[guy with a hat]

Originally Posted by JerseyDrumguy76

For me, it's a great accent cymbal. It's trashy sound & quick decay make it an awesome way to accent a snare hit or something like that, where a regular crash cymbal might be too much & a splash not enough.

If you would like some examples, Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater uses his chinas very tastefully & has some great examples of the sonic possibilities of a china.

...dude mike portnoy is amazing..
i envy you for noticing his amazing talent
keep it real - guy with a hat

[RUDE drummer]

One word: Breakdowns. Or like everyone else says as accents.

[mace170]

Because their sound and shape can be traced back to the gong, a Chinese instrument.