Customs and traditions in China have been formed over thousands of years, and today, there exists a traditional system of values, with the etiquette as its major aspect.

The formation process of Chinese culture began in the Ⅲ millennium BC. Over time, many of the traditions were lost, but most of them have survived and come to our days. In addition, the Chinese traditions are very diverse, since the country consists of different nations and nationalities.

【小题1】 Xizang is the western part of China, where the people have their own unique, and the only one in the world culture, therefore their traditions differ from those of the rest of China. Along with the Buddhists, there also live the Confucians and Muslims who, in their turn, also follow their own traditions and customs.

However, the Chinese have a lot of specific customs and traditions observed by everybody. In particular, it concerns the greetings. Chinese welcoming traditions extend back over 2,000 years. 【小题2】 Today, the modern Chinese just nod their heads, but if they want to show respect, they may bow.

【小题3】 When the Chinese come on a visit, they usually give some wine, tea or candy. If you happen to visit a Chinese you should bear in mind not to give an odd number of presents, as odd numbers are considered unlucky in China. You should not give presents in number of 4 or in black-and-white colour, which are considered as symbols of death in China. The Chinese should not be presented with clocks. They also symbolize death and funerals.

【小题4】 There, a large part of the population still observes traditions and customs, which extend back over three thousand years. There, you can not only visit the unique historical monuments of ancient Chinese civilization, but also plunge into the mysterious and sometimes closed world of the Chinese East.