For thousands of years, the Culture of China has attracted and moved many people from all over the world. The Chinese Culture, a culture that has evolved over more than 5000 years, contains rare beauty and enchantment with history. It is one of the oldest continuous civilizations and has a long history covering a large geographical region with significant differences in culture and tradition.
The culture of China contains wonderful and delightful arts and customs which make it interesting and special. The most unique aspect of Chinese culture and which differentiates it from other world cultures is the connected split between Old and New. The Chinese culture can be divided into two: Traditional and Modern culture. Like other cultures the Chinese culture has also evolved and changed throughout history, especially during the 20th century. Before the mid-1900's, traditional Chinese culture was characterized by traditional values and beliefs as well as old teachings and ways of life. However, after the political change in 1949, a new culture developed as modern Chinese culture was developed. The ways of life of the Chinese people took on a whole new character as the traditional styles and ways were put behind. Today, however, the Culture of China is neither traditional nor even fully modern, as most people would think it to be; it is a combination of both.
Standard Mandarin is the official language of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan), as well as one of four official languages of Singapore. Standard Mandarin—is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Of the other varieties, Standard Cantonese is common and influential in Cantonese speaking overseas communities, and remains one of the official languages of Hong Kong (together with English) and of Macau (together with Portuguese).
Key concepts and values
Guanxi
- “Guanxi” literally means "relationships", stands for any type of relationship. In the Chinese business world, however, it is also understood as the network of relationships among various parties that cooperate together and support one another. The Chinese businessmen’s mentality is very much one of "You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours." In essence, this boils down to exchanging favors, which are expected to be done regularly and voluntarily. Therefore, it is an important concept to understand if one is to function effectively in Chinese society.
Mian-zi
- Mianzi, commonly referred to as 'face', is a reflection of a person's level of status in the eyes of his or her peers. It is a subtlety that is not openly discussed in Chinese society, but exists as a conversational skill nonetheless. As a foreigner, it is not necessary to take Mianzi too seriously when engaged in discussions that may be confusing. Mianzi can best be understood as the avoidance of embarrassment in front of others.
Keqi
– This is a term advocating thoughtful, courteous and refined behavior. In business terms, it is important to demonstrate humility and modesty as exaggerated claims of ability are viewed with suspicion and are likely to be looked into.
Confucianism - Confucianism is a "code of conduct" to live life, and it has had a tremendous impact on how the Chinese live their lives, with a great influence in Chinese government, education, and attitudes toward correct personal behavior and the individual duties to society. This is based on the teachings and writings of K'ung Fu Tzu (commonly pronounced Confucius in English) who was born in 551 BC in the state of Lu (modern day Shantung Province), who lived during the Chou dynasty, an era known for its moral laxity. It is deemed still effective in Chinese business culture today in the preservation of surface harmony and collective good.
___________________________________________________________________________________
This post was created by Textronics Communications Ltd. (www.textronics.com), a leading language and translation services provider since 1991. Our service offering includes translation, interpretation, proofreading, narration, transcription as well multi-lingual desktop publishing and web design services in all languages and subject matters. Our growing client base includes corporate, public and non-profit sector clients in Canada, the United States and Europe. Our language specialists are highly trained, tested and have many years of experience in their chosen subject matter and we consistently strive to offer high-quality language services at affordable prices. New clients can take advantage of a free test translation to try out our services first hand at no cost.
www.textronics.com – Communicate with the World
Textronics Communications Ltd. also publishes www.travelandtransitions.com, a popular web portal for unconventional travel and cross-cultural connections. Award-winning travel writer Susanne Pacher chronicles her personal journeys to places such as Havana, Mexico City, New York City, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Sicily, and various other places in Europe and North America and writes about the people behind the destinations. Compilations of these articles are now available as electronic books at the following link: http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html. In addition, the website offers interviews with fascinating personalities and tourism experts as well as practical travel advice and regional travel information.
www.travelandtransitions.com – Life is a Journey – Explore New Horizons
No comments:
Post a Comment