Geographical environment usually refers to the natural world around human beings, including topography, landforms, climate, soil, biology, hydrology, natural resources and so on. It is the material basis of human life and production, and also the foundation of cultural formation and development. The geographical environment of China is complex and diverse, which has a great influence on China culture.
First, the influence of geographical environment on the formation of China culture.
The geographical location and living environment of a country and a nation have an important influence on the formation of culture, especially on the formation of early culture, which is the primary factor of cultural formation. "If we compare the colorful cultural expressions of various ethnic groups and countries to tragicomedy after tragicomedy, then the geographical environment in which these ethnic groups and countries live is the stage and background for these dramas to be staged." Professor Feng Tianyu described the importance of geographical environment to the formation of culture in vivid language.
Geographical environment is the foundation of China culture. China is one of the four ancient civilizations in the world, with an earlier civilization. The Yellow River and Yangtze River basins are the cradles of Chinese nation and China culture. Human life is closely related to water, which determines the emergence of civilization in the geographical environment of rivers. The Chinese nation thrived in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, creating a splendid Chinese culture.
Not only did China civilization come into being in a specific geographical environment, but all China cultures came into being in a specific geographical environment. For example, the ancestor worship culture of the Han nationality can be found in its geographical environment. Han culture originated in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, and natural conditions such as soil, climate and water conservancy provided a superior material foundation for developed agricultural culture. "It helps to form the combination of agriculture and handicraft industry (family) in the early stage, which directly deals with nature as a family unit and depends on the weather to eat everything in Dont Ask For Help. A set of lifestyles of ancestors is enough for future generations, and the patriarchal concept is strengthened, leading to great worship of ancestors. " Literature, thought, history, economy, calligraphy and painting, etc. Are formed under the influence of a certain geographical environment. Historical materialism tells us that geographical environment determinism is wrong, but we must realize the important influence of geographical environment on cultural formation.
Second, the influence of geographical environment on the cultural continuity of China.
The first characteristic of China culture is continuity, which is deeply influenced by the geographical environment. Since the emergence of Chinese culture, Chinese culture has never been interrupted for thousands of years, and it has obvious continuity, which has to be attributed to the vast geographical environment of China.
In the Yellow River Basin, the cradle of Chinese culture, this 700,000-800,000 square kilometers loess plateau and alluvial plain has a good geographical environment and laid the foundation of Chinese civilization. From the ancient human fossils of Yuanmou people in Yunnan, Lantian people in Shaanxi and Beijingers, we know that the ancestors of Huaxia people have been scattered in the vast areas of East Asia for a long time. "The Yangtze River and even the Liaohe River basin, as well as the southwestern mountainous areas, also have a history of civilization of four or five thousand years and are also the cradle of the Chinese nation." These vast areas with a total area of more than 5 million square kilometers are very vast, laying a geographical foundation for the continuation of Chinese culture.
Among the four ancient civilizations, the geographical environment of ancient Egypt, ancient Babylon and ancient India was very narrow, and there was no room for manoeuvre when foreign enemies invaded, and the civilization was interrupted. China, on the other hand, is different. China's culture has developed in a wide range of fields, and there is a wide room for manoeuvre inside. Historically, when the northern minorities moved into the Central Plains and the Central Plains Dynasty lost the Yellow River Basin, they could continue their culture on the basis of the Yangtze River Basin and the Pearl River Basin. The Eastern Jin and Southern Song Dynasties in history, although in a corner, continued the culture of China. Even in the Yuan and Qing dynasties when ethnic minorities ruled, Chinese culture could exert a subtle influence on them and force them to accept it. It is precisely because of China's broad room for manoeuvre that China has maintained its own culture, and China's culture has continued, instead of being extinct in history like ancient Egypt, Babylon and ancient Indian culture.
Thirdly, the influence of geographical environment on cultural diversity in China.
The second characteristic of China culture is diversity, which is also deeply influenced by the geographical environment. Since its origin, China culture has shown a diversified pattern with obvious diversity, which has to be attributed to the complex diversity of China's geographical environment.
