■Chinese Society and Culture
◆ The Importance of “Face”
The concept of “face” is roughly translated into “honor”, “good reputation” or “respect”. There are four types of “face”:
◇Diu-mian-zi: it refers to the exposure of one’s actions or deeds to people.
◇Gei-mian-zi: it denotes the giving of face to others by showing respect.
◇Liu-mian-zi: this is when one tries to avoid mistakes and show wisdom in action.
◇Jiang-mian-zi: this is when face is increased through others’ commendation.
It is very important for you not to lose face or cause the loss of face at all times.
◆ Confucianism
Confucianism is a system of behaviors and ethics that emphasize the duties of people towards one another on the basis of their relationship. The basic principles are founded upon five different relationships: rulers and subjects; husband and wife; parents and children; brothers and sisters; friends and friends.
Confucianism put emphasis on obligation, sincerity, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age and seniority. Through keeping harmonious relations as individuals, society itself becomes stable.
◆ Collectivism vs. Individualism
Generally the Chinese are a collective society, which have a need for group affiliation, whether to their family, school, working team, or country. In order to keep a sense of harmony, they will always behave with decorum and will not do anything to make someone else feel embarrassed in public. Their own feelings are always less important than the good of the group. This is often noticed by the use of silence in very structured meetings. If someone doesn’t agree with what another person says, rather than oppose publicly, the person will keep quiet. This gives face to the other person, while disagreeing publicly would make both parties lose face.
◆ Non-verbal Communication
The Chinese’ non-verbal communication speaks volumes. Since the Chinese seek harmony and have a need for group affiliation, they depend on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. Frowning while someone is speaking is thought to be a sign of disagreement. Therefore, most Chinese just don’t show any emotion when speaking. It is regarded ill-mannered to stare into another person’s eyes. In crowded situations the Chinese try to keep away from eye contact to give themselves privacy.