culture difference4

Chapter III Cultural Differences between Eastern and Western World
In the past two lectures, we talked about globalization, culture, language, communication and cross-cultural communication. In this lecture, we are going to talk about Cultural Differences between Eastern and Western World. Or specifically we focus on Cultural Differences between China and America.
I suppose you guys remember the story of Guasha, which is a sharp contrast between China and America in culture. This lecture will cover these aspects:
Major Pairs of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures
Roots of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures
Case Analysis
Comparison
一．Major Pairs of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures
In the two columns there show major pairs of contrastive values in Eastern Cultures and Western Cultures, shortly, EC and WC. Those pairs are much obvious, and now let’s try to figure them out one by one.
Now I give you a case.
Shi Hai is an excellent engineer in a big company in Hangzhou. Joe is his new Australian friend who came to China to learn Chinese Taiji only two months ago. They got to know each other in the English corner near the West Lake.
Last month, Shi Hai was promoted as deputy director of the company. Hearing the good news one day, Joe suggested going out for a drink. But to his great surprise, Shi Hai told him that he had declined the promotion. When asked why, Shi Hai took a Chinese saying like “树大招风” in broken English as the response which made Joe even more puzzled.
Questions:
Would you please help Shi Hai by interpreting the Chinese saying he mentioned? Would you please do the suitable explanations for his declining the promotion so that Joe would understand him?
Feedback:
Would you please help Shi Hai by interpreting the Chinese saying he mentioned? “树大招风”means a big tree is easily destroyed by the wind. Just like the big tree, a famous person or a well-known person will be easily exposed to the public criticism. Would you please do the suitable explanations for his declining the promotion so that Joe would understand him?
Joe comes from Australia, which tends to be defined as a more individualist culture. In his culture, people value independence and have pride in being unique rather than similar to others. As a result, they do not fear the actions that call attention to the self, in fact they often seek the notice of others.
While in collectivist culture, great importance is attached to a person's conformity instead of their uniqueness. Consequently, people are not likely to socialize in ways tha t draw attention to the self. Standing out on one’s own is not favored and would even arouse criticism from the others. They are afraid of being different from the others.
Since Shi Hai is a Chinese, whose culture could be regarded as collectivist-oriented, he is also afraid of being independent and unique. To be promoted to the position of deputy director means not only responsibility but also uniqueness and fame. Although he is an excellent engineer, probably he doesn’t want to be more famous by being deputy director with the fear that a famous person tends to be the target of criticism and can easily be found fault with, just as the fat pig and big tree would first take the risk of losing their lives.
二．Roots of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures
Roots of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures—English Culture
Christianity; Faith; Creed; Confessions; Love ; Eucharist ; Easter ; Christmas
Roots of Contrastive Values in Different Cultures—Chinese Culture
Buddhism and Buddha
Firstly let’s have a vivid picture of Buddha
The title Buddha means Enlightened One or Awakened One. In Bhuddism, the Buddha refers to Siddhattha Gautama. Buddha was born around 565 B.C. in Lumbini Park in the city of Kapilavastu in the ancient northern India, today's Nepal.
His name 'Siddhattha Gautama,' means 'descendant of Gotama whose aims are achieved/who is efficacious in achieving aims', he later became the Buddha (literally Enlightened One or Awakened One). HHe is also commonly known as 'Shakyamuni' or 'Sakyamuni' (lit. "The sage of the Shakya clan") and as the Tathagata (lit. "thus come" or "thus gone"). Gautama was a contemporary of Mahavira.
What is Buddhism?
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy that developed from the teachings of the Buddha Gautama (or Gautama), who lived as early as the 6th century BC.
The History of Buddhism
It was all started by Buddha, who was a prince in Lumbini, 2500 years ago.
He was very unhappy in his royal life, so he set off on a 6 year journey, exploring other religions.
After his long journey and much meditation he was finally “enlightened”.
He found the middle path, the key to human happiness. For the rest of his life he wandered Asia, preaching his new religion.
What Did Buddha Teach?
He taught the 4 Noble truths which sum up Buddhism religion.
He also taught the noble eight fold path.
