•Buddhism was introduced to China from India approximately in the first century A.D., becoming increasingly popular after the fourth century.
•Tibetan Buddhism, or Lamaism as it is sometimes called, is found primarily in Tibet and Inner Mongolia.
•Now China has more than 13,000 Buddhist temples, with about 200,000 monks and nuns.
25.2 Islam
•Islam probably first reached China in the mid-seventh century and became popular in the Yuan Dynasty.
•Now China has more than 30,000 mosques and more than 40,000 imams and ahungs.
25.3 l Catholicism and Christianism
•Catholicism had been gradually introduced into China since the seventh century A.C. and Christianism was introduced into China in early 19th century A.c.
•Now there are more than 4 600 churches of Catholicism and more than 120 thousand churches and more than 300 thousand humble meeting place (points) of Christianism.
25.5 Taoism
•Taoism probably took form as a religion during the second century, originating from sorcery, pursuit of immortality and other supernatural beliefs in ancient China.
•Taoists take the philosopher Lao Zi (traditionally said to be born in 604 B.C.) as their teacher, and his work, the Dao De Jing (The Classic of the Way and Its Power), as their canon.
• China now has more than 1,500 Taoist temples, and over 25,000 Taoist monks and nuns.
1. Chinese People
•Chinese people are industrious, easily contented and peaceful.
•They respect the elder, love the younger and believe in harmony.
•On the other hand, they are reserved and modest .
•However, due to the open policy to the world, quite influenced by the western culture, more and more Chinese people are becoming self-confident , open-minded and ready to accept foreign cultures.
2. Family planning
•Due to the enormous population in China, the current government has worked out a family planning policy in order to have birth control in accordance with the wishes of the masses.
•Late marriages and late child-bearing are encouraged so couples will have fewer, but healthier babies, preferably one child per couple.
•a flexible family planning policy is adopted for rural people and ethnic minorities.
•In rural areas for exceptional cases, couples may have a second baby, but must wait several years after the first child was born.
• As for ethnic minorities with extremely small populations, a couple may have as many children as they want.
3 Gender equality
•Now there is a common understanding of no sexual difference between a son or a daughter, especially in the cities.
• In the meantime, a small happy nuclear (one child with parents) family is more and more favored.
•Moreover, family planning has helped Chinese women get rid of the burden of frequent childbearing and the heavy family burden after marriage, thus raising women's status and improving the health of both mothers and children.
•In rural areas for exceptional cases, couples may have a second baby, but must wait several years after the first child was born.
• As for ethnic minorities with extremely small populations, a couple may have as many children as they want.
3 Gender equality
•Now there is a common understanding of no sexual difference between a son or a daughter, especially in the cities.
• In the meantime, a small happy nuclear (one child with parents) family is more and more favored.
•Moreover, family planning has helped Chinese women get rid of the burden of frequent childbearing and the heavy family burden after marriage, thus raising women's status and improving the health of both mothers and children.
4 Etiquette
•The set of rules or customs which control accepted behavior in particular social groups or social situations.
•Knowing the standard social behaviors will create a comfortable atmosphere, whether in a social or a business situation.
4.1.1 General
•Traditionally, northerners and westerners are considered to be more generous and passionate, but more conservative; while southerners and easterners seem to be more industrious, educated, and open-minded.
•Today, the south and east are more developed than the north and west; therefore, southerners and easterners are likely to be more wealthy. They are also more casual and flexible in their dress and manners than the northerners and westerners.
•Today people feel free to wear whatever they want, as long as they're not too absurd or indecent.
•Clothing styles are diverse and very colorful.
•It's rare to find people on the street in big cities, or even small towns in China, wearing the same style clothes or the same style clothing.
4.2 Appearance
•Due to the recent and quick economic development in China, there is less and less difference in clothing styles between northerners and southerners.
•Almost all Chinese women are afraid of the sunshine, because they think white skin is more beautiful than sun-tanned skin.
•So in the summertime whenever the sun is shining, they try their best to protect their bodies from the sunshine by holding a parasol, wearing a hat or topee, or a shawl, even when riding a bicycle.
4.3 Business
•More business people are southerners and easterners.
•Though men dominate business, today there are more and more women interested in going into business as a profession.
•Evening events and dinners are the most popular activities to help conduct business, as well as improve the relationship between the business partners.
