Differences between Chinese and Western Values

In the study of cross-cultural communication, scholars all think that culture is a crucial issue and can be said to be the core of cross-cultural communication. Michael prosser described values as follows: "Values are the patterns formed by individuals or groups mainly through cultural exchanges. They are the deepest culture, and we believe that everyone has values. " Geert Hofstede's definition is simple: values are "the general trend of favoring one state of affairs over another." Clyde Kluckhohn believes that values are "explicit or implicit ideas unique to individuals or groups. Samovar and Porter believe that values are usually normative and used to warn people what is good and bad, what is right and wrong, what is true and false, and what is positive and negative.

As can be seen from the definition quoted above, values are the fundamental starting point for determining people's views and actions. Like culture, it is an abstraction and generalization invisible to the naked eye, but by observing people's words and deeds, we can find out what values people hold.

Second, the philosophical basis of the differences between Chinese and Western values

There are three philosophies that have the greatest influence on China's way of thinking: China's Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. These three philosophies all attach great importance to understanding, which has a great influence on the way of thinking of China people's understanding, implication and even pursuit of verve. Therefore, China people don't want to let people know right away. People should think and realize. China people's thinking is more vague. The philosophical background of European and American countries is Aristotle's strict formal logic and rationalism that pervaded Europe from the late 6th century to the 8th century. Rationalism emphasizes scientific experiments and formal argumentation, which is manifested in the exposure and perfection of forms in language. Therefore, British and American people pay more attention to the accuracy of expression, and it is difficult to understand the implication of China people.

Third, the performance of the differences between Chinese and Western values

(A) collectivism and individualism

China's traditional philosophy is "harmony between man and nature", which refers to man's obedience and worship to nature and his harmonious unity with nature. China has said that "man and nature are one" since ancient times, while western philosophy tends to oppose man and nature since ancient times, that is, to separate man from nature and emphasize the power of struggle between man and nature. Therefore, the west attaches importance to individualism, personality development and self-expression. They think that it is not fate that a person sometimes fails to achieve his goals. However, they are lazy and lack the spirit of struggle. China's thought of "harmony between man and nature" will inevitably lead to collectivism and other people's interests. People would rather sacrifice their personal interests, but also "worry about the world first, and enjoy the world later." When people do things, they often keep their own way, putting others before themselves. At the same time, people do things for the sake of "face" and "face" and feel that "people's words are awesome." At the same time, westerners' "separation of heaven and man" will inevitably lead to individualism, so westerners, especially Americans, worship individualism, personality display and self-development.

(B) the right gap

The so-called attitude towards the distance of rights refers to the acceptance of unequal distribution of rights by people with low status, whether they want to accept it or not. For example, in some cultures, authority, status, seniority, age, etc. In other cases, their importance is relatively low. The right gap refers to the unequal distribution of rights between people, which is a common phenomenon in various social and cultural groups. Different cultures have different ways to deal with the problem of unequal rights. China culture belongs to the differential social structure, while British culture belongs to the parallel social structure. The basic structure of China society is always a family linked by blood ties, and ethics serves this patriarchal clan system. Power plays an important role in China, and China has a strict hierarchical system. Everyone has his fixed identity, status, rights and obligations in society. Compared with the differential pattern in China, British culture, especially the social structure in the United States, is basically parallel. Westerners advocate freedom, equality and individual liberation. For example, the American Declaration of Independence pointed out that "all men are born equal, and the Creator endowed them with inherent rights, namely, the right to life, freedom and the right to pursue happiness. Freedom and equality are people's ultimate survival goals. "

(3) Stability and change

The harmony between man and nature advocates the harmonious development of man and nature, not confrontation with nature. The doctrine of the mean makes people behave themselves, emphasizing the doctrine of the mean, step by step, and let nature take its course. In the closed mainland culture, people live and work in peace. Today's reform and opening up is also based on stability and unity. It can be seen that China people tend to seek development through stability.

(D) the degree of avoiding uncertainties

The so-called avoidance degree of uncertain factors refers to whether people feel comfortable or uncomfortable in an unconventional environment. Unconventional environment refers to an environment that is novel, unprecedented or different from the usual situation. A culture with high avoidance tries its best to avoid all kinds of uncertain factors through rules and regulations, safety measures and belief in absolute truth, while a culture with low avoidance has higher tolerance for abnormal behaviors and opinions and fewer rules and regulations. In philosophy and religion, they allow different ideas to coexist. Uncertainty refers to the uncertainty of the cultural value and significance of adventure. There are great differences in tolerance and avoidance of uncertainty among countries. In some cultures, freedom leads to uncertainty, and uncertainty leads to stress and anxiety, so formal rules and absolute truth are more needed, and people with different thoughts and behaviors cannot be tolerated. Lack of adventurous spirit and fear of failure. This culture emphasizes the rules of conduct to avoid and reduce uncertainty. They belong to cultural groups with high uncertainty avoidance, such as Japan, France and Spain. Other cultures seem to be more tolerant of freedom and differences, not feeling pressure and anxiety, and more adventurous. They belong to cultural groups with low uncertainty, such as the United States and Britain.

(5) A man and a woman

The so-called "men dominate the outside, women dominate the inside" refers to the characteristics of this culture that are more representative of men (such as being competitive and arbitrary) or women (such as modesty and caring for others). Men tend to internalize their feelings and suppress them, so the pressure is even greater. Male culture attaches importance to traditional male characteristics, such as strength, overconfidence and competitiveness. Female culture emphasizes nurturing, affection and emotion. Generally speaking, women's economy is relatively independent, and men and women get along.