Iranian cultural life
Cultural environment
Few countries have such a long cultural heritage as Iran, and few people know and explain their profound cultural traditions as Iranians do. As a historical entity, Iran or Persia can be traced back to the time of the Achaemenid Dynasty (about 2500 years ago). Despite the changes in politics, religion and history, Iranians have maintained deep ties with their past. Although the daily life of modern Iran is closely intertwined with Shiite Islam, the art, literature and architecture of the country always remind people that its profound national tradition and broader literary culture spread to the entire Middle East and South Asia in the pre modern period. Most of Iran's modern history can be attributed to the essential tension between the Shi'ite piety advocated by Iranian clergy and the Persian cultural heritage provided by the Pahlavi monarchy, in which religion played a subordinate role.
Despite the dominance of Persian culture, Iran is still a multi-ethnic country. Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds and smaller minorities in the country all have their own literary and historical traditions, and their history can be traced back to many centuries ago, or even - in the case of Asians - to the pre Christian era. These groups often maintain close ties with the wider cultural life of their relatives outside Iran.
Daily life and social customs
The narrative of martyrdom has always been an important part of Shi'ite culture, which can be traced back to 680 when the third Imam Hussein Ibn Ali (al -&# 7716; Usayn ibn&# 703; Al ī) and his close relatives and followers were slaughtered by the army of the Umayyad caliph Azid in the Karbala battle, when Hussa failed to recover his family's political power. As a minority in the Islamic community, Shi'ites face many persecutions. According to Shi'ite doctrine, Shi'ites have provided many martyrs for centuries because they believe that the Ali family has the right to political rule and religious leaders. Every year on the anniversary of the Holocaust, the Shiites will pass the ta&# 703; Ziyyah (passion drama) and the unarmed self flagellation ceremony, sometimes with chains and blades to commemorate the Karbala tragedy. These mourning acts are carried out in raw&# 7829; Ah kh n ī's practice runs through the whole year, which is a kind of mourning ceremony, in which the storyteller raw&# 7829; Ah kh n instigate people to gather - they often gather in a place called&# 7717; Special mourning place of osayniyyeh - through al -&# 7716; The story of usayn's death shed tears.
The commemoration of Karbala has permeated the entire Persian culture and has been expressed in poetry, music and the solemn Shiite world view. It is incomplete not to mention Karbala's religious ceremony, and there is no one month without at least one day of mourning. The monarchy's efforts, such as the annual art festival and the encouragement of musicians and local handicrafts, have not succeeded in changing this basic attitude; In some circles, public display of laughter and joy is still undesirable, even sinful.
Iranians do celebrate several festivals. Except for two Eid (from Arabic&# 703; ī d: "holiday"), Eid al Adha and Eid al Fitr - implemented by Sunnis and Shiites - the most important festival is N ō r ō z, the Persian New Year and the 12th Imam's birthday. Shiites expect his second arrival. The celebration of N ō r Luz started on the last Wednesday of the old year, followed by a week-long holiday and lasted until the 13th day of the new year, which was the day of picnic in the countryside. On the 12th birthday of Imam, the city was shining with lights and the market was decorated with shoppers.
Although Persian cuisine is strongly influenced by the cooking traditions of the Arab world and the subcontinent, it is mainly the product of Iran's geography and domestic food. Rice is the staple food, and meat (mainly mutton) plays an important role in almost every meal. Vegetables are the core of Iran's diet, and onions are almost the ingredient of every dish. For a long time, animal husbandry has been a traditional part of the economy. Dairy products - milk, cheese, especially yogurt - are common ingredients in Persian cuisine. Traditional Persian cuisine tends to favor subtle tastes and relatively simple preparations, such as khloresh (stew) and kebabs. Saffron is the most unique spice, but many other spices - including lime, mint, turmeric and rose water - are common, as are pomegranates and walnuts.
Art in Iran
Arts and Crafts
Persian silk hunting carpet
Carpet looms dot the country. Every place is proud of the carpet named after its special design and quality, such as K sh n, Kerm à n, Khor à s à n, E&# 7779; fah à n, Sh ī r à z, Tabr ī z and Qom. Carpets are used locally and exported. The manual weaving industry has survived the fierce competition of modern textile mills. Weavers produce velvet, printed cotton, wool brocade, shawls and cloth shoes. The south makes felt and the northeast embroidered sheepskin.
All kinds of articles, both practical and decorative, are made of various metals. The most famous center is Tehran (gold); Sh ī r z, E&# 7779; fah n and Zanj n (silver); And Kashan and Efahan (copper). Khorasan is famous for its turquoise works, and the Persian Gulf region is famous for its natural pearls. The process technology is as different as the product itself. Items can be cast, beaten, forged, pierced or pulled (stretched). The most common decorative techniques are carving, embossing, chiseling, Damascus, crusting or gilding.
E&# 7779; Fah n, Sh ī r z and Tehr n (inlay) and Rasht, Or Miyyeh (formerly Re&# 7829; 703; iyyeh) and Sanandaj (carved and perforated wood) produce many wood decorations in the domestic and export markets. Machine made tiles are made in Tehran, but handmade tiles and mosaics are famous for their rich designs and beautiful colors and continue to be produced.
Stone and clay are also used to produce various household utensils, trays, plates and vases. Mashhad is the center of the stone industry. Pottery is widely distributed throughout the country, and Hamadan is the largest center.
