Traditional mode of life

The traditional everyday life of the Chinese, inhabiting a huge territory, could not, but be far from homogeneous. Its diversity was provided for by two factors: first, the sharp difference in the climatic conditions in the South and the North of the country, which preconditioned various economic-cultural modes of life of the northern and southern regions; second, the Chinese contacts with the neighboring peoples. There existed certain peculiarities in the traditional architecture, national cuisine, clothes, but at the same time they had many features in common. With all the variability of the dwelling types a considerable difference of the Chinese construction methodology from that of European one consisted in that the estate on the whole, the complex of all the buildings, but not a separate house was considered the smallest basic unit of architecture. Nowadays the Chinese food, as well as in the past, is divided into staple one (starchy food, primarily rice) and additional one - made of vegetables, meat, and fish; but in every district there exist favorite dishes. As far as clothes are concerned, the Chinese traditionally prefer oriental robes, jackets and blouses, and wide trousers.

Self-sufficient ladies in the traditional Chinese garment.   China. The Chinese. The beginning of the 20th century.		A restaurant in Beijing decorated in vintage style.    China. Beijing. The Chinese. I.A. Alimov. 2006		Chinese men at meal. China. The Chinese.   The beginning of the 20th century.
Official with wife and sons. China. Shanghai. The Chinese, mid-to-late 19th c.		Manchu girl. The beginning of 20th century.		Portrait of men in traditional costumes. China. The Chinese, early 20th c.
Merchant with wife. China. Kuldja (Yining). The Manchu. Orden F., late 19th c.		A shop. China. Beijing. The Chinese. Diness A., early 20th c.		Sign plate of a shop. China. Shenyang (Mukden). The Chinese. Diness A., early 20th c.
Mounting of Mongolian yurt. China. Lin Yao Hua, 1956		The yi girsl in festival attire. China. The Yi. Xinhua News Agency. Zhou Zhongyao, 1983.		Painted galleries in Daguanyuan park (Beijing) constructed in the 1980ies after the well-known Chinese novel 'The Dream of Red Chamber'. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2007
Curved bridge built according to canons of traditional Chinese architecture. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2007		So-called Suzhou streets - a small area resembling atmosphere of old-time everyday life in one of the picteresque cornes of China - town of Suxhou. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2007		Mythical creature called to protect house against direct strikings of lightning. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2007
Permanent companions of any roof ridge of traditional Chinese house - deities-patrons called to scare away evil spirits. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2007		In old China such money was in circulation. The money was threaded across the hole in the center. China. Beijing. Alimov I.		A restrong designed in the fashion of old Beijing. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2006
A temple. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2006		A dish of Chinese cuisine. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 2006		One of Beijing "carte-de visie" - kaoliang alkie of repeated cleaning and 56 degrees of strength. China. Beijing. Alimov I., 1990
A family of nomads of North Tibet at a fireplace. Tibet. Xinhua News Agency. Tang Zhaoming bt 1995		Festival headdress of the Yi girl. Lin Yao Hua by 1956		Festival headdress of the Yi girl. Lin Yao Hua by 1956
Tibetian woman in festival attire. China. Tibet. The Tibetians. Lin Yao Hua by 1956.