•Although there are various modern means of communication today, many Chinese business people still love to spend time with their business partners at dinners and for evening entertainment.
•These activities are called "accompanying the business partner".
•By spending this time on a nice meal and wonderful entertainment, rapport is built that helps solve any business problems that may occur.
•Business people are very busy not only in the daytime, but also in the evening and sometimes even late into the night.
•Many spend very little time enjoying their family. To them business is more important than their own families, which can make some spouses very angry and annoyed.
•Business meetings are sometimes arranged as a luncheon meeting, but dinner meetings are much preferred.
4.4Business appearance
•In major cities, a business suit and tie are appropriate.
•A dark colored suit, with a white shirt, and a tie is the most common.
•For formal occasions, people used to wear Zhong Shan uniforms or Sun Yet-san's uniforms (originated from the uniform advocated in the time of Dr. Sun Yet-san in the early twentieth century).
• But since the 1980s, people started wearing business suits, as Westerners do.
•In rural areas, men used to not care much about their appearance, but now they pay more and more attention to their clothes. They wear suits that are more formal than the suits worn by business people in the cities, showing they are quite aware of the formality of the meeting.
•For a formal meeting in the summertime, a businessman doesn't wear a suit. He will wear light-colored trousers and a nice long or short-sleeved shirt with a tie. The tie is not worn for an informal meeting.
•Businesswomen wear a dress, or a skirt and blouse.
4.5 Behavior in communication
•On formal occasions, a handshake is a common way of greeting when first meeting someone.
• If the meeting is informal, people just nod to each other. Women, who are not used to shaking hands first, are more passive regarding handshakes.
•And in the country, women are too shy to shake hands.
•Addressing one's boss or parents by only using the first name is considered impolite and rude. First names are only common between friends and family members.
•People like to be addressed by their titles, rather than simply as Mr. or Miss.
• For example, both men and women prefer to be called "陈处长（Chen Chuzhang---Section Chief Chen）" instead of Mr. Chen or Miss Chen.
• All teachers are referred to by the title " 老师（Laoshi --teacher) or 教授（Jiaoshou -- professor) " plus the surname. So a teacher would be called "陈老师（Chen Laoshi-Mr. Chen)" or "陈教授（Chen Jiaoshou --Professor Chen)".
•Chinese women do not take their husbands' surnames, and young women prefer to be addressed with Miss.
• For people who do not have a title, they are generally addressed using their full names.
•Business cards are generally exchanged during introductions. A gentleman always carries a business card with his titles and business information.
• Today it's rare that only a social card with just a person's name is used, even at a social event.
•People seldom hug each other when meeting, not even between close friends and family members. And few people kiss in public; except nowadays, some of the younger people are seen kissing.
•"Ladies first" is not common in China as it is in the West. Few men will think of "the Lady-first rule" in communication.
•Men will not help hold the door for a lady when taking a lift, and will not help a lady take off her coat when entering a warmer place from the outside.
•Few Chinese men would ask the others beside them for permission before smoking in public, especially in the rural areas.
•When eating noodles or drinking hot soups, people will slurp, which makes noise, especially in the rural area. To Chinese slurping while eating indicates the person is enjoying the food and thinks it's delicious.
•Some people will answer their cellular phones and talk in a loud voice while having a meal at a restaurant. This frequently happens in the rural areas.
•When a guest is leaving a person's home, it's polite for the host to accompany the guest out the gate and walk a few steps until the guest asks the host to stop and go back home. Otherwise, the host will continue to accompany the guest.
•Gifts, especially for the children, are expected at the first visit to someone's home. When receiving or giving things, both hands should be used to be polite and show respect.
•Business gift giving is also an accepted practice.
•An offer may be declined several times for the sake of being polite. The person offering the gift will ignore this polite decline, and continue to offer the gift. In this way, the gift being offered is usually politely accepted at last. So "no" doesn't simply mean no in China.
•When receiving a compliment, a typical Chinese reaction is to show modesty and humility by saying: “哪里,哪里（Na li, na li --I am not so good)”, or “差得远（Cha de yuan--far from good) ". Such attitudes towards any praise or compliments are considered appropriate and regarded as virtues.
•People do not use "thanks" and "please" as often as the Westerners do.
•They are not used to apply them to the family members or the people offering service, for they think it is one's duty and responsibility to offer the help among the family members, so is the service person's.
•Since there isn't the privacy that's found in the West, people feel free to ask almost any question without being offensive.
