I once read a story about a China driver who broke the rules while driving abroad. He was stopped by the police and demanded punishment. Therefore, according to his experience at home, the man began to intercede and say good things, hoping that the police would be lenient and say, "It won't happen again." The police always listen to him with a smile, noncommittally. When the man saw that the police didn't object, he thought it was over and drove away happily. A few months later, the man received a court summons and realized that things were not what he thought at all. People smiled at him, it's just a professional requirement. Just do what you have to do, and the police will never give you a chance to "never do it again". This is a reflection of the cultural differences between China and the West. What's the difference between Chinese and western cultures? Why is it different? This is all within the scope of our research.

First, the differences in regional environment.

Due to the differences in geographical location and environment, there are differences between Chinese and western cultures. Britain is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the sea, and has a temperate maritime climate. As an island country, influenced by the warm and humid climate of the Atlantic Ocean, the language has its own particularity, which is related to the ocean and the west wind.

Second, the differences between Chinese and Western cultural backgrounds

Oriental culture represented by Chinese culture is deeply influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. Its roots can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period more than 2,000 years ago. Based on the Six Classics compiled and revised by Confucius, the overall performance of this culture is: paying attention to personal cultivation, paying attention to moral strength, opposing force, paying attention to harmonious coexistence with others and nature, pursuing spiritual detachment, paying more attention to self-sufficient and introverted culture while being "benevolent" and "filial", which is reflected in the closed door of the Qing Dynasty.

Western culture, represented by American culture, originated from the European Renaissance and ancient Greek and Roman culture. Deeply influenced by Christianity, it attaches importance to individual freedom and rights, and pays attention to practice and exploration. Unlike China people who like to think philosophically about the origin of life, they pay more attention to the exploration and verification of nature and consider the origin of life from the material level. Take "love" as the core of society. At the same time, it has an open and export-oriented culture, represented by the invasion of the new continent when Xinhai Road was opened.

Third, the differences in nonverbal communication.

Non-verbal communication refers to ways to convey information other than language and words, including sign language, body language, facial expressions, space utilization, voice suggestion, dress and other decorations. For example, gestures have different meanings in different countries, and different cultural backgrounds endow gestures with different communicative functions. China people hold up their thumbs to indicate "good" and hold out their little fingers to indicate "bad" or "bad"; Americans give a thumbs-up to show that they want a ride, and thumbs-up means "bad".

Similarities and differences between Chinese and Western values and ways of thinking

① scientific view

In science, China people believe in the experience and authority of their ancestors, that the ancients even surpassed the present, that they believe in authority, and lack the spirit of innovation and exploration. Therefore, although the four great inventions in human history were all made by China people, and China's shipbuilding technology was world-class when Zheng He went to the West, in order to declare the "prosperity" of the Ming Dynasty, when Magellan's fleet traveled around the world, and when westerners invaded us with the compass and gunpowder invented by China, we thought of rebuilding the Great Wall of Wan Li at the seaside. This shows that our thoughts are conservative and lack innovation and adventurous spirit.

Westerners attach importance to practice and theory, are adventurous and advocate rational thinking, and popularize and popularize scientific achievements through formal university education, which greatly promotes scientific development.

② View of legal system

"Law so guide people also, criminal law so prohibit rape also. Civil and military affairs are not prepared, good citizens dare not do it, and officials are not chaotic. Dedication can already rule. Why do you have dignity? " It can be seen that in the eyes of China people, the law is only a supplement to morality. Therefore, China people advocate self-improvement, do not advocate binding people with laws and regulations, and do not pay enough attention to the law. In terms of the restraint of desire, China people advocate the restraint of courtesy and morality. In Song Dynasty, Zhu put forward the idea of "preserving righteousness and destroying human desires", that is, through the teaching and learning of sages, he improved his self-cultivation, controlled and suppressed all "immoral" desires, and paid attention to self-denial and dedication to public service. This result led to personality defects and loss of independent personality, which was also the fundamental reason for the prevalence of feudal rule.

Westerners, on the other hand, believe that human desires should not be suppressed. For social and personal norms, they advocate "legal system", which is bound by institutions, such as decentralized organizations and political institutions, while morality is in a subordinate position.

③ democratic view

China people pay attention to spiritual freedom. Although the history of the whole feudal society for more than 2000 years is basically the continuous strengthening of feudal centralization and the complete loss of democratic politics, from the beginning, Confucian and Taoist thinkers put democratic politics at a very high ideological level to understand and treat it, demanding that rulers love the people, be close to the people and attach importance to the sufferings of people's livelihood. Confucius' thought of "benevolence", Mencius' thought of "people-oriented, country-oriented, monarch first" and the thought of "providing for the old and caring for the young" all contain the idea of "democracy", but they all advocate the divine right of the monarch, maintain the hierarchical system, and regard freedom and democracy as a reward for the monarch and the dignitaries. Therefore, our people always yearn for the sky and hope that good faculties will appear to benefit the people.

However, western democratic politics thinks that politics belongs to the people, and all rights are just a kind of power that the people give the government to exercise. Therefore, westerners can veto or re-elect a government that cannot serve the people by voting. Of course, there may be many problems in this process, but both the level of understanding and the system design are undoubtedly much more advanced than ours.

④ Interpersonal communication

China people value the friendship of human feelings. They don't think from one aspect, but like to think from a holistic and long-term perspective, which often complicates a simple matter.

Westerners may think more simply, one is one, the other is two, and one yard is one yard. Dealing with problems quickly and efficiently is also conducive to forming a healthy social atmosphere.

⑤ The interest relationship between individual and collective.

Compared with individual rights and interests, China people pay more attention to collective interests, including family interests and national interests, advocate controlling their own desires and oppose extreme individualism and heroism. They think that there is no home without a country, and there is no individual without a home. They often associate individual interests with collective interests and national interests, and are full of patriotism and dedication. But it is also easy to ignore individual interests, unable to protect their own rights and interests, often compromising for perfection, sacrificing themselves, and even paying a heavy price.

Westerners pay more attention to individual interests, pursue human rights and advocate freedom. They think that if individual interests cannot be guaranteed, let alone collective interests, it is this kind of ideological understanding that finally promotes the development of western democratic politics.

Reflections on the Cultural Differences between China and the West

Compared with eastern culture, western culture started late. Due to the differences in historical origins, customs, living environment and religious beliefs, there are great differences between Chinese and western cultures. However, the differences between eastern and western cultures cannot be said to be good or bad, which is objectively formed. Their existence will inevitably lead to the continued development of human culture. In today's world, no nation or country can shake off its traditional culture. With the advancement of global integration, cultural exchanges between countries are becoming more and more frequent. The purpose of discussing the overall differences between Chinese and western cultures is to promote economic and cultural exchanges between China and the West, strengthen the connection between "global villages" and seek common development.