Lingnan culture, or Cantonese culture, refers to the regional
Chinese culture
Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...
of the region of
Lingnan: twin provinces of
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
and
Guangxi, the names of which mean "eastern expanse" and "western expanse" respectively.
Strictly speaking, the term "Lingnan culture" has two definitions:
#In a purely geographical sense, the term includes not only Cantonese culture but also the cultures of the
Hakkas
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan ...
,
Teochews
The Teochew people or Chaoshan people (rendered Têo-Swa in romanized Teoswa and Chaoshan in Standard Chinese also known as Teo-Swa in mainland China due to a change in place names) is anyone native to the historical Chaoshan region in south ...
,
Taishanese
Taishanese (), alternatively romanized in Cantonese as Toishanese or Toisanese, in local dialect as Hoisanese or Hoisan-wa, is a dialect of Yue Chinese native to Taishan, Guangdong. Although it is related to Cantonese, Taishanese has littl ...
,
Hainanese and non-Han groups such as the
Zhuangs,
Tanka
is a genre of classical Japanese poetry and one of the major genres of Japanese literature.
Etymology
Originally, in the time of the '' Man'yōshū'' (latter half of the eighth century AD), the term ''tanka'' was used to distinguish "short p ...
or
She
She most commonly refers to:
*She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English.
She or S.H.E. may also refer to:
Literature and films
*'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...
within the Lingnan region.
#More typically, is only used in referring to Cantonese culture, the historically dominant culturo-linguistic force in Guangdong and Guangxi.
This article uses the second definition of "Lingnan culture" – as the synonym of "Cantonese culture".
With the migration of the
Cantonese people to nearby
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
and
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
, as well as in many
overseas communities, Lingnan/Cantonese culture has become an influential cultural force in the international community, and forms the basis of the cultures of
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
and
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
.
English words of Chinese borrowed many terms from Cantonese.
Brief history and overview
From Nanyue to Sinicization
In 200 BCE,
Gwongdung and
Gwongsai (
Cantonese
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding ar ...
for "Guangdong" and "Guangxi"), alongside the land now known as Northern Vietnam, was controlled by the kingdom of
Nanyue
Nanyue (), was an ancient kingdom ruled by Chinese monarchs of the Zhao family that covered the modern Chinese subdivisions of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macau, southern Fujian and central to northern Vietnam. Nanyue was establis ...
(), inhabited primarily by the non-Chinese
Yue people
The Baiyue (, ), Hundred Yue, or simply Yue (; ), were various ethnic groups who inhabited the regions of East China, South China and Northern Vietnam during the 1st millennium BC and 1st millennium AD. They were known for their short hair, bo ...
. The kingdom was later conquered by the
Han Empire
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
and came under Han Chinese control at around year 100 BCE. However, large-scale
sinicization
Sinicization, sinofication, sinification, or sinonization (from the prefix , 'Chinese, relating to China') is the process by which non-Chinese societies come under the influence of Chinese culture, particularly the language, societal norms, cul ...
didn't occur until the 6th to 7th century CE, at which point the region was held by the
Tang Empire
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingd ...
. Later, between the 10th and 13th century, there was a large influx of Han Chinese migrants from the north, which was at that time invaded by the
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
and a few other non-Han ethnic groups. This resulted in large-scale intermixing of the Han Chinese and Nanyue people during that period – reflected in the fact that modern Cantonese people are, genetically, hybrid descendants of the ancient Han Chinese and Nanyue cultures. Modern Lingnan (descendents of Northern Nanyue) contains both Nanyue and Han Chinese elements: modern Cantonese has kept some features of Middle Chinese pronunciation (the prestige language of the Tang Empire), but has also retained a substantial amount of features from the long-extinct
Nanyue language
The Old Yue language ( zh, c=古越語, p=''Gu Yueyu'') is an unknown unclassified language (or many different languages). It can refer to Yue, which was spoken in the realm of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. It can also refer to the v ...
.
Sinicization was still ongoing during the
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
and
Northern Song
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
dynasties, evidenced by many famous Northern Chinese poets and writers describing the region as "barbaric" and the language spoken in the region as unintelligible with the prestige language commonly spoken in the North. Famous Chinese writer
Han Yu
Han Yu (; 76825 December 824), courtesy name Tuizhi (), and commonly known by his posthumous name Han Wengong (韓文公), was a Chinese essayist, poet, philosopher, and politician during the Tang dynasty who significantly influenced the devel ...
described the local population as "小吏十馀家,皆鸟言夷面", which literally means "
peakinga bird language and
avingbarbarian faces". Another writer
Liu Zong Yuan describes the local language as "楚越间声音特异,鴃舌啅譟", which literally means that the language sounds strange and is unintelligible with common language from the North. This shows that sinicization was still ongoing and
Bai Yue local tribes were still prevalent during the region. The large scale of sinicization of the Lingnan region was largely complete by the time of late
Southern Song dynasty (12th to 13th centuries). From the 15th to 18th century, Lingnan (especially the area around Guangzhou) served as one of the main ports for the
Ming Empire
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han peop ...
. Cantonese people were exposed to
Western European
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...
cultures and incorporated European elements into their own cultural artifacts. It was by that time that the Lingnan culture largely attained its current form.
From 19th century onward
With Guangzhou being major a port for both the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-spea ...
and the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, Cantonese people have often dominated Han Chinese immigration to the Western world, resulting in Cantonese historically being the
lingua franca in most Western
Chinatowns. They also helped establish the Chinese term for Chinatown: "Tongyan gaai" (), pronounced as "Tang ren jie" in Mandarin. This term literally means "Street of the Tang people". This is said to reflect the fact that the sinicization of Lingnan was most prominent during the Tang dynasty, which resulted in the Cantonese people having an especially strong affinity to that dynasty.
On the other hand, since the early 20th century, Hong Kong (pronounced as "Heung Gong" in Cantonese香港 ), then under
British colonial control, developed quickly in every aspect. The city's high level of development drew the envy of many people in the Lingnan region. Many of them have been watching the
TV dramas and
movies
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
produced by Hong Kong, resulting in the city having significant cultural influence in the region. For instance, many Cantonese from
mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
write using Traditional Chinese characters, like the
Hong Kongers
Hongkongers (), also known as Hong Kongers, Hong Kongese, Hongkongese, Hong Kong citizens and Hong Kong people, typically refers to residents of the territory of Hong Kong; although may also refer to others who were born and/or raised in the ...
do. Hong Kong, for its part, has experienced many cultural and economic exchanges with other East Asian nations. This, in turn, made Hong Kong absorb the cultures of
Japan,
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, and to some extent,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. For instance,
Hong Kong Cantonese
Hong Kong Cantonese is a dialect of the Cantonese language of the Sino-Tibetan family.
Although Hongkongers refer to the language as "''Cantonese''" (), publications in mainland China describe the variant as ''Hong Kong dialect'' (), due to ...
has many usages and vocabularies borrowed from
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
.
Overall characteristics
Lingnan culture is considered to be a commercial, oceanic culture that embodies the history of the region: Its foundation consists of a mix of Han Chinese and Nanyue (especially the Tang dynasty's and Song dynasty's) influences, having preserved a considerable amount of Tang-Song cultural heritages not preserved in other branches of modern Han Chinese cultures. Lingnan later became the Ming Empire's main contact point with Western Europeans via commerce, and thus came to include European ideas in its arts and philosophy.
Traditional language
Traditionally, the Lingnan region's sole dominant language is Cantonese (), the
standard form and
prestige dialect
Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.)