•The most common topics are age, income, property, family life, especially children, politics and religion.
•When a purchase is made, Chinese people will often ask or voluntarily tell the item's price in order to share the happiness of shopping.
•Elderly people are highly respected in China, for "old" means "wisdom and experience", the older the better.
• Males especially will often ask about each other's age to show respect for the elder one. And the elder one feels very happy to be addressed as " Lao (Old) " plus surname.
•Today, more and more Chinese women, who have been influenced by the Western cultures, don't want to give their ages.
6 Gifts in China
6.1 Gift Giving
•In China, gifts are always expected when a person is invited to dinner, a birthday party, wedding ceremony, funeral ceremony, or a funeral.
•gifts are also expected when visiting patients, friends, relatives, the elderly, or anyone of a higher status.
•Also, gifts are given for various festivals.
•Gifts containing even numbers instead of odd ones are favored, because odd numbers are considered unfortunate. The number of one is especially bad as it suggests the giver is very stingy.
•Interestingly, the gift's value is usually measured by its price rather than its utility.
•And it's supposed to conform with the receiver's social status, as well as the relationship between the giver and receiver.
•So the more expensive and valuable the gift is, the better the relationship between the two appears to be.
•However, there is the exception, especially between very good or intimate friends who might share almost everything, even simple food and gifts.
•Therefore, gift giving in China is a very delicate social activity, which can become burdensome to most Chinese people.
•Choosing a gift requires considering lots of information about the receiver; so the gift will be pleasantly accepted, rather than become an unexpected annoyance.
6.1.1Visit or dinner invitation
•Generally speaking, when there is an invitation to visit or to have dinner at someone's home, the proper gifts will be fruits, refreshments(点心) such as some sweets, a local specialty from the giver's locale, children's toys, or some specialty item purchased when traveling or away on business.
•When attending a wedding ceremony, people used to bring bedding and household articles to help lessen the bride and groom's financial burden.
• Now, due to the improved standard of living, a new couple can afford to purchase all the items they want for their new home. So it isn't necessary to present extra household articles or bedding.
•Therefore, giving money as the wedding present has become more and more popular. This not only satisfies the new couple; but it also helps the guest who saves time having to choose a proper gift, which might not be an easy job.
•When visiting patients, the most welcome presents are fruits, flowers, or some tonic(滋补品).
•
•Symbolizing happiness, niceness, auspiciousness and love, flowers are regarded as one of the best gifts.
•For example, a lily or twin lotus flowers on one stalk (symbol of a loyal couple) would be a good gift for newly married couple or a couple who are having their wedding anniversary.
6.2 Inappropriate gifts
•Some things are believed to be ominous and will bring bad luck to the receiver, should not be given as gifts, especially on certain occasions.
•Pears and Umbrella - For instance, in some places, neither pears nor umbrellas are supposed to be given at a wedding ceremony, because pears and umbrellas in Chinese are the homophonies (同音异义) of another - the Chinese word meaning divorced or apart. This would definitely annoy the newly married couple.
•Clock - At a birthday party, especially for an elderly person, it is very impolite and ominous to present a clock, which in Chinese means death.
6.3 Presenting gifts
•When giving a gift, it's customary to verbally depreciate it, even when it's very precious and expensive. The person presenting the gift will politely say,
–"Sorry for the small gift!“
–"I didn't intentionally buy this. I happened to have it at home."
"I am a bit ashamed to present you with such a small gift; but, please take it."
•When giving a gift, it's customary to verbally depreciate it, even when it's very precious and expensive. The person presenting the gift will politely say,
–"Sorry for the small gift!“
–"I didn't intentionally buy this. I happened to have it at home."
"I am a bit ashamed to present you with such a small gift; but, please take it."
•The reason why the person giving a gift will devalue it, is to help the receiver accept it without feeling pressured or awkward. This also avoids the possibility of a host refusing to accept a gift, which would cause the guest to "lose face".
•Sometimes, to avoid embarrassment to either person, guests may put the gifts in a corner or another 'out of the way' place in the house; never mentioning them.
–"Sorry for the small gift!“
–"I didn't intentionally buy this. I happened to have it at home."
"I am a bit ashamed to present you with such a small gift; but, please take it."
•The reason why the person giving a gift will devalue it, is to help the receiver accept it without feeling pressured or awkward. This also avoids the possibility of a host refusing to accept a gift, which would cause the guest to "lose face".
