Differences in Concept Between People in China and Western Countries.doc

Differences in Concept Between People in China and Western CountriesI. IntroductionWith Chinese entry to the WTO, China will hold the Olympic Games in 2008, the relationship between Chinese and westerners will become closer. It is undoubted that the concept will play an important role in this progress. There are some reasons to form concept. First, cultural background is an important reason to form concept. In Spring and Autumn and War rings periods of China emerged Confucianism, Taoism and other ideologies. As different ideologies developed and combated each other, the basic framework of Chinese civilization was established. And then Confucianism became the foundation of Chinese philosophy system. Confucianisms central doctrine was that of human. And human was translated variously as goodness, benevolence, humanity and human-heartedness. In short, means affection and love. For more than two thousand years it has molded and shaped the civilization of China and exerted a profound influence upon almost one fourth of human race. Christianity played an important role in western countries. The English speaking countries were generally considered as Christian countries where many people believe in Christianity. According to the doctrine of Christianity, the Trinity was the union of the three forms of God, the Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was the son of the God, and the holy book of Christianity was the Bible, which consisted of the Old Testament and New Testament. However, the power of the church cannot compare with the past time, it still influence peoples concept. Value is another reason to form peoples concept. The concept of Chinese values is often consciously or unconsciously placed in opposition with western values. Some have stated that the modern western value system originated in Victorian England, and describe it as social norm and behaviors common in European people during that time. The core of western values is individualism. David Hitchcock described western values from a Chinese perspective. He said that, from the Chinese viewpoint, western values have three levels: 1.) physical level-science, technology, business, public administration, and modern capitalist economics; 2.) conceptual level-equal opportunity, the role of law and time management; 3.) core values-open debate, balance of power, free speech and democracy. The core of the Chinese value has some connection with the Confucianism. The ethnic principle of Confucianism was its discovery of the ultimate in the moral character of human relationships in which Confucius offered the solution for the ills and evils of his days. That is the well-known Five Relationships: ruler-minister, father-son, husband-wife, elder-younger brother and friend-friend. This was explained as “There should be affection between father and son, righteous sense of duty between ruler and minister, division of function between husband and wife, stratification between old and young, and good faith between friends” (Hall 65).During the more than two thousand years of the feudal period, the ruling classes arranged everything by these relationships, and then formed a feudal society. In this kind of society, a minister owes loyalty to his ruler, and a child filial respect to his parents. As a result, the humanity was neglected and people had no equality. In the Renaissance period of England, people began to emphasize the dignity of human beings and the importance of the present life, they voiced their beliefs that man did not only have the right to enjoy the beauty of their life, but also had the ability to perfect themselves and to perform wonders. This was the rudiment of Humanism, and people became respectful to the humanity from then on. II. Difference in Concept of Value and Criterion of MoralityA. PersonalityIn westerners mind, individualism is important. Individualism refers to the doctrine that the rights of the individual are the most important ones in a society. Most westerners believe that each person has his own separate identity and personality, which should be recognized and reinforced. Therefore, one cannot comprehend western and its people without understanding individualism. Only with the cognition of individualism can people understand how westerners conceptualize family, friendships, and privacy. The core of individualism is the pursuit of personal and achievements. It is highly valued, earnestly believes and well appreciated as a fundamental social virtue. In Christianity traditions, individuals are important not only to each other, but also to the society and God. Individualism has been handed down from their ancestors. Therefore, to westerners, individualism is not selfishness but rather virtue. They emphasize individualism so much that they believe that there must be something wrong with someone who fails to demonstrate individualism. That likes the sentence God helps those who help themselves. However to the Chinese, the word individualism is related to the derogatory meaning as egoism, with represents selfishness in quality and looseness in discipline. In traditional Chinese beliefs, esp. in Confucianism, collectivism is appreciated. It emphasizes cooperation among group members and individual success is due to the collective effort of the staff in a unit, an organization or a community. The sacrifice of individual interest for that of the collective is a noble quality eulogized so much by Chinese people that being modest and thoughtful of others are highly praised. B. Attitude to WorkIn western countries, no matter how employees feel about work, their primary motivation to work is to earn a living. Peoples attitudes toward their jobs are related to the nature of their work and the rewards they receive. For the factory worker, work is a necessary evil which merely ensures survival. The corporation president sees work as a way of obtaining material goods far beyond what is necessary for survival. The teacher and the librarian, although not highly paid find intellectual stimulation and personal gratification in their jobs.Ones job in the western countries is an important facet of personal identity. What do you do? is synonymous with What are you? In American English, asking a child, What do you want to BE when you grow up? really means, What kind of work do you want to do? Since the western society places a stronger emphasis on doing than on being, work is one of the most important activities in an individuals life. In addition, what a person does helps to determine that persons prestige. A lawyer has more prestige than a bus driver; a nurse can claim more prestige than a waitress or a waiter.Attitudes toward work in the western countries have been greatly influenced by the work ethic also called the Puritan Ethic or the Protestant Ethic, it motivates people to work hard in order to become successful. Whether or not success was achieved, work attained religious and moral value as illustrated in the expression. “The devil makes work for idle hands.” (Samovar 86). For the western people, work is a religious virtue.In China, the thought of Confucian influences the Chinese thoughts, ancestor of the law can not be changed enveloped by Chinese spirit, although in recent years it have taken place tremendous changes, but it is steadily make progress, and development. Chinese traditional concept demanded that people