We Reach All Corners of the Globe!
Chinese_Culture
Geography and Land:
China is the world’s third largest country in terms of land area. Mountains rise up in the Southwest and Western part of the country forming the Tibetan Plateau and beautiful landscapes; in the East the country is flat land for the most part and the north and northwestern parts of the country consist of plains and desert. Three major rivers cross China from West to East: the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, and the Pearl River.
Although China has a very long coastline with the Pacific Ocean, the Chinese historically have been an isolationist country and looked towards the Western part of the country for limited territorial expansion
except for brief overseas sojourns in the Yuan and Ming dynasties. Due to its large geographical coverage, one can find almost every climate in the world in China, from temperate zones along the coastline, to plains, arid deserts, high altitude mountains, and tropical areas. The area along the Yangtze River Delta is one of the most fertile in the world, and much rice is grown in this region.
China is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.
Family Values and Spiritualities:
Chinese people are very family oriented, and this is exemplified in formal traditional rituals such as ancestor worship and the notion of filial piety and kinship organizations. A Chinese name is said with the family name first and the individual’s name second, which illustrates the family centered worldview of the
Chinese. In a country of over 1.3 Billion people, there are only about 100 different Chinese family names. In modern China, due to the results of the one-child policy implemented since the 1970’s, the awareness of the family has been greatly altered in the past 20 years. Previously, children grew up aware of their immediate and extended family which were comprised of many aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, valuing generations of family members under one roof.
Nowadays in China, children usually have no siblings, and the social consequences of children growing up without uncles and aunts will dramatically affect the way that Chinese interact within the family structure. The family is
beginning to change from an elder-centered family to a child-centered family.
In addition to the above forms of spiritual practice and family organization, there are many well-known rituals and social constructions such as Confucianism, Ancestor Worship and Daoism as well as formal religions followings such as Buddhism and a very small amount of people who follow Judeo-Christian religions.
The notion of harmony in nature and time as a cyclical force throughout history is strong in the Chinese culture and consequently the long term view is usually what a Chinese is concerned about regarding world events and international relationships. Belief in the supremacy of one God as in the Western and Islamic world is not a prevalent concept in China.
History:
Chinese will often tell you that their history is 5,000 years old; however the actual beginning of recorded history under the Xia dynasty can be traced to about 4,100 years ago. Because of the periodic rise and fall of dynasties, most Chinese have become accustomed to watching powerful kingdoms rise and fall, and when examining the impact of a historical event, the Chinese frame of mind would be to see what happens for years after the event before passing judgment on whether the event was significant or not.
China is usually considered to have begun as a country in 221 B.C., when the Qin (Pronounced: “Chin”) emperor completed conquering 6 other states throughout eastern China and formed one empire named Qin (where the name “China” is derived from). Although this dynasty lasted only 15 years, many important events took place which acted to unify the people under this empire, such as standardization of the Chinese written language across territories, implementation of a uniform system of weights and measures, roads were built to connect the empire the Great Wall of China was finally connected, and a standard currency was
introduced.
The dynastic system of government continued for centuries except for a brief period of foreign rule under the Mongol Empire from 1279-1368. It was not until European interests clashed with the Qing (Pronounced: “Ching”) Dynasty government (1644-1911) that foreign occupation and control of Chinese territory occurred again. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, much of China was territorially controlled by a mixture of foreign powers such as the British, French, Japanese, Germans, and Americans. This period of about 100 years is felt as a period of much humiliation by the Chinese and still affects the current worldview of the Chinese government of the world outside China.
The dynastic system ended with the 1911 revolution by the Nationalist Party; however it was not until the communist takeover of the country in 1949 that the country was organized again in a stable fashion.
Throughout the years that followed, several attempts at economic and social reform were attempted, many of which resulted in famines and catastrophic social upheavals. Some progress was made in modernizing ancient customs and consolidating territory; however it was not until 1978 that China began its current program of shifting its focus from a socialist economy to include elements of capitalism, which gave rise to social and economic freedoms as well as a fast growing economy centered on outsourced manufacturing.