Prestige may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Films
* ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnett ...
of the
Yue subgroup () of the broader
Chinese language family. The vast majority of Lingnan's traditional operas, folk songs, and poetry are all expressed in Cantonese. It can trace its roots all the way back to the ancient Nanyue people: Their language did not belong to the Chinese language family though. However, with the large influx of Han Chinese migrants throughout history, especially during the
Tang
Tang or TANG most often refers to:
* Tang dynasty
* Tang (drink mix)
Tang or TANG may also refer to:
Chinese states and dynasties
* Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
–
Song
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetit ...
era between the 10th to 13th centuries, the language slowly sinicized and evolved into modern standard Cantonese.
Cantonese has retained certain features of the
Nanyue language
The Old Yue language ( zh, c=古越語, p=''Gu Yueyu'') is an unknown unclassified language (or many different languages). It can refer to Yue, which was spoken in the realm of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period. It can also refer to the v ...
. For instance, unlike most other Chinese languages, Cantonese often put an adjective behind the noun it is describing. In Cantonese, the word for "hen" () is made up of two words: "雞", meaning "chicken", and "乸", meaning "female (in a non-human sense)", thus resulting in a compound word.
Cantonese has largely inherited all six syllable codas (韵尾) from Middle Chinese, which makes that most
Tang poems will rhyme better if recited in Cantonese. However Cantonese lost all voiced consonants (浊声母) from middle Chinese and its prenuclear glides (介音) have evolved significantly from middle Chinese.
Writing system
In terms of its
writing system
A writing system is a method of visually representing verbal communication, based on a script and a set of rules regulating its use. While both writing and speech are useful in conveying messages, writing differs in also being a reliable fo ...
, Cantonese, traditionally preferred not to write their own language verbatim and instead relied on
classical Chinese
Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning
"literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning
"literar ...
in most forms of writing. Starting from the 21st century, however, a complete Cantonese writing system has been developed in Hong Kong and Macau that utilizes both, standard
Chinese characters
Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji ...
and
native characters, and become popularized.
Architecture
Classic Lingnan architecture
![The Chen Clan's Academy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/The_Chen_Clan%27s_Academy.jpg)
Lingnan architecture () is the characteristic
architectural style
An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...
of the Lingnan region, mostly associated with Cantonese people. It differs significantly from those found in other Han Chinese regions because of factors such as climates and availability of materials, both of which affected by the geographical features of Lingnan. Overall, classical Lingnan architecture tends to (1) use pale colors such as green and white, (2) avoid circular or cylindrical structures, (3) have many open structures like
balconies
A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor.
Types
The traditional Maltese balcony is ...
, (4) be decorated with large numbers of
relief
Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
carvings and
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
s, and (5) be built using materials resistant to moulds and moisture. The last point is obviously related to the hot and humid subtropical climate of Lingnan.
The
Chan Clan Temple in
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
is a representative example of classical Lingnan architecture. The temple was built in the late 19th century and served as an academy for
Chan families in 72 counties of the Guangdong province. It comprises all sorts of folk architectural and decorative arts and is famous for its "three carvings" (stone, wood and brick carvings), "three sculptures" (ceramic sculpture, clay sculpture, and colorful sculpture), and "one cast" (cast iron). As a result, it is called the best of all the clan buildings in the neighborhood.
Tong lau
Tong lau () is a style of architecture prevalent in Lingnan region (as well as in some other areas by the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
) starting from the 19th century. Combining Southern Chinese architectural styles with Western European ones, it is particularly prevalent in regions with more exposure to Western European cultures, such as Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau. Tong laus in Lingnan show influence from the classical Lingnan style.
File:European Style Street.jpg, A row of tong laus in Hoiping, Guangdong.
File:HK ShanghaiStreet CantoneseVerandahTypePrewarShophouses.JPG, Tong laus are everywhere in Hong Kong.
Lingnan garden
![Guangzhou Panyu Yuyin Shanfang 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Guangzhou_Panyu_Yuyin_Shanfang_2012.11.19_15-52-24.jpg)
Lingnan garden (), or Cantonese garden, is the style of
garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
design native to the Lingnan region. Geographically, Lingnan has very different climate from China's heartland (i.e., Zhongyuan), resulting in the development of a different style in garden-designing. The most frequently cited traits of Lingnan gardens are: (1) they tend to surround their plants and flowers with buildings for provided protection, due to the frequent rainstorms in the region; (2) Lingnan gardens usually use regionally native plant species, such as red cotton flowers, lotuses, orchids and lychee trees; and (3) due to Lingnan being far away from the center of political power (i.e., Zhongyuan), gardens in the region have historically been less stressed by royal standards, resulting in a style that leans more towards the common people, e.g., Lingnan gardens are decorated with a large amount of folk arts, ranging from sculptures to porcelains, and also tend to use smaller and simpler buildings.
Visual arts
The Nanyue people were already making
a lot of pottery and sculptures back at the time of their kingdom. After sinicization, the techniques of the people in the region only became even more polished and refined. Nowadays, Cantonese are accomplished craftspeople, known for creating and exporting many fine craft products, including various types of sculptures,
embroidery
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...
,
porcelain
Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
,
paper cutting
Papercutting or paper cutting is the art of paper designs. Art has evolved all over the world to adapt to different cultural styles. One traditional distinction most styles share is that the designs are cut from a single sheet of paper as oppo ...
,
kite
A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create lift and drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have a bridle and tail to guide the fac ...
s,
furniture, among many others. They have also produced several schools of
fine art
In European academic traditions, fine art is developed primarily for aesthetics or creative expression, distinguishing it from decorative art or applied art, which also has to serve some practical function, such as pottery or most metalwor ...
s. In some, visual art styles invented primarily by the Cantonese include the following:
Canton ivory carving
![Wunderkugel Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum Cologne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Wunderkugel_Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum_Cologne.jpg)
Canton ivory woodcarving () is another well-known product from Lingnan. With a history of 2000 years, it traditionally uses
ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals i ...
as raw material to make sculptures, with the Canton-style renowned for being particularly delicate and detailed without being brittle. The Cantonese people have also successfully produced the legendary craft product –
Ivory ball.
After the 1980s, however, international ivory trade has been banned. This results in the Cantonese people now trying to find substitute materials – materials that look and feel like but are actually not ivory – in their attempt to pass on this ancient art.
Canton jade carving
Canton jade carving () is the Cantonese style of
jade carving. It has a history of more than two thousand years – with archaeologists unearthing jade carvings from the remains of the kingdom of Nanyue. After sinicization, the people of Lingnan learned jade carving from Tang Empire's jade wares, and invented the technique of “lau sik” () – retaining the colors of the original materials, resulting in jade carvings that are very colourful yet natural. Nowadays, Canton jade carvings are frequently used in Cantonese jewelry and decorations.
Cantonese embroidery
Cantonese embroidery (Jyutping: Jyut
6 sau
3; Traditional Chinese: ) is the Cantonese style of
embroidery
Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...
, with considerable popularity in Lingnan and its own subculture. It could trace its root to at least the 9th century, where the Tang Empire had documented that the people in the area were making embroidery. Cantonese embroidery attained its current form at around the 15th century and has its own set of techniques. Visually, it is known for being colorful and containing multiple images without feeling chaotic. Due to Gwongdung's historical role in trade between the Chinese empire and the outside world, Cantonese embroidery had been sold to many Western European people and become a popular type of items in European aristocrats' collections of oriental crafts.
Teochew woodcarving
![Chaozhou Woodcarving2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Chaozhou_Woodcarving2.jpg)
Teochew woodcarving (Jyutping: Ciu
4 zau
1 muk
6 diu
1; Traditional Chinese: 潮州木雕) is a distinctive style of woodcarving that originated from the city of
Teochew, which is geographically a part of Lingnan but inhabited primarily by the Teochew people, who belong to the non-Cantonese
Min branch of Han Chinese. Despite this, this style of woodcarving is heavily incorporated into various forms of Cantonese crafts. It began in the 11th century and became popularized in the late 16th century. Many Teochew woodcarving products are plated with gold, commonly seen being decorations for Buddhist temples or ancestral halls.
