by Petra Tang

Created on: July 08, 2008

Chinese and Japanese.Japanese and Chinese.On the street, it would be quite hard to differentiate a Japanese and Chinese, as they both have yellow skins.
According to legend, Japan came from China.During the reign of Shi Huang Di, the first emperor of the Middle Kingdom(which is China),he craved for a long life.In fact,if possible this dictator emperor would want to live forever and take control of the entire Middle Kingdom which he already did.Who would want to leave the world when luxury,power over every single living being in a vast land-China is in your hands?I wouldn't.And so, with that craving in mind, Shi Huang Di summoned his right hand man to go on a search for a mythological long-life plant.The plant is called the Ling Zhi-which according to his right hand man-only appears once in 3000 years and after being boiled into a special soup,gives whoever who consumes it eternal life.Thus, Shi Huang Di was supposed to live forever if he were to consume the magical Ling Zhi soup.

Smart enough, the right hand man soon realised that the myth was a myth and there wasn't such a miraculous plant.Yet, he didn't dare to return to Shi Huang Di and tell him that he had failed in the quest as he knew well-whoever fails the emperor Shi Huang Di shall face cruel and violent deaths.Therefore he thought of a plan.He told Shi Huang Di that in order to get the Ling Zhi,he would need 500 young men,women,children and animals.Shi Huang Di was very happy that his right hand man was halfway reaching the quest,and so happily gave the right hand man 500 young men,children and animals.After which,the right hand man happily took his people and animals to an island where Shi Huang Di would not find them easily-which was Japan.He became the first emperor of Japan and taught his people to write,read in Japanese which if you notice,is similar to the Chinese language.Even the words have similarities.
Now,back to the cultures.
The Japanese are most well known for their tea ceremony.On important and formal occasions,the tea ceremony would be held.In fact,there are specific ways to hold the tea cup,sip,the position of the lid etc.Yet,many people do not know that tea came from China.The Chinese are used to drinking Chinese tea every day.In mainland China,the Chinese substitute water to tea as tea has been known for its many medicinal properties.In every Chinese family,you will find boxes of treasured tea leaves,some in the shape of a cake.During traditional Chinese weddings, the tea ceremony is considered the most important of all.
The Japanese kimono is also similar to the Chinese Han costume.A point to add here is that the cheongsam and qipao are not the traditional costume of the majority of Chinese people.These are the clothing of the Chinese Man people,whose emperors defeated the Ming dynasty(Han people) and formed the Qing dynasty.
Besides, the white powder that Japanese geishas apply on their whole faces could also be found in China.In Guangzhou,also known as Canton, opera singers apply such powder on their faces to make their faces white in colour.They also apply blood red lip colour in which the Japanese geishas also apply.
And if you observe the Japanese architecture and the Chinese architecture,you'll surely find a resemblance.It is the Oriental style of building.
All in all,I believe that the Chinese and Japanese are a family.Even their cultures resemble each other.What makes it a little different is that the many Chinese have been westernised and are more slanting to the Western ways and slowly diminishing this rich Chinese culture.Personally,the Chinese might have to learn from the Japanese how to preserve their culture in order to keep the Chinese spirit going.

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