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Family is extremely important. They put family first rather than the individual.

Hong Kongers also enjoy communal living. Even the neolithic tribes that lived in Hong Kong, lived in small families which then turned into larger villages and formed relationships with each other.

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Hong Kong took on China’s education system which included the teachings of Confucianism. Confucianism is described as “a system of social and ethical philosophy”. The people of Hong Kong also learnt how to write Chinese characters and speak their language.

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A Chinese meal is not complete without some tea. It is believed to have a calming effect and some herbal teas are used for medicinal purposes. They prepare tea by pouring boiling water over tea leaves. It is drunk at every meal of the day without milk and sugar. Green, mint and flower-blossom are just some of the types of Chinese tea.

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Canton, one of the five styles of Chinese cooking, originates from Guangzhou (which used to be known as Canton). Egg rolls, chop suey, and chow mein are just some of the dishes part of Canton cooking.
The sea and a mild climate gives a wide range of ingredients for chefs in this area. The Daoist principle says that food should be "eaten as near to its natural state as possible." This means that Canton food is fresh and only cooked for a short amount of time.

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Starfish, snakes, centipedes and scorpions.

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Chicken feet

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Chinese people do not like to waste food - if they can eat it, they will eat it.

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The presentation of the food is extremely important

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Stir-frying in a wok is one of the most popular ways to cook food and only uses a little bit of oil. The nutritional value of the food is preserved because of the hot oil

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Traditional Chinese food uses local and fresh ingredients.  The ingredients are cut into bite-sized pieces so it can be cooked quickly and easily eaten with chopsticks.

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Xiao is a type of Chinese flute that is made out of bamboo.

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Another traditional instrument is the pipa lute. It has four strings which are plucked.

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To create a shadow effect, puppeteers move their puppets between a bright light and a screen. The storyline of the show is quite similar to those of a grand opera at the time.

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There are many different types of  opera, each from a different region.
Below is a picture from a traditional Beijing opera - the most famous type of opera.

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In China, operas were a popular form of entertainment. To understand what is going on, you have to look at the gestures, makeup and costumes. For example, a trembling body means fear, crossed eyes show anger, and a white patch is always on the villain's nose.

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Chinese acrobats riding a single bike

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For 2000 years, Chinese acrobats --flexible,  agile and skilled-- have been performing crazy and spectacular tricks like the ones below.

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The hu qin, the main instrument in the Chinese orchestra, has two strings and is played with a bow.

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For example, the colour red, and animals such as the dragon, unicorn, phoenix and crane were meant to symbolise good fortune and long life.

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Buildings were built with meaning.

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Colourful buildings with curved, upswept eaves, bright roof tiles and carved adornments are all part of traditional Chinese architecture.

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China's early buildings are mostly decayed because they were mostly made of wood. Chinese liked how natural the wood seemed; which is why it was commonly used to build homes and temples.

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To be able to sculpt was considered a skill. Religions such as Buddhism can be seen in rock carvings - some nearly as tall five-story buildings.

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The Chinese invented porcelain in the ninth century.  Naturally, porcelain is a white or cream colour.
In the thirteenth century, artists started to use dyes. A popular dye that is used is made out of a mineral called cobalt.

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Paper, silk, fans and screens are just some of the things that were traditionally painted on. The paintings use the eight brushstrokes that are used in calligraphy with some others - all with a purpose of their own. For instance, there is a particular stroke used for painting bamboo, rocks, trees and mountains.

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The Chinese script is made out of pictographs that resemble the idea they are talking about.

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Calligraphy is the art of writing. Chinese people thought of calligraphy as the most beautiful form of art. It is very difficult to master the different brushstrokes, so Artists were highly respected.

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Hong Kong's Culture Before the Collision

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Hong Kong's Culture Before the Collision