Lingnan penjing
Lingnan penjing (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
5 pun
4 ging
2; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南盆景) is the style of
penjing
''Penjing'', also known as ''penzai'', is the ancient Chinese art of depicting artistically formed trees, other plants, and landscapes in miniature.
Penjing generally fall into one of three categories:
* Shumu penjing (樹木盆景): Tree penjin ...
of the people of Lingnan. Despite being recognized only in the early 20th century, it can trace its roots to at least 15th century. This style is noted for its emphasis on the match between "the natural" and "the artificial" parts of the penjing. For instance, artists of Lingnan penjing tend to spend much time choosing a pot that matches those plants. They also tend to trim their plants in such a way that the new growth from the trimmed parts will shadow the trails of trimming, resulting in the penjing looking very natural.
Lingnan style of calligraphy
Lingnan style of calligraphy (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
5 syu
1 fung
1; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南書風) is the style of
calligraphy unique to Lingnan. It is typically described by Han Chinese critics as "bold" and "romantic". Archaeological evidence suggests that the people of Lingnan had been writing and producing calligraphy works since the collapse of the kingdom of Nanyue. However, due to the hot and humid climate of Lingnan, papers tend to decay very quickly, resulting in few such works having been preserved. It was not until the 15th century, where
Chan Bak-sa (Jyutping: Can
4 baak
6 saa
1; Traditional Chinese: 陳白沙), became the first renowned Cantonese calligrapher that the Lingnan region got a recognized style of calligraphy. Since then, Cantonese artists have produced several notable works of calligraphy, such as:
:《袁崇煥督遼餞別圖詩》, literally "The picture poem of farewell to Yun Sung-wun"; It is the work of
Kwong Lou, a Cantonese calligrapher from the early 16th century; This work was made in his farewell to his good friend
Yun Sung-wun, who had to leave Lingnan due to an assignment from the then Ming emperor. It is a work of "poem painting" (painting with a poem written on it; with both the picture and the poem having some sort of relations to each other). This work is now stored in Hong Kong.
:《南園諸子送黎美周北上詩卷》, literally "The picture of various Southern gentlemen coming to say farewell"; It is the work of
Zeung Kiu, a Cantonese young woman from the early 16th century, well-known for being both beautiful and very talented. Despite this, she died of an illness at the young age of 19 and her death was widely mourned as a great loss. This work of poem painting is one of her few works and now on show at the
Gwongzau Art Gallery.
In the 21st century, the Cantonese people have begun to study the Lingnan style of calligraphy in greater depth.
Canton porcelain
Canton porcelain (Jyutping: Gwong
2 coi
2; Traditional Chinese: 廣彩, literally "Cantonese colours"), also called Cantonese porcelain, is the Cantonese style of
porcelain
Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
. It involves painting various colors on white porcelains and cementing the colors on the porcelain products afterward through the use of low heat (less than 800 degree Celsius, which is low by porcelain standard). This style is renowned for its bright colors and detailed drawings. It originated in the 16th century. At that time, the Cantonese people in Guangzhou imported white porcelains from
Jingdezhen
Jingdezhen is a prefecture-level city, in northeastern Jiangxi province, with a total population of 1,669,057 (2018), bordering Anhui to the north. It is known as the " Porcelain Capital" because it has been producing Chinese ceramics for at le ...
(a city well known for making white porcelains), worked on them to produce colorful porcelains, and exported their products to Western Europe. Later, this art spread to the entire Lingnan region. Hong Kong, for instance, started making Canton porcelain starting from the 1930s and exported many of their products to the entire world, though nowadays, few Hongkongese work on this style of porcelain outside hobbyists, due to the fact that the city has shifted its focus to service and finance industries.
;Gallery
File:清乾隆廣彩花鳥瓷盤.jpg,
File:清雍正廣彩村姑採櫻圖碟.jpg,
File:Kwon-Glazed Porcelain Lidded Jar.JPG,
Cantonese furniture
Cantonese furniture (Jyutping: Gwong
2 sik
1 gaa
1 si
1; Traditional Chinese: 廣式傢俬) is the Cantonese style of furniture. It can be dated at least back to the 17th century. This style generally uses the native timbers in the Lingnan region, while borrowing elements from traditional furniture styles of the Tang Empire and the Song Empire and artistic styles imported from Western Europe. It is characterized by (1) its tendency to make each furniture item by working on one larger piece of wood, resulting in Cantonese furniture not showing traces of being assembled; (2) taking elements from
Baroque and
Rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
style, especially in its use of curves; (3) using techniques from other Lingnan crafts, such as Teochew woodcarving; and (4) heavy use of shells and marbles as decorations. Nowadays, Cantonese furniture is being exported to many other Han Chinese communities and to foreign countries.
Lingnan school of painting
Lingnan school of painting (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
5 waa
2 paai
3; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南畫派), also called Cantonese school of painting, is a distinctive style of
painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
invented primarily by Cantonese artists. It originated in the 19th century, founded by
Gou Gim-fu (a Cantonese) and several of his associates. This style combined the
ink wash painting
Ink wash painting ( zh, t=水墨畫, s=水墨画, p=shuǐmòhuà; ja, 水墨画, translit=suiboku-ga or ja, 墨絵, translit=sumi-e; ko, 수묵화, translit=sumukhwa) is a type of Chinese ink brush painting which uses black ink, such as tha ...
shared by all Han Chinese and
watercolor painting
Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to ...
, also with the influence from
impressionism
Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...
. It emphasizes leaving blank spaces and the use of bright colors, in stark contrast to less colorful ink wash painting. For example, "The Flames of the Eastern Battlefield" used watercolor to paint bright red colors in the background. This, alongside the blank spaces in the painting, gives potential alternative interpretations of the blank spaces, which could look like either smoke or clouds.
Others
Sekwan ware and
Cochin ware
Cochin ware or Kochi ware or Jiaozhi ware () is a type of Chinese pottery from Guangdong Province, southern China.
History
Koji pottery was brought to Taiwan in the 19th century.
The English term "Cochin" derives from the Taiwanese Pronoucia ...
are types of
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...
with Cantonese origins. The former is still being produced by Cantonese, while the latter is more associated with Taiwan these days.
Performing arts
![Vancouver Cantonese Opera Extravaganza 22May2005 - 11 crop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Vancouver_Cantonese_Opera_Extravaganza_22May2005_-_11_crop.jpeg)
Cantonese people are involved in several types of
opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
s and
performing art
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfor ...
s, including
Tea-picking opera and
Han opera
Han opera () is a form of Chinese opera, previously known as "Chu tone" (楚调) or "Han tone" (汉调). It arose in the middle Qing dynasty period in Hubei, and later spread to Hunan, Shaanxi, and part of Sichuan. The music of Han opera incorporat ...
, with Cantonese opera being the most prominent one. They also have many types of traditional music. All of these are primarily sung and expressed using the Cantonese language.
Folk songs
The Cantonese language has a very rich collection of folk songs, many of which can be traced back to the ancient Nanyue people before sinicization of the region. These folk songs are widely sung and broadcast in the Lingnan region even to this day. Broadly speaking, they can be divided into several categories:
: "Saltwater songs" (Jyutping: Haam4 seoi2 go1; Traditional Chinese: 鹹水歌), which are popular around the
Pearl River Delta, lik
this one
: "Rooster-selling rhythms" (Jyutping: Maai6 gai1 diu6; Traditional Chinese: 賣雞調), which are traditionally sung in rooster-worshiping rituals and said to be related to the bird-worshiping totems of Baiyue peoples; An example would b
this
: "Kerria songs" (Jyutping: Gou1 tong4 go1; Traditional Chinese: 高棠歌), which are often sung in weddings;
: "North Canton folk songs" (Jyutping: Jyut6 bak1 man4 go1; Traditional Chinese: 粵北民歌), popular in northern Gwongdung;
: "Cantonese rhymes" (Jyutping: Jyut6 diu1; Traditional Chinese: 粵調), which consists of various subtypes based on pitches and rhythms and include the
nam yum tradition. An example of Cantonese rhythms i
this.
