CGE 12311

中日韓文化隣國
Cultural Neighbors – China,
Japan and Korea

Topic 13
Cultural Neighbours or
Political Confrontation?
 Value 價值觀 : China/Japan/Korea

• China
- emphasize ONE ( 第一主義 , First, Solo)
• Japan
- 和 (Harmony, Peace)
• Korea
- 忠 (Orthodoxy, Originality)

From: “Korea Unmasked”

Mentality: Chinese, Japanese and Korean
- There is only one-word answer:
Chinese:

ONE Me only mentality

一 Solo
做一哥 唯我獨尊

Reasons:
- China is a huge country, bigger than Japan and
Korea;
- People in ancient times set up their own countries,
and engaged in endless struggles with each other.
 - The Chinese have suffered much throughout their
history, which made the Chinese only trust
themselves and their families.
- They tend to become self-centered, looking out
only for themselves and their own good.

Devotion?
That’s hogwash!

I don’t care who’s the King?

It makes no differences
to the people!!
The “Me Only”
mentality pervades the
lives of Chinese.

Most Chinese think “I

may have been born in
troubled waters but I’m
going to die in comfort.”
生於憂患，死於安樂
• In ancient time, each country tried to expand
territory by waging war against its neighbors
• Chinese governors believed in unifying the
whole country through strength!
• The Chinese realized this after suffering many
years of wars
• The Chinese always struggled to remain as ONE
一哥 .
Japan:
National value
和 WA  HARMONY & PEACE

Vocabularies with 和 , for examples;

和親 Friendship,
和解 Reconciliation,
和氣 Geniality,
和樂 Peaceful,
和議 Peace negotiation.
- Japanese emphasizes “live in harmony”
Reasons:

a) Japan is an island country  4 sides face the Ocean;

b) For island country, the ocean served as a natural
barrier against foreign invasions;
c) Greatest danger comes from internal struggles,
not from external threats;
d) Japanese fear internal wars;
e) In the early 6th century, the
Japanese designated “WA” 和
as the highest virtue to be
upheld;
- In 604, Prince Shotoku 聖 德 太 子 (574-622)
created, Japan’s first Constitution known as the
17th Articles of Constitution of 十 七 條 憲 法
patterned after Chinese Dynasty ( 隋朝 ).
- Adopted Chinese Confucianism and Buddhism
teaching to demonstrate the best qualities for
government officials.
- Article one stressed “peace and harmony”

以和為貴
- As an island country, Japan needs to avoid
confrontation in order to preserve 和 WA;
- This way of thinking is deeply embedded in the
psyche and customs of the Japanese;
- To avoid conflict, Japanese are careful and cautious
about the others’ feeling;
- Each person would have to read through the minds
of others;
- Thoughtful consideration of others, known as
“Kikubari” 気配り ( 感性 );
- Being considerate of the feelings of others
means being amiable and gentle;
- Thus, Japanese people like to say “Yasashii”
(kind-hearted or nice);
- Cordiality and politeness are respected;
- Japanese language is smooth and gentle;
- Use of rough languages or curse words is
considered atrocious behavior;
- Japanese seldom use rough words and quarrel;
- Japanese also avoid the use of words that might
provoke others 挑釁別人 .
- In some cases, there may be difference between
what they are thinking and what they are saying;

 Purpose is to preserve WA 和 .
- Avoid physical contact;

- Seldom hug each other;

- Work for company’s interest over personal interest;
Chinese / Koreans:
Tend to strengthen close contact with each
other;

Japanese:
Avoid close direct contact with others;
 和 WA:

Key features:
- Elimination of points of conflict;
- Being considerate of others;
- Good manners, kindness, gentleness
Korea:
•Geographical location (Peninsula)
•An extension of a continent
surrounded on three sides
by water.

• A peninsula serves as a natural

bridge for continental countries
to crossover and sail to islands
China  Korea  Japan
- Island country (Japan) also uses the peninsula
(Korea) to cross over into the Continent (China);
- Korea has experienced aggressions from China,
Japan and other foreign countries, e.g. USSR;
- For survival sake, Koreans were always ready to
fight off foreign aggressors;
- Frequent foreign invasions result in frequent
contact with outsiders;
- Probability of mixing different races has increased;
- Korean personalities have become tough and
stubborn in order to survive;
- Peninsular people possess different
personalities from:
Chinese – “unity”
ensure peace and security;
Japanese – “Wa”
avoid conflict to ensure
peace and harmony;
Koreans
– emphasized the protection of their lives and
possessions
– common words found are:
忠誠 Shoong-seong: faithfulness 忠實
Choong-shil: persistently working
忠直 Choony-jik: uphold uprightness
Koreans Value emphasizes:
a) fairness;
b) righteousness;
c) preservation of Korean identity (bloodline,
lineage)
Preserve native traditions and respect ‘scholar
spirit’ (Seonbi spirit). It is considered the spiritual
basis of the Korean nation:
 Loyalty to the country;
 Devotion to parents;
 Fraternity;
 Loyalty to friends;
To pursue this: Koreans
have to maintain ‘Choong’ 忠
 faithfulness and loyalty;
 Conclusion
• Three countries have their own values.
• They are cultural neighbors that can support
the others.
• China, Japan and Korea possess not only
geographical connections, but also close
relationship as they are in the East Asian
cultural sphere in historical aspect.
• In a cultural aspect, it is said that China was
father while Japan and Korea were twins
brothers. 24
• Three countries learnt a lot from the others.
• Although there are tensions, conflicts and even
political confrontations amongst them now,
disputes may be reduced by mutual
understanding and negotiations.
• Cultural and social collaboration absolutely can
be achieved if three countries are
willing to understand, negotiate
and accept the others with a
more broad-minded attitude
and manners.
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• Most importantly, we should

– Think critically,
– Respect different values,
– Act rationally.

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