The Bronze culture of ancient China was said to center around religious activities. The rulers of the Western Jin Dynasty, during the 11th century BC, devised rigid rules about the ritual bronze objects. Two concepts emerged, li and yue. While li translates in English as behavior code and social etiquette, the term li implied much more than this phrase suggests. And yue, which translates as music, covered a wide arrange than suggested by the word music. A strong belief in li and yue has distinguished ancient Chinese civilization from any other in the world and the social norms and protocols that were born out of them were past down through history to be followed by later generations even to the present day. In this program we go back over 4,000 years to learn how li and yue came about and why li and yue are so important to the Chinese culture even today. Chinese Civilizations sets out to illustrate the evolution of Chinese Civilization through an investigation of archeological discoveries, historical sites and cultural relics. In the course of this investigation, it will reflect the enduring desire for self-improvement and social commitment that are a feature of the Chinese nation.
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