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera (Jyutping: Daai
6 hei
3; Traditional Chinese: 大戲, literally "great drama") is the style of opera associated with the Cantonese language and has been listed as one of
intangible cultural heritage of the world. Originated in the late 13th century, Cantonese opera is a stage art that combines acrobatics, singing, martial arts, and acting.
Cantonese opera also uses a different set of musical instruments. Some of these are used also in other oriental opera styles, such as
Guzheng (Jyutping: Gu
2 zaang
1; Traditional Chinese: 古箏). Due to influence from Western opera, Cantonese opera has also started adopting European instruments starting from the 19th century, such as
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
. Cantonese opera is also noted for its use of makeup and headdresses on the actors' parts. Makeups in Cantonese opera are primarily white, and could vary in colors depending on the personalities of the characters, e.g., totally white makeups are often used to represent a villain. Headdresses are also used to represent the characters.
File:Female-general.jpg, A female Cantonese opera singer
File:HK YamPak SinFungMing Opera Headgears 60326.jpg, Headdresses used in Cantonese opera
File:Bangzi 3.jpg, Bangzi, a musical instrument used in Cantonese opera
Gonggu
Gonggu (Jyutping: Gong
2 gu
2; Traditional Chinese: 講古, literally "to talk about the past") is a popular folk art in Lingnan. It involves artists telling stories from
Chinese classics
Chinese classic texts or canonical texts () or simply dianji (典籍) refers to the Chinese texts which originated before the imperial unification by the Qin dynasty in 221 BC, particularly the "Four Books and Five Classics" of the Neo-Confuci ...
or
Cantonese folklore
Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Canton) and its surrounding are ...
using the Cantonese language – while borrowing techniques from Cantonese opera in order to be very rhythmic at that. This art form originated in the 16th century, when Cantonese imported it from
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...
and several Cantonese artists learnt from the then famous
Wuyue storytellers. Since that time, Cantonese Gonggu has seen steady development, with storytellers performing in their own stalls or Cantonese teahouses. Starting from the 20th century, the area around Gwongzau has even started erecting "storytelling stages" (Jyutping: Syut
3 syu
1 toi
4; Traditional Chinese: 說書台, literally "stages where one talks about books") in certain parks and inviting artists to do Gonggu on radio shows.
Partly as a result of this, Cantonese people have accumulated a considerable amount of folktales.
Guangdong music
Guangdong music (Jyutping: Gwong
2 dung
1 jam
1 ok
6; Traditional Chinese: 廣東音樂) is a style of traditional Chinese instrumental music from Gwongzau and nearby areas, though nowadays it is found also in much of China. Guangdong music compositions are primarily based on tunes derived from Cantonese opera and Cantonese folk songs, especially before the 1920s. Stylistically, it is said to be marked by being loud, lively, and upbeat. Some pieces have seen influences from Western music (
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
in particular): they use syncopation and triple time, and incorporate instruments such as
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
and
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
.
Musical instruments
![Gaohu 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Gaohu_1.jpg)
The set of musical instruments used in Cantonese opera styles and music has much overlapping with those used by other Han Chinese groups. There are, however, instruments distinctly Cantonese, with the
''gaohu'' (''gou wu'') being the most representative. Aside from this,
''qinqin'' (''cheon kum'') and
''erxian'' (''yi yun'') are other musical instruments associated with Cantonese music.
Pop
Canto-pop, also called HK-pop (Jyutping: Jyut
6 jyu
5 lau
4 hang
4 kuk
1; Traditional Chinese: 粵語流行曲), is a genre of Cantonese music made primarily in Hong Kong. It is a
pop subgenre, with influences from
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
,
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm a ...
,
R&B,
electronic music
Electronic music is a genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromechanical means ( electroa ...
,
dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded da ...
and others. It is almost invariably sung in Cantonese, boasting an international fanbase across Gwongdung, Gwongsai, Southeast Asia and (to a lesser extent) Korea and Japan.
Cinema
Hong Kong cinema (Jyutping: Gong
2 caan
2 pin
3; Traditional Chinese: 港產片) is the
cinema
Cinema may refer to:
Film
* Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography
* Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image
** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking
...
of Hong Kong. For a long time, it had been one of the largest movie industries in the world and still has influence to this day. Being produced by Hong Kong, these movies have been primarily expressed using Cantonese, although films from certain period were in Mandarin due to geopolitical reasons. Their genres may vary, although
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
and
martial arts movies
Martial arts films are a subgenre of action films that feature numerous martial arts combat between characters. These combats are usually the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often are a method of storytelling and character expres ...
are particularly prominent. This style of cinema has a
cult following in the West.
Literature
Poetry
The Cantonese language, with its 1000-year-long history, has a rich heritage of poetry and literature. The people of the Lingnan region have been composing poems since the 7th century.
Zeung Gau-ling (Jyutping: Zoeng
1 gau
2 ling
4; Traditional Chinese: 張九齡), one of the most prolific poets of the Tang Empire, was born and raised in what is now
Siugwan, Guangdong. He was said to be very intelligent since he was a child, and later became the empire's minister. 12 of his poems were listed as the 300 best poems from the Tang Empire. Since then, the Lingnan region has produced a steady stream of poets of varying levels of prominence. They were even given a label called Lingnan school of poetry (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
4 si
1 paai
3; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南詩派), renowned for preserving pronunciations from the Middle Chinese language and composing poems with imagery unique to Lingnan.
Like much of East Asia, most of Lingnan's medieval literature was composed in
classical Chinese
Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning
"literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning
"literar ...
(grammatically), rather than the people's spoken language. However, poets in the region have started composing poems using grammatically
vernacular
A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...
Cantonese since the 19th century, with the work of Cantonese poet Liu Yan-tou (Jyutping: Liu
6 jan
1 tou
4; Traditional Chinese: 廖恩燾) being the most prominent. Many of his works require Cantonese characters (characters specifically invented to write Cantonese) to write down.
This particular style of poetry has accumulated a large number of works. Starting from the early 21st century, Cantonese people have started compiling works of past Cantonese poets in a literature called "All Cantonese Poems" (Jyutping: Cyun
4 jyut
6 si
1; Traditional Chinese: 全粵詩), which has spanned 30 volumes and yet to be finished.
Vernacular Cantonese literature
Like the rest of East Asia, Lingnan traditionally used
classical Chinese
Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning
"literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning
"literar ...
for writing, rather than the peoples' spoken languages. Despite the attempt to create
vernacular
A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...
forms of writing in the late 19th century, the
Greater China
Greater China is an informal geographical area that shares commercial and cultural ties with the Han Chinese people. The notion of "Greater China" refers to the area that usually encompasses Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in East ...
area still tend to use
standard written Chinese
Written vernacular Chinese, also known as Baihua () or Huawen (), is the forms of written Chinese based on the varieties of Chinese spoken throughout China, in contrast to Classical Chinese, the written standard used during imperial China up to ...
, a writing system based on Mandarin, not Cantonese (i.e., the native language of the Lingnan region), in writing. Even in cosmopolitan Hong Kong, the vast majority of the people's
works of literature have been written in standard written Chinese. However, starting from the 21st century, Hong Kong, as a cultural center in the region, has developed a complete writing system for Cantonese. Some writers in the city now advocate composing literature in written Cantonese.
