Final Paper

Culture difference between China and America

China and the United States represent two completely different culture models. The biggest cultural differences between the two countries are especially evident when analyzing the family unit, classroom, tradition. On the one hand, the differences between China and United States can be shown in the principle of the power distance is a concept from intercultural communications that highlights these differences. For cultural communication classes, individualism and collectivism principles will help people to understand cultural differences. And communication style is always influenced by different cultures.  On the other hand, the differences between China and United States it is wedding ceremony can be fully manifested in our lives.

When I talked with my roommate Lisa about American and Chinese culture, we found that the biggest cultural differences between the two countries are especially evident when analyzing the family unit and power distance which is a concept from intercultural communications that highlights these differences. China and the United States are big countries in the world. China has more than five thousand years of history. I have been studying in America for almost one year, and the United States has about two hundred years of history. I think China and the United States have a lot of differences; not only economic differences, but also ethnic and historical differences. All those big factors make their cultures different. I think the United States’ ideas are open and new, but China is more traditional and closed.

Communication style is always influenced by different cultures. China and the United States are big countries in the world. I come from China, and I have been influenced by Chinese culture for 19 years. China has more than five thousand years of history. I have been studying in America for almost one year, and the United States has about two hundred years of history. I think China and the United States have a lot of differences; not only economic differences, but also ethnic and historical differences. All those big factors make their cultures different. I think the United States’ ideas are open and new, but China is more traditional and closed. The differences between China and United States can be shown in the principle of intercultural communication: Individualism and Collectivism.

The dimension of individualism-collectivism is a good way to show the cultural effects in peer response groups. Individualists want to take care of themselves; they use the group to achieve their own goals and focus on the benefit to the individual writer. Collectivism people put the group’s peace above personal goals; they don’t want to embarrass another writer (3). The article, “The Values Americans Live By,” may help relate this information with two American values: individualism or privacy and self-help (2), Americans like to think for themselves.  They are proud of themselves because of their independence of thought and ability to get what they want.  So in peer review groups, American students show their individualism in the writing critique.  They use the group to show their own ideas to help others and get others’ help to move their own paper toward better writing and a better grade.  Most Asians are collectivists; they like to get together to solve problems that they have.  In China, there is a proverb that says, “Depend on parents when at home, depend on friends when outside.” The proverb means that Chinese people have very strong relationships with each other and use those relationships to get help for themselves when they need it. When related to peer review groups, collectivists like the idea of working together and helping each other.  Peer groups should be a natural forum for them; however, they put the group’s peace above personal goals and don’t want to embarrass another writer, so it ends up that collectivists in a group often stay silent, even though they would like to help and to get help from others.

These matters also relate to the concept of “face”.  From Nelson, we can understand that face is related to people’s feelings of self worth and position in society.  All people from different cultural backgrounds are involved in it to different levels.  (1) Asians care very deeply about being treated with respect and protecting their honor, their face.  However, for Americans, it is not very important. The stronger American value of directness may cause trouble here.  Kohls said, “If you come from a country where saving face is important, be assured that Americans are not trying to make you lose face with their directness.” (2) For Americans, themselves, however, “not very important” does not mean they do not care about face at all. We can see this in another American value, competition. Kohls said, “Americans believe that competition brings out the best in any individual.” (2) We can see that Americans want to become the best they can be so that they can gain their positions in society. This is, in fact, a kind of face or social status. As in the collectivism/individualism section above, the Americans’ goal of better individual grades for everyone (a way of getting recognition and respect) can conflict with the Asians’ need to avoid public criticism.

“Individualism promotes self-efficiency, individual responsibility, and personal autonomy.” (4) Individualism can be defined as personal goals and benefits having a higher priority than group goals and benefits. As I have lived in America for 1 year, I found that American people, more than Chinese people, follow trends to be individualistic. For example, Americans like to do everything by themselves; they are proud of themselves because of their independence of thought and their ability to get whatever they want. In American families, even nuclear families, they will not discuss very much about their personal life. In America, parents will pay large sums of money like tuition and medical fees but not the pocket money for their children. The American children should earn it by themselves. More than that, in some American families, when children grow up to be eighteen years old, they should pay for everything by themselves. They should go to work for getting money for school. And also Americans like to use their own way to deal with their own problems. They don’t need to discuss those problems with other family members or even their parents.  They would like to be independent in everything.