Architecture
Mashhad: The Temple of Ali Ariha
Qom, Iran: dome of Faima Temple
Iran's ancient culture has a profound architectural tradition. The Elamites, Achaemenians, Hellenistic dynasties and other former Islamic dynasties left striking stones to prove their greatness, such as Jogazambir and Persepolis, both of which were designated as world heritage sites by UNESCO in 1979. In 2008, the three monastery ensembles of Armenian Christian faith were collectively recognized as world heritage sites; Their architecture represents the integration of Byzantine, Persian and Armenian cultures. Since the Islamic period, the architectural achievements of Seljuk, Irhanid and Safavid dynasties deserve special attention. During that time, Iranian cities such as Neysh à b ú r, E&# 7779; fah â n and Sh â r â z have become one of the great cities in the Islamic world. Many of their mosques, Islamic schools, shrines and palaces have formed an architectural tradition, which is obviously Iranian in the larger Islamic environment.
Azadi Tower
Under the Pahlavi monarchy, two architectural trends emerged - imitation of Western styles, which had little to do with the country's climate and landscape, and attempts to revive local design. The National Construction Commission of Iran was established in 1967 to discourage blind imitation of the West and to promote the use of more traditional Iranian styles, which have been modified to meet modern needs. Perhaps the most striking example of Pahlavi's architectural plan is the Shahyad (Persian: "Shah Monument") Tower, which was renamed after the 1979 revolution; The tower of z d ī ("Freedom") was completed in Tehran in 1971 to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Achaemeni dynasty.
music
For centuries, the ban of Islam has inhibited the development of formal music discipline, but folk songs and ancient Persian classical music have been preserved through oral transmission from generation to generation. It was not until the 20th century that Tehran established a conservatory of music. Western technology was used to record traditional melodies and encourage new works. However, this trend was reversed in 1979, restoring the previous restrictions on music learning and practice. Although Western pop music was officially banned - even after the liberal reforms in the late 1990s - Western pop music was also popular among Iranian young people, and the trade in cassette tapes and CDs was booming. Iranian pop bands occasionally perform, but are often threatened with punishment. In 2000, the Iranian authorities allowed the most popular Iranian singer before the revolution, Googoosh, to resume her career despite coming from abroad after being forced to remain silent for 21 years.
literature
Iran Shiraz: Hafi's Tomb
Perhaps the most famous of Iranian culture is its literature, which appeared in its current form in the 9th century. The great master of Persian - Ferdows Ne&# 7827; m ī,&# 7716; fe&# 7827;, J m ī and R ī - continue to inspire Iranian writers in modern times, although it has been difficult for many conservative clergy to publish and distribute classical works that are considered to be licentious. Persian literature was deeply influenced by western literary and philosophical traditions in the 19th and 20th centuries, but it was still an active medium of Iranian culture. Whether in prose or poetry, it has also become a tool for cultural introspection, political dissent and personal protest by influential Iranian writers such as Sadek Hedayat, Jalal Ahmed and Sadek Chubak, as well as poets such as Ahmed Shamru and Fro Farohizad. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, many Iranian writers went into exile abroad. Since then, many of the country's best works of Persian philology have been written and published abroad. However, the post revolutionary era also witnessed the birth of new feminist literature by writers such as Shahrnoush Parsipour and Moniru Ravanipur.
cinema
The most popular form of entertainment in Iran is film. In a society with almost no tolerance for participatory democracy, film is also an important medium for social and political criticism. After the 1979 revolution, the government initially banned film production, but if directors agreed to promote Islamic values, the government would give them financial support. However, the public interest is not great, and this period of ideological driven film production did not last long. Soon, films involving the Iran Iraq war (1980-88) or reflecting more tolerant expression of Islamic values (including Sufi mysticism) developed. However, religious institutions usually oppose Iranian filmmakers to imitate western films, but encourage the adaptation of western and eastern classic stories and folk stories, provided that they reflect contemporary Iranian concerns and do not violate the Islamic restrictions imposed by the government. In the 1990s, the enthusiasm of the early revolutionary years was replaced by political moderation and the need to improve relations with the West. Iran's film industry has become one of the best in the world, and Iranian film festivals are held around the world every year. Director Bahram Bayza&# 702; i. Abbas Kiarostami, Mohsen Makhmalbaf and Dariyush Mehrju&# 702; The films produced by i have won numerous awards at international film festivals such as Cannes (France) and Locarno (Switzerland). A new generation of female film directors - including Rakhshan Bani E&# 703; Temad (Blue Scarf, 1995) and Tahmineh Milani (Two Women, 1999) - also appeared.
Iranian film producers are famous for their films dealing with children's lives (stranger Bashu, 1989; White Balloon, 1995; Son of Heaven, 1997), Teenagers' Concerns and Problems (Need, 1991; Sweet Pain, 1999), the beauty of nature (Gabbeh, 1996), and marriage, Social and psychological abuse in divorce and polygamy (Leila, 1996; two women; red, 1999).
Sports and entertainment
Wrestling, horse racing and ritual bodybuilding are traditional sports in the country. Team sports were introduced from the West in the 20th century. Rugby and volleyball are the most popular. Under the monarchy, modern sports were included in the school curriculum. The Iranian sports organization was founded in 1934. Iranian athletes participated in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1948. The country took part in the Winter Olympics for the first time in 1956. Most of Iran's Olympic medals come from weightlifting, martial arts and wrestling.
Football has become the most popular sport in Iran - the national team won the Asian championship in 1968, 1974 and 1976, and made its debut in the World Cup in 1978 - but the revolution in 1979 was a major setback for Iranian sports. The new government sees the stadium as a rival to the mosque. The main group was nationalized and women were unable to participate in many activities. In addition, the Iran Iraq war has few resources available for sports. However, the huge public support for sports, especially football, cannot be easily suppressed. Since the 1990s, track and field sports in Iran, including women's activities, have resumed. Sports has become inseparable from the requirements of political liberalization. Almost every major event has become a large-scale public celebration occasion for young men and women to express their desire for reform and a more friendly relationship with the West.
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