Food culture
The Lingnan region has a special geographical environment different from those of other Han Chinese regions. With its subtropical temperature and high humidity, it has a tendency to have good harvests whether in
farming
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...
or
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
. As a result, cuisine in Lingnan could use many different food materials. The book "New Comments on Gwongdung" (廣東新語), written by Wat Dai-gwan, said: 天下所有食貨,粵東幾盡有之,粵東所有之食貨,天下未必盡也。(Classical Chinese: Every ingredient that the world has, Gwongdung has it; Every ingredient that Gwongdung has, the rest of the world may not have it). Today, the cuisine of the Lingnan region has fully developed into a distinct school of cuisine on its own.
Cantonese cuisine
Cantonese cuisine (Jyutping: Jyut
6 coi
3; Traditional Chinese: 粵菜) is the cuisine corresponding to Cantonese culture. Gwongzau, the cultural capital of the region, has long been a trading hub. This resulted in many imported ingredients are used in Cantonese cuisine. Besides pork, beef, and chicken, Cantonese cuisine uses nearly every edible meat, including offal, chicken feet, duck's tongue, snakes, and snails. However, lamb and goat are rare. There is also heavy use of seafood, due to proximity to the sea. This style of cuisine uses many cooking methods, with steaming and stir-frying being the most popular, largely due to relative convenience.
Traditionally, Cantonese cooks prefer their dishes to have well-balanced flavor and not be greasy. Spices are used in modest amounts at best to preserve the flavors of the primary ingredients, which in turn are expected to be at the peak of their freshness and quality. Cantonese cooking tends not to use fresh herbs, contrary to
Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...
,
European,
Thai and
Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
cuisines, with garlic chives and coriander leaves being the notable exceptions. Lastly, due to the hot and humid weather of Lingnan and the traditional beliefs that soups can "remove hotness" (Jyutping: Cing
1 jit
6 hei
3; Traditional Chinese: 清熱氣), Cantonese cuisine tends to have liberal use of soups.
Lou fo tong
(Jyutping: Lou
5 fo
2 tong
1; Traditional Chinese: 老火湯, literally "old fire soup") is a cuisine among common people in Lingnan. It refers to a set of clear
broth
Broth, also known as bouillon (), is a savory liquid made of water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been simmered for a short period of time. It can be eaten alone, but it is most commonly used to prepare other dishes, such as soups, ...
made by simmering meat and other ingredients over low heat for several hours. These ingredients may include meats, vegetables, seafood, fruits, and medicinal herbs. It originated in the late 17th to early 18th century. At that time, Guangdong had difficulty extracting coals, which resulted in Cantonese people having to rely on firewood for fuels. This caused them to avoid using large fire (which cooking techniques such as stir-frying require) and instead use low heat to simmer their foods – resulting in lou fo tong. Nowadays, lou fo tong has been a fully developed style of soups and become an integral part of Cantonese cuisine.
;Dishes in Cantonese cuisine
File:Chinese fried bread.jpg, Fried bread (), shared by most Han Chinese groups, is common in breakfast.
File:Zhaliang.jpg, Za leung (), another popular breakfast dish, is distinctly Cantonese.
File:Pork preserved duck egg congee.jpg, Congee with lean pork and century egg () is also a breakfast staple.
File:Macharsiew by daxiang stef.jpg, BBQ pork () is a popular delicacy, with many variants in Cantonese cuisine.
File:Fried Chicken! Mmmm....jpg, Deep-fried chicken
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
with sweet and sour sauce.
File:Beefchowfoon.jpg, Beef chow fun
Beef chow fun, also known as gōn cháau ngàuh hó or gānchǎo níuhé in Chinese (乾炒牛河) meaning "dry fried beef Shahe noodles", is a staple Cantonese dish, made from stir-frying beef, ''hor fun'' (wide rice noodles) and bean sprout ...
() is a staple in Cantonese cuisine.
File:BeiQieJi-WhiteCutChicken.jpg, White cut chicken
White cut chicken or white sliced chicken () is a type of ''siu mei''. Unlike most other meats in the ''siu mei'' category, this particular dish is not roasted, but steamed. The dish is common to the cultures of Southern China, including Guangd ...
(), one of the finest dishes in Cantonese cuisine.
File:HK food 酥炸 鯪魚球 Dacefish meat balls Nov-2013 九記 Kau Kee Restaurant.JPG, Dace
A dace is a small fish that can be one of many different species. The unmodified name is usually a reference to the common dace (''Leuciscus leuciscus''). This, like most fish called "daces", belongs to the family Cyprinidae, mostly in subfamily ...
fish ball
Fish balls are rounded meat balls made from fish paste which are then boiled or deep fried. Similar in composition to fishcake, fish balls are often made from fish mince or surimi, salt, and a culinary binder such as tapioca flour, corn, or p ...
s () is popular in Hong Kong.
File:Fried pigeon.jpeg, Roasted pigeons ().
File:Pig Lung & Almond Soup.jpg, Pig Lung and Almond Soup () is a common lou fo tong.
Tea culture
![Yumcha Dining](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Yumcha_Dining.jpg)
Yum cha (Jyutping: Jam
2 caa
4; Traditional Chinese: 飲茶, literally "to drink tea") is a subculture within Cantonese food culture. While it can be found in some other Han Chinese groups, it is far more prevalent among Cantonese people, and also overseas Chinese, historically most of whom have been of Cantonese ancestry. It has a specific set of terminologies among Cantonese. For instance, "to invite someone to go yum cha" is basically a way of expressing friendship. Traditionally, Cantonese could go yum cha whether in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Morning tea is typically dominated by the elderly, although many younger people often accompany their grandparents for morning tea as a way of showing respect and affection. Cantonese
teahouse
A teahouse (mainly Asia) or tearoom (also tea room) is an establishment which primarily serves tea and other light refreshments. A tea room may be a room set aside in a hotel especially for serving afternoon tea, or may be an establishment whi ...
s also have a set of food specifically designed for morning tea. Afternoon tea is similar in most aspects, except it is more common for entire families to go yum cha at this hour. Evening tea tends to attract large gatherings – and the foods ordered in such hours also tend to be more sophisticated.
Regardless of hours, yum cha starts with the diners ordering a specific set of teas they would like to drink. After that, the waiters would bring the teas, which the diners will be drinking while enjoying the foods and engaging in all sorts of social interactions. Even after they have finished the foods, the diners still tend to stay for half an hour or so chatting.
Dim sum
Dim sum (Jyutping: Dim
2 sam
1; Traditional Chinese: 點心, literally "to touch the heart") is a characteristic of Cantonese cuisine, usually but not only eaten during yum cha. They are a set of small bite-sized portions of food served in small steam baskets or on small plates. In Cantonese teahouses, carts with dim sum will be moving around the restaurant for the diners to order from without having to leave their seats. In Cantonese traditions, the diners will often order dim sum at will while chatting and enjoying the endless serving of teas.
In major cities in Lingnan, such as Gwongzau and Hong Kong, culinary schools usually offer courses specifically to train the preparation of dim sum.
Leung cha
![HK Stanley St Chinese herb tea shop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/HK_Stanley_St_Chinese_herb_tea_shop.jpg)
Leung cha (Jyutping: Leong
4 caa
4; Traditional Chinese: 涼茶, literally "cool tea") is a kind of infusion made from traditional medicinal herbs. In
traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...
