Etiquette and Manner in China
When you think of cultural differences, China is probably the first country that comes to mind, because everything seems so different from how we do things in the West. This is true of etiquette and manner as well: while something could be considered rude in the West is perfectly acceptable in China, at the same time, you could find your self committing a gross impropriety with what you thought was a normal gesture.
One of the first things to remember is that Chinese etiquette is structured around the concept of “face”. This is a very complicated concept, with four different categories of “face” that we will not go into, but it would generally be translated as honor or respect. The most important things to remember in all your interactions with Chinese interlocutors is that you should never lose and, at the same time, you should not cause someone else to lose face.
Chinese etiquette and manners are also structured on the norms and values of Confucianism and this translates into some of the day to day things like meeting and greeting people. Remember to always greet the elder person in the group first, with a regular handshake, and always by using the surname, usually preceded by a particle denoting respect. A certain level of formalism should be maintained, especially at the first meetings, and this will include avoiding personal contact with your interlocutor. As in the West, small chatter about weather or sports is always a good introduction before moving to the subject of interest and the Chinese will appreciate this moment of chatter more than a Western counterpart would. A general, common denominator in all cultures: stay away from the topics that could create controversies. In China, politics would be an obvious such topic.
Chinese etiquette and manners are also structured on the norms and values of Confucianism and this translates into some of the day to day things like meeting and greeting people. Remember to always greet the elder person in the group first, with a regular handshake, and always by using the surname, usually preceded by a particle denoting respect. A certain level of formalism should be maintained, especially at the first meetings, and this will include avoiding personal contact with your interlocutor. As in the West, small chatter about weather or sports is always a good introduction before moving to the subject of interest and the Chinese will appreciate this moment of chatter more than a Western counterpart would. A general, common denominator in all cultures: stay away from the topics that could create controversies. In China, politics would be an obvious such topic.
To end, you will be initially surprised to hear Chinese making belching noises at the table – this is all right by Chinese etiquette standards.