· 6 lists · 242 words

Chinese culture and history

Festivals, customs, arts, literature, dynasties, values.

What holds these lists together

The traditional festivals follow the lunar calendar, so their date moves from year to year against the one on the wall. The Spring Festival, 春节(Chūnjié), and the Mid-Autumn Festival, 中秋节(Zhōngqiūjié), each come with their own food, greetings and customs, many of them heard only once a year and worth learning before the day rather than on it. History is counted in dynasties, 朝代(cháodài), with names such as 唐朝(Tángcháo), and much of the language of the arts reaches back to them: a four-character expression often carries a whole old story, which the speaker expects you to know. The lists run from the festival table to literature, aesthetics and the ideas behind them.

The six lists

3Festivals and customsThe traditional festivals, what is eaten and done at each, and the words around them.40 words 4The arts and literatureWriters, painters, exhibitions, the stage and the page.41 words 4History and traditionDynasties, emperors, heritage and what has come down from the past.40 words 5Culture, values and philosophyIdeas and beliefs, morals and values, the classical schools of thought and how a tradition is handed on.40 words 5History: dynasties, civilisations and the pastHow historians talk about rise and fall, what archaeologists dig up, and the words for ages long gone.40 words 5Art and aestheticsMaking art and talking about it: style, technique, music, dance and the stage.41 words

Spread across the levels

The category runs across the levels — it is an area, not a difficulty. If you practise it, you can also choose a level at the top of the practice page and then get only the part that sits there.

Level	Words	Share
2	1	0 %
3	43	18 %
4	94	39 %
5	104	43 %

Practise this category

Multiple choice and gaps, across all six lists and all 242 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.