, leung cha is used to treat ''
shanghuo'' and is considered to have a cooling effect on the body. Herbal tea was a unique drink in Lingnan. It is said that herbal tea has appeared before the Qing dynasty. Lingnan is located in a subtropical zone in which the climate is characterized by hot and humid summers and mild winters. People living in subtropical environments are more likely to suffer from ailments such as skin diseases and gastroenteritis, which herbal teas such as leung cha are thought to treat. Drinking herbal tea gradually became widespread as a custom in China, as well as the rest of
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
. In major cities such as Guangzhou and Hong Kong, "cool tea shops" which specialize in selling herb teas are common sights. Due to the efforts of the governments of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong, and Macau, methods to make leung cha have been considered an
intangible cultural heritage practice in China since 2006.
Tong sui
Tong sui (Jyutping: Tong
4 seoi
2; Traditional Chinese: 糖水, literally "sugar water") is a characteristic dessert of Cantonese cuisine. It is a set of sweet, warm soups or custards served as dessert at the end of a meal in Cantonese traditions. It is also common for Cantonese people to leave home to get some tong sui with a group of friends or family late in the evening, an activity they call "
siu yeh" (Jyutping: Siu
1 je
6; Traditional Chinese: 消夜, pinyin : Shaoye .,literally to "kill the night"). Choices of types of tong sui vary depending on the season: hot black sesame soup, for instance, tends to be favored in winter.
Brewery
Lingnan is also known for producing some notable liquors, mostly of the
rice wine variety. The brewery culture of Lingnan can be traced all the way back to the kingdom of Nanyue, who apparently possessed containers of liquors. In the late 11th century,
Sou Sik (Jyutping: Sou
1 sik
1; Traditional Chinese: 蘇軾), one of the prominent poets and then minister of the
Song Empire
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
, got demoted and reassigned to Lingnan. Also well known for his love for cuisine, Sou Sik wrote a book on brewery not long after his reassignment to Lingnan, called "Sou Sik's Words on Liquors" (Jyutping: Dung
1 bo
1 zau
2 ging
1; Traditional Chinese: 東坡酒經), which became Lingnan's first book on brewery.
Rice wine can be consumed directly, or can be used as a cooking ingredient .
Nowadays, rice wines produced in Lingnan are sold across China and other Asian countries, with Yuk Bing Siu (Jyutping: Juk
6 bing
1 siu
1; Traditional Chinese: 玉冰燒, literally "Jade, ice, and burn"), one of the "Ten Great Liquors of Gwongdung", being particularly renowned.
Fruits
"The Four Great Fruits of Lingnan" (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
4 sei
3 daai
6 ming
4 gwo
2; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南四大名果) are four fruits locally planted in Lingnan and frequently used in Cantonese cuisine and desserts. They are
lychee
Lychee (US: ; UK: ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the soapberry family, ''Sapindaceae''.
It is a tropical tree native to Southeast and Southwest China (the Guangdong, Fujian, Yun ...
,
banana,
pineapple
The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...
and
papaya.
Gallery
File:CantoneseRestaurantSeafood.jpg, Cantonese often run seafood restaurants by the sea, using fish tanks such as those pictured to keep the seafood. It is a common sight in Lingnan.
File:CantoneseSiuLaapStore.jpg, Cantonese also like siu lap (Jyutping: Siu1 laap6; Traditional Chinese: 燒臘, literally "roasted delicacies").
File:Century egg by Kent Wang.jpg, Century eggs are commonly used in Cantonese cuisine.
File:10 Thousand Buddhas Monastery 豆腐花 Bean Curd 2.jpg, Bean curd tong sui. (dau fu fa 豆腐花)
File:HK Hotpot foods Dec-2013 Ingredients 蟶子 Solenidae 蟹 Crabs 蝦 Prawn 雞肉腸仔 Sausage n 魚旦 Fishballs.jpg, Cantonese-style hotpots typically involves much seafood. The one pictured, for instance, includes solenidae
Solenidae, commonly called "razor shells", is a family of marine bivalve molluscs in the unassigned Euheterodonta.
Taxonomy
Originally, razor shells were all classified as Solenidae. Then, the genera were grouped into two sub-families, the Cult ...
, crabs, prawn
Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten.
The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature' ...
s and fishball
Fish balls are rounded meat balls made from fish paste which are then boiled or deep fried. Similar in composition to fishcake, fish balls are often made from fish mince or surimi, salt, and a culinary binder such as tapioca flour, corn, ...
s.
File:Claypot Chicken Rice, Singapore.JPG, Claypot rice
Claypot rice (), sometimes translated as "rice casserole", is a Chinese traditional dinner eaten widely in Guangdong in Southern China as well as the Chinese communities of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
The rice is presoaked, or i ...
is also a delicacy in Cantonese cuisine.
File:Bird's-nest-soup-Miri-Malaysia.jpg, Bird's nest soups are popularly believed to be beneficial for health.
File:Moon Cakes.jpg, Cantonese also have their own style of mooncake.
Martial arts
![Wing Chun Hybrid Blade Style Butterfly Swords](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Wing_Chun_Hybrid_Blade_Style_Butterfly_Swords.JPG)
Cantonese people also have
their own schools of kung fu.
Originally disorganized, the fighting techniques of Cantonese people were grouped into different schools between 18th to 19th century. At that time, pirates and bandits were rampant in the empire's fringe regions such as Lingnan. This resulted in Cantonese starting to want to protect themselves, and thus the proliferation of martial arts learning. It was when the Cantonese people organized their fighting techniques into schools, forming the martial arts schools seen among Cantonese today. Martial arts folk heroes from that period, such as
Wong Fei-hung
Wong Fei-hung (born Wong Sek-cheung with the courtesy name Tat-wun; 9 July 1847 – 17 April 1925) was a Chinese martial artist, physician, and folk hero. His recent fame was due to becoming the subject of numerous martial arts films and televis ...
, are now popular topics of Cantonese films.
Overall, Cantonese martial arts are known for emphasis on striking in various different ways using punches while remaining a steady lower body posture. They often shout battle cries (for the purpose of unnerving the opponents), rarely jump, kick or do any elaborated large movements – a very pragmatic style focused on striking. Kung fu schools invented and primarily practiced by Cantonese people include, but are not limited to:
Gwongdung schools
*
Chow Gar
Tung Kong Chow Gar Tong Long (; East River Chow Family Praying Mantis), or simply Chow Gar (周家), is a southern Chinese martial art of the Hakka (客家) people. It is one of the four major schools in Southern Praying Mantis, the other school ...
*
Choy gar
*
Choy Li Fut
Choy Lee Fut is a Chinese martial art and wushu style, founded in 1836 by Chan Heung (陳享). Choy Li Fut was named to honor the Buddhist monk Choy Fook (蔡褔, Cai Fu) who taught him Choy Gar, and Li Yau-San (李友山) who taught him ...
*
Hung Ga
Hung Ga (), Hung Kuen (), or Hung Ga Kuen () is a southern Chinese martial art belonging to the southern Shaolin styles. The hallmarks of Hung Ga are strong stances, notably the horse stance, or "si ping ma" (), and strong hand techniques, not ...
*
Mok Gar
Mok Gar () is one of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts. It was developed by a Shaolin monk named Monk Mok Ta Shi () as an inheritance of the Southern Shaolin Fist in Guangdong province in China.
It gained fame thre ...
*
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Chinese: 詠春 or 咏春, lit. "singing spring"), sometimes spelled Ving Tsun, is a concept-based fighting art, form of Southern Chinese kung fu and close-quarters system of self-defense. In Mandarin, it is pronounced "Yong Chun. ...
Philosophy
![先儒白沙先生陳獻章先生像](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/%E5%85%88%E5%84%92%E7%99%BD%E6%B2%99%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F%E9%99%B3%E7%8D%BB%E7%AB%A0%E5%85%88%E7%94%9F%E5%83%8F.jpg)
Lingnan also has her own schools of
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or a ...
