Cultural Report Final

Summary Blog

Children's cartoon bringing Chinese and  American Cultures Together    

Ni Hao! (Hello!) fellow cultural reporters. We have traversed to and from the oriental east, learning tid-bits of information about the culture of the Chinese. Delectable delicacies, common gestures, and the do’s and don’t’s of relationships have all been explained. Regretfully, this reporter’s funds are running out. So, let us recap on everything learned and summarize important concepts.

One of my main tasks was to learn how the educational system in China differed from that of the United States. Here, we spend eight hours a day, five times a week in school. In China, you can expect to spend around ten hours or more a day, five times a week, and sometimes even on weekends. Their school year is also extended by almost a full month. For those of  you that love your summer months to spend hanging out with friends, working on your tan, and relaxing; be fortunate you aren’t Chinese. Summer there is extra time for the student to set himself apart from the other hundreds of thousands seeking to succeed. For a society that is based on rice farming, it is no surprise that the Chinese are some of the hardest workers to ever walk this earth. From the old legends of their past, to their current students slaving away, the Chinese culture is surely something to admire.

One cultural concept I have grown to think about relates to the collectivist idea of “One China.” This concept is an integral part of the Chinese culture, which is played out until this very day. The concept relates to the Chinese people, the Chinese territories, and the Chinese culture. The people are the individuals that make up the body of the Chinese public. They are the farmers, the fighters, the healers and the policy makers. The territories is the lad that sustains the people and provides nourishment, shelter, and purpose. These two together do not satisfy the complete philosophy of “One China,” for what is a group of individuals, that have land, but a dispersed flock?  Chinese culture along with its traditions and practices serves as the shepherd, guiding its flocks of individuals into a unified collectivist society.

A final question I wanted to learn about is what are the reasons behind the mannerisms of Chinese students? Do they act the way they do because of their collectivist society, or is it an adaptive response to observed interactions while studying abroad?  I have learned that their actions go as unnoticed to them, as our day to day choices would go unnoticed by us. For instance, we make no noticeable concious decision when saying hello to a fellow classmate, but the Chinese regard this quick exchange of words as more than a greeting and instead, the beginning of a  chat between friends. Conversely, the Chinese have a habit of linking arms in public, men and women. To us, this signifies more than the outward expression of friendship intended by the Chinese. These examples serve to illustrate that the mannerisms of the Chinese are no differently developed than our own. Through education, upbringing, and experience, each individual in our separate societies develops along the path set forth by our culture.

Composition of communication

There are many concepts that can be applied to my cultural project. Those I intended to cover were:  culture shock, nonverbal communication, code switching and cultural spaces. In summary, culture shock is when you experience physiological and psychological responses from the extreme differences between your culture and the one you are immersed in. Nonverbal communication, is just that, the messages and cues received from and transmitted to an individual without the use of words. Code switching, relates to the ability to switch between languages when the context suits you. Finally, cultural spaces are zones each individual possesses but in varrying maginitudes that allows for researchers to understand key differences between the communication behaviors of individuals.

In order to explore how these concepts apply within a Chinese context, I had to go directly to the source for answers to my questions. Luckily, I have had a few interactions with Chinese students studying abroad and was able to acquire enough information to come up with general conclusions and formulate some hypotheses. The most helpful individuals were Dong Pu Quin, Xiancong Mao, and Yuping Zhang. Dong Pu is a computer engineering student that I met during Calculus I recitation and he has been a friend ever since. Xiancong Mao, is a fellow student pursuing the same major as myself, Biological Systems Engineering. He and I have had many classes together which have allowed for us to become friends and speak freely with each other. Yuping Zhang was the graduate student I worked with for UCARE. Under her instruction, I was able to learn some technical lab procedures and a little bit of the Chinese language. Through questionaires and interpersonal communication, I was able to learn how different communication concepts applies to the experiences of my friends.

