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Chinese Culture

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Making Friends in China

SGT Robert, Wade H.

SFC Franklin, Jeremy
ALC 728-12
15 September 2012

Making Friends in China I. Public Life
Displays of affection
Greetings
Dining
In a person’s home
In a restaurant Business
Bargaining
Saving Face
Gifting
Meanings
Taboos

SGT Robert, Wade H.
SFC Franklin, Jeremy
ALC 728-12
15 September 2012
Making Friends in China As with any culture to be successful in China socially, one needs to understand the manners and etiquettes that the culture follows. Many cultures have changed greatly over the centuries, but China’s remains very similar to its roots around the family and authoritarian. Unlike western cultures, much of the Chinese etiquette continues to be very rigid. Understanding and putting into practice the manners and etiquettes of Chinese culture will help a person to create new friendships, rather than enemies, and be accepted by more people within the country. These manners and etiquettes cover behavior in public, dining, conducting business, and even gift giving. In public Chinese people are very formal in their behaviors. Public displays of affection such as kissing, hugging, making eye contact, or hand holding are strongly discouraged; however, hand holding amongst friends of the same sex commonly occurs. Personal space is given very little concern within China, especially during national celebrations when most people go out, and the streets become very crowded from the largest cities to the smallest rural villages. People meeting will often shake hand and/or bow to each other, regardless of their acquaintance level. A Chinese person will typically avoid making eye contact. Making eye contact may be considered rude and signify anger or defiance. When meeting someone new Chinese people will often ask about a person’s age, marital status, and children. They consider this to be taking an interest in the new person. Dining etiquette remains fairly similar whether conducted within a person’s home or in a restaurant. As with many other aspects of the Chinese culture, it follows a structure resembling ritual. Whether in a restaurant or at a home the hosts will allow the guests to enter before them. Within a person’s home hosts place themselves near the door to the kitchen. They choose to do this to be able to bring the dishes within the meal more quickly. If conducting the meal in a restaurant, the hosts will choose the least favorable position, typically near where the waiter stands. Meals are commonly served on large platters, and the diners serve themselves from the main plate onto their individual plates or bowls, usually over rice. The main platters will contain chopsticks or spoons for placing food onto individual plates. A person should never use their personal chopsticks to serve themselves. Diners may place food on each other’s plates during the meal, and leaving food on a plate when done is not considered rude behavior. Chopsticks should never be stabbed into food as this represents an offering to the deceased and will convey the individual wishes death on the other diners. If a diner is not using their chopsticks, they may place them across their plate or on a chopstick holder. Chopsticks should always be held with the right hand. Slurping or talking while one has food in their mouth isn’t considered rude since meals are viewed as social occasions. If dining in a restaurant, the hosts offer to pay for their guests’ meal even though it will often be refused. Unlike many western cultures, the Chinese do not typically leave tips. The Chinese culture places great importance on saving face. A person should never try to humiliate another or place them in a position that would dishonor them, especially when conducting business if they wish to do so again. When negotiating, whether for a cheaper price in the market or a business deal, they will try to find proposals that will work favorably for all parties involved rather than trying to back someone into a corner and cause them to lose face. Apologizing for a possible offense is never considered wrong and will often be replied to as if no offense had been committed. They do this to allow the person apologizing to save face as well. Attempting to push or bully a proposal out of a Chinese person will cause them to lose trust in the one with whom they’re negotiating. They will often smile even though they may be offended or worried and are reserved with their hand and facial movements finding them undignified or even comical. Chinese people place great value in giving and receiving gifts. Dinner guest will often bring a small gift of flowers or fruit to show their appreciation. Gift exchanges also occur during weddings, birthdays, and many of the Chinese celebrations. Gifts convey a message to the receiver that starts with the wrapping paper. Wrapping a gift neatly in ornate paper demonstrates that the giver has put time and effort into the gift and also helps to preserve the mystery of what the gift might be. A gift that shows the giver put time and thought into it carries more meaning that a simple expensive gift. The act of giving a particular flower or fruit may deliver a powerful message to the receiver. Each fruit and flower presented as a gift contains its own particular meaning and may convey and offensive message. The receiver of the gift waits to open it until the giver in no longer around. Gifts of white, blue, and black convey the message of death and are avoided. The culture within China has always been fairly strict compared to many others. This is probably one of the main reasons it has remain relatively unchanged for such a long period of time. People work hard to save face, not only for themselves, but also for the people they encounter in their daily lives. When a person is a guest in China, they should strive to adhere as closely to the manners and etiquettes of the culture. The Chinese people will be forgiving for most foreigners, but they will also greatly appreciate the effort made to follow their traditions and etiquettes. Visitors should always be patient when entering a new culture and look to those around them for examples of what they should do or how they should act so they might get the most from the time they have with their hosts.

Works Cited
"Bargaining in China - Playing it Cool” Cultural China. n.p., n.d. Web. 2010. ‹http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/14Traditions5524.html>
"Cultural Differences in China” Cultural China. n.p., n.d. Web. 2010. ‹http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/14Traditions5522.html>
"Chinese Dining Customs and Etiquettes” Cultural China. n.p., n.d. Web. 2010. ‹http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/214Traditions9241.html>
"Cultural Taboos in China” Cultural China. n.p., n.d. Web. 2010. ‹http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/14Traditions5519.html>
"Table Manners and Customs in China” Cultural China. n.p., n.d. Web. 2010. ‹http://traditions.cultural-china.com/en/14Traditions9244.html>

Clarity Index
a. COUNTS
1) Words: 1006
2) Paragraphs: 7
3) Sentences: 52
b. AVERAGES 1) Sentences per Paragraph 8.6 2) Words per Sentence 19.2
c. READABILITY 1) Passive Sentences 11% 2) Flesch Reading Ease 56.9 3) Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level 10

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