Why do people travel? There is no answer to this question, and there can be no single answer. Someone expects new impressions from the trip, someone dreams of the luxury of a five-star hotel, someone is attracted by the opportunity to complete an album with photographs from the series “I am in the background of the sights”. And some people do not hope for anything, relying on the opinions of friends, recommendations of fashion magazines or a tour operator when choosing a ticket. The pursuit of such goals is inherent in modern man, for which consumption comes to the fore. Consumption of fun, entertainment, wealth, comfort and smiles of the local population. And it’s not so bad. But if you think about the true, large-scale meaning of travel, it seems that words that can describe it sound something like this: cognition and sensation - of the culture, mentality and characteristics of the country and people of interest. Going to a country surrounded by the Great Wall, you need to tune in exactly that way.
Everything is amazing here: magnificent indestructible thousand-year-old pagodas - the true masterpieces of Chinese architecture, a very special gourmet cuisine, a terrifying "not forgiving mistakes" road, carved in the cliff above the abyss, a powerful economy and industry, and the most ancient Chinese culture in the world, which survived, miraculously did not sink into oblivion along with numerous wars and changes in the political regime. Even the communist party of convinced materialists, who came to power, realized that it was China’s centuries-old spiritual culture that was the most solid core of the country, not only its past, but also its future.
The spiritual wealth of the state, in the modern world called the PRC, is the highest moral qualities, such as morality, virtue, respect, honor, devotion and justice. And all together they are true beauty. The foundations of these qualities were laid by the three greatest sages: Confucius, Lao Dzu, and Buddha, and for centuries have been introduced into the consciousness of the Chinese with the help of works of art - instructive philosophical stories, myths and legends, symbolic painting and craftwork, refined poetry and original theater. Perhaps that is why the culture of China, its art is so syncretic, inextricably linked and interpenetrating.
All paths lead to the Book of Changes
As already mentioned, the Chinese culture has very deep mythological roots and an extremely developed system of images and symbols that simultaneously exist at all levels of art, whether it be poetry of ancient China, philosophical literature or painting.
In the parable about the moth from the treatise "Chuang Tzu" the philosophical concept of difference and identity is revealed. Chuang Tzu dreamed that he was a moth. Waking up, he began to doubt whether he dreamed of a moth or a moth dreamed that he was Chuang Tzu. The image of a moth, which in its life learns many metamorphoses, illustrates the philosophical idea that identity is one of the forms of difference. The moth motif is one of the most common in Chinese painting and poetry. So, the symbols in the culture of this country are not just a secret, conditional material sign, but a separate philosophical category that shapes consciousness and subconsciousness, perception and attitude from the most ancient times.
That is why there is a huge gap between the European connoisseur and Chinese art. The thing is that the European ascribes to Eastern painting and literature those qualities that they do not possess, incorrectly sets the emphasis and incorrectly interprets the ratio. So, for us, the traditional eastern branch of plum blossoms is a lyrical spring painting filled with impressionist freshness and spontaneity. Meanwhile, for every ordinary Chinese who does not have an art education, this is not at all an object of abstract pleasure. This is a concrete and very deep symbol, which at the same time is the essence. The flowering branch of Meihua, like everything else in this world, is created according to the principles of in (flowers) and yang (the branch itself). Five petals of a flower symbolize the same number of primary elements, stamens growing from the middle of a flower - 5 planets, the Moon and the Sun. Similar examples can be given with the very symbol of the Original, and with the aesthetics of empty space, and with other equally well-known symbols.
So, we can conclude that the culture of China is incredibly multifaceted and full-flowing. Having studied at least a small part of it, having reached the point even in the smallest question, we become internally and spiritually better and richer. So, our journey was not in vain.