Before delving into the specifics of each friend, let’s recap on some information. China is and has almost always been a hierarchial society. There is a  strict and obvious divide between classes and people of status and no status. This setup dates back to the first dynasties of the Chinese people. Because of this long history of dynastic rule, it is easy to see how China can remain a communist country without too much action by the citizen acclimated to the ruling system. Commonly, Chinese women are picture are servile, fragile, and submissive. This bodes well for the white male looking for such a person as a partner. Chinese men are often pictured as fierce fighters or businessmen, which isn’t too far from the truth.

With those little facts, lets see how our communication concepts relate. My Chinese friends all agreed that there was initially a little culture shock when they landed in the United States. Unlike Dong Pu, my friends Mao and Yuping both came from a bigger city. They relayed to me that Lincoln’s culture wasn’t exactly what they were used to, a little more quiet and spacious, but it didn’t take them long to get used to the place. Dong Pu, on the other hand, came from a village and said that his initial reactions were negative because of the isolation he felt from others. Eventually, he realized that people’s distance wasn’t from a dislike of him but a general way of behaving; his feelings these days about living in the United States are all positive.

One positive remark all of them had, was on the importance they perceive American place on nonverbal gestures and body cues. In China, they say that gestures, specically hand gestures, are not so important. However, some gestures like bowing your head, not staring, and saving face of others, is extremely important in their society. The concept of saving face is sometimes hard for Westerners to understand – I myself do not completely comprehend it. Basically, it is a measure of their honor. Chinese men and more influenced by saving face than Chinese women, but both have a high regard for it. Most important, is to always save face of another individual. This shows your respect for that person and the favor will be forever returned. In a way, saving face is an underlying cultural aspect of China that makes sure the Chinese people respect each other and get along. Nonverbal communication in instances where saving face is important, is also important. Visual nonverbal cues may allow for you to indicate to someone your expectations, or how that person may repay your kindness.

One topic I really wanted to learn from my Chinese friends was if they ever spoke a different language with their fellow Chinese friends, if a non-Chinese speaker was in their mix. I have done this many times with my own family, speaking portuguese to my sister or mother while my aunts, uncles, and cousins complain about our code-switching. I was surprised to find out that Chinese generally speak the language that is most common within the group—they are very kind indeed. I am sure there are instances where they speak Chinese to their friends in a public English setting, but this would not be for the sole purpose of others not understanding them. For this reason, their choice of language does not matter. However, some students may interpret their use of their native language as a means to exclude them, or speak of them, without them knowing any better.

The last concept I would like to review is that of cultural spaces. Americans, living in an individualistic society, tend to have tightly defined cultural spaces. There is the public space, social space, personal space and the intimate space. Americans have a large personal space relative to the Chinese. This means that it is expected that others stay at least a foot or so away when communicating with you. Chinese have a small personal space, which is why they are often seen in close proximity to each other when conversing. The reasons behind these differences lead once again to their different cultures. Collectivist societies emphasize the community and how each person is part of a larger whole; which is why being nearer isn’t so bad. Individual societies emphasize personal space and freedom from to do as one pleases; which is why the personal space is large for Americans.

Hopefully this reporter’s summary will help you understand a little better what needs to be considered when interacting with the Chinese. Stay tuned for the final audio/visual compilation.

Concept Application

Concept Application Blog

China is one of the oldest cultures in the world, potentially derived from ancient dynasties (2100 B.B.) that are a result of over two millenniums of growth in the human population within the region. This ancient culture has had far more time to develop than most other modern cultures. But like any culture, there are many communication concepts that can be used to learn and describe the Chinese culture. For my understanding, I conducted a few interviews of current emerging Chinese adults studying at UNL. Below, I will report on my findings and how intercultural communication concepts can be applied.

Figure 1 Depiction of Chinese dynasties at defined times

The Chinese culture is founded on respect and a hierarchical system of superiority.  Specifically, parents are expected to give everything to their children and the children in turn are expected to care for the parents in their time of need. Unlike in the United States where children are raised to be independent, parenting styles in China are focused on developing social skills and sense of community. This is most easily understood by considering the daily tasks of Chinese students compared to American students.