The geographical environment of China is complex and diverse. "The vast and diverse geographical environment has created the diversity of China culture." China has a vast territory and different natural conditions, forming various natural geographical regions and showing different geographical characteristics. China has various topography, landforms and climatic conditions. China spans 30 latitudes from north to south and 60 longitudes from east to west. The temperature difference between north and south is nearly 50 degrees, and the annual precipitation difference between east and west is several thousand millimeters. Mountains and rivers have various forms. This natural feature divides China into large and small "countries within a country", resulting in the diversity of China culture, which is called "different styles in a hundred miles and different customs in a thousand miles". five
The complex and diverse geographical environment leads to the diversity of China culture, and the unique regional culture is evidence. As early as the pre-Qin period, various regional cultures were formed, such as Central Plains culture, Qilu culture, Yanzhao culture, Sanqin culture, Jingchu culture, Wuyue culture, Bashu culture and Lingnan culture. Later, it was related to oriental culture, grassland culture, snowy culture, Huxiang culture and so on. These regional cultures have their own characteristics, for example, the Central Plains culture and humanities are profound; How generous and sad Yanzhao culture is; Jingchu culture is light and wonderful; Huxiang culture is simple and beautiful. Different geographical environments make people's lifestyles and concepts very different, with different food, clothing, housing, transportation and customs. There are 56 ethnic groups in China, each with its own characteristics and great cultural differences. However, although China culture has great diversity and differences, it is also unified, forming a unified situation of China culture. The existence of various cultures constitutes a remarkable feature of China culture. As the saying goes, "The world is one country, all roads lead to the same goal, and all kinds of problems stem from the same goal". six
Fourthly, the influence of geographical environment on the relative closeness and independence of China culture.
The third characteristic of China culture is relative isolation and independence, which is also deeply influenced by the geographical environment. The relatively closed geographical environment in China has made China culture relatively closed and independent.
Geographically, China is bordered by the sea in the east, Gobi and desert in the northwest, and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in the southwest. These are geographical obstacles, which give farmers insurmountable restrictions. This geographical environment, which faces the sea on one side and is extremely inconvenient for land transportation on the other, makes China in a semi-open and semi-isolated state, and also enables China culture to grow independently on the mainland. Although foreign culture is introduced occasionally, it cannot change the relative closeness and independence of China culture.
China's culture is basically grown on the mainland. Such as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Yin and Yang, Taoism and so on in China. These thoughts and religious schools are self-contained in the world and have far-reaching influence. Another example is Chinese characters, which were completely created by China people. Unlike English, French, German, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic and other languages, it is basically derived from Phoenician. Another example is China's painting and calligraphy art, which was originally created by China people. China's four great inventions-paper, gunpowder, compass and printing-were also independently created by China people. The same is true of other cultures in China. There are also foreign cultures that spread to China through the Silk Road on land and the Silk Road on the sea, such as Buddhism, but "Buddhism has been promoting its own theories according to the needs of the cultural development in China since it was introduced to China. At that time, China people regarded it as a part of China's history and culture. " China-based Buddhism is no longer the Buddhism of Indian scholasticism, but is an extension of China itself, which is very different from Indian native Buddhism. Religion is like this, so are other ideological theories. In the long historical development, China culture has always maintained its self-status and developed independently.
Because of China's closed geographical environment and developed agricultural civilization, China people have always regarded themselves as "the kingdom of heaven" and are unwilling to deal with the outside world. The Ming and Qing Dynasties basically pursued the foreign policy of closing the country to the outside world, which made China seldom accept foreign cultures. The relative closure of China's traditional culture has led to the humiliating history of China since modern times.
Fifth, the influence of geographical environment on China's national ethics.
As a part of China culture, the ethics of the Chinese nation are deeply influenced by the geographical environment. "China is located in the temperate continent, and the temperate climate has made China people form a gentle character and adopt a gentle attitude in the relationship between heaven and man." eight
Chinese mainland's climate is very obvious, located in the north temperate zone, with obvious monsoon climate. The eastern part of China is densely covered with river networks and fertile land. The monsoon brings abundant rain regularly, and the water and heat are well coordinated. "Spring, summer, autumn and winter change, cold comes and summer goes, and it goes round and round." In temperate regions, heat and water resources are abundant and agriculture is developed. Under the developed agricultural conditions, coupled with China's rich products, people can be self-sufficient. The self-sufficient people of China have always loved peace, but they don't like aggression, expansion and turmoil. What they pursue is a harmonious society and an ideal peace and prosperity. When dealing with interpersonal relationships, China people like to take a moderate attitude, remain humble and respectful to others, and don't like to have differences and quarrels with others. This shows that the mild geographical environment has created the gentle character and attitude of the Chinese nation.
In the history of China, ethnic minorities have occupied the Central Plains many times, such as the establishment of the Khitan nationality in Liao Dynasty, the Jurchen nationality in Jin Dynasty, the Mongolian nationality in Yuan Dynasty and the Manchu nationality in Qing Dynasty. In the face of the invasion of ethnic minorities, the Han nationality adopted a concession attitude, living in a corner or obeying the rule of ethnic minorities. China was invaded by capitalism many times in modern times, but China people took a humiliating attitude and signed unequal treaties with the aggressors, which was harmful to China. This is all due to the gentle character of the Chinese nation, especially the Han people. This gentle personality is influenced by the mild climate in China.
In a word, the geographical environment has a great influence on China culture. We should affirm the influence of geographical environment on China culture, fully understand the specific situation of geographical environment in China, coordinate the relationship between people and land, create a culture with China characteristics, and make China culture more brilliant!