The influence of the Chinese Culture

The influence of the Chinese culture is sweeping the world and for good reason. In its most pure expression, the philosophy underlying all traditional practices is Taoism which is a very holistic philosophy. Yet, as is the case with Chinese culture, there is a very practical aspect to this world view. Chinese Astrology, Medicine, Feng Shui, Tai Chi, Chi Gong and Geomancy etcetera all share a common basis revealing the holistic foundation.  I playfully refer to the influence of China on the world as ‘the red wave’. The focus in this regard is much more cultural than political. Given the longevity rate on many Chinese people not to mention the lack of disease in their culture, we have a lot to learn from this ancient culture. All cultures are of course influencing one another, and the Chinese influence is subtle yet pervasive.

Due to the 12 Totem system of Astrology in the Chinese system, there are parallels and crossovers. So we can make an effort to translate them into one another and to cross reference them. Such cross referencing can be seen to weaken the integrity of each system somewhat, but can still be used to offer some pretty good insights and can be fun as well. Complete translations are not really possible. There are many reasons for this. It is akin to trying to put car parts made for say a Toyota into your Ford. There are times when parts can be swapped, especially with a little clever ingenuity, and it can provide surprising results and useful insights. Similar examples can be given when it comes to translation. Since the Chinese Zodiac is Lunar while the Western is Solar, one has to approach the matter as though they were solving a riddle. (Read more here.)

The New Moon in Aquarius each year marks the Chinese New Year. How different the oriental approach from the occidental in this regard. Rather than have a fixed date each year, which seems sensible, the Chinese culture tunes into more authentic, natural celestial events. Aquarius is the sign that represents humanitarianism and so there might be something to this approach that we can learn from that ancient culture. Among the pearls of wisdom from China is the holistic nature of Taoism. It provides the core thread that weaves the fabric of their culture, culturally speaking. Again, whether it is Chinese Astrology, Medicine, Feng Shui, Geomancy, Chi Gong, Tai Chi, I Ching etcetera, each is intrinsically related to the other. There is a great truth and wisdom in this understanding and approach. The official New Years day is February 14, 2010 and the celebrations will continue for two weeks culminating at the Full Moon on February 28.