There are three main examples that set American and Chinese students apart. The first is the preferred method of study. American students tend to study alone, although it is more common to see groups of students studying in colleges. However, there are usually only a handful of American students in the groups. Chinese students prefer to study in large groups, believing that with more minds at work, more information can be exchanged and less work has to be done by each individual. A second example is the difference in having a meal with family or friends. In the United States, the family normally eats at the dining table, passing the food around until everyone has had their share. In China, a lot of tables are round and low to the floor. Instead of chairs, pillows are used and the food is centered so that each person can be in reach. To me, the systems of dining should be reversed. China should have rectangular tables, a geometry that allows for the clear statement of who the head of the household is; the United States should have circular tables, since we pride ourselves in equality. A third example that sets American and Chinese students apart is their treatment of superiors. Parents in China are treated with respect border lining on fear, whereas, in the United States, parents are at times treated disrespectfully by their independence-seeking child. There are many other examples were Chinese and American students are different, but let’s focus more on the Chinese culture in general.

Figure 2  Picture of a Chinese nursing home in the United States

As stated previously, the Chinese culture is based on respect and superiority. Parents are respected and possibly feared by their children, they are also taken care of in old age by their children. This is true for all Chinese people, the culture of China dictates that children take care of their elderly parents. If the children do not, the Chinese society will look down upon the disrespectful children. By take care of, I do not mean make sure they are living in a homely, comfortable and safe nursing home. In China, there are few nursing homes when compared to the United States. Instead, the elderly live with their children and grandchildren until their final days.

Another aspect of Chinese culture has to do with relationships. According to my sources, sexual orientations other than heterosexual are illegal. This is surprising to me, an American, that has grown up with at least knowledge that such sexual orientation exist, especially since some television series are based on nontraditional sexual orientations. Something else that was shocking to me was that friends in China often walk with arms crossed, girls and boys. As a child, locking arms with a friend in a game of red-rover or something similar was completely within my comfort zone. But to walk with arms crossed down the sidewalks of UNL? Not my thing. My explanation for how this became culturally acceptable is based on numbers. China has one of the world’s largest populations, which is growing by the second. For this reason, I think that Chinese students had to find a way to differentiate between best friends and acquaintances. Therefore, my hypothesis is that the linking of arms arose within a big city where the body density is high and there is a need for friends to stick together. This also brings up another interesting point that was stated by my sources. Chinese students studying in the United States are confused as to why American students do not speak through body contact. In China, touching and being in close proximity –well within the personal space of an American. My explanation for this is because of how American and Chinese students are raised, the former to be independent and the latter to be community oriented. With these examples in mind, and knowing that there are many facts I have left out, let us now consider different intercultural communication concepts.

From the data collected, the main intercultural communication concepts that can be applied are: culture shock, nonverbal communication, code switching and cultural spaces. Like any other alien in a new land, the extreme differences in the new culture can be overwhelming to an emerging Chinese adult student. Initially, my sources felt completely estranged to this country, but after some time, they began to feel comfortable with the new ways of life. They also reported that after four years they feel a little less Chinese but not necessarily more American. This goes to show that even an ancient culture like the one in China, is still bound by the principles of intercultural communication and that its people are still insecure in a new and strange environment.

Figure 3  Common gesture for greeting

One thing that was noticed by my sources is that Americans emphasize the use of gestures in communication. In China, gestures are not used nearly as much, with their use predominantly in short hellos. Along the line of courtesy, I asked if my sources ever spoke in their native tongue around non-speakers. To this they answered that they feel disrespectful if not speaking to a fellow in the appropriate tongue; which is why they will speak English to a fellow American and Chinese to a peer from their homeland. However, when in groups of friends, the language that most members have in common is spoken. Finally, as was highlighted earlier, the cultural spaces of Chinese students are much different than that of American students. They tend to have smaller personal spaces and larger social spaces, a fact that fits well with a community driven society.

