Selecting a gift for a person with a different nationality is always difficult because in order to select an appropriate gift, you should understand their culture which is perhaps slightly or very different yours.
According to one of my Indian friend whom I have met in Sri Lanka, giving a knife for a gift is appreciated in Western India. Now, let’s assume you are from the west part of India and thinking about giving a knife to your Chinese friend, this might not be a good idea because in China, giving implements used to cut might mean that you do not want to friend with her anymore. Therefore it is necessary for you to know about the Chinese gift culture especially when you are living in China.
‘Chinese culture is a gift culture’. Every important meeting involves exchange of the gifts. If you are empty handed when receiving a gift, is considered rude and will put you into the position of debt in the mind of the Chinese side. Therefore it is very essential for you to know about what are the gifts that they prefer and the gifts that you MUST NOT offer.
Putonghua (Mandarin) is spoken by possibly more people than any other language (over 1.3 billion). Mandarin uses four tones to clarify the meanings of the words. Since there are four different tones, there are actually many words which have the same sound but different tones. Therefore there are quite number of items which should be avoided compared to other non-Chinese speaking cultures.
Many items which should be avoided as gifts because it is often relate to the end of relationship. All types of clock should be avoided because送鐘 (send clock) sounds like送終 (the funeral ritual) and also clock symbolises time is running out. Therefore sending a clock to someone could mean the end o...
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...u are giving your gift in set, 6 and 8 are great numbers all occasions. Number 8, 八 is regarded as the luckiest number in China because it sounds like the word for prosperity, 發. Chinese people take number 6, 六 as a fortune number because it sounds like溜 which means ‘to flow’. On the other hand, gifts in sets of four must be avoided because the word for four, 四sounds like the word for death, 死. As Korean is derived from Chinese, many of Korean culture are influenced by Chinese culture. Some of old buildings in Korea, they either do not have fourth floor or use an English alphabet, F instead of 4 to denote.
In my opinion, it is up to an individual to decide whether to follow these or not but I would say, it will be better if you follow these things when you are giving a gift to Chinese. Because by following these, you are showing a respect to them and their culture.
What personal qualities were a women in classical China supposed to exhibit? What were her prescribed responsibilities? To what extent were normative gender roles for women in classical India similar? To what extent they were different?
The world is always changing which forces people to modify their ways of life. Some people label changes in society, politics, economics, technology, and fashion as modernization. One might say it is only natural for cultures to also go through modernization. The Chinese culture is very resilient to change because of the values they hold for their traditions and customs (Li & Mengyan, 2013). According to Guan, LÜ, and Yu (2012), Chinese culture is deeply rooted in respect for elders, social relationships, and overall harmony and honor. I think what many people do not take into account is the pressures many adolescent immigrants or Chinese-American offspring endure. In a case study of essays, many adolescents felt the stress of “struggling with high parental expectations and intergenerational conflicts at home and suffered acculturative stresses and ethnic peer divides at school” (Li, J., 2009). These children are very adaptive as are their families. What many people do not realize is that there are many ways in which one could accidentally disrespect the Chinese culture. Baldwin explains the key rules of simple dinner etiquette: “do not r...
However, as may be expected from our modern society, the custom of giving gifts quickly turned into the practice of exchanging them. If one gives gifts to loved ones at Christmas, the reasoning goes, then those who do not receive gifts from a person are obviously not loved by him/her. So each individual now is required to give a gift to all of his/her friends, or risk communicating to them that s/he no longer loves them -- or perhaps never did! Also, there arises another problem when someone gets a gift from a person to whom they did not give one. The logic here is that the one who gave the gift obviously has a greater love for or places a greater value on the friendship than the one who did not. A decidedly awkward situation arises from this, one can imagine.
... find it is hard to appreciate my own Chinese customs because I am lingered to the sweet domineering customs of America. Much like Stephen and Pucha, I feel as though if I could just be more American in the way I act, dress, eat and talk, I will be happy. However, having been fortunate enough to grasp such patterns, perspectives and problems through these novels and through lecture, I feel enlightened, although the preservation of Asian culture and custom and the fear of its extinction is still a very real issue in the Asian American community today. Hopefully one day we will be able to strike a balance between cultures and live in harmony.
