Chinese Daily Life
A description of traditional lifestyles, clothing, housing, and cuisine of China.
Traditional Lifestyles of China
Modern China is home to 1.4 billion people leading diverse lifestyles. In the past, its average citizens have lived as farmers, pastoral herders, craftsmen, fishermen, laborers, merchants, scholars, artists, and soldiers. They raised families in fertile river valleys, on mountain slopes, and along the coast of the Western Pacific. Despite these many differences, a few common trends emerged among the Han, China’s ethnic majority.
In the past, most of China’s population were peasant farmers. They grew staple crops of millet in northern regions and rice where the climate allowed. Small farming villages covered the landscape alongside rice paddies. Depending on the era and their status, peasants might own this land or work it for a wealthier landowner. The lucky owned oxen or water buffalo to draw plows through waterlogged fields. The rest tilled their own soils, flooded them with irrigation, and planted rice shoots by hand.
In the cities, merchants, craftsmen, and the nobility drove China’s local and international economy. They bought and sold wares at markets, which might contain goods from both peasant farmers and exotic lands. Urbanites gathered in inns and pubs for recreation, including dramatic recitations and the chance to test their wits at board games. Taverns and brothels offered women one of their few opportunities to run a business of their own.
Common Housing in Historic China
Houses were generally built around a courtyard. While the wealthy enjoyed private courtyards enclosed by separate rooms, poorer families ringed several houses to form an open space between them. The entryway to this courtyard, often a gate, faced south. Peasant homes were built from timber and mud. They contained little furniture and operated on a practical level. In Northern China, people slept, ate, and relaxes on raised platforms known as kangs. The kang housed pipes, which carried hot air from the kitchen stove beneath it. This provided a warm seat and bed on cold nights. Rich families could afford multi-room homes filled with luxurious furniture, decorations, and servants.
Families lived together for multiple generations. Each person within the household gained respect and influence with age. A new daughter-in-law, for example, commanded very little respect in the home. As she aged, however, she could hope to produce sons, whose wives would complete the tasks she once performed herself. Women were raised to serve the male figures in their life. Their general daily tasks included cooking, cleaning, raising children, working in the fields, and weaving textiles. Wealthy women enjoyed even fewer freedoms and rarely left their homes.
Traditional Chinese Cuisine
Wheat- and millet-growing regions specialized in breads, dumplings, buns, and pancakes. Rice-growing farmers, if they were poor, might eat the grain almost exclusively. Both types of crops were ground into flour and shaped into noodles. Soybeans, another staple, were processed into tofu or used to make sauces and pastes. Chicken, duck, pork, fish, and dog served as common meats, depending on where a family lived. They might also grow vegetables like bok choy, eggplant, kale, spinach, Chinese broccoli, and Chinese cabbage. These ingredients can be combined into soups, stews, stir fries, and pastas, among other dishes.
Modern Chinese cuisine uses both ancient ingredients and new arrivals to explore a variety of dishes. Popular favorites include Peking duck, hot pots, kǎo ròu barbecue, red bean bread, and dumplings, among many others. The true extent of Chinese cuisine is vast and highly regional. In countries like the United States, a separate culinary tradition has arisen. These dishes, while rarely authentic to Chinese cuisine, have been adapted to locally available ingredients and tastes. Chinese remains one of the most popular styles of cuisine in the United States.
Folk Clothing of China
The most well known textile of China is silk, but the majority of its historic population wore hemp or cotton clothing. Styles varied by time and place, but most followed a similar pattern. Men and women wore cross-collar tunics over trousers or a skirt. The colors, materials, patterns, and accessories they wore all denoted status. Male officials, for example, typically wore exclusive hats revealing their rank. Both genders wore their hair long as a sign of respect to their ancestors. They valued cleanliness and hygiene, bathing often and, among the upper classes, purchasing perfumes.
Besides the standard two-piece apparel, China’s most famous outfit is likely the cheongsam dress. This clothing was introduced by Manchurians during the Qing dynasty. The dresses are known for their high collars, length, and vibrant silk patterns. Modern Chinese people tend to wear Western-style clothing, though they may don traditional outfits on special occasions.
Daily Life in Modern China
Today, China is an industrial society with access to many modern amenities. About 60 percent of its population live in cities, where they may own homes or live in apartment complexes. Relatively few people own cars, though the number is increasing. Outside the cities, farmers and rural ethnic minorities may lead more traditional lifestyles. Quality of life and income vary dramatically, ranging from dirt floors to skyscraper penthouses. Many people work long hours. Education, travel, and recreational activities like going to the movies or dining out are all common priorities in day-to-day life.
References
Babones, Salvatore. “China's Middle Class Is Pulling Up the Ladder Behind Itself.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 1 Feb. 2018, foreignpolicy.com/2018/02/01/chinas-middle-class-is-pulling-up-the-ladder-behind-itself/.
Kang, Zhengguo. Confessions: An Innocent Life in Communist China. W.W. Norton. 2007.
Gernet, Jacques. A History of Chinese Civilization. Cambridge University Press. 1996.
Gunde, Richard. Culture and Customs of China. Greenwood Publishing. 2002.
Newman, Jacqueline. Food Culture in China. Greenwood Publishing. 2004.
“The World Factbook: CHINA.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 12 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html.
Von Glahn, Richard. An Economic History of China. Cambridge University Press. 2016.
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