I’ve learned a lot about China and people from there studying in our little city of Lincoln. Attached is an example of my interview questions. I encourage you to read through the questions and learn a few more things that I chose not to detail.

 References:

Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2009). Intercultural Communication in Contexts. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

TravelChinaGuide.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 10, 2012, from Travel China Guide: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/

Xinhua News Agency. (2003, June 17). Clues Found to China's Origins. Retrieved March 09, 2012, from China: http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/67359.htm

Introductory Blog -- Geoffrey Gross

East Meets West:   A Perspective on Emerging Chinese Adult Culture

                Welcome to the beginning of an adventure to explore the world out east. China is our destination and Chinese emerging adults our target. Together, we will learn about the ins and outs of what it means to be a Chinese student studying in the United States. How does their way-of-life in China differ from their experiences in the United States?  Are all Chinese young adults professional Dance-Dance Revolution players?  How does the educational system compare, is it true that Chinese students are drilled by rote repetition to learn new topics?  Through answering a series of questions and interacting with a handful of representative Chinese emerging adults, we will gain an insight into the different culture of our fellow peers.

Figure 1  Sesame Chicken

My interest in the Chinese culture began early in my childhood, when I would spend hours watching movies with Chinese men showing off their Kungfu.  Chinese food is another reason for my interest in the Chinese culture; I wanted to learn the language so that I could travel there and eat some authentic Sesame Chicken.  To make this dream become a reality I tried to become familiar with the vocabulary and mechanics of the Chinese language. Sadly, I found the task to be overwhelming—Mandarin Chinese has over 40,000 symbolic characters used to pronounce words. So now, I’m presented with the opportunity to continue my learning.  The timing couldn’t have been better; a week ago, my mother moved to Beijing, the capital of China, to teach English to university students. So in a way, I will be able to learn through reporting what my mother is learning through practice.

One topic I would like to explore about the Chinese culture is how the educational system differs. I have a general knowledge that there is an emphasis in China for students to learn concepts by rote repetition. This is different than in the United States; teachers like for us to learn through application, to think about the big picture rather than spend time memorizing only a section. It might be interesting to see how their culture values learning and how their style compares to our own in terms of academic testing.

Another, more important topic, is the national identity of the Chinese emerging adults that are studying in the US. After so many years of mingling with their American peers, do they feel less Chinese and more American?  It might be interesting to learn if the concept of One-China still rings true to the emerging adults in today’s modern world.  The concept is that there is only one legitimate state called China, even though there are currently two different governments: the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC). The People’s Republic of China is what we commonly think of as China, while the Republic of China is Taiwan. Historically, the One-China concept has been the reason behind many conflicts between mainland China and Taiwan. If you would like to watch a blockbuster hit whose plot revolves around the concept I suggest “Hero”, below is a fan made video about the movie.

Figure 2  People's Republic of China (Purple) and Republic of China (Orange)

Lastly, I would like to become acquainted with how Chinese emerging adults believe they should act, look or behave. Verbal and nonverbal communication have a direct impact on what another person will think of you; is one emphasized over the other in Chinese culture?  Specifically, I would like to know how their age identity compares to mine; as well as, how both are different from each other. In classes, I have noticed that Chinese students show great respect towards the instructor. This follows well with the belief that Eastern cultures have a high regard for the elders. Through my reporting, I will try and find out if the age identity of the Chinese emerging adults changes during their stay in the US.

For my next blog, I will be reporting on how the research I have done on the Chinese emerging adults studying abroad in the United States , applies to an intercultural communication theory or concept outlined in the textbook.  For the time being, you may visit this website to learn why you shouldn’t give Chinese people four flowers as a gift.

 SPOILER ALERT

 

References:

Kwintessential. (n.d.). China - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. Retrieved 02 10, 2012, from Kwintessential: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/china-country-profile.html

Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2009). Intercultural Communication in Contexts. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 

TravelChinaGuide.com. (n.d.). Retrieved 02 10, 2012, from Travel China Guide: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/