Cultural difference
Part 1: option 2
Cultural difference- Culture is an umbrella term that joins the social behavior and norms found in human culture and the data, feelings, articulations, laws, and customs (Markus and Conner 39). Aside from inborn worth, culture gives basic social and monetary advantages. With upgraded learning and well-being, improved resistance, and openings related to other aspects of a community and individuals, culture is instrumental in working on personal satisfaction and expanding general prosperity for people and networks (Markus & Conner 45). I always associate myself with one of the oldest cultures in the world, the Chinese culture. This culture can be traced back centuries of years. Some of the components and elements that make it unique and different from other cultures include ceramics, architecture, music, literature, martial arts, visual arts, cuisine, and religion.
Cultural difference; How to thrive in a multicultural world
Cultural difference- According to the current literature, the Chinese culture is one of the ethnically diverse cultures in the modern environment. It has 56 ethnic groups, with Han Chinese being the most prominent team. In any case, most other minor ethnic gatherings must regularly converge into Han character, even though they have kept up with particular phonetic and provincial social customs (Stunning tours). This means that it is easier to find two individuals identifying as Han but behaving differently owing to the minor ethnic groups that make this group.
Cultural difference- Additionally, for instance, different gatherings of the Miao minority have various vocabularies of the Hmong-Mie dialects, Tai-Kadai dialects, and Chinese and frequently practice distinctive social traditions. Strikingly, every minority bunch has their unique customs that they associate with, different festivals, and costumes that make it easier for individuals to differentiate them while the members of these groups maintain their unique identity (Lin 3). For example, each ethnic group has unique marriage customs passed down the generation, and that makes them unique in the face of other cultures.
Cultural difference; How to thrive in a multicultural world
Cultural difference- Another significant element of this culture that makes it unique compared to other cultures globally is religion. According to the current literature, Christianity and Islam are the two most common religions in the modern world (Qiu et al. 2). However, this is not the case in China. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are the three main teachings that significantly shape Chinese culture.
Cultural difference- Unlike Christianity and Islam have clear boundaries, these three religions are intertwined, and they have no clear boundaries. They each significantly contribute to the development and maintenance of the Chinese culture while also providing a source and platform for unity and collaboration. Notably, they can be instrumental in promoting a sense of collectivism instead of individualism (Dai et al. 115).
Cultural difference-It is also worth noting that this culture’s overall system of convictions and practices has changed over time to adapt to the changing business environment, especially since Shang and Zhou dynasties. During this period of essential components of spirituality, the focus was on explaining the nature of the universe and how supernatural power influences how the universe works. Current statistics suggest that more than 80% of Han Chinese are associated with Taoism, and Chinese folk religion, 10-16% follow Buddhism, while less than 3% are Christians, and 1% belong to Islam (Yan 12).
Cultural difference- This makes this unique culture considering that western teachings have not heavily influenced it compared to other cultures or regions.Kung Fu is another significant cultural element that significantly influences the way of life for the Chinese people. The origin of the Chinese martial arts, also broadly known as Kung Fu, can be traced to the requirement for self-protection, hunting procedures, and military training in antiquated China.
Cultural difference- Hand-to-hand battle and weapons practice were essential in training. From this start, these combative techniques continued to incorporate various ways of thinking and thoughts into work, expanding its motivation from self-preservation to well-being support lastly as a type of self-development (Wei 38). Independent of the diverse Chinese ethnic gatherings, Kung Fu, mirrors all Chinese social qualities from one viewpoint.
Cultural difference-Martial arts focus on unifying human beings and nature from a philosophical perspective. This cultural aspect centers on cultivating mind and personality and awareness of the natural law (Song et al. 562). Thus, Chinese Kung Fu is more than just a fighting strategy; but it is also a lifestyle, life attitude, and personality cultivation.Family is another significant component of this culture. It has been a vital element of society since the formulation of Chinese culture.
Many aspects of Chinese life can be anchored to honoring parents or ancestors in the modern Chinese community. It is easier to see family members from different generations living in the same house because they focus on family and a sense of obligation to the elderly (Zhang et al. 1123). However, it is worth noting that the Chinese family structure has been inflexible and progressive for hundreds of years.
Outstandingly, most guardians and grandparents anticipate their youngsters and grandkids to follow their instructions and desire the letter without asking questions or resisting. Unfortunately, with the changing social and cultural environment in the modern society globally and diversity and multiculturalism, this institution and cultural aspect are at risk (Lai and Wong 101).