. Since the 12th century, there has been a steady stream of Cantonese
Neo-Confucian
Neo-Confucianism (, often shortened to ''lǐxué'' 理學, literally "School of Principle") is a moral, ethical, and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, and originated with Han Yu (768–824) and Li Ao (772–841) in t ...
thinkers, resulting in several schools of thoughts.
Lingnan scholarly school
Lingnan scholarly school (Jyutping: Ling
5 naam
4 hok
6 paai
3; Traditional Chinese: 嶺南學派) is the most prominent of schools of Neo-Confucian thoughts in Lingnan. It was started by a group of Cantonese Confucian scholars in the 15th century, led by
Chan Bak-sa. Chan's writings have now been compiled in a document titled "Chan Bak-sa's Collection" (Jyutping: Can
4 hin
3 zoeng
1 zaap
6; Traditional Chinese: 陳獻章集). In this series of writings, Chan expressed his opinions of Confucius's thoughts and reinterpreted them through the lens of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. His style of thoughts has a strong theme of
humanism
Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and Agency (philosophy), agency of Human, human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical in ...
and
individualism
Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and to value independence and self-reli ...
. It also appeared to have been influenced by Western style of thoughts in its belief in more rational ways of thinking than older Confucian thoughts.
Traditional celebrations
![Flowermarket1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Flowermarket1.jpg)
Cantonese people also have a distinct set of traditional celebrations. Many of these celebrations are shared by other Han Chinese groups and even other
East Asians. The
Ghost Festival
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival (traditional Chinese: 中元節; simplified Chinese: ) in Taoism and Yulanpen Festival () in Buddhism, is a traditional Taoist and Buddhist festival held in certain East Asian countrie ...
, for instance, is observed by Japanese and many Southeast Asians as well. However, Cantonese often have their own unique customs. For instance, New Year flower fairs are seen only among Cantonese and certain overseas Chinese communities of Cantonese ancestry. The Lingnan region also has certain celebrations unique to her.
Cantonese New Year customs
*
New Year flower market
*
Cantonese lion dance
*
Nin Lai
Han Chinese celebrations
*
Lunar New Year
*
First Full Moon Festival
*
Buddha's Birthday
Buddha's Birthday (also known as Buddha Jayanti, also known as his day of enlightenment – Buddha Purnima, Buddha Pournami) is a Buddhist festival that is celebrated in most of East Asia and South Asia commemorating the birth of the Prince ...
*
Qingming Festival
*
Dragon Boat Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival ( zh, s=端午节, t=端午節) is a traditional Chinese holiday which occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, which corresponds to late May or June in the Gregorian calendar.
Names
The Engl ...
*Birthday of
Guanyin
Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...
*
Ghost Festival
The Ghost Festival, also known as the Zhongyuan Festival (traditional Chinese: 中元節; simplified Chinese: ) in Taoism and Yulanpen Festival () in Buddhism, is a traditional Taoist and Buddhist festival held in certain East Asian countrie ...
*
Mid-Autumn Festival
*
Double Ninth Festival
The Double Ninth Festival (''Chong Yang Festival'' or ''Chung Yeung Festival'' in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan; ; ''Jungyangjeol'' (Hangul: , Hanja: ), observed on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar, is a ...
Cantonese-specific celebrations
*Gwongdung Festival of Joy (Jyutping: Gwong
2 dung
1 fun
1 lok
6 zit
3; Traditional Chinese: 廣東歡樂節);
*Cantonese
Temple Fair
Miaohui (), literally temple gatherings or translated as temple fairs, also called yíngshén sàihuì ( "collective rituals to greet the gods"), are Chinese religious gatherings held by Miao shrines for the worship of the Chinese gods and im ...
(Jyutping: Gwong
2 fu
2 miu
2 wui
6; Traditional Chinese: 廣府廟會);
*Futsan Autumn (Jyutping: Fat
2 saan
1 cau
1 sik
6; Traditional Chinese: 佛山秋色);
*Self-selling Festival (Jyutping: Maai
6 san
1 zit
3; Traditional Chinese: 賣身節);
*Canton Lotus Festival (Jyutping: Joeng
4 sing
5 ho
4 faa
1 zit
3; Traditional Chinese: 羊城荷花節);
*Kite Festival (Jyutping: Fung
1 zang
1 zit
3; Traditional Chinese: 風箏節);
*Flying Colors Parade (Jyutping: Piu
1 sik
1 ceon
4 jau
4; Traditional Chinese: 飄色巡遊);
Birthdays of local deities
*Birthday of
Hung Shing
Hung Shing wong (), also known as Hung Shing Ye () and Tai Wong () is a Chinese folk religion deity. The most popular tale states that in his lifetime he was a government official in the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907) (1st and 15th day of any lunar month)
*Birthday of
Mazu (23rd day of the 3rd lunar month)
*Birthday of
Yun-mou (3rd day of the 3rd lunar month)
*Birthday of
Tam Kung
Tam Kung () or Tam Tai Sin () is a sea deity worshiped in Hong Kong and Macau.
In Chinese folk legends, Tam Kung was one of gods who could forecast the weather. He was born in Huizhou Prefecture. It was said that he could cure patients in hi ...
(8th day of the 4th month)
*Birthday of
Lady Sin (24th day of the 11th lunar month)
Religions
Traditionally, the Lingnan region is dominated by two religions – Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism.
Mahayana Buddhism
Compared to worshiping Confucius, Cantonese are traditionally more inclined towards worshiping the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
and
Bodhisattvas
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
of
Mahayana branch of Buddhism, which is shared by most Han Chinese groups. Mahayana Buddhist temples are a common sight in Lingnan, and Buddhist celebrations such as Buddha's Birthday and the Birthday of Guanyin are, traditionally, large events in the region.
The
Wan-mun sect of Mahayana Buddhism originated in Lingnan and once spread across much of China during the
Northern Song
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
dynasty (10th to 12th century).
Taoism
All Han Chinese groups traditionally adhere to some forms of
Taoism
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Ta ...
, and Cantonese is no exception. Cantonese has a distinct set of Taoist deities. Cantonese people are, traditionally, worshipers of
Wong Tai Sin
Wong Tai Sin or Huang Daxian () is a Chinese Taoist Deity popular in Jinhua, Zhejiang, and Hong Kong with the power of healing. The name, meaning the "Great Immortal Wong (Huang)", is the divine form of Huang Chuping or Wong Cho Ping (; c. 32 ...
, a Taoist god of healing. They are also strongly inclined to worship sea deities such as
Hung Shing
Hung Shing wong (), also known as Hung Shing Ye () and Tai Wong () is a Chinese folk religion deity. The most popular tale states that in his lifetime he was a government official in the Tang dynasty (AD 618–907) and
Mazu – reflecting the Cantonese tradition of doing trades overseas.
Culture of distance from Confucius
It has been noted that Cantonese culture is traditionally marked by a "culture of distance from
Confucius
Confucius ( ; zh, s=, p=Kǒng Fūzǐ, "Master Kǒng"; or commonly zh, s=, p=Kǒngzǐ, labels=no; – ) was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. C ...
" (Jyutping: Jyun
5 jyu
4 man
4 faa
3; Traditional Chinese: 遠儒文化, literally "culture of distance from Confucius"), which may be related to Lingnan historically being a fringe region of the Chinese Empire and influence from the Tang dynasty (who placed greater emphasis on Taoism and Buddhism than Confucianism): While Confucian philosophy still has its deep influence on Cantonese culture,
Confucius Temples are harder to find in Lingnan than Buddhist or Taoist ones.
