Culture and Religion

• Death

When a person died, his/her family gathered to mourn. Children were expected to mourn for their parents for three years. They would wear while clothing for mourning instead of black.

• Beliefs

The Chinese believed that many spirits lived around us. The people then offered them foods and drinks.

They also worshiped gods who were responsible for different things.

Ancestors of the ancient Chinese nobility were the only ones who were worshipped, when the dead of the poor were not considered worthy of worship.

• Writing

Chinese characters were developed from picture signs and were soon developed into less recognizable symbols.

Taoism and Yin and Yang

Religion in ancient China underwent a change around 600 BC in the form of establishment of the Eastern Chou Dynasty.  A mythical figure with the name of Lao Tzu created the religious philosophy of Taoism. The ancient people of China believed in the concept of Tao, the forces of nature. People in China in ancient times believed that everything in nature had two forces that were in contrast to each other: the yin and the yang.  The Yin was –female force and the Yang was the male force.