What are the differences between Chinese and Western concepts of family?

I. Impact of individual differences on etiquette:

Oriental cultures emphasize collectivity and group spirit, and people are more dependent on each other. Western culture emphasizes independence and freedom of individuality. For example, Chinese people emphasize on cultivating one's body, aligning the family, ruling the country, and leveling the world, and character is very important, which is based on caring for the country, loving the collective, family harmony, and harmonious interpersonal relationship. If you only consider your personal interests, your character is greatly discounted.

In the United States, people have a strong sense of law and order. On this premise, they believe in individual freedom, and do not want to be interfered with by the government, churches, or other organizations, preferring to go their own way. Within the family, children are taught from an early age to be self-reliant. Young people always want to be independent as soon as possible, free from parental control, and they do not want to be overly dependent on their families and parents, otherwise they will lose their freedom and the respect of others for them. In this respect, Chinese culture is different. The family is the most important group in Chinese life. Parents cherish their children and cannot think of everything for their children, so that when their children grow up and get married, they have to make a big deal for their children, and when their children have children, they have to sacrifice their old age to take care of their grandchildren, i.e., they put all their hopes on their children and take care of their children excessively, which makes the children's ability to take care of themselves poorer, and even in the process of the transition of the planned economy to the market economy, the state-owned companies will lose their freedom and respect from other people. In China's transition from a planned economy to a market economy, state-owned enterprise workers are extremely reluctant to lose their iron rice bowls/this kind of dependence is a legacy of traditional Chinese culture. This dependence is a legacy of traditional Chinese culture and has had a profound impact on modern cultural attitudes.

Two, the difference of hierarchical concepts on etiquette

The Eastern culture has a strong hierarchical concept. Whether in the organization or in the family. To ignore hierarchy and status is to be impolite. Although hierarchy has been eliminated from traditional reasoning, the concept of hierarchy still has an impact on Eastern culture. China used to have a hierarchy of enterprises in its planned economy. Although not universal, the idea of hierarchy is still prevalent in Eastern societies.

In the West, with the exception of a few countries such as Britain, where there is a hereditary aristocracy and a rigid hierarchy, most Western countries promote the idea of equality. In the family, Americans are not hierarchical, as long as they respect each other, parents and children can be called by their first names. They have a weak sense of family and are not willing to make too many sacrifices for their families.

Three, interpersonal differences in the way of etiquette

Western and Eastern cultures attach great importance to interpersonal communication, but the concept of interaction, the way of interaction have obvious differences. Chinese people are very hospitable, have no reservations about their friends, and take it for granted to know about their age, occupation, income, marriage, children, etc. In the West, privacy is emphasized. In the West, the right to privacy is very important. They generally do not want to interfere or be interfered with in other people's privacy and private lives. For example, a Chinese person will ask someone the price of an item they are buying. In the eyes of the Chinese, the price of an item is only an indication of the value of the item, whereas in the eyes of Westerners, asking about the price of an item may be a way of asking about the other person's financial situation, which is also private, and this behavior is not acceptable.

Four, gender, the different respect for the eldest and the youngest on the etiquette

In the Eastern culture, men are often respected, this is mainly due to the feudal system of rituals in the male superiority of women. In modern society, Eastern cultures also advocate equality between men and women, but in many cases, men are still in a superior position to women, and women are still discriminated against. In Western countries, respect for women is a traditional custom, and the priority of women is one of the principles of Western communication. No matter in any public **** occasion, men have to take care of women.

When dealing with the elderly, we treat them with special respect. Our country treats its elders with special respect and filial piety. But in Western countries, because of the worship of self-reliance, daughters and parents of the adult less and less interaction, resulting in many elderly people often feel lonely, old age has a kind of bleak dare.

Fifth, the concept of righteousness and profitability, the concept of the rule of law on the impact of etiquette

China's emphasis on righteousness is light on profit, the West is heavy on profit and light on righteousness. China's concept of the rule of law is weak, while in Western countries, people's concept of the rule of law is stronger

Chinese people are more interested in the rule of law than in the rule of law.