To have knowledge about the Chinese culture

[vivea]

As a gamer, I've taken some interest in Chinese games and I've heard that they're deeply steeped in Chinese culture. For example, they feature real and fictional characters of wuxia novels that you're supposed to know and which are left otherwise unexplained. I've heard that it's often impossible for a foreigner to understand and appreciate Chinese books to their fullest extent, as they lack cultural knowledge.

 

So my request is this: pls give me a list of books (and\or sites and\or TV series, etc.) that could educate me on such "essential cultural matters". History I can cover myself, but I have no idea where to look for the rest and what that might even be... A list of wuxia novels everyone in China knows, perhaps? Good books about Chinese culture in the past and the present? Something else?

[Shelley]

I would suggest you start with

The Water Margin

Journey to the West also known as Monkey

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Dream of the Red Chamber

 

These are considered to be the 4 Classical Chinese novels.

 

The Water Margin is about rebels fighting and is probably a good basis for a game, Romance of the Three Kingdoms is about 3 kingdoms fighting for power, Dream of the Red Chamber is about young rich kids enjoying love and life in beautiful surroundings, and Journey to the West is about the adventures of Monkey, these are very, very short descriptions. They are all worth reading and are available in English.

[Luxi]

 

2 hours ago, vivea said:

pls give me a list of books (and\or sites and\or TV series, etc.) that could educate me on such "essential cultural matters".

 

IMO, the most comprehensive and best structured introduction to Chinese culture is Harvard's ChinaX mooc series.

https://www.edx.org/chinax-chinas-past-present-future

 

I 've seen how it transforms people with no previous knowledge of Chinese culture into true sinophiles, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, that's quite an achievement. I can't think of a better way to get the full basics in an organised manner and a relatively short time - and it's 100% free,  though if you want a certificate you'll have to pay a fee.

 

I don't know how accessible the material is right now. The course is currently 'archived', but it is bound to open again in the future. Meanwhile, the only way to find out is by enrolling and trying, the previous sets may still be open to new students for self-study.   

In any case, if you register with edX, they'll email you when the course becomes available again.  

[mungouk]

52 minutes ago, Luxi said:

I don't know how accessible the material is right now.

 

It looks like you can access all the material if you enroll, but there won't be any activity in the forums I guess and no chance to submit assignments. 

There's also a facebook group that appears to be recently active. 

 

Good find @Luxi, thanks!

 

[amytheorangutan]

When I was young I used to watch Journey to The West, Legend of The Condor Heroes, Returns of The Condor Heroes and Legend of White Snake (I have completely forgotten what it's even about). Probably watched other things that I can't even remember. I watched 3 Kingdoms (2010) TV series recently which I really enjoy, I used to hear bits of stories about 3 Kingdoms from older relatives but never knew the whole story from start to finish. 

[mungouk]

Water Margin FTW!  

Very happy memories of watching this on TV as a kid in the UK in the early 70s.... when everyone was "Kung Fu Fighting" (cue song), and for some reason my entire family decided to learn Karate.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVVRMBWGBqw

Bizarrely, a Japanese production, dubbed and with a voice-over by Burt Kwouk. No wonder Brits were confused about Eastern cultures at the time. 

[vivea]

Actually, I had those 4 novels in mind when I thought that I probably wouldn't understand a lot in Chinese books  So I take it not much knowledge is required to read them, after all? That's good.

 

And nice video course, too!

[Shelley]

@mungouk FWT    ?

[mungouk]

For The Win!  (It's an Internet thing.)

[Bibu]

Classic poems, see my footnote, LOL!