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CMG “Gongtong Wenhua Jiayuan” Series
Introduction
“Aerial China” Season 4
“In Search of Ancient China”
“Meet the Chinese Characters”
“Classic Quotes Cited by Xi Jinping” Series

“Meet the Chinese Characters”

From the most basic Chinese characters to narrating the origin and cultural development of Chinese characters in a story-telling format. It explores the cultural codes behind the characters, showcasing the beauty of Chinese writing while combining its imagery, philosophy, and artistry of Chinese characters.

(Chinese version only)

“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Zhong
The Chinese character system is a vast world of characters, which is self-contained and complex; yet systematic and well-arranged. Compared with the real human world, the world created by characters is more profound, expansive and eternal in both space and time, meanwhile, the character “zhong” (central or middle) is always the centre.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Bu
On almost every piece of oracle bone, we can find this character, but sometimes it could be overlooked. The character looks like a crack, and maybe it was derived from the crack. "Bu", as a Chinese character meaning divination, has remained almost unchanged throughout history, once dominated everything.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Tian
In oracle bone script, there is a character that is extremely mysterious and should not be studied solely within the realm of linguistics. The representation of “tian” (sky) character shows no apparent connection with the sky, even a three-year-old child would say that it depicts a small person with a large head. So why does the representation of "tian" resemble a human figure with such a large head?
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Bi
There is a character that represents an object that is common in life and almost everyone has used it, this character is "bi" (brush). The production of a Chinese writing brush requires at least dozens of processes. The brush tip is usually made from animal hair, the material for the handle can vary greatly . Since the emergence of the writing brush, the Chinese people seems to have found the direction for cultural development, leading to the subsequent development of ink, inkstones and bamboo slips.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Ce
The character of “ce” in oracle bone script is mysteries. Its appearance may easily or that it refers to bamboo or wood slips sewn together with strings. “Ce” was originally made of bamboo. Chopped it into slips, then sewed together with hemp. A bamboo slip was made.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Dian
“Dian” is a character that records the important moment in the lives of Chinese people in the past. Although the meaning of this character has evolved, the solemnity is still deeply embedded in the Chinese language. “Dian” is extended to mean “ceremony”, becoming a synonym for grand ceremony. The form of ceremonies could vary due to the characteristics of different period, we can still glimpse the etiquette that spanning thousands of years.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Tu
“Tu” (picture) originally referred to the marking of states, cities, town and borders on leather, silk and other materials in ancient times. As we entered the information age, our vast landscapes have been recorded with greater precision in digital form, and the world has never seemed so reachable. In fact, "tu" reflects people's ability and determination to understand the world.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Zhou
The emergence of boats (“zhou”) marked an important step for humanity in the struggle to conquer rivers. Over thousands of years, Chinese boats have evolved into increasingly complex forms, and continuously extending humans’ reach for travel, transportation, business and exploration. Throughout the long passage of time, Boats have deeply integrated into human history and culture.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Che
The wheel is one of the greatest inventions in human history. These continuously rotating circular tools signify that humanity has grasped the principles mechanical engineering. In China, it is said that Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) invented the cart, therefore, people add the word "xuan (carriage) yuan (shaft)" in front of his name to honour this great accomplishment.
“Meet the Chinese Characters” – Hang
The character “hang” in the oracle bone script resembles an intersection without traffic lights and meaning “road” originally. The Chinese built the earliest road networks in human civilisation, thanks to a prominent tradition within the Chinese national character that fosters order and organization.