impartial and follow the doctrine of the meaning. The Chinese are willing to maintain the present situation and to maintain harmony because they are good at the risk of the foreseeable future. Most of the Chinese will be satisfied for their steady job. They emphasize the collective, and that the collective interest to subordinate their personal interests, advocating the joys and the sorrows, solidarity and cooperation, acting in unison. C. Views on the Rich and the PoorNo matter in which country, the differences are always existing between people on the rich and the poor, however, people's treatment attitude of the rich and the poor is different due to the different concept of the impact in the Western countries and in China.In Western countries, sense of equality is strong, whether rich or poor, everyone will respect themselves, and others not infringe upon their rights. At the same time, everyone can fully respect others. In the United States, very few people are proud in their own illustrious family background, and very few people are shameful in their own poor background, because all of them know that they will be successful as long as they are working hard. As a popular proverb says, “If working hard, even a cowboy can be president” (Hall 96).However, in Chinese view, a persons social status depends on his or her fortune. The rich and the poor will get the different treatment in their life, because the concept ability is money in peoples mind. Therefore, in China, the wealth that a person owned and the respect of others is in direct proportion. For this reason, people created the phrase add good to excellence. And it means you will have many close friends if you are a rich. These friends will help you to be further successful. On the contrary, if you are a poor, everyone will be far away from you because they are afraid of being troubled without benefits. In this situation, you will have hard experience. If you want to change your status, you must have a strong determination, ability and patience, and in the end, you have the chance to be successful through your great efforts. III. Difference in Social RelationshipA. Concept of FamilyIn China and in western countries, the meaning of family is different based on the different concept. Westerners and the process of growth are embodied their family values. Western families advocate equality. The husband and the wife usually have an equality voice in decision-making, and on certain matters, the children, too, have a vote. Family members are regarded as friend and they should treated equality in daily life. In the western countries, most old people do not live with their children or relatives. If they have enough money they will buy house or apartments in places where other old people live .If they do not healthy and strong enough to live alone, they would rather live in nursing houses for old people than be taken by their children. Therefore they want to stay young because youth stands for hope and energy, which can help them make some positive changes in life. Moreover, they do not like to grow old because they will not gain honor, respect or attention as old people.Child Raising:Acculturation, which begins at birth, is the process of teaching new generations of children the customs and values of the parents culture. In the western countries, it is not uncommon for parents to put a newborn in a separate room that belongs only to the child. This helps to preserve parents privacy and allows the child to get used to having his or her own room, which is seen as a first step toward personal independence. Westerners traditionally have held independence and a closely-related value, individualism, in high esteem. Parents try to instill these prevailing values in their children. American English expresses these value preferences: children should “cut the (umbilical) cord” (Samovar 72). ( and are encouraged not to be tied to their mothers apron strings. In the process of their socialization children learn to look out for number one and to “stand on their own two feet” (John 53).Many children are taught at a very early age to make decisions and be responsible for their actions. Often children work for money outside the home as a first step to establish autonomy. Nine-or ten-year-old children may deliver newspapers in their neighborhoods and save or spend their earnings. Teenagers (13 to 18 years) may sit at neighbors homes in order to earn a few dollars a week. Receiving a weekly allowance at an early age teaches children to budget their money, preparing them for future financial independence. Many parents believe that managing money helps children learn responsibility as well as appreciate the value of money.Young Adulthood:Upon reaching an appropriate age (usually between 18 and 21 years), children are encouraged, but not forced, to leave the nest and begin an independent life. After children leave home they often find social relationships and financial support outside the family. Parents do not arrange marriages for their children, nor do children usually ask permission of their parents to get married. Romantic love is most often the basis for marriage in western countries; young adults meet their future spouses through other friends, at jobs, and in organizations and religious institutions. Although children choose their own spouses, they still hope their parents will approve of their choices.In many families, parents feel that children should make major life decisions by themselves. Apparent may try to influence a child to follow a particular profession but the child is free to choose another career.Sometimes children do precisely the opposite of what their parents wish in order to assert their independence. A son may deliberately decide not to go into his fathers business because of a fear that he will lose his autonomy in his fathers workplace. This independence from parents is not an indication that parents and children do not love each other. Strong love between parents and children is universal and this is no exception in the western family. Coexisting with such love in the western family are cultural values of self-reliance and independence.The Elderly:Societal and familial treatment of the elderly also reflects this independence and individualism. Their financial support is often provided by social security or welfare systems which decrease dependence on their family. Additionally, older people may seek their own friends rather than become too emotionally dependent on their children. Senior citizens centers provide a means for peergroup association within ones own age group. There are problems, however, with growing old in the western countries. Glorification of youth and indifference to the aged has left many older people alienated and alone.Some families send their older relatives to nursing homes rather than integrant them into the homes of the children or grandchildren. This separation of the elderly from the young has contributed to the isolation of an increasingly large segment of society. On the other hand, there are many older people who choose to live in retirement communities where they have the companionship of other older people and the convenience of many recreational and social activities close to home.Cases are different in China, where most Chinese family members tend to live together and the young are supposed to show respect and obedience to old people. Generally, old people receive honor, priv