Chinese-Americans authors Amy Tan and Gish Jen have both grappled with the idea of mixed identity in America. For them, a generational problem develops over time, and cultural displacement occurs as family lines expand. While this is not the problem in and of itself, indeed, it is natural for current culture to gain foothold over distant culture, it serves as the backdrop for the disorientation that occurs between generations. In their novels, Tan and Jen pinpoint the cause of this unbalance in the active dismissal of Chinese mothers by their Chinese-American children.
The film Hero depicts one of the most culturally rich and diverse country, China. China is one of the largest countries in the world with the long profound history. It is also the most diverse country in terms of language, religion, rituals, traditions, and beliefs. The film Hero has an unusual movie theme, it repeats similar events through flashbacks and with different outcomes. The tale is about the nameless warrior and the triumph of Qin’s idea of unifying China. The king invites the warrior to honor him for defeating his three most dangerous enemies, who are often proclaimed as the unbeatable warriors. The film is a cultural description of Chinese traditions. It has expanded my understanding of Chinese culture by portraying the spectacular
Williams, C. A. S., and C. A. S. Williams. Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs: An Alphabetical Compendium of Antique Legends and Beliefs, as Reflected in the Manners and Customs of the Chinese. Rutland, VT: C.E. Tuttle, 1988. Print.
In addition, this sort of Chinese conspicuous consumption group seems to indulge in purchase luxury brand .There is a interview of a Chinese student about why she spend thousands dollar for a luxury bag, and the answer is buying luxury goods makes she feel successful and fulfils aspiration of belonging in a higher social circle. What ‘s more...
This is probably due to the strong accents that the Chinese have. In the Chinese culture, they value many things and have many rights. “Benevolence, the core value of Confucianism, extends from the importance of familial ties and blood connections and is held in high esteem by the Chinese (Lihua, 2013).” In China good relationships go a long way. This country feels that it is important to maintain peace and good ties within your family, friendships and within business.
On the contrary, Chinese parents will help their children to arrange everything, preparing a delicious meal and saying things like "You can't eat such good dinners any more. Eat more! If you aren't accustomed to the life there, just come back home."
The opening line of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu introduces a looming sense of sadness and trauma: “One of my earliest memories starts with me sobbing” (Liu 178). Liu presents a narrative in which trauma is passed on from generation to generation, asserting its existence as an intentional inheritance. Through the loss of Chinese culture and the culture’s inevitability, Jack and his family fall victim to the cyclical suffering that can only be lessened through a balancing act of backgrounds. In the moments leading up to, during and after Jack reads his mother’s bleak letter, Liu constructs a paper chain of trauma, urging his characters to marry opposing ethnicities.
I was born in Hong Kong and I am also interested in my culture. This essay is a great chance for me to understand more of my culture. The person that I interviewed for my culture was my grandfather. His explanation is very entertaining because he did not lecture on Chinese culture like a boring professor. He told stories about it and made it very easy to understand the Chinese culture. The person that I interviewed for the Chinese lion dancing is my neighbor’s friend named Nathan Xu. My research includes on the history of Chinese New Year and the history of Chinese lion dancing.
Just from the name, they sound unromantic and presenting electrical appliances as a gift to your love may overrule the whole point of the day; which is showing romantic and thoughtful gestures.
Chinese New Year is the most widely celebrated tradition in Asia. The tradition is usually celebrated on the first day of the first month on the Chinese Lunar calendar. This tradition is rooted in centuries-old customs and is one of the most popular public holidays in China. Apart from China, this tradition is also celebrated in many Asian countries like Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. There are many values and rituals tied with this tradition. For example, people would wear red clothing, decorate the house with red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. According to legend, it is said that red can drive away bad luck, which is why the color red is highly emphasized. In myths, our ancestors would light bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would scare off evil spirits. This is why fireworks and firecrackers are set off during this special tradition. Other values and traditions during Chinese New Year dinner such as eating specific dishes during the New Years Eve Dinner, exchanging red envelopes, and cleaning the house. These traditions all emphasize one value: the importance of family reunion during Chinese New Year. Family reunion is essential because it is a time to interact with family and friends who often times do not live nearby. Family and relatives will plan their schedules around Chinese New Year dinner, instead of taking family for granted. Adults also teach children important tradition and lessons during Chinese New Year so that when they grow older, they would continue this tradition with their families.
"Embracing Western ways while cleaving to tradition." China daily. N.p. 21 Jan. 2005. Web. 20 Sept. 2011. .