop to scare away evil spirits.

 They use paintbrushes in China to paint. Difficult periods in Chinas history are when the arts were strictly controlled. Some of Chinas traditional art forms are thousands of years old. Painting survived difficult periods of time. Today many Chinese painters blend traditional brush painting with western styles.

 When th e y are not studying children play and and enjoy playing their favorite games like jump rope and hide and seek. Popular sports include table tennis, swimming and badminton. To promote sports the government provides sports facilities in factories, schools and government and any including Olympic games. Wuhu and Gong Fu are exercises to!

 The Chinese Martial arts are called kung Fu which means kill. Kung Fu or Gong Fu its also known as so many different forms. Tai chi Chan involves more circular motion and dance like movements. Energy is the focus of the martial arts. Kung Fu focuses on inner harmony of mind and body is typically more gentle than more other different martial arts.

Welcome to my Country China. Author Gu Sui Noi Pages Year Published 2006 Exploring China Author Eileen Guiffre Cotton and Caroll F.Stice Pages Year Published 2001