What's the difference between Chinese and western ways of thinking?

1. Examples of the differences between Chinese and Western ways of thinking We can see the differences in ways of thinking through an interesting joke: the dying wishes of Germans and French people can tell you the difference between them. You ask the French, what is your greatest wish before you die? The French answer is "I want to drink the best champagne". Ask the German again, and he will say, "If I still have strength, I want to make another report.". A way of thinking often permeates all fields, and even the phenomena we often see can reflect its way of thinking. For example, an American wrote a letter to an China person, and when the Chinese read an American letter, he became angry immediately. Because Americans open the door at the beginning of the letter. Put your own demands first, and then some pleasantries. In order to keep a psychological balance, people in China read letters from Americans first. Americans, on the other hand, began to get more and more confused about the letters from Chinese people, not knowing what the other side wanted to explain, but the front was full of greetings and the like. Americans read letters from China backwards. This different writing reflects different ways of thinking. There is a classic example: Germans, Japanese and China took a train from Frankfurt, Germany to Paris. These three people are sitting in a carriage. On the way, a guest came and put the fish tank in his hand on an empty seat. The German began to ask, "Can you tell me the name of this fish? What are its biological categories and characteristics? What is their scientific significance? " After listening to the German, the Japanese asked, "Can this kind of fish be introduced into China? According to Japan's climate, water temperature and water quality, can this fish grow? " It's China people's turn to ask, "Is this fish braised or steamed delicious?" This shows the characteristics of three different cultural ways of thinking. Secondly, from the field of literature and art, the difference between Chinese and western thinking art is reflected in literary creation. China attaches importance to roundness and harmony, pursues neutrality and pursues the realm of roundness and prosperity, as advocated by Si Kongtu and Zhong Rong. The west pursues breakthroughs and pays attention to improvement. For example, there is a breakthrough in the Greek tragedy. Many of China's novels are confined to the witness and description of human feelings, except, of course, Dream of Red Mansions, which lacks the necessary philosophical depth. Cervantes, Balzac and Proust dug deep, while Dante, Baudelaire and Shakespeare also promoted and dug deep. Some of China's plays are about the true meaning of life, so they are touching and full of vitality, while others are not. Personally, in modern times, in order to create works that can impress readers in the East and the West, the author must have a unique understanding of the fate of China's philosophy, the spirit of the universe, the artistic essence of China's poetry and calligraphy, and the artistic essence of China's charm, reality and harmony between Yin and Yang. At the same time, we should have a deep understanding and grasp of western literature, art and philosophy. Thirdly, the reasons for the differences between Chinese and western ways of thinking are briefly described. On the one hand, the author thinks that the social development paths of the East and the West are different, and the long-term agricultural society and small-scale peasant economy have caused the national psychology of our culture. This psychological characteristic is to emphasize a kind of local friendship and a kind of neighborhood friendship to a great extent. Don't we always say that there are four happy events in life? "After a long drought, we met an old friend in another country. It doesn't matter in Germany to have a wedding night when you meet an old friend in another country. Westerners generally don't have associations with their hometown. If you meet a fellow countryman abroad, the Germans will not be very excited. But we often say that one side of the soil and water will support one side, and the leaves will return to the roots, and so on. These are all related to our society and have strong feelings. This emotional factor is very weak in the west. On the other hand, we are deeply influenced by Confucian philosophy, which is Christian culture. Confucian philosophy system emphasizes "self-cultivation, keeping the family in order, governing the country and leveling the world". Putting "self-cultivation" in the first place means attaching importance to moral cultivation. This moral culture just emphasizes a kind of righteousness. A friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, and it is also important. There are some changes now, some of them. Their philosophical thoughts emphasize analysis, which leads to the difference between focusing on overall thinking and individual thinking. Fourthly, the integration and globalization of Chinese and Western philosophy is the reality that China's philosophy must face today, and it is also the foundation on which its future development must depend. With the export of strong civilization, the super discourse hegemony formed by western philosophy in China since the 20th century is almost a purge for China's philosophy, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. This in itself is an inevitable part of globalization, and even constitutes a necessary condition for the rebirth of China's philosophy. The rational analysis temperament, critical innovation spirit and religious persistence of western philosophy, as well as Marxist scientific methodology, should be available resources for reconstructing China's philosophy in the future. Fifthly, drawing lessons from the advantages of the western way of thinking 1, the rigorous conceptual analysis and clear rational logic of modern western philosophy can effectively expand the vague ideological content of the old school of China culture, which is more conducive to clarifying the problem. So as not to make the rich philosophical connotation never enter the depth of people's thinking and academic discourse. 2. The sharp critical spirit of western philosophy can play a more radical role in China's traditional ideology and culture. 3. The rich original spirit of western philosophy can be the yeast to carry forward China's philosophy. China's traditional philosophy pays too much attention to or spends too much energy on the construction of "learning system", and every sentence must have a source. Every argument must be quoted from the classics, which will inevitably lead to the lack of academic creativity of a large number of philosophers objectively. The hermeneutic tradition of "I annotate the Six Classics" has caused China's philosophy to fall into the dilemma of "not saying enough" for a long time. Sixth, the conclusion is in today's increasingly frequent exchanges between China and the West. Correctly grasping the differences between Chinese and western cultures and ways of thinking, under the opportunity of increasingly internationalized economy and culture, we will certainly seize the opportunity, reshape the Chinese style and discard the dross of traditional culture.