The iceberg model of culture divides a culture by what you can see, the top of the iceberg, and elements of the culture that are hidden, which is the bottom of the iceberg. Elements that you can see include dress, language and religion. These elements are exposed and visible to anyone. Cultural values, beliefs, emotions and rules are at the bottom of the iceberg. This model was developed by French and Bell in 1979. Like any other culture, Chinese culture has visible elements and hidden elements that are only known by those familiar with the culture.
Language
The Chinese language is one of the most recognizable aspects of Chinese culture. The Chinese language is not actually just one language; China has many dialects. However, Mandarin Chinese is the most often-spoken language in China. More people speak Mandarin Chinese than any other language in the world. Mandarin is a tonal language, meaning that words can have more than one meaning, depending on how the word is spoken. This is what gives spoken Chinese its characteristic musical quality. Written Mandarin is composed of over 10,000 characters that take many years to learn.
Religion
When the topic of Chinese religion comes up, people tend to think of elaborate shrines and ancestor worship. These aspects are only one small part of the Chinese religion, however. Religion in China isn't an organized affair; it is composed of four different elements: Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese folk religion intermingle in China and most people practice a combination of these four elements. Smaller pockets of Christianity and Islam are also present, but to a lesser extent.
Arts
Chinese art is immediately recognizable, whether it is opera or painting. Traditional Chinese visual arts are identifiable by delicate brush strokes, high-quality paper and the themes. Common themes in Chinese paintings are flowers, birds and other lucky animals, and Chinese characters, which are in themselves an art form. Performance arts in China have included the Chinese opera and theatre, which often includes music. Contemporary Chinese art still contains many of these elements, but with modern influences and twists. For instance, pop and rock music are now popular, as are visual arts influenced by Japanese anime.
Clothing
Historically, silk has been a very popular element of Chinese dress, because it is cool and breathable in the hot southern summers. Chinese silks are usually brightly colored and richly patterned. Although Chinese dress has varied by the dynasty, women have traditionally worn the silk cheongsam, also known as the Qipao in China. The cheongsam is a sleeveless, fitted dress. Today, the Chinese dress similarly to Americans, except their clothing tends to be more fitted, and they are less likely to wear t-shirts.
