| Are you thinking of volunteering in China ? | | | | shared among all Chinese religions. |
| To volunteer in China is one of the top | | | | Traditional Chinese culture, Taoism, |
| volunteering destinations in the world. The | | | | Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism all value |
| economic boom combined with the ancient | | | | filial piety as a top virtue, and the act is |
| Chinese culture is a great pull for | | | | a continued display of piety and respect |
| volunteers from around the world. | | | | towards departed ancestors. The Chinese |
| | | | generally offer prayers and food for the |
| Chinese civilization is one of the worlds | | | | ancestors, light incense and candles, and |
| oldest continuous civilizations. It has the | | | | burn offerings of Joss paper. These |
| world's longest continuously used written | | | | activities are typically conducted at the |
| language system, and the source of such major | | | | site of ancestral graves or tombs, at an |
| inventions as what the British scholar and | | | | ancestral temple, or at a household shrine. |
| biochemist Joseph Needham called the Four | | | | |
| Great Inventions of Ancient China: paper, the | | | | To volunteer in China on a short term |
| compass, gunpowder, and printing. | | | | volunteer vacation, longer term or on a gap |
| | | | year break is a great experience! It will |
| Most languages in China belong to the | | | | give you a chance to make an important |
| Sino-Tibetan language family, spoken by 29 | | | | contribution to the people of China, and to |
| ethnicities. There are also several major | | | | gain an in depth experience of the country |
| dialects within the Chinese language itself. | | | | and its culture that will stay with you the |
| The most spoken dialects are Mandarin which | | | | rest of your life. |
| is spoken by over 70% of the population, | | | | |
| Shanghainese, Cantonese, Min, Xiang, Gan, and | | | | Most volunteer programs are based in Beijing |
| Hakka. | | | | or Shanghai. These two great cities are a |
| | | | very attractive place to stay whilst doing |
| Taoism is an indigenous religion of China and | | | | your project work. Both Beijing and Shanghai |
| is traditionally traced to the composition of | | | | are not cheap destinations like other places |
| The Book of Tao and Its Virtues. The | | | | in Asia so keep this in mind as it will be |
| philosophy of Taoism is centered on "the | | | | difficult to get very cheap placements in |
| way"; an understanding of which can be | | | | these cities. |
| likened to recognizing the true nature of the | | | | |
| universe. Taoism in its organized form is | | | | Besides the two great cities there are |
| also considered a folk religion of China. | | | | several smaller cities and rural China where |
| | | | you can join a volunteer project. Wether it |
| Buddhism was introduced from South and | | | | is in a city or in rural areas volunteering |
| Central Asia during the Han dynasty and | | | | in China is great! Mostly you will be |
| became very popular among Chinese of all | | | | teaching English or taking care of children |
| walks of life, embraced particularly by | | | | in various projects such as schools, |
| commoners, and sponsored by emperors in | | | | orphanages and projects for disabled |
| certain dynasties. Buddhism is the largest | | | | children. |
| organized faith in China and the country has | | | | |
| the most Buddhist adherents in the world, | | | | The language barrier can be a problem |
| followed by Japan. Many Chinese, however, | | | | especially when you start at a project so try |
| identify themselves as both Taoist and | | | | to learn a bit of Mandarin Chinese before you |
| Buddhist at the same time. | | | | go which will make your stay much more |
| | | | enriching. |
| Ancestor worship is a major religious theme | | | | |