Cultural Shock China - Hanne Chen -

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Cultural Shock China- Hanne Chen -

• Manuel Simon
• Asian Studies in Business Economics, 12th June
  2006

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Cultural frame world outlook, history, language
• Chinese everyday life
• 4. Position of foreigners in the Chinese culture
  group
• Conclusion

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1. Introduction
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1. Introduction

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

• Hanne Chen was born in Duisburg in 1961.
• She studied Sinology and German language and
  literature studies and lived for four and a half
  years in China and Taiwan.
• Meanwhile she lives as a free author with her
  husband and two children next to Cambridge in
  England.

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2. Cultural Frame
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2. Cultural Frame

• 2.1 Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism
• 2.2 Calendar and celebrations
• 2.3 History of the Peoples Republic China

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2.1 Confucian ideology, Taoism and Buddhism
China is characterised by three very different
philosophies.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

• Confucianism
• Classification of
• people
• Family structure
• Connections

• Buddhism
• youngest Chinese
• religion
• Mortality of human
• beings

• Taoism
• Counterpart to the
• Confucianism
• Egoism of the
• individual

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2. Cultural Frame

• 2.1 Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism
• 2.2 Calendar and celebrations
• 2.3 History of the Peoples Republic China

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2.2 Calendar and Celebrations

• The moon calendar is besides the Gregorian
  calendar still in use.
• One year has twelve moon months, but in periodic
  intervals years with thirteen months have to be
  inserted.
• The Chinese public holidays are determined by
  the moon respectively old farmer calendar.
• Most important celebration is the New Years Day
  or spring celebration (chunijie) which takes
  place on the first new moon after the 29th
  January.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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2. Cultural Frame

• 2.1 Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism
• 2.2 Calendar and celebrations
• 2.3 History of the Peoples Republic China

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2.3 History of the Peoples Republic China

• Sun Yatsen proclaimed the Chinese Republic on
  January 1911.
• China faced its most impressive time during the
  era Mao Zedong which began on 1st October 1949.
  
• The Chinese nation is risen. Nobody will ever
  oppress it (p. 44).
• Crucial event of the Mao era was the Cultural
  Revolution and the smashing of the Four Old
  old ideas, old manner and customs, and old
  culture.
• After Maos death (1976) Chinas political and
  economic success started.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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3. Chinese everyday life
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3. Chinese everyday life

• 3.1 Politeness
• 3.2 Connections
• 3.3 Food

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3.1 Politeness

• Politeness is consideration for the face of the
  others.
• Every situation in life requires a lot of
  empathy. One relies on that the person opposite
  assesses the situation in the right way.
• The art of suggesting something belongs to the
  polite Chinese speech.
• One indirect and polite style is also the so
  called spiral speaking.
• Discretion at being right and modesty
  characterise the noble Chinese behaviour. Also
  the body language is quieter and more restrained.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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3. Chinese everyday life

• 3.1 Politeness
• 3.2 Connections
• 3.3 Food

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3.2 Connections

• Guanxi are the connections.
• There are also laws, but these only count for
  those which do not have connections.
• The law is a piece of paper, you can tear it up
  and throw it away (p. 117).
• The cultivation of connections is vital and
  guarantees a maximum of safety.
• However, connections do not only enrich human
  relations they also complicate them. Moreover,
  Guanxi is very expensive.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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3. Chinese everyday life

• 3.1 Politeness
• 3.2 Connections
• 3.3 Food

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3.3 Food

• How eats, is a king (p. 172).
• Chinese has a very oral imagery.
• Eating can become the main theme during a
  conversation.
• The Chinese kitchen is very creative. Animals
  life in this culture is hard.
• Eating represents social life and consumption,
  and consumption is prestige. Thus, one gladly
  invites friends, business partners and relatives
  for diner.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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4. Position of foreigners in the Chinese culture
group
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4. Position of foreigners in the Chinese culture
group

• 4.1 Between resentments and hospitality
• 4.2 Chinese right! what foreigners should
  take into account

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4.1 Between resentments and hospitality
The culture of the Western people consists of
sex, drugs and aids. All Germans lie naked in
parks in the summer. German men have a beer belly
and look if they are pregnant in the seventh
month (p. 200).

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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4.1 Between resentments and hospitality

• Foreigners often face resistance and hostility.
  This can be explained by Chinas decades of
  shielding and insidious policy on foreigners.
• The outstanding consciousness of ones own
  exclusiveness influences the social intercourse
  with foreigners.
• You will never understand us because you are
  foreigners (p. 212).
• Protective instinct or compassionate ignorance
  are the determinants of readiness to help.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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4. Position of foreigners in the Chinese culture
group

• 4.1 Between resentments and hospitality
• 4.2 Chinese right! what foreigners should
  take into account

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4.2 Chinese right!

• Generally appear groom, men with beards are not
  really welcome!
• Never put the chopsticks crossed own your bowl!
  This is an omen for quarrel!
• Do not shack hands if greeting someone!
• If you are in a bad mood or have problems keep
  them by yourself!
• Understate your own abilities!
• If you are praised, refuse it politely!
• Consideration for the face of the others!
• Avoid irony!

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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5. Conclusion
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5. Conclusion

• In the first part of her book the author
  fascinates the reader with her terse and amusing
  style of writing.
• The second part connects the pleasure of reading
  the authors book with information very
  charmingly. It is the friendly and critical, but
  never cynical demonstration of small things.
• Hanne Chen encourages the reader by much
  background information and amusing stories to
  reflect his own behaviour in different situations
  in life this can especially observed in the
  third part.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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5. Conclusion

• This book will not take the reader the cultural
  shock. Nevertheless, Hanne Chen prepares the
  reader for the foreign culture by her huge
  historic and social background information.
• An excellent book which gets the reader in the
  proper mood for China and prepares him very well.

1. Introduction
2. Cultural frame
3. Chinese everyday life
4. Chinese culture group
5. Conclusion

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• Thank you very much
• for your attention!!!
• any questions???