Image Credit: kelocity. Some scholars divide the history of the Chinese languages into Proto-Sinitic (Proto-Chinese; until 500 bc), Archaic (Old) Chinese (8th to 3rd century bc), Ancient (Middle) Chinese (through ad 907), and Modern Chinese (from c. the 10th century to modern times). With China being one of the earliest ancient civilizations, Chinese culture exerts profound influence on the philosophy, virtue, etiquette, and traditions of Asia to date. Ancient Chinese writing evolved from the practice of divination during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BCE). It was born roughly in Tang Dynasty and thrived in Song Dynasty and popularized in Ming and throughout Qing Dynasties. Mandarin Chinese, the most common Chinese dialect, is the most widely spoken language in the world. The function of this kind of school was to cultivate talented people, to encourage a devotion to learning, as well as to spread culture. Chinese Language Facts. 22) China is home to a cluster of ancient rock pillars called the Stone Forest. China is one of the world's oldest civilizations, dating back thousands of years with its continuous history. 1. Nonetheless, the Mandarin Chinese spoken today is very different from the Chinese spoken in ancient China, and it is mutually unintelligible with many other Chinese dialects spoken in the vast territories of the People’s Republic of China. In fact, the history of the Chinese language can be classified into the following stages: Archaic Chinese (14th to 11th centuries BC): the language of oracular inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells. Chinese architectural traditions were much respected all over the world. Middle Chinese was the language used during the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties (6th through 10th centuries AD). China Ancient Academy also called Shu Yuan is Chinese unique ancient education institution. After inventing the printing press, the most popular type of booklet was Buddhist sayings and prayers. Chinese emperors called themselves dragons' sons, born with power to rule the country. Ancient historical texts have provided some proof of the possible existence of the Xia Dynasty that existed even before the Shang Dynasty of 1700-1046BC. It was the most advanced civilization the world had ever seen. Food shared Lazy Susan style. Around 16 percent of the whole population in the world speaks Chinese. It’s unclear how or when the secret was lost. Ancient China produced what has become the oldest extant culture in the world. Facts about Ancient China 7: Language. Chinese civilization is historically considered the dominant culture of East Asia. Like the Romance languages, the Chinese languages are mutually unintelligible (that is what makes them different languages). But, because they share a common history and a good deal of common vocabulary and grammar, it is … These extensive symbolic representations were then simplified by minimalist used of lines which were different from the original script but still bore a … In the 5th century BCE it was made up of several rival kingdoms. The Chinese language is monosyllabic. Indeed, the two arts are closely related. Ancient Chinese Languages. The Chinese language, spoken in the form of Standard Mandarin, is the official language in the largest part of mainland China and Taiwan, one of the four in Singapore, and an official idiom of the United Nations. Ancient Chinese is simply defined as “the language of the writings of the past” (Wang 1979:1). Ban Po was occupied c. 4500-3750 BCE and was discovered by workmen digging a foundation for a factory in … Facts about Ancient China 8: Yellow River and the Yangtze River. Ancient Chinese ideology and history were shaped by three major philosophies and religions, Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Chinese civilization is truly ancient, as is its writing system. Old Chinese, also called Archaic Chinese in older works, is the oldest attested stage of Chinese, and the ancestor of all modern varieties of Chinese. Mandarin is the official language of China. In 1953, men digging out the foundation for a factory in a Chinese village came across an amazing discovery. In ancient China, emperors used eunuchs as servants, as many concubines lived in the palaces. The Chinese language is the oldest written language in the world with at least six thousand years of history. Old Mandarin: the language of the Miny dynasty dictionary, the Hongwu Zheyun. The name 'China' comes from the Sanskrit Cina (derived from the name of the Chinese Qin Dynasty, pronounced 'Chin') which was translated as 'Cin' by the Persians and seems to have become popularized through trade along the Silk Road from China to the rest of the world.. Concurrently, the early toilet papers are with bamboo mixed with cotton. 24) China’s giant pandas are … This style of eating is followed even today. Now that’s one for unexpected China facts. Facts about Chinese Language tell you about the first language spoken by the Chinese people. Ancient Chinese Languages was more of a symbolic representation just like its Egyptian counterpart. Here are some interesting facts about ancient Chinese food that you may not have known. until the end of China’s last imperial dynasty in 1912, China did not have a single national language. The earliest examples of Chinese are divinatory inscriptions on oracle bones from around 1250 BC, in the late Shang dynasty. 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