“Collectivism promotes relational interdependence, in-group harmony, and in-group collaborative spirit.” (4) Collectivism more strongly emphasizes on “we” rather than “I”, and it refers to a teamwork mentality and focusing on a group as a whole rather than individual work. Collectivism can be defined as group goals and benefits having a higher priority than personal goals and benefits. In my opinion, China is more traditional, and people prefer collectivism.  Chinese people like to do things together with a group of people. In Chinese families, if a family member has problems that should be dealt with, all the family members will gather together to have a meeting to talk about it. Chinese people like to discuss personal things in their big families. They would like to talk about the things such as marriage, education and careers. Before I was 18 years, my parents helped me to think about everything, and helped me find a good school, doing good things. My family would have a meeting and discuss them. Because my parents hope I have a good future, they don’t want me to learn something bad and have a bad future.

Now, I study in America, and I have to adapt to American life. I have experienced American culture and learned a lot. I have learned that when I am talking with my friends and family I should show my opinion in a direct way. If I have some good thoughts and ideas, I will tell my parents about them. I think they would be open to hearing my ideas because the relationship between my parents and me is more like a brother and sister relationship, and also my parents are very open minded. But in China, some parents do not have an open mind. Since I have both experienced Chinese and American cultures, I identify myself to be a part of both individualism and collectivism. On one hand, I represent individualism when I can decide something by myself. In this way, I have absorbed American style. I can use the American style when I am thinking about things. On the other hand, however, when I am dealing with big and important things, I will ask my parents for their opinions. I do this to show respect to my parents and because I don’t think I have enough life experience, so I welcome their input. In this way I display collectivism. Because of my experience with both American and Chinese culture, I show both individualistic and collectivistic tendencies. 

When I power distance compares two individuals or groups in terms of relative respect, honor and authority. It can be thought of as which person has the greater face. “People in small power distance cultures tend to value equal power distributions, equal rights and relations, and equitable rewards and punishments on the basis of performance.” (4) My roommate thinks that low power distance means that people are equal, and both get respect for their ideas. The peer response groups which contain students from different cultural backgrounds can demonstrate this principle very appropriately. My roommate gave me an example of low power distance. In one of her classes there are some Chinese students. She thinks Chinese students should think their English is poor or lower than American students because they also don’t understand some rules about the English language. And American culture that was not very clear to Chinese students. They seldom share their ideas or opinions in class. Instead, my roommate doesn’t think about those things and doesn’t think the Chinese students should either because American students are representative of low power distance cultures. They use direct and practical words to express themselves. They should give a good answer to everyone in a group. They don’t care about others’ mistakes. Whether the other students’ comments or opinions are bad or good, they accept all of them and respected them; in this way, my roommate shows me something about American value of equality. Power distance can also be related with informality. By contrast, “people in large power distance cultures tend to value equal power distributions, equal rights and relations, and equitable rewards and punishments on the basis of performance.” (4) In cultures that give high power distance to teachers or others, students are without confidence to give comments to the high-power people. In China, students should call teachers professor or begin with Mr., Mrs., Ms. or Miss. If anyone speaks to a teacher, he or she should use the titles to show more respect to teacher. But my roommate calls her teachers or professors directly only by their first names, and she never uses the title for professors. In addition, the title is most only used in formal situations.

“For small power distance cultures, equality of personal rights represents an ideal to strive toward in a system.” (4) My roommate’s family has lower power distances. Everyone in their families has equal rights, no matter whether it is a young child or old person, that individual should have a power in this family; and no matter of how old or of what generation in the family. All the family members can talk together and share many ideas or opinions; people can take the advice from their elder family members or not take the advice and can use their own ideas by themselves. For example, my roommate goes back home every weekend because she is a transfer student. She was homesick when she took a far distance school which was in Los Angeles. However, she just wants to spend more time with her family members, which is what she thinks is more important. That’s why she transferred to Gorger Fox University; she thinks this was a good school and a Christian school. She talked with her families and told them about her opinion of transferring. Her parents at first will talked together about this thing; and gave some ideas, and then the family was fine with her idea and helped her to transfer. I think her parents gave her equality in her family.

