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Understand the cultural differences between China and the United States.

IPHCC international Chinese culture publishing house Ren Jingsheng

Culture is the sum of material wealth and spiritual wealth created by human beings in the process of social and historical development, and it contains a profound psychological accumulation formed by a nation's long-term accumulation. When it comes to the differences in thought and behavior between the two nations, if we look at the essence through phenomena, it is actually the differences between the two cultures. Because of different cultures, there will be different modes of thinking; Because of different ways of thinking, there will be different ways of behavior and social relations. Just like two different roots, two different trees will grow. There are great differences between China and the United States in all aspects. To understand these differences, we must first understand the cultural differences between China and the United States. The cultural differences between China and the United States are mainly manifested in several characteristics of Chinese and American cultures.

First of all, the antiquity of China culture and the modernization of American culture.

China's culture has a history of thousands of years, and it has endless wealth in itself, and culture, like places of interest, has unparalleled value with the passage of time. However, she is also like a thousand-year-old tree. On the one hand, it is deeply rooted and flourishing. On the one hand, it contains some dead branches and leaves. China's sages left rich historical treasures and heavy historical burdens to future generations. When you look at this towering tree, you will be impressed by its vitality and beauty, and you will also imagine the mysterious secrets it has hidden for many years. China's profound traditional culture is deeply rooted in China, so it is impossible for her to be transplanted. All modern civilizations in China can only be grafted on this big tree. Any consideration of China is inseparable from the influence of the invisible hand of history on reality. Social relations in China are like the roots of this big tree. The older the tree, the more complicated the roots. China traditional culture is the theoretical basis for the formation of China people's way of thinking and behavior, and it has an irresistible influence on China's social relations.

America has a history of only over 200 years. American culture is a temple of modern civilization built by a group of modern people according to their own will and mode of thinking. Americans have no rich historical treasures to explore, but they also have no heavy historical burdens to bear. Americans are creating a scientific, wealth and democratic social system in accordance with the needs of modern people. American interpersonal relationships are also established according to modern standards. The developed commercial culture and science and technology in the United States are the remarkable signs of its modern culture.

Second, the nationalism of China culture and the diversity of American culture.

The Han nationality in China accounts for more than 90% of the total population, and the other 56 ethnic minorities are basically similar to the Han nationality in color and race, so China can be said to be a country with a single race and a single culture. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism constitute the main body of China culture, especially Confucianism has a leading influence on China people's thoughts and behaviors. China culture has a strong national character.

The United States is an immigrant country with an extremely complex population. Talents from all over the world gather here, and various cultures complement each other, forming a melting pot of national cultures. Therefore, American culture has the characteristics of diversification and strong flavor of the times, which changes with the times.

Third, the politics of China culture and the economy of American culture.

As a unified country, China has a history of more than two thousand years. For more than two thousand years, it is not an easy task to rule such a large country with a vast territory and a large population. If the rule is unbalanced, it means that the country is divided, the princes are arguing and the war is endless. Therefore, since ancient times, stability and unity have been two major events in the history of China. Politics is the commander-in-chief, and centralization and unity are the soul. As a system in the superstructure of China ancient society, Confucian culture forms a complementary trend with the political power in the superstructure. Confucian culture contains a lot of humanistic thoughts about educating rulers to be benevolent and educating people to abide by ethical education. In ancient China society, agriculture was always more important than commerce, and the imperial examination system closely linked culture and politics, which was strongly political. Looking at social relations, the relationship between people also has a strong political color.

The United States is a country with a highly developed commodity economy and a strong cultural economy. Science, technology, economic management and other cultures suitable for economic construction occupy a high position. Developed commercial culture such as Hollywood movies, Disneyland and McDonald's fast food. It has attracted the attention of the whole world. The relationship between people in the United States also has a strong economic color, and the accounts of brothers are clear.

Fourth, the differences between Chinese and American mainstream culture and subculture.

Many articles discussing the cultural differences between China and the United States point out that China culture pays attention to collectivism, while American culture pays attention to individualism. However, in real life, it makes us very confused. Living in China society, we will find that many people have serious individualism and lack unity. When we came to America, we found that many Americans were very concerned about society and the collective. It has been observed that when a group of Americans hold a meeting, different views will have a heated debate before the meeting, but once the theme of the meeting is determined, everyone will meet quietly together; However, when a group of China people get together, they often have a meeting at the top and a meeting at the bottom, and go their separate ways. Regarding the difference between culture and reality, we have found the answer from sociology. In a society, there are both orthodox mainstream culture advocated by the ruling class and popular subculture. Subculture is often a kind of rebellion, a kind of opposition and unity to mainstream culture. Because China culture overemphasizes the state and the collective and despises the individual, the subculture of civil society supplements and balances individual interests. The United States excessively advocates individualism, and people are not satisfied with the phenomenon of alienation and indifference, and return to a harmonious social relationship that cares about each other and is enthusiastic about public welfare. From this, we know that to truly understand a country, we should not only understand its main culture from books, but also live in that nation for a period of time and understand its subculture from the people. On the other hand, in human nature, some things are owned by human beings, such as individualism, which is publicly acknowledged in the United States, but criticized in China, but no matter how you deny it, it is deeply hidden in people's hearts. Just like China preached asceticism in ancient times, no matter how you preach it, the mutual affection between men and women can't be erased from people's hearts.