Political System:
China as we know it today politically was created on October 1st, 1949, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) consolidated its hold on the country from the Nationalists and formed the People’s Republic of China. The three most important Leadership posts in the Chinese government are the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the Premier, and the Chairman of the Central Military Committee. Sometimes these posts can be held simultaneously by one person, at other times the offices are held by different leaders.
The CCP is the controlling political party ruling the country, and if one wishes to be involved in the political life of the country, then he or she must be a member of the CCP. Changing the leadership of the CCP and the political life of the country is tightly controlled by China’s leadership itself in Beijing.
Organizationally speaking, China is divided into 33 province-level divisions, including 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities, and two special administrative regions. Most of the provincial borders were outlined
during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, with some reorganization occurring after the CCP takeover of the country. Below this, there are political divisions such as prefectures, counties, township and villages.
Taiwan is an island that is claimed by both the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China, however there is no functional control over the island by the PRC. In addition, the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea are disputed territory claimed by 6 different nations, including the PRC.
Languages:
The Chinese language is a very important part of the Chinese culture, and due to its complexity, mastery of the spoken and written language is difficult to achieve. Spoken Chinese is a tonal language, meaning that pronunciation of the same word in a different tone and context changes the meaning to a completely unrelated word. Mandarin is the official government language and also the most widely spoken language in China. Cantonese is another language whose sounds are often quoted as the typical Chinese in the United States, however not even 10% of Chinese speak Cantonese as their mother language. Cantonese has between six
and nine tones, depending on what area of the country it is spoken in. Mandarin has four tones.
There is much complexity in written Chinese: First, one must know about 4,000 – 5,000 characters to function well in society, although there are about 60,000 characters total to include rarely used characters. There are also two forms of the written language, referred to as traditional and short form characters. Traditional form characters are not used in Mainland China aside from Hong Kong, and short form characters are not used in Taiwan where they are considered illegal.
Altogether there are about 56 main dialects spoken throughout the country and hundreds of sub-dialects. It can be intimidating to a foreigner to attempt learning Chinese, however it can be done with a lot of study and once you speak a few words in Chinese, the people there will usually remark on how good your Chinese is and appreciate the effort you are putting into learning their language.
Learning Chinese is a very important skill to the Chinese, and in China the written language has a special significance and is representative of the Chinese culture. In fact, as recently as two hundred years ago, it was illegal for a Chinese teacher to teach Chinese to a foreigner because of the belief in the purity of the language and inherent cultural significance of the language. Characters are written in several very beautiful styles and there are several calligraphy masters who are quite well respected for their talents.
Food and Dining Etiquette:
In China, meals are a central part of the culture and highlight the collectivist nature of the society. Food is placed on platters in the center of the table that everyone serves themselves from. Typically, one may have a cup of tea and a small bowl of steamed rice along with a pair of chopsticks, and the diner is expected to take morsels from the common dishes in the center of the table and add them on top of the rice and eat with chopsticks. Meals can be quite colorful, and the range of dishes that can be served depend in part on the economic condition of the area however the Chinese are known for having very colorful and tasty dishes, and tend to be spicy, sweet, sour, or salty depending on what area of the country one is in.
It is more common to be invited to someone’s home as opposed to a restaurant in China for food, however in urban contexts eating at a restaurant would not be unexpected in some situations. One of the most prestigious gifts one can bestow on someone else to express honor is hosting a large meal with fourteen dishes or more. The guest of honor should be seated at the table with the other elders and if available the table should be in a spot that is elevated above everyone else.
Once eating begins, bodily noises are acceptable to indicate that you are enjoying yourself and the conversation may be electrified. Meals are social occasions for family and friends and there are many social guidelines to follow
when having a meal:
• Sitting on a flat surface next to a low table instead of a chair is common
when eating. In city restaurants, chairs and tables are widely available.
• It is normal for the host to criticize his or her food, and the guest should
respond by telling the guest how delicious the food actually is, however should
never suggest cooking tips or try to improve the food through seasonings.
