Comparison of cultural differences between China and Japan
The same as the Asian countries， China and Japan， the neighbors have of a long communication history. Therefore， there are many similarities in culture between the two countries. But the culture is changing with the times， because of the differences in the political system， economic system， social environment and so on， there are also differences in culture. This paper will simply analyze the cultural differences between China and Japan. 1.Chinese Society & Culture The Importance of “Face”
The concept of ‘face’ roughly translates as ‘honour’， ‘good reputation’ or ‘respect’. There are four types of ‘face’： Diu-mian-zi， Gei-mian-zi， Liu-mian-zi，Jiang-mian-zi.
It is critical you avoid losing face or causing the loss of face at all times. Confucianism
Confucianism is a system of behaviours and ethics that stress the obligations of people towards one another based
upon their relationship. Confucianism stresses duty， sincerity， loyalty， honour， filial piety， respect for age and seniority. Through maintaing harmonious relations as individuals， society itself becomes stable. Collectivism vs. Individualism
In general， the Chinese are a collective society with a need for group affiliation， whether to their family， school， work group， or country. In order to maintain a sense of harmony， they will act with decorum at all times and will not do anything to cause someone else public embarrassment. They are willing to subjugate their own feelings for the good of the group. Non-Verbal Communication
Chinese non-verbal communication speaks volumes. Since the Chinese strive for harmony and are group dependent， they rely on facial expression， tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement.
Chinese Etiquette and Customs Meeting Etiquette
Greetings are formal and the oldest person is always
greeted first. Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with foreigners. The Chinese have a terrific sense of humour. They can laugh at themselves most readily if they have a comfortable relationship with the other person. Gift Giving Etiquette
In general， gifts are given at Chinese New Year， weddings， births and more recently （because of marketing）， birthdays. The Chinese like food and a nice food basket will make a great gift.
Gifts are not opened when received. Gifts may be refused three times before they are accepted. 2.Japanese Society & Culture The Japanese and ‘Face’
Saving face is crucial in Japanese society. If the request cannot be agreed to， they will say， ‘it’s inconvenient’ or ‘it’s under consideration’. Therefore， they do not openly criticize， insult， or put anyone on-the-spot.
Face can be lost， taken away， or earned through praise and thanks.
Harmony in Japanese Society
Harmony is the key value in Japanese society. Harmony
is the guiding philosophy for the Japanese in family and business settings and in society as a whole. They place great emphasis on politeness， personal responsibility and working together for the universal， rather than the individual， good. They present facts that might be disagreeable in a gentle and indirect fashion. They see working in harmony as the crucial ingredient for working productively.
Japanese Non-Verbal Communication Since the Japanese strive for harmony and are group dependent， they rely on facial expression， tone of voice and posture to tell them what someone feels. They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word as words can have several meanings.
It is considered disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes， particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age or status. In crowded situations the Japanese avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy. Japanese Hierarchy
The Japanese are very conscious of age and status. Everyone has a distinct place in the hierarchy， be it the
family unit， the extended family， a social or a business situation.
At school children learn to address other students as senior to them （‘senpai’） or junior to them （‘kohai’）. The oldest person in a group is always revered and honoured. In a social situation， they will be served first and their drinks will be poured for them.
武真真（1986-），女，河南平顶山人，苏州卫生职业技术学院，助教，学士。
Comparison of cultural differences between China and Japan-2019年精选文档