Fifth, the polarization of China culture and the multipolarization of American culture.

China's ancient philosophy attached great importance to the dialectical unity of Yin and Yang, and thought that everything in the world was the contradictory unity of opposites, such as up and down, left and right, right and wrong, inside and outside, male and female, and so on. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in China also formed the polarization of China culture. Confucian culture advocates active progress, while Buddhism and Taoism advocate passive avoidance, forming a contradictory unity of opposites. Many intellectuals in ancient China often admired Confucian culture and made great efforts in their youth. When the official career was full of hardships, he fled into Buddhism and Taoism culture in his later years and sought inner peace from Buddhism and Taoism. Confucian culture is like a ladder, inspiring people with lofty ideals to climb hard and reap the fruits of their career. The cultures of Buddhism and Taoism are like a safety net. If someone falls off the ladder, this big net will catch him. Therefore, Confucian culture, Buddhism and Taoism, two bipolar cultures, are in unity of opposites and complement each other, forming a stable cultural system in China.

The United States is a multicultural country, including not only British culture and French culture, but also Spanish culture and Mexican culture, as well as Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in China, and so on. American culture is not bipolar, but multipolar, providing people with more choices.

Sixth, the introversion of China culture and the openness of American culture.

China is an inland country, and China culture is an inland culture developed on this vast land. China has suffered from foreign aggression since ancient times, so it has been building the Great Wall and closing its doors to the outside world. Affected by this, China culture has also evolved into a conservative land culture with its own system, which is very exclusive to foreign cultures. From the Reform Movement of 1898 in the Qing Dynasty to today's reform and opening up, every time we open our doors, we have to make painstaking efforts. China culture constantly absorbs foreign culture, but it has never been assimilated by foreign culture. Even Taiwan Province Province, Hongkong and Singapore, which have accepted western culture most thoroughly, have not been completely westernized, and still retain many Confucian cultural traditions. However, contrary to orthodox culture, the open folk culture of China welcomes foreign cultures with an open mind. Hollywood movies, McDonald's fast food restaurants, western philosophies and other western cultures all spread to China through the east wind of China folk culture.

The mainstream culture of the United States originated in Europe and is an open marine culture. American democracy and legal system protect the free development of American culture from political attacks and control. In addition, the United States recruits a large number of foreign students and scholars every year, which also brings a lot of different cultures and collisions. The United States embraces all kinds of foreign cultures and absorbs the outstanding parts of them to enrich itself.

Seven, China Confucian culture and American Christian culture.

China is a country with Confucian culture as the mainstream culture. Confucian culture pays attention to family relations and clan pedigree. There are two characteristics of ancient family relations in China: First, it pays attention to the distinction between the old and the young, parents discipline their children, and children honor their parents. The two are insurmountable. The second is to extend to the society with family ties and blood ties, pay attention to brotherhood between friends, and stress brotherhood in the world.

America is a country with Christianity as its mainstream culture. Most Americans are devout and believe in God. Christianity believes that everyone is the son of God and everyone is equal before God. Family is just the place where God raises children. Therefore, even parents can't beat and scold their children at will, otherwise they will be investigated by law. Christianity pays attention to fraternity, and this value is also reflected in the relationship between people.

Eight, the dominance of China culture and the popularity of American culture.

China has been a small society with two big heads since ancient times. That is, the middle class is a minority, and the ruling class and the general public are the main bodies. The ruling class has absolute influence on culture, and the traditional culture of China fully embodies the interests of the ruling class.

The United States is a society in which the middle class is the majority and the middle is big and the two ends are small; American culture fully embodies the interests of the middle class. Coupled with strict democracy and legal system, ordinary people can freely participate in cultural construction. Therefore, American culture shows a strong popularity.

9. Humanism of China culture and scientificity of American culture.

China's traditional culture is dominated by Confucian culture, and Confucian culture is dominated by ethics. Ethics and poetry are two main lines in China traditional culture. Ethics pays attention to the coordination of social relations, while poetry pays attention to the catharsis of emotions. Therefore, in the traditional thinking and character of China people, human nature and emotion have been emphasized since ancient times.

Americans are mainly European immigrants, with the largest number. Therefore, American culture is a modern European and American culture based on European culture. The characteristics of European culture, such as emphasizing rationality and science, have also been inherited in modern American culture. Americans use laws to coordinate social relations, not human feelings; Americans love science, believe in strength, and speak to the world with advanced technology and strong economic strength.

Knowing the deep cultural differences, and then looking at each other's thinking mode and behavior mode, there will be a feeling of being suddenly enlightened. Therefore, studying the cultural differences between China and the United States is conducive to our further understanding of each other's society and social relations, and to enhancing mutual understanding and exchanges. The most important thing is that we can recognize our own shortcomings, absorb the advantages of others, learn from each other's strengths in communication and learning, and develop our own culture by comparing differences.