On Basic Values Between Chinese and British30

PAGE中英基本价值观的差异OnBasicValuesBetweenChineseandBritishContentsAbstract………………………………………………………………….......1Keywords………………………………………….…………………….......1I.Introduction……………………………………………………………….2II.WhyIChooseThisTopic……………………………………...…….….3III.TheComparisonofChineseValuesandBritishValues………….…..31.Innatelygoodvs.innatelyevil………….………………………….……...32.Onenessvs.dividednessbetweenmanandnature………………….………53.Pastvs.futureorientation………………………………………….…….64.Being-whoyouarevs.doing-whatyouaredoing……………….………….75.Groupvs.individualismorientation………………………………….…...8IV.HarmoniousCulture…………………..………………………………..8V.Conclusion…………………………………………………………....….10References………………………………………...………………………...11OnBasicValuesBetweenChineseandBritishAbstract:Cultureisanextremelycomplexconceptandanenormoussubject.Buthowevercomplex,culturecanroughlybedividedintothreecategories:materialculture,whichreferstoalltheproductsofmanufacture,institutionalculturewhichreferstovarioussystemsandthetheoriesthatsupportthem,suchassocialsystems,religioussystems,ritualsystems,educationalsystems,kinshipsystemsandlanguage;andmentalculture,whichreferstopeople’smentalityandbehaviors,theirthoughtpatterns,beliefs,conceptionsofvalue,aesthetictastes.Andpeoplewhocomefromdifferentculturalpatternsarestillpursuingabetterunderstandingbetweeneachother.Thoughmisunderstandinghappenssometimes,wecannotdenythatpeopleknoweachotherbetterandbetternowcomparedtothousandsofyearsagoespeciallyinrecentyearsasglobalizationbecamearealizationbutachoice.Thisarticlewilldiscusssuchahometruthinamorepracticalwaysothatmisunderstandingwouldhappenlessandlesssincebasicvaluesarethemostbasiccreedwhencommunicating.Keywords:cross-culturalcommunication;comparisonofbasicvalues;harmoniousculture摘要:文化是一个相当复杂的概念也是一个相当大的主体。但是尽管复杂，文化本身大致可以分为三个方面：物质文化，是所有物质生产的产物；意识文化，是支持物质生产的各种各样的体系，理论，例如社会系统，宗教系统，礼仪系统，教育系统，血缘关系和语言；精神文化，是指人的精神和行为，他们的思维方式，信念，价值观和审美观。同时来自不同的文化体系的人们仍孜孜不倦的追求以更好的了解彼此。尽管误解时有发生，但是我们不能否认与几千年前相比现在人们的交流正在加深，特别是最近以来随着全球化的实现，人们之间的了解正在加深。这篇文章将讨论的是一个老生常谈的话题——跨文化交际，我将从一个更加实用的角度来探讨这个话题以减少误解的发生。所以我选择了基本价值观来讨论，因为是他们一直在指引着人们的行为。关键词：跨文化交际；基本价值观的比较；和谐文化I.Introduction“Values”areideasaboutwhatisrightandwrong,desirableandundesirable,normalandabnormal,properandimproper.“Assumptions”herearethepostulates,aboutpeople,life,andthewaythingsare.Mostpeoplewhogrowupinaparticularculturesharecertainvaluesandassumptions.Aspeoplegrowup,theylearncertainvaluesandassumptions,whichwillinfluenceandformulatetheirwayoflife.Thesevaluesandassumptionsoverlapandsupporteachother.Theyfittogether.Aculturecanbeviewedasacollectionofvaluesandassumptionsthatgotogethertoshapethewayagroupofpeopleperceiveandrelatetotheworldaroundthem.Allcommunicationisculturalnolessthancross-culturalcommunication.OurexpertshavesparednoeffortonitandthedifferencesofbasicvaluesbetweenChineseandBritish.Soitisnotsurprisingtofindthatthescopesofbasicvaluesindifferentbooksarenotthesamewhencomparingthebasicvaluesbetweencultures.Someonesaysitcanbeanalyzedfromthefollowingsides:individualfreedomandself-reliance;equalityofopportunityandcompetition;materialwealthandhardwork;goodnessofhumanityandimprovement;timeandefficiency.AndinthebookInterculturalCommunicationProfessorJiaYuxinintegratesalltheculturalfactsanddividesbasicvalueswhenwedocrossculturalcommunicationinto6aspects,whichare:therelationshipbetweenhumanandnature:onenessordividednessbetweenmanandnature;humanrelationships;attitudetowardschange:theseekingofchangeortheseekingofstability;innatelygoodorinnatelyevil;pastorfutureorientation;grouporindividualismorientationAndhereiscomparisonofChinesevaluesandBritishvaluesbyLinellDavis: Orientation Chinesevalues Britishvalues