My new concept of Chinese culture

As Goethe puts it “Whoever is not acquainted with foreign languages knows nothing of his own.” After two months’ stay here in Singapore I come to realize that it is also true when it comes to culture.
When I was in China, I thought nothing about Chinese culture. Even though I have been informed that Chinese culture is different from area to area, and world’s culture is also differs from each other, I took that for granted. But the life here gave me a clear concept of Chinese culture. It let me fall in love with our Chinese culture, especially the ancient Chinese culture, despite the fact that I almost know nothing about it!
The first I want to say is the Chinese food. The Chinese food is well known to westerners because almost everything in the world can be cooked in cuisines. We eat different kinds of food according to seasons, occasions and regions. What makes one dish stand out is that every Chinese cuisine is wonderful in its color, taste, smell and shape! Even though we don’t pay much attention to its nutrition which comes first to westerners, we Chinese held the belief that food could not merely serve to make people not feel hungry ,but also should be an art, especially a spiritual art and it should deliver those who enjoy it a sense of beauty both in physical and mental. The beauty in all these four aspects gives people a happy mood throughout the whole eating process.
The second one attracts my attention is Chinese opera. When I was in China, I have no idea of it. But after I saw it several times occasionally here, I started to build my interest towards it. Chinese opera is totally different from other countries’. It is a combination of singing, dancing, literature, magic and some other arts. Some western experts name Chinese opera as the seventh art! In my opinion these actors’ make-ups do a lot to help Chinese opera to be known and then be loved, at least to me! Their faces are colorfully painted, we cannot know who the actors are. Moreover their clothes are different from what anyone nowadays wears. Some of them wear four or five flags behind them; some of their sleeves are meters’ long, but they can still show a remarkable dance. Their lyrics cannot be understood, but it seems interesting!
Chinese instruments also give a deep impression on me. When I was in China I just treated playing it as a skill, but now I think it a way to develop a Chinese character. All Chinese instruments are the result of more than 5000 years’ Chinese extremely brilliant history. These instruments are bridges between our ancestors and us. Through them we can smell the sprite of our ancestors. These ancient Chinese instruments also give a description of Chinese culture.
I’m not rejecting to new things, but I am a Chinese, I love our culture! I would try my best to learn these treasures!