Cultural difference; How to thrive in a multicultural world
Currently, most Chinese families face significant challenges to the conventional lifestyles that threaten their conventional stability. Children nowadays move to other regions, cities, and nations searching for greener pastures. However, they do not forget their relatives back home, considering they often send a part of their salaries back home to help their parents and families (Lin 444).
Unfortunately, as they get to 30 years mark, they face significant pressure to marry and move back to the village.Finally, the cuisine is another significant element of this culture. The historical backdrop of Chinese cooking extends back for millennia and has changed from time to time because of changes in climate, imperial fashions, and changes in tastes and preferences.
However, eight main Cuisines are mainly associated with this culture, including Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, and Zhejiang cuisines (Wan et al. 325). They are different and unique because of the accessibility of assets, the evolving environment, geology, history, cooking styles, and way of life.
For instance, Jiangsu food zeroes more on cooking methods and approaches like braising and stewing, while Sichuan food favors baking. However, it is worth noting that hairy crab is one of the popular delicacies in almost every part of China. Still, it is viral in Shanghai as it is mainly found in lakes throughout the country (Stunning tours). Peking duck and dim-sum are other popular cuisines popular outside China but still help differentiate the Chinese culture from other cultures.
Part 2 on Cultural. Difference; How to thrive in a multicultural world
Cultural difference-According to the current literature, the jade dragon has been an essential part of Chinese culture for centuries considering that the first jade dragon was discovered or crafted in 3000BC. However, its importance to the Chinese culture continued through the Western Han Dynasty and remains one of the critical artifacts to the Chinese culture even in modern society (Song et al. 563). It is known among the Chinese nationals as the dragon stone and is more regarded in China than any other region or country in contemporary society.
Although most people consider s as a predominantly greenstone, it can also be a white, pale, purple, blue, yellow, red, and grey stone. In most cases, these dragons are crafted and carved from jadeite or nephrite with sandpaper-like instruments. However, it is not easy to curve one dragon, and this has been described as one of the most expensive processes in terms of time (Dai et al. 118). Notably, it demands meticulous skills and a love for art which further exemplifies the meaning of this artifact to the Chinese culture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmSfC-qo2Cg
Works Cited for Cultural difference
Dai, You-De, et al. “Developing Chinese tourist’s leisure literacy scale from the perspective of Chinese culture.” Tourism Management Perspectives, vol. 31, 2019, pp. 109-122.
Lai, Mun Y., and Jeffrey P. Wong. “Revisiting decimal misconceptions from a new perspective: The significance of whole number bias in the Chinese culture.” The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, vol. 47, 2017, pp. 96-108.
Lin, Lin. “Food souvenirs as gifts: tourist perspectives and their motivational basis in Chinese culture.” Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, vol. 15, no. 5, 2016, pp. 439-454.
Lin, Zhibin. “Ganoderma (Lingzhi) in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Culture.” Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2019, pp. 1-13.
Markus, H. R., & Conner, A. Clash!: 8 cultural conflicts that make us who we are (p. 320). New York, NY: Hudson Street Press, 2013.
Qiu, Xichenhui, et al. “The influence of Chinese culture on family caregivers of stroke survivors: A qualitative study.” Journal of Clinical Nursing, vol. 27, no. 1-2, 2017, pp. e309-e319.
Song, Yan, et al. “Facilitators and Barriers to Exercise Influenced by Traditional Chinese Culture: A Qualitative Study of Chinese Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.” Journal of Transcultural Nursing, vol. 30, no. 6, 2019, pp. 558-568.
Stunning tours. “Chinese culture-a short introduction.” Stunning Tours – Best Asia Guided Tours!, November 29 2019, stunningtours.com/chinese-culture-html/.
Wan, Dongsheng, et al. “Impact of Chinese Culture on Pre-service Science Teachers’ Views of the Nature of Science.” Science & Education, vol. 27, no. 3-4, 2018, pp. 321-355.
Wei, Wei. “Understanding values of souvenir purchase in the contemporary Chinese culture: A case of Shanghai Disney.” Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, vol. 10, 2018, pp. 36-48.
Yan, Yunxiang. “Doing Personhood in Chinese Culture.” The Cambridge Journal of Anthropology, vol. 35, no. 2, 2017, pp. 1-17.
Zhang, Wenxin, et al. “Reconsidering Parenting in Chinese Culture: Subtypes, Stability, and Change of Maternal Parenting Style During Early Adolescence.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 46, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1117-1136.
