Presented by:

Omair Arif Vaseer

Chinese Name: Wa Fu

Chinese Culture
Chinese culture embodies the philosophy of holism. Ancient Chinese philosophers believed that all things are interrelated,

and that Heaven, Earth, and Humanity form a unified whole.

A vast territory of about 9,600,000 sq.Km. Ranked number 4 in the world!

Urumqi

Beijing
Xian Lhasa Shanghai

Guangzhou

9,596,960 square km/3,705,392 square miles, Density:350/square mile 3,718,797square miles(USA) Density: 80 /square mile(USA)

China is divided into 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities directly under the

Chinese People

A huge population of more than 1300

Cultural Orientation
Collectivism & Individualism
Collectivist group loyalty, decision-making oriented to group welfare
Individualistic importance placed on goals and autonomy of individual

Time Orientation (developed by Chinese scholars from Confucian principles)

Long term value thrift and persistence
Short term value tradition, upholding social obligations and quick results

Power Distance
Low social equality, reduction of hierarchy (tend to be individualistic) High recognized authorities should not be challenged (tend to be collectivist)

Source: http://www.geert-hostede.com/index.shtml

The Origins of Chinese Civilization

Writing and Language

Mandarin is the most widely spoken form of Chinese.

Chinese language has more native speakers than any other languages.
Chinese language is mostly spoken in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Chinese language (Mandarin Chinese) is one of the six official languages used by the United Nations.
Chinese language is written with symbols.

Writing and Language

Chinese Characters

Chinese characters are written within a square framework, so they are sometimes referred to in Chinese as "square writing."

Evolution of the character "" (ri, sun)

Evolution of the characters (yu, fish) and (ma, horse)

The evolution of Chinese characters and calligraphy provides insight into the development of human society.

Fragments of oracle bone script, Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC)

Bronze tallies of Lord Qi of E, Warring States Period (475-221 BC)

Terracotta warriors of Qin Shihuang, Pit 2, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC)

Buddhist Statue, Longmen Grottoes (post-5th century AD)

Forbidden City, Beijing

Jichang Garden, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province

Chinese Philosophy
Confucianism Confucianism emerged between the 6th through 5th century BC. Its founder, Confucius, expanded upon ancient Chinese concepts of humanism. He emphasized the value of the individual, the cultivation of personal ethics, and the importance of moral character. The concepts of benevolence ( ren ) and propriety ( li ) were the central tenants of Confucianism, and became the foundation of mainstream Chinese culture.

 rn y l

Benevolence, to be humanity, mercy and Justness, to be kindness; righteousness ; Rituals, custom and law, to be Wisdom, to be polite; knowledgeable and well faithful royalty, educated; reliable responsible, creditable.

zh accountable,
Portrait of Confucius (551-479 BC)

Gift giving
Dont

give a clock as a gift Dont give a green hat to a man as a gift Some unlucky number should be avoided such as 4. Chinese lucky numbers are 6, 8 or 9 Red represents prosperity and luck Golden represents harvest and wealth Generally white and black are not right color for wrapping gifts

Gestures in Chinese Culture

Nodding

is used to greet somebody.

Keep

gestures and unusual facial expressions to a minimum. Chinese do not use their hands when speaking, and are annoyed by people who do.
Avoid

touching, as Chinese people dislike being touched by strangers.

Always

acknowledge the most senior member in a group first.

There

is not an emphasis on emotions in China, so be careful on how often you use them.

Business Attire - MEN

In

Chinese business culture, suits and ties are typically worn.

It

is important to wear conservative colors.

For

formal events, wear suits and ties, but not tuxedos.

Jeans Shorts

are typically worn for casual activities. are only acceptable when exercising.

Business Attire - WOMEN

Woman

should wear conservative suits. Do not wear anything too revealing and keep to the conservative colors
Wear

flat shoes or low heels for everyday business.

Jeans Shorts

are typically worn for casual activities. are only acceptable when exercising.

Conversations and Networking

Chinese

should be addressed with a title and their last name.

Many

Chinese adopt an English name to make it easier for North Americans to address them.
Study

China. Learn about their language, culture, history, and geography. Chinese people appreciate this effort.
Avoid

negative replies. Negative replies are impolite.

If

Chinese people say things like this is not a serious problem, or this is not a big deal, it usually means there is a problem.
Expect

to answer intrusive questions about your age, income, title, family status and other personal topics.

Meetings, Presentations & Negotiation Tactics

Always

be on time for a meeting or appointment. Being late is an insult.

If

you are handed a business card, make sure to look at it before you put it away.
When

designing presentations, keep material in black and white.

Remember

that China is a Communist country, so negotiations and presentations must be set up to support the Communist party.
Do

not mention deadlines. Remain patient, as Chinese like to extend negotiations beyond official deadlines.

Dinner Etiquette
Always Do

arrive on time.

not discuss business during the meal.

Always

leave some food on your plate. A clean plate indicates that you were not given enough food, and this is a huge insult.
Leave

some tea in your cup if you do not want a refill.

Slurping

and belching at the table can be perfectly acceptable.

Other
Surprisingly,

gift giving in Chinese business culture is forbidden, because this gesture is considered bribery.
Some

businesses still practice gift giving, but the safest thing to do is avoid it.
Keep

in mind that Chinese businesses are very family-oriented.

Remember

that Chinese business culture is very hierarchical. It is very important to respect seniority.

Like

music, dance, painting and drama.

regards eating as an art. people generally do not use knives or forks. frying is completely absent from authentic Chinese

China

Chinese Cooking,

Cuisine.
Chinese

cuisine is very much about the harmonization of the

food.
Most

common ingredients are vegetables, boiled rice, sea food and chicken.

Beijing dish
Dumpling

Sping Roll

H means peace and harmony

Chinese culture emphasizes harmony. It respects the differences between cultures and civilizations, in accordance with the traditional Chinese philosophy of "seeking unity in diversity." Chinese culture provides a unique foundation from which to learn from other cultures, maximize creativity, and pursue self-improvement.

Xie xie ni men Thank you very much.