Character.
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Photo: Garry Green |
In a nation of over 1.3 billion people spread out over 9.6 million sq. km. of land, with 56 ethnic groups and over a dozen dialects, it is virtually impossible to pinpoint "the" Chinese character. However, there are a few concepts prevalent in Chinese culture that differ greatly from those in the West. Getting acquainted with some of these other views should help those less familiar with China to better understand the way it "ticks".
In China (and many other parts of Asia), one of the most important concepts to become familiar with is that of "face". Causing someone else to "lose face" can damage personal and business relationships beyond repair. In particular, criticizing, embarrassing, or scolding someone in public causes this to happen. It is therefore vital to avoid such situations, i.e. to "give" the other person "face", by waiting to confront a problem until there is no one else present or - better yet - employing the help of a third party to mediate (preferably someone Chinese).
The concept of "face" is closely linked with a strong tendency to avoid conflict situations. Using direct language to openly talk about a problem can make things much worse. In such cases, the Chinese tend to communicate much more indirectly, or may not mention the problem at all. In fact, one of the best ways to avoid confrontation is to avoid contact all together, so if contact breaks off, then it's a good idea to think carefully about what might have gone wrong. Best solution? Again, try to find a third (Chinese) party to act as a mediator.
The Chinese lay great importance upon the development of long-lasting personal relationships, also in business situations. While Westerners rely more heavily on contracts and the task-at-hand as the basis for a business relationship, the Chinese generally spend a great deal of time first establishing a personal relationship with potential business partners. This is often done in the form of tours, banquets, and other forms of entertainment. It is not uncommon for such festivities to last for the majority of the time of stay in China. For this reason, negotiations can take an (in Western eyes) exceptionally long time. It may even take several trips to China for a contract to finally be signed.
Furthermore, family is extremely important in China. Despite the turbulent political, social and cultural changes of the past century, some ancient Confucian values are still very prevalent. Respect for one's elders and loyalty to one's family are paramount. Multi-generational households are therefore not uncommon as family provides the most reliable social support network.