The Cultural aspects of China

Essay by creditz89High School, 11th grade June 2006

download word file, 4 pages 4.5

Downloaded 76 times

The Culture of China

Community Roles and Values

The home of a Chinese citizen generally consists of their parents and siblings. However, there is a rule of a "One child policy" where only one child is allowed in a household. In Chinese families, grandparents frequently look after the child whilst the parents proceed to work. They also endorse the" concept of equality between man and women". Equality is a value treasured by the Chinese. Men and women work equally hard to earn a living. Accordingly, they both play similar roles inside and outside the home. I.e. it is considered normal in China to see both sexes contributing in shopping, cooking, housework, and looking after the children.

Giving gifts is also dearest to the culture of China. Generally, it is a custom to bring a gift when invited to a home, as it signifies respect and politeness. These gifts are usually flowers or fruit.

Although, the more expensive the gift the greater the perceived respect to the recipient. A gift is usually offered with two hands, and also received with two hands.

Traditionally, it is unlikely to greet strangers with the occasional "Hello" or "How are you", as it is also considered strange to give handshakes when initially meeting someone. Moreover, conversations upon first meetings are very different compared to the Western styled conversations. For example, it is fairly common for people on first hand to ask about a person's age, job, yearly salary, and dating status.

Family Roles and Values

The relationship between the parent and child is generally universal. Parents are not dominant over their children, as they do not expect outstanding discipline from the child (only with the exception of respecting others). Nevertheless, parents are still strict by the means of law and order, but are also extremely...