What is China's treasure?

(Tang Ming/Secret China)

Chinese people recover their buried treasure.

Someone once said China's treasure is the four great inventions - paper, the compass, gunpowder and printing. That was the opinion of modern-time English Sinologist, Joseph Needham, commenting on ancient Chinese sciences from the viewpoint of a Western scientist, but science occupies only a small portion of ancient Chinese culture. For instance, mathematics is only one of six skills Confucius lectured on, in addition to manners, music, archery, horsemanship and reading. Technology and inventions that were related to mathematics played only a small part in the life of ancient Chinese. Chinese characters, Zhou Yi, Ba Gua, He Tu, Le Shu, Confucianism and the lecturing of Lao Zi, on the other hand, are revealing deeper manifestations of the characteristics of the Chinese.

While lecturing on staying indifferent to all worldly temptations, Buddha Sakyamuni mentioned the four elements of the universe: earth, water, fire and wind.

Ancient Native American Hopi Indians believed God had sent mankind into four different directions whose skin color changed accordingly, into four types, and they were responsible for four different missions. The Reds (Native American Indians) were guardians of the earth, who had to understand its essence and all crops that grew on it. The Yellows were guardians of the wind, who had to understand the sky and airflow for the facilitation of qigong cultivation. The Blacks were guardians of water, who had to learn to be humble like the element, and be able to hold all things within it. The Whites were guardians of fire, who had to make inventions related to the elements, like lights and automobiles. Whether or not the myth is true, it distinctively described the innate characteristics of different races. The biggest difference between a Chinese and a non-Chinese is not the looks, but the innate essence and culture that are already stored in his DNA.

Through time, China, The Middle Kingdom, has been called "God's Land," meaning a nation beloved by the divine. The ruler of ancient China was called "The son of God." Chinese people used to follow the dictum "Heaven's Way," rather than going against the Will of Heaven. At times of being helpless, they pray to the "Grand High Heaven Above." When success is achieved, they are grateful for granting of the "right time, right place and right people." People used to restrain themselves with the reminder, "Three feet above us are Gods watching, and "good deeds are rewarded while the bad has to be repaid, " and "Justice of nature applies to all men." In short, Chinese culture used to be a divine culture, based on the firm belief of Heaven above. That is the unique treasure of the Chinese.

Unfortunately, people's mindsets change with the passing of time. The present leadership has uprooted China's cultural and moral essence inherited from the past five thousand years. Some suggest that "hard power," like science, economics or military might bring the Chinese race to rise again. But, there are wonderful Chinese art exhibitions, song contests and stage performances that bring traditional Chinese culture to life again, this 5,000- year culture that had contributed so much to mankind.