• Smoking cigarettes and toasts with alcohol is very common in China; if you do
not smoke or drink, it would be a good idea to learn how for these situations,
especially if you are a guest or there on business.
• The guest should relax and allow himself or herself to be served, even if it
seems that the servants are waiting until after the guest is done to eat.
• Teas will be enjoyed both during and after the meal, coffee is usually not served.
• There is no red wine culture in China, do not expect to have wines paired with
any meals. The usual alcohols are beer and grain alcohol.
• When eating from a bowl of rice, the bowl should be held by one hand and
raised to the mouth before moving food with the chopsticks, as opposed to
leaving the bowl on the eating surface and lifting the food up to the mouth or lowering one’s head to the bowl.
• A diner is free to take any food from the common dishes at any time; there is no need to ask permission.
• Common area food should not be grabbed with your hands.
• If you are the guest, you will continue getting served food and encouraged to eat regardless of how much you
eat; it is normal to have to politely decline several times.
• Cold drinks will not be available unless at a foreign food restaurant.
Dress Code:
Dress in China is conservative and how one appears in public is an indicator of social class. For most engagements you should wear a suit and tie or conservative dress. For dressed down occasions, slacks and a casual business
shirt are normal. Shorts should not be worn while in China and open toed shoes should not be worn by men. Wearing shorts and sandals if you are a Westerner or disdasha if you are Arab are acceptable, however you will be immediately marked as a foreigner. Jeans are not common. Women should not wear skirts above the knees.
When selecting colors for a festive social occasion, it is preferred to wear something red, as this color signifies prosperity and good luck in the culture.
Wearing white is never recommended for a social function as this is the color one wears for mourning the death of a family member. Other colors are also appropriate; purple and gold colors also had a royal significance in the
traditional past. Carrying accessories can be a nice addition to attire; wearing a watch or carrying a cell phone can indicate social status and importance, depending on what type of message you are trying to send, however if you are a tourist it is not advisable to wear anything too expensive.
Gift Exchange Etiquette:
Gifts are commonly exchanged in China and one should expect to give and receive while in China. Gifts should not be opened in front of the person who gave the gift. Instead, Chinese will wait until after the festivities have concluded and then open the gift afterwards. The best way to give a tangible gift is to wrap it in red paper and offer it to the host upon arrival. Gifts that are appreciated in China are: cigarettes, alcohol, interesting teas procured in China (do not bring foreign tea and try to offer this as a gift), souvenir items from abroad. Chinese enjoy acquiring items that are ostentatious.
One should be careful about admiring something expensive in a Chinese home; in some cases the host will feel obligated to give the item to the guest, and once an item has been offered, it is very difficult to convince the host to rescind the offer for fear of losing face.
Masculinity and Femininity:
There is a gender gap between men and women in China. Normally, men are in higher positions of management and in the family hierarchy, however there are instances where the woman is controlling the family or business, especially in situations where the usual male figurehead is deceased. In rural areas, men and women both share in field work and are toughened, however in these areas women traditionally still do all of the housework and cooking duties.
Comfort Zone:
Chinese society is a close knit one where personal space and physical gestures of friendship are normal. Male friends may hold hands in public as an expression of friendship however distance must be maintained between males and females in public. When the issue of dating surfaces, both men and women may tend to become
shy about the topic and pull back from the conversation.
Time Values and Management:
In China, if you want to respect someone, you give him or her service, such as hosting a meal, or ensuring that hot water is added each time a sip is taken from a cup of tea. Although time management is important in the business
community and urban environments, in the rural areas, time is usually freely available and deadlines are not important.
During the process of making a business or personal relationship with a Chinese, it is customary to always build a personal relationship first and one should always allow time for this relationship building to occur. One may spend an evening socializing with a Chinese host and leave the evening not having discussed any business matters. At some point, however, the issue will be brought up, but not always in a direct manner, and Chinese do not rush to make any decisions or negotiations.