Another point of family values is power distance. Power distance in my family and Ibrahim’s family is different. “For large power distance cultures, respect for power hierarchy in any system is a fundamental way of life.” (4) In my family, high power means older age and higher generation in a family. China has a long history about traditional manners; elder people in the family must be respected and have the most power. Parents respect older people who know a lot of things, because they want to learn knowledge from other people and books. Parents also think the elder people must have more experiences, and they should have much knowledge. For example, in my family, I have to listen to my parents’ ideas. My parents want me to have a good future. The child doesn’t want to go, but the parents’ force their child because learning more knowledge is helpful for the child to go to a good school. Then the child cannot give her or his own opinion; the child should follow parent’s opinion about life. If child disagrees or says no, that is different and such familiarity should be considered disrespectful to people of such higher power distance. This thing should show large power distance in this family.

In my roommate family, power distance is lower. “For small power distance cultures, equality of personal rights represents an ideal to strive toward in a system.” (4) Everyone in American families has equal rights, no matter whether it is a young child or old person, that individual should have a power in this family; and no matter of how old or of what generation in the family. All the family members can talk together and share many ideas or opinions. People can take the advice from their elder family members or not take the advice. They can use their own ideas by themselves. For example: my roommate told her parents about her decision to come to the United Kingdom to trip here. At first, she parents said they will talk about this together and gave some ideas. Then the family was fine with his idea. I think his parents gave her equality in her life.

Those two countries have absolutely different cultures. In the aspect of family, it seems especially evident. But if we compare those two kinds of cultures, there are no good cultures or bad cultures for a country. There are just suitable cultures and unsuitable cultures for countries. Chinese have high power distance, so elder people there can be respected by young people. It is good for family harmony. Americans have lower power distance, so people in a family can get along with each other comfortably. Chinese families are more collective, so people can get more help from their families. It is good for people get success, which is then available to help other family members. Americans families are more individual, so people can make decisions by themselves and do not have any other obstruction. It is good for making personal decisions which may lead to personal success.

 “What is culture? This question has fascinated scholars in various academic disciplines for many decades.” (4) This question makes a lot of scholars and professors confused. Culture is very important in every country. Traditions in my culture are different from Ibrahim’s. In China, tradition holiday it’s very important in our life’s. Chinese traditional festivals in various forms, rich in content are our long history of the Chinese nation as an integral part of culture. There are a lot of holidays for Chinese people, such as the New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. On that day everybody dress up. First they extend greetings to their parents. Then each child will get money as a New Year gift, wrapped up in red paper. At night, family members ate dinner together and burning fireworks was once most typical custom on the Spring Festival. The middle-Autumn Festival is one of the traditional Chinese festivals, it is often held in September or October. During the festival, family members get untied and have moon cakes together. There are various kind of moon cakes, such as bean paste, egg-yolk or meat. The shape of a moon cake is round as it symbolizes a big moon. Moreover, in the evening of the Middle-Autumn Festival, people get together in a vacant place, eating delicious moon cakes while appreciation the beautiful moon hanging in the dark sky.

Using spiral dynamic model is a good concept to compare China and the United States in aspect of family. In generally speaking, most Chinese families are stand in blue level. In most Chinese, they have an authority in it such as the most elder people, or some traditions from the family ancestries. Most American family are stand in Red level, they are low power distance cultures. People in family are no authority, no boundaries. They are living for themselves and are full of exploitations in their lives. (1) The main difference between Chinese and America eating habits is that unlike in America where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of food and will do their best to give you a taste of many different types of cuisine. Among friends, they will just order enough for the people there. If they are taking somebody out for dinner and the relationship is polite to semi-polite, then they will usually order one more dish than the number of guests (e.g. four people, five dishes). If it is a business dinner or a very formal occasion, there is likely to be a huge amount of food that will be impossible to finish. A typical meal starts with some cold dishes, like boiled peanuts and smashed cucumber with garlic. These are followed by the main courses, hot meat and vegetable dishes. Finally soup is brought out, which is followed by the starchy “staple” food, which is usually rice or noodles or sometimes dumplings. Many Chinese eat rice (or noodles or whatever) last, but if you like to have your rice together with other dishes, you should say so early on.

The Chinese people love the character of lively traditional Chinese wedding ceremony can be fully manifested. In addition to a wedding dinner in the West are outside the traditional marriage customs in China, there are also a marriage for the bride's farewell luncheon. Secondly, after the end of the wedding, new friends and family would go to new homes in the bridal chamber. Believe that new houses in the more lively, more newly-weds a happy married life. Therefore, no trouble, members of new homes do not have the extreme, using various means to make things difficult for the bride and groom.

