China is an ancient country with rich history and it society has been considered rather conservative and traditional. Chinese culture has been studied by researchers for centuries. The present comparative analysis will be started with the study ”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’ written by Jiang was published in 1995. Author presents the consequent development of Chinese culture in the most important historical periods of Chinese history. Jiang (”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) points out that ”˜the culture and power of China seem stronger in the late 20th century than at almost any other period in history.’ Jiang’s quote in partially contradicts the conclusions made by reporter Kathleen McLaughlin in her interview ”˜Why China’s youth find Western culture attractive’. McLaughlin explains that in the majority of cases Chinese culture makes different Western influences its own but nevertheless nowadays Western culture has managed to make a powerful impact on all spheres of Chinese people’s activity.
Jiang (”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) begins with historical presentation of the origins of Chinese culture, and mentions the fact that the history of culture in China is the oldest one because of the known fact that first Chinese writing system appeared a almost 4,000 years ago. This author continues the description of the historical and cultural background by telling the audience that at the times of Yuan Dynasty (from AD 1279 to 1368), and during the Ch’ing Dynasty from AD 1644 to 1911, the country was under ruling of foreign invaders, but despite this fact, culture governed by the invaders has managed to absorb these rulers. It means that the culture of Chinese nation at that period of time was so strong that nothing could harm it r make it weaker.
The substantial changes in Chinese history and society first happened in 1911 and then in 1949 when the Communist Party came to power in China in 1949. The social changes has started with the active engagement of women into the social life. Chinese women used the opportunities suggested by the new policies and industrial development and started to actively engage themselves in professions such as teaching, social work, and medicine, student activism, and politics. Author notes that the role of modern China is the world economic and political affairs are significant.
Jiang (”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) researches the early Chinese history is known to take the start in 600,000 BC and then the study continues with the New Stone Age, that feature the ”˜art of making pottery for storing food and drink’. (Jiang (Chinese Cultural Studies’) Then Jiang (”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) suggests a description the various periods of Chinese history and its cultural attributes.
The period of the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BC) was characterized by by jade, bronze, horse-drawn chariots, ancestor worship and also by ancient form of writing too. The Shang Dynasty was followed by long period of the Chou Dynasty (1122-221 BC) which was the period of true development of Chinese state. It was an outstanding period in Chinese history simply because it was a time when Confucius has lived (551-479 BC). (Jiang, ”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) It has to be emphasized that Chinese people have followed the ideas of Confucianism for centuries. These views had dominated the politics, culture, economy, religions, social life, and education of Chinese people for centuries, and clearly these values are incorporated deeply into the national character and the mechanisms of Confucianism to some extent are still could be found in every aspect of the Chinese life. Confucian norms are truly important for every Chinese; they were developed and applied towards the objectives, ethics, social norms, mode of living, and political institutions of the feudal age and not towards the Chinese society of the twentieth century. Chinese society is rather conservative and traditional, despite the fact that the history of this country has witnessed many events. Still the majority of Chinese society believes in traditional social roles in accordance with the principles of Confucianism. Jiang (”˜Chinese Cultural Studies’) mentions that almost nine centuries China was under Chou rule and then it was changed to Ch’in empire in 221 BC that haven’t managed to last long in comparison to other empires but at the time it was a first tine when the name China was mentioned and the idea and structure of the empire was suggested.