Others
Cantonese people have a long tradition of doing commerce with the outside world, including with Western Europeans starting from the 15th century, which resulted in
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
(mostly the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
and
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
variants) gaining foothold in the region. Earlier than that, Cantonese also did trade with
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
and
Persians
The Persians are an Iranian ethnic group who comprise over half of the population of Iran. They share a common cultural system and are native speakers of the Persian language as well as of the languages that are closely related to Persian.
...
, thus the presence of
Islam in Lingnan.
Commercial tradition
Cantonese merchants (Jyutping: Jyut
6 soeng
1; Traditional Chinese: 粵商) are merchants of Cantonese origins. In the past two thousand years, Lingnan (especially the area around Gwongzau) has spent much of the time being the Chinese Empire's main port, resulting in a strong commercial tradition, formation of renowned Cantonese trade organizations such as the
Canton Factories, and even Cantonese developing their own business culture: Cantonese merchants are known for being pragmatic, preference for actual profits over fame, and avoidance of political matters and display of wealth. Nowadays, Cantonese people still inherit this commercial culture. Major Lingnan cities such as Gwongzau (
Guangzhou
Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...
), Futsan (
Foshan),
Shenzhen
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...
, and
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
are regional (if not international) commercial centers. Hong Kong, for instance, scored 748 in 2016's
Global Financial Centres Index
The Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) is a ranking of the competitiveness of financial centres based on over 29,000 financial centre assessments from an online questionnaire together with over 100 indices from organisations such as the World ...
, ranking fourth in the world and just below
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and
New York city
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
.
Cultural symbols
Red cotton flower
![Semal (Bombax ceiba) flowers in Kolkata W IMG 4116](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Semal_%28Bombax_ceiba%29_flowers_in_Kolkata_W_IMG_4116.jpg)
Red cotton flower (Jyutping: Muk
6 min
4 faa
1; Traditional Chinese: 木棉花, literally "wood cotton flower") is a species of flower common in Lingnan, and considered to symbolize Cantonese culture. It was said that in 200 BCE,
Ziu To (Jyutping: Ziu
6 to
4; Traditional Chinese: 趙陀), the king of the Nanyue kingdom, once gave a red cotton tree to the Han Empire to express respect – meaning that at that time, the people of Lingnan already used red cotton flowers to represent their homeland. Nowadays, red cotton flower frequently appears in the poems and songs composed by Cantonese people. The folk song Nam Hoi Chiu, for instance, mentioned "紅綿" (Traditional Chinese for "red cotton flower") to represent Cantonese people and culture. Red cotton flower is currently the official symbol of Gwongzau, the cultural center of Lingnan, and also of Gwongdung and Gwongsai as a whole.
Macau lotus
![Sacred lotus Nelumbo nucifera](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Sacred_lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera.jpg)
The lotus is the symbol of Macau. It appears on the flag of Macau after the
1999 handover.
Hong Kong orchid
![Bauhinia blakeana (Key West)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Bauhinia_blakeana_%28Key_West%29.jpg)
The Hong Kong orchid is arguably the symbol of Hong Kong. It was discovered in 1880, and identified as a new species in 1908. It became Hong Kong's official symbol in 1965 and appears on the flag of Hong Kong after the
1997 handover
Sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China (PRC) at midnight on 1 July 1997. This event ended 156 years of British rule in the former colony. Hong Kong was established as a special admin ...
. Since Hong Kong produced a large number of films, pop songs, and soap operas to promote Cantonese culture, Hong Kong, and by extension the Hong Kong orchid, is widely held to be the symbol of modern Cantonese culture. Nam Hoi Chiu, for instance, also mentioned "紫荊" (Traditional Chinese for "purple orchid") to symbolize Cantonese people.
The
Golden Bauhinia Square
The Golden Bauhinia Square () is an open area in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The square was named after the giant statue of a golden ''Bauhinia blakeana'' at the centre of the area, situated outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where ...
has a giant statue of the Hong Kong orchid and is one of the major landmarks of Hong Kong.
Sampan
![Guangzhou Harbor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Guangzhou_Harbor.jpg)
Sampan is a type of flat-bottom boat frequently seen in the shores of
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
, used by Cantonese,
Hoklo, and many other Southeast Asian ethnic groups. They are usually three to four meters in length and have small shelters on broad. This makes it possible for fishermen to live on their own sampans. In the major Cantonese cities of Gwongzau, Hong Kong and Macau, it is a common sight to see crowds of sampans docked at their harbours.
[Behrendt, S. (2010). Guangzhou. Northwest Review, 48(2), 80–82.] Thus, the image of sampan-filled harbour is strongly associated with Lingnan. Sampans also regularly show up in films and music videos made by Cantonese.
See also
![GZFiveRams](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/GZFiveRams.JPG)
*
The Legend of Five Goats
The Legend of Five Goats comes from the ancient Guangzhou city, and is an origin of Guangzhou's nicknames like 'City of Five Goats', 'City of the Goat', 'City of the Rice'. It is also the origin of many Guangzhou local brands' names. The name 'Five ...
, a legend about how Gwongzau, the cultural capital of Cantonese, originated.
*
Cantonese folktales
*
Eight Sights of Gwongzau
*
Cantonese Wikipedia
The Cantonese Wikipedia () is the Cantonese-language edition of Wikipedia, run by the Wikimedia Foundation. It was started on 25 March 2006.
History
Cantonese, a major variety of the Chinese language originating in Guangzhou, is the lingua fra ...
*
CCTV Nanhai Studio
Cantonese customs
*
Bone collecting
*
Cantonese pre-wedding customs
*
Cantonese wedding
Most Southern Chinese weddings follow the main Chinese wedding traditions, although some rituals are unique to southern regions of China (), particularly Guangdong, Guangxi, Macau, Hong Kong, Fujian, Taiwan and Hainan, and in Chinese communities in ...
*
Villain hitting
Related cultures
*
Chinese culture
Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...
**Lingnan culture:
***
Culture of Hong Kong
***
Culture of Macau Macau is an autonomous territory within China. A Portuguese colony until 1999, Macau has a diverse culture firmly rooted in Cantonese culture, with a mix of influences from East Asia and Western Europe. Macau is known for being the largest gambling ...
**
Bashu culture
Bashu culture (), sometimes also named Chongqing-Sichuan culture, refers to the culture of Sichuan province and Chongqing city, China and the surrounding areas, including parts of the neighboring provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou, since the Han ...
**
Wuyue culture
Wuyue culture () refers to the regional Chinese culture of the Wuyue people, a Han Chinese subgroup that has historically been the dominant demographic in the region of Jiangnan (entirety of the city of Shanghai and the province of Zhejiang, ...
**
Hakka culture
Hakka culture ( zh, t=客家文化) refers to the culture created by Hakka people, a Han Chinese subgroup, across Asia and Americas. It encompasses the shared language, various art forms, food culture, folklore, and traditional customs. Hakka cul ...
**
Teochew culture
**
Hokkien culture
Minnan culture or Hokkien/Hoklo culture (Hokkien Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Bân-lâm bûn-hòa; ), also considered as the Mainstream Southern Min Culture, refers to the culture of the Hoklo people, a group of Han Chinese people who have historically been the ...
**
Taishanese culture
Others
*
Liangguang
Liangguang (; Chinese postal romanization, Postal romanization: Liangkwang) is a Chinese language, Chinese term for the Provinces of China, province of Guangdong and the former province and present Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region o ...
("Leunggwong" in Cantonese), the collective term for Gwongdung and Gwongsai.
*
Lingnan
*
Lingnan University
Lingnan University (LN/LU), formerly called Lingnan College, is a public liberal arts university in Hong Kong. It aims to provide students with an education in the liberal arts tradition and has joined the Global Liberal Arts Alliance since ...
*
Stone dogs in the Leizhou Peninsula
References
{{Guangxi topics
Cantonese culture