He taught to lead a moral life, be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions and to develop wisdom and understanding.
He also taught the 5 precepts.
Taoism
Lao-tzu and Tao-te ching
Lao-tzu
Little is known about Lao-tzu's life. The knowledge we have comes from Ssu-ma Ch'ien's "Historical Notes" as well as from Chuang-tzu's more or less invented stories, where Lao-tzu is often at the forefront.
Lao-tzu surname was Li; as for his real name, Erh (meaning ear), which gave place after his death to Tan, which translates "long ears". Hence, in Legge's opinion, one may conclude that this name was attributed to him because of a certain peculiarity of his ears.
Tao-te ching
Tao-te ching is the most famous and translated work from the Taoist inheritance. Its traditional author, Lao-tzu, is the most popular in this matter. Even in ancient China, the work enjoyed a great popularity and was glossed both by Taoists and Confucianists. It contains philosophical elements from Taoism and of another type (legalist, etc.).
The book consists of 81 short chapters among which 37 form the first part, the Classic of the Way (tao), and the next 44 form the Classic of Te ("Te" is a word translated by James Legge as "virtue", pointing to the Way of Heaven).
Chuang-tzu and the Chuang-tzu
Chuang-tzu
We know fewer things about Chuang-tzu than we do about Lao-tzu. The main source of information is once again Ssu-ma Ch'ien.
Chuang-tzu was born in today's Ho-nan province, in the village of Wei. He occupied a minor position in the administrative office of Ch'i-yuan. Apparently, he was a contemporary of Mencius, but what is peculiar is, in fact, that these two great polemists never met each other .
The “Chuang-tzu”
Chuang-tzu is the author of the homonymous book.
The book subsists until today as a long text in prose which is divided in 33 chapters distributed in “internal chapters” (I-VII), “external chapters” (VIII-XXII), and “miscellaneous chapters” (XXIII-XXXIII). According to tr adition, only the “internal chapters” are Chuang-tzu’s work, while the other two parts of the text are attributed to the disciples and successors of Master's school.
Lieh-tzu and Ch'ung-hsu chen-ching
Lieh-tzu
There is hardly anything known about Lieh-tzu's life
Ch'ung-hsu chen-ching
Nowadays it is generally acknowledged that Lieh-tzu or Ch'ung-hsu chen-ching - the book attributed to Lieh-tzu - must have appeared much later, during Chin dynasty. The structure of the book is rather heterogeneous, which makes it difficult for us to distinguish any systemization of the Taoist philosophy.
Tao and Taoism
Tao
Tao represents the basic concept of Taoism. In general, this term belongs to the spiritual atmosphere of the ancient China and can be translated "way", "mean", "art", "skill".
The word for word meaning of Tao is represented also by the ancient symbol of this term. It is made out of two distinct graphic elements: the first - placed to the right of the sign - suggests the image of a hairy, human head; the latter - placed to the left - suggests moving by presenting a foot walking.
Confucianism
Confucius
The founder of Confucianism, Confucius was born into an impovershed aristocratic family at Qufu in the state of Lu. Kong（孔）was his family name; his given name was Qiu（丘）and his literary name Zhongni（仲尼）
Confucianism
Major system of thought in China, developed from the teachings of Confucius and his disciples, and concerned with the principles of good conduct, practical wisdom, and proper social relationships.
Con fucianism is a “code of conduct” to live this life, and it has had a tremendous impact on how the Chinese live their lives... with a great influence in Chinese
government, education, and attitudes toward correct personal behavior and the individual duties to society.
Five Classics and Four Books
The principles of Confucianism are contained in the nine ancient Chinese works handed down by Confucius and his followers, who lived in an age of great philosophic activity. These writings can be divided into two groups: the Five Classics and the Four Books.
The Four Books, compilations of the sayings of Confucius and Mencius and of commentaries by followers on their teachings, are the Analects, a collection of maxims by Confucius that form the basis of his moral and political philosophy; Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean, containing some of Confucius’s philosophical utterances arranged systematically with comments and expositions by his disciples; and the Mencius (Book of Mencius), containing the teachings of one of Confucius’s great followers。