HumanNature BasicallyGood BasicallyEvil RelationshiptoNature HarmonywithNature Humanscontrolnature SenseofTime PastOrientation Futureorientation Activity Being-whoyouare Doing-whatyouaredoing SocialRelationships Hierarchy IndividualHowever,toanalyzethedifferentvaluesinmythesisisunrealisticandtoogeneraltobedone,somythesiswillfocusonsomeessentialandbasicvaluesfrom5aspects,whicharehumannature,relationshiptonature,senseoftime,activityandsocialrelationshipsincetheyspeaklouderthananyotherpoint.II.WhyIChooseThisTopicAsthedevelopmentofscienceandtechnology,weareproceedingintoaninformationage.Globalizationisarealitybutnotachoice.MoreandmoreBritishpeoplecometoChinaforcommercialorentertainmentaimsorsomethingelse,andChinesefrequentlyvisitBritain.SincetherearesomanydifferencesbetweenChineseandBritish,itisnotunusualthatmisunderstandingwouldhappenandembarrassmentoccurs.ThereforeitisnecessarytoknowsomedifferencesbetweenChineseandBritishsoastocommunicatewell.However,therearesomanydifferencesbetweenthembecausetheyhavebeenlivingindifferentenvironments,theyspeakdifferentkindsoflanguagesandeventheirfood,whichisanecessityforlife,isnotthesame.Sowhatcausesthedifferences?Andcanwefindtherootsmakingdifferences?Andwhatarethey?HowdoBritishdifferfromus?ThewaytoaddressthisquestionistoconsiderthevaluesandassumptionsthatbothChineseandBritishliveby.Inthisarticle,cross-culturalcommunicationwillbeoutlinedanddemonstratedbyaspectsofinnatelygoodvs.innatelyevil,onenessvs.dividednessbetweenmanandnature,pastvs.futureorientation,being-whoyouarevs.doing-whatyouaredoingandgroupvs.individualismorientation.Eachoftheminfluencesthecourseofcommunications,andcanberesponsibleforconflictortheescalationofconflictwhenitleadstomiscommunicationormisinterpretation.Thechallengeisthatevenwithallthegoodwillintheworld,miscommunicationislikelytohappen,especiallywhentherearesignificantculturaldifferencesbetweencommunicators.Miscommunicationmayleadto,oraggravate,conflictthatalreadyexists.Wemake,whetheritiscleartousornot,quitedifferentinterpretationsoftheworld,ourstatusinit,andourrelationshipswithothers.Communicationvariesacrosscultures.Aculturally-loadedapproachtoconflictmeansworkingovertimetounderstandtheseandotherwaysandapplyingtheseunderstandingsinordertoenhancerelationshipsacrossdifferences.Eventhoughmiscommunicationwouldhappen,wecannotstopcommunicatingwithpeopleofothercultures.AndifwegetsomebasicconceptionofthebasicvaluesofbothChineseandBritish,cross-culturalcommunicationwouldbealittleeasierforus.Andthatisthepurposeofmywriting.III.TheComparisonofChineseValuesandBritishValues1.Innatelygoodvs.innatelyevilTraditionalChinesebeliefsabouthumannatureisthathumansbeingsareborngoodwhichcandatetoourmastersConfuciusorMenciusabouttwothousandyearsago.Thenwhatmakepeopleevilandevencommitcrimes.Theansweristhesociety.Allthechildrenarebelievedtobebornpureandnaïve,havingnosenseabouttheoutsideworld.Astheygrowupandcontactwiththesociety,theybecomecorruptandtheirmindschange.Anditisthereasonthatourparents,teachersandotherrelativesorfriendsalwayscautionusthattobecarefulwhenwearegoingoutside.AnditisthereasonthatChineseparentsusuallydon’tapproveofhavingrelationshipinmiddleorhighschoolandBritishparentsallowtheirdaughtersorsonstogooutwiththeirboyorgirlfriendsaslongastheycomehomeatcertaintime.AndthatiswhywhenChinesestudentswritesomethingabouttheirparents,teachersandotherrelatives,theytendtoidealizethem.TheBritishbelievehumanbeingsarebornevil.WecanfinditsoriginfromtheHolyBiblethatAdamandEve,ancestorsofhumanbeingsbyChristianity,weredrivenoutoftheGardenofEdenbecausetheyatetheForbiddenFruitfromtheTreeofKnowledge.SincethenaccordingtothepracticeofChristianity,allhumanarebornwithoriginalsin,whichcanbereflectedinmanyliteratureandartworkslikeParadiselostandParadiseRegainedbyJohnMiltonandScarletLetterbyNathanielHawthorme.SoinBritaineventhenoblestfigureshaveflaws.Thereisasayinglikethat:toerrhuman;toforgivedivine.Wecanseefromthesayingthathumanbeingsarecertaintomakesomemistakes.Onlyonekindofmanwouldnoterr,thedead.Forthousandsofyears,ChinesearedominatedbyConfucianculture,whichbelievespeopleareencouragedtobegoodbyothersaroundthem,andtheyshouldfeelashamediftheyfailtoliveuptotheirexpectations,therefore,someexpertscalleditshameculturewhiletheBritisharedominatedbywhatsocalledguiltculture.Shameisabouttheself,whileguiltisanemotionthatrisesafteratransgressionofone’sownorculturalvalueswhichisaboutactionsorbehavior.Thereisanimportantpsychologicaldifferenceinsayingtosomeonethattheyarebadascontrastedwiththeirbehaviorisbad.Theformerleadstoshame;thelattertoguilt.Inguiltculture,peopleshouldknowwhatisrightandwhatiswrongandtheywouldfeelguilty,theirheartwouldbetorturediftheydosomethingwrongoreventhinksomethingwrong,however,itisonlyfocusedontheirbehaviorsbutnotthemselves.WhileweChinesebelieveamanisbadifhecommitsbadthings.ThusChineseparentsthinkthatcriticismisthebestloveintheworldtokeeptheirchildrenawayfromthedangerousworldwhileBritishparentssupportandencouragetheirchildrenatalltime.Chineseparentsseemtoonlyseetheirchildren’sbadside.Britishparentsonlylookattheirchildren'sgoodside.Chineseteachersalwaysfavorthegoodstudents.Britishteachersloveeveryoneequally.Actually,theylovebadstudentsmorethangoodstudents.Duringparentsmeeting,ChineseteacherstelltheparentseverysinglemistakethattheirchildrenmadeinschoolwhileBritishteacherswillalwaysfindgoodthingstosaytotheparents,eventothosewiththeworstgrades.2.Onenessvs.dividednessbetweenmanandnatureTraditionalvaluetowardstheuniverseortherelationshipbetweenhumanandnatureisthathumanshouldbeharmoniouswithnature.ManypeoplesaythatChinesecultureistheoriginalsourceofmanythings,suchas“Whatyoudonotwantforyourself,donotdotoothers”(己所不欲，勿施于人)and“people-oriented”(以人为本),theseprinciplesinfactalsoariseinotherhumancivilizationsandarenotuniquetous.Inaddition,conceptslike“peace”,“science”,“harmony”,“balance”,and“keepingpacewiththetimes”sharethesupportofthewisethroughouthumancivilization.SuzhouGardenrevealstheattitudeofChinesepeopletowardshumanandnature.Pavilions,pathways,andotherstructuresareintegratedwiththenaturalfeaturesofwater,treesandrocks.Everyoneinitcannotfindtheobviousdistinctionbetweenbeinginsideandoutsidethegardenorthebuilding.However,theBritishareinclinetocontroltheirsurroundings.Interiorsandexteriorsaredistinctspaces.Naturewasusuallyconsideredasawildernessoraparadise.Theyshouldtamethewildernessandkeeptheparadisepurefromothers.Underbothcircumstances,natureisnotinsideofhumansociety.AndwecanalsofindthisfromGenesis,thefirstpartofHolyBibleaboutthecreationofhumanbeingsandotherthingslikeplantsandanimals.AtthetimeGodcreatedAdam,HegaveAdamthedominanceoverallotherthingsHecreated.Adamandhisdescendentsstandapartfromandabovenatureandaretoldtousethenaturalworldtomeethumanneeds.Asconquerorofnature,humansareencouragedtocontrolandexploitnatureinanywaytheylike.Incontrast,Chinesebelieveweshouldliveharmoniouslywithnature,ourmasterConfuciusoncesaid“onenessbetweenmanandnature(天人合一)”.Itreferstotheobedienceandworshipofhumantowardsnatureandnaturelaws.Peopleintegratethealternationbetweennightandday,andalternationofdifferentseasonswiththeirdailylifeandactivities.Andtheyalsobelievedthatallintheworldisincirculationandpursuedtheharmonywitheachother.Sothereisasayinglikethat“Manproposes,Heavendisposes(谋事在人，成事在天)”.Influencedbythethoughtofonenessbetweenmanandnature