ABSTRACT
In addition to having a long history, Chinese culture is also rich in its scale and scope. Skills in nine traditional cultural areas have been valued consistently throughout the history of Chinese society: guqin (the traditional Chinese musical instrument), Go (a traditional game), Chinese calligraphy, Chinese painting, swordsmanship, poetry, healing, tea, and liquor (Chinese: 琴、棋、书、画、剑、诗、医、茶、酒). A cultured Chinese person is expected to develop expertise in (and appreciation for) each of these nine areas. In order to develop an appreciation for what the Chinese now value in art and entertainment, it is important to gain a better understanding of these nine areas. In this chapter, we first provide a historical overview of each area. We then discuss these areas in the context of contemporary China, including which skills are important or coming back in fashion, which ones are on the way out, and which ones have morphed into newer forms. We conclude in the Road Ahead section by predicting how traditional skills will evolve in the future.