Western ideas are more open to demands for the wedding is relatively low, they are the climax of the wedding is in a church: as sacred "wedding march" into the bright red carpet, charming father of the bride's hand Accompanied both hands Rose walked slowly to the groom, the bride's father would be his daughter's hand on the groom's hand, her daughter's life will be entrusted to you, all eyes watching the couple, their faces filled with happiness. She is today the most beautiful bride. Over in the holy church and their vows in the reverberating, belt to tie the knot wedding rings, only to the priest, said: "You can kiss your bride. Marriage is a lifetime covenant, and whom you have to adhere to a lifelong oath. Lord Jesus said: God will be with the people who cannot be separated. This whole life of love, because today and perfect. "And then the bride and groom, or go to dinner, or go to honeymoon locations, and there is no traditional Chinese marriage customs of the various manners. Another reason for the difference caused by the West is the West, different religions. China is a predominantly Buddhist, while the West is largely Christian. Therefore, the West's wedding was held in the church is the priest and the master of ceremonies. China's traditional marriage customs of the most important aspect is that Baitian Di, thanks to the heavens and earth even after the ceremony has become.

The West are the romantic type of wedding, the entire wedding from start to finish to the full of romantic atmosphere. The bride's dress is usually white, the groom a black dress, so that the whole wedding explicit solemn seriousness. Go to church in a wedding ceremony is the most important part of the whole wedding. First, as the rhythm of the wedding march the bride of her father's harness the groom walked hand in front of her by her father, and personally handed the hands of the groom. Pastor will ask the bride and groom to make a lifelong commitment to each other, which is the climax of the entire wedding. Then they will be minister and everybody's blessing, exchange of marriage rings and kissed each other. The bride will spend the ball is not in the hands of the general decorations. In the end of the wedding, the bride will be throwing to the scene of female guests, anyone who received a flower ball, who is the next one getting married, which makes the whole wedding in cheers laughing in the end.

China is different from the wedding on the West, the whole wedding's main colors are red, which is representative of traditional Chinese festive colors. This also makes the wedding become joyous. In the traditional wedding, the bride generally wore a red Troy, wearing a phoenix coronet above there is a red scarf. While the groom wore a red gown jacket, wearing a red hat along. Riding in the post-red decorated sedan chair the bride, the groom rode in front, with the matchmaker, and Bridal teams to the groom's home Baitang. Both parents to sit on the court, while the bride and groom were married in the next hall. The whole wedding presided over by the master of ceremonies, under the command of his, the bride and groom a Baitian De, obeisance Kodo, and then a husband and wife worship, into the bridal chamber in the bridal chamber is the climax of the wedding, the bride and groom to wait for the first back to the bridal chamber, while the groom to entertain outside guests, fond, the groom in a lot of crowd of people came to the bridal chamber. everyone started in the bridal chamber, and the bride and groom to do in our next games for booing. So that the whole wedding in a laughter in the end.

China and United State are two completely different culture models. The biggest cultural differences between the two countries are especially evident when analyzing the family, classroom, tradition. Power distance is a concept from intercultural communications that highlights these differences. I discuss this topic for a long time. I really learned a lot of information about different countries’ culture of power distance and culture background. I think it is good for the families to treat children equally. However, it also depends on the cultural background and society. I think culture communication is very important in the world; and I will continue to learn a lot about communication from people of other cultures. In this way, I can have a good time when communicating with people and make a lot of friends. I think that cultural communication plays an important role in my life. For cultural communication classes, individualism and collectivism principles will help people to understand cultural differences, and give many ideas on how to communicate better with people from different cultural backgrounds.

References

1.     Graves, C. Sprial dynamics: stratified levels of human development and their characteristics. Handout by Waneen White, EDUC 472: Intercultural Communications. Spring, 2010.

2.     Kohls, L. R. (1984). The values Americans live by. Washington. D.C: The Washington International Center.

3.     Nelson, G. I. (1997). “How cultural differences affect written and oral communication: the case of peer response groups.” New directions for teaching and learning. 70, 77-84

4.     Toomey, S. & Chung. L. (2005) Understanding Intercultural Communication. Now York, NY: Oxford University press.