,Chinesepeopleconsideredtherewassomethinglikedestinycontrollingtheirlifeandtheycannotchangeit.Sowhattheycandoistobemeek.Chinesebelieveinaharmoniousrelationshipbetweenmanandnature,intheunityofman'sspiritwithnature,andinthecontinuum.InChinesethoughtpatterns,objectsarestudiedfromanoverallpointofview.Thisthoughtpatternisconstantlyreinforcedthroughsociallife.British,likeotherWesterners,worshipindividuality,believingthatwhilemanlivesinnature,heisindependentofnatureandmuststrugglewithnaturetomeethisneeds.Asaresult,theBritishthoughtpatternisbasedonscientificandquantitativeanalysisandstrictlogicalreasoning.Thedivergencebetweenthesetwothoughtpatternsgivesrisetomanyofthedifferencesbetweenthetwolanguages.ThemeaningsofChinesewordsareusuallygeneralwhilethemeaningsofEnglishwordsarespecific.TraditionalChinesemedicalsciencebelievesthereisabalancebetweenYinandYanginpeople’sbody,andwhenyouareillwhichmeansYinandYanginyourbodyareimbalanced.SoyoushouldstayathometogiveyourbodyachancetorecovertheharmonyofYinandYang.ThemedicinestheyuseareverygentleandwouldtakelongertimetocurethanthoseoftheBritish.Becausetheythinkthathumanbodyispartofnatureandneedstobeguidedbacktobalanceagain.Therefore,themedicineshouldintegratewiththebody.Whereas,theBritishbelievethathumanbodyisjustanobjectthatcanbestudiedandcontrolled.Sotheyhaveinventedmanypowerfulmedicinestocarethemselvesandmanysideeffectsfollowedasaresultofthis.However,Britishvaluetowardsnatureischangingbecausetheynowrealizetheconsequenceoftheirmasteryovernature.Inthepastdecades,scientistsandresearchershavefoundthatalargenumberofdiseasesandotherproblemswerecausedbytheirover-exploitofnature.Asaresultofthis,moreandmorepeoplerealizetheimportanceofthebalancebetweenhumanandnature.Andtheygraduallyadopttheattitudeofonenessbetweenhumanandnature.3.Pastvs.futureorientationWeChineseareconsideredtoliveinpast-orientedsociety.Muchattentionwaspaidtoprioreventsinhistory,establishedreligions,andtraditions.Wefeelwehaveunlimitedcontinuityoftime,anunravelingratherthanastrictboundary.Birthanddeatharenotsuchabsoluteendssincetheuniversecontinuesandhumans,thoughchangingform,continueaspartofit.Peoplemaydomanythingsatthesametimeinthisapproachtotime,forinstance,conversationsinamoment(suchasameetinginwhichpeoplespeaksimultaneously,“talkingover”eachotherastheydiscusstheirsubjects),ormanytimesandpeoplesduringoneprocess(suchasaceremonyinwhichthosefamilymemberswhohavediedarefelttobepresentaswellasthoseyettobebornintothefamily).Infact,Ibelieveso.Eventoday,ourChinesechildrenhavenoconceptionofsupermanintheirmindwhenplaying.Whenyouasksomebodywhenwouldfinishthetaskorbusinessassigned,theansweryougetwouldbelikethis“justaminute(等一会儿)”.IfyoucometoChinaforthefirsttime,youwouldgetirritatedbecauseinfacttheycouldnotfinishitevenafter“twominutes”,andyoumaywaitforoneortwohours.SomeonesayshebelievesthatChinesealwayshaveenoughtime.Here,timeisseenasmovingendlesslythroughvariouscycles,becomingandvanishing.Timestretchesfarbeyondthehumanegoorlifetime.Thereisacertaintimelessqualitytotime,anaestheticalmosttoointricateandvastforthehumanmindtocomprehend.Theimportantthingiswhathadhappenedinthepast,sotheyputmuchattentiontotheirhistory.Theywouldsparenoefforttorewritetheirhistory.Andtheyareafraidofchanges.Ifanewmethodortechnologywereintroduced,theywouldcompareittoahistoricaleventorbysupportingitwithaquotationfromarespectedleaderofthepast.AndthatiswhymanyChinesetendtoquotesayingofthefamouswhenwritingarticlesorspeakingtoshowtheirtalent.Whereas,theBritishquotelessfromthepastthanweChinesedo.Ifyoudothis,youprobablymakethemthinkyouareoutofdate.ForBritish,timeisaresourcethatcanbeusedwellorpoorly.Timeismoney.Everyoneonlygetslimitedtimeinhislife:he’dbetteruseitwiselyorhewillachievenothing.Thefuturewillnotbebetterthanthepastorthepresentunlesspeopleusetheirtimeforconstructive,future-orientedactivities.Thus,Britishadmireawell-organizedpersonwhohasaschedulefordoingthings.Theidealpersonispunctualandisconsiderateofotherpeople’stime.Timemustbesavedwheneverpossibleandusedwiselyeveryday.Youmustmakeanappointmentifyouwanttoseeyourfriends,toseeadoctororonotheroccasions.Otherwise,youwillberefusedinmostofthetime.Becausepeoplehaveaveryheavyscheduleandtheydonotwanttobedisturbedinfollowingtheirtimeschedule.Sotheyrequirethemselvestodoeverythingefficiently.Althoughtheyareconservative,theyareconsideredtobeverypunctual.Nowadaysastheimplementofreformandopening-uppolicy,Chinahaswitnessedaveryfastdevelopmentinbothscienceandeconomy.AndtheattitudeofChinesetowardstimehaschanged.Theirpaceoflifehasquickened.Theydotheirbusinessmoreefficientlythanbefore.4.Being-whoyouarevs.doing-whatyouaredoingActivityorientationisthewayacultureviewsactivity,whichcandedividedintothreeparts.BeingreferstospontaneousactivityandChinesebelongtoit.Doingthrivesonactivitywithpeopleputtinghighvalueonactionanddoing.AndBritishbelongtoit.InfluencedbythephilosophicalideaoftheGoldenMean(orCentralHarmony),theChinesedevelopedtheirpeculiaraestheticvalues,oneofwhichisauniqueemphasisonthebeautyofbalance.Chinahasexperiencedfeudalageforthousandsofyears.Inthatage,acompletehierarchicalsystemwasestablished,andthebehaviorofpeopleinsuchahierarchicalsystemmustbesuitabletotheirstatus,age,socialrolesandcharacter.Theirsocialstatusandpositionaremoreimportantthanwhattheydo.Theirspeakingandactionsshouldshowthattheyareeducated,polite,modest,high-rankingorhospitable.WhiletheBritishtalktogetsomethingdone,andtheyalwaysfindthatChinesetalkinglackofusefulinformation.TheChinesewanttoshowtheirvirtue,hospitalityandattentiontotheBritishbysuchkindoftalking.However,theBritishcannotunderstandthisbecausewhattheywantisinformationandaction.Thenembarrassmentcannotbeavoided.5.Groupvs.individualismorientationInfluencedbytheFeudalism,Chinadevelopedthesystemofhierarchy,whichemphasizesthepowerorauthorityofthepersoninahigherposition.Everyoneinthesocietyknowshispositioninrelationtoothers,buttheirpositionsarenotalwaysthesame.Forinstance,thepresidentofauniversityisatthetopinhisuniversitybutmaybeatthebottomwhenmeetingwithotherofficialslikeofficialsintheState.Chineseappreciateandbelievetheycangeteverythingfromthemass.Andtheybelievetwomenarebetterthanone.Peoplefeeldependentonthegroup,safewithinit,proud,andcompetitivewithothergroups.AndthatiswhyChinesestudentsprefertoanswerquestionsin-groupandseemtoknownothingwhenaskedindividuallytodoit.Theirdecision-makingisbasedonmajorityrule;theonewhodonotagreeshouldcompromisetotheagreement.Noonehasthepowertodefyit.Andmembersofthegroupshouldbeloyaltotheirgroup.InBritain,eachpersonshouldbetreatedbeasanindividual.Theytendtobelessawareofothers’feelingsandhavemoretotalkthanpeoplefromgroup-orientedcultures.Self-relianceandindependenceareveryimportant.Ifyoustilldependonothers,youwouldbeconsideredtobeweak.Wecanalsofindthisfromthedictionary:manywordsreflectoneselfasthecenterinEnglish,forinstance,“self-absorption,self-admiration,self-cultivation,self-image,”etc.SoBritishsocietyemphasizesindividualfreedomwhileChinesecultureemphasizescollectiveinterestshigherthanindividualinterests.IV.HarmoniousCultureLookingatculturalpresentationandconfiguration,differencesareoneaspect,andmutualrespectamongthosedifferencesisanother.Somepeoplesaythatasthedevelopmentofglobalization,culturesofsuperpowerwillinfluenceoroverturnothercountries’civilizationandclashwilloccur.Asaresultofthis,warswouldhap