•Sometimes, to avoid embarrassment to either person, guests may put the gifts in a corner or another 'out of the way' place in the house; never mentioning them.
6.4Accepting gifts
•To be polite, the person receiving a gift will usually refuse to take it and say,
–"Please keep it for yourself.“
– "Please don't spend so much money on gifts any more."
"Such expensive gifts embarrass me!“
– "I am afraid it's too expensive for me to take."
•The person offering the gift will insist several times that the gift be accepted before it is finally accepted with both hands and put aside.
•Some hosts may even appear angry or insulted at having to accept the gift, not wanting the guest to assume that the only reason why he or she is a welcomed visitor is because of the gift.
•To be polite, the person receiving a gift will usually refuse to take it and say,
–"Please keep it for yourself.“
– "Please don't spend so much money on gifts any more."
"Such expensive gifts embarrass me!“
– "I am afraid it's too expensive for me to take."
•The person offering the gift will insist several times that the gift be accepted before it is finally accepted with both hands and put aside.
•Some hosts may even appear angry or insulted at having to accept the gift, not wanting the guest to assume that the only reason why he or she is a welcomed visitor is because of the gift.
6.5 Opening gifts
•Gifts are not opened immediately, but are opened only after the visitors have left.
• This is done to show that the host is welcoming the guests for themselves, not for the gifts.
•Opening a gift in front of a visitor would be regarded as impolite and greedy, and the visitor would think the host is only interested in the gift.
•In addition, many gifts used to be presented without being wrapped. But now, because of Western culture's influence, more and more gifts are beautifully wrapped.
•Also, when offering a gift, people usually tell the receiver what's inside; which is also part of the reason why the gift is set aside and isn't immediately unwrapped.
•Gifts are not opened immediately, but are opened only after the visitors have left.
• This is done to show that the host is welcoming the guests for themselves, not for the gifts.
•Opening a gift in front of a visitor would be regarded as impolite and greedy, and the visitor would think the host is only interested in the gift.
•In addition, many gifts used to be presented without being wrapped. But now, because of Western culture's influence, more and more gifts are beautifully wrapped.
•Also, when offering a gift, people usually tell the receiver what's inside; which is also part of the reason why the gift is set aside and isn't immediately unwrapped.
7. Friendship in China
•Every one has a friend no matter who he or she is. •With friends, one's life becomes colorful and meaningful; without friends life would be boring and dull.
•Although people value friendship throughout the world, Chinese people have expectations of a friendship that are different from the concepts in a Western friendship.
•In China, most people expect their friends to be there for them, and to do for them, whenever they're in need.
• In other words, there's an obligation within a friendship. People feel an obligation and a duty 'to do' for their friends. There are many Chinese proverbs or sayings concerning friendship, for example:
•People would rather depend on their friends than their own faraway relatives. There is a saying, though not absolutely right, "One's wife could be deserted like a set of clothes, while one's friend could not be betrayed."
•What's more, there is supposed to be no secret among close friends.
•It is believed that one's business is the others', or the friends', business. So among friends, almost everything except a wife can be shared.
•Almost all topics can be discussed, including some very personal and private things; such as personal income, wealth, age, health, family life, expenditures, as well as emotional and financial problems.
•It's believed that people's real friendships are tested in times of need. As often happens people will get angry or hurt because their friends do not tell them the truth, or come to them for help when in need. They're afraid of being neglected as real friends.
•"为朋友两肋插刀" (Wei Peng You Liang Lei Cha Dao ---People can take any risks, including risking their own lives - especially among male friends - to do everything for their friends; even disregarding whether it is right or wrong.)
• "有难同当，有福共享。" ( You Nan Tong Dang, You Fu Gong Xiang --Not only happiness but also bitterness and hardships can be shared among friends.)
• "一个篱笆三个桩, 一个好汉三个帮。" (Yi Ge Li Ba San Ge Zhuang, Yi Ge Hao Han San Ge Bang--As one fence needs three stakes, a good guy needs three fellows.)
•" 在家靠父母，出门靠朋友。" ( Zai Jia Kao Fu Mu , Chu Men Kao Peng You -- Parents are depended on at home, and friends are depended on when out.)
•As shown above, friendship really counts and is very important to a person in society.
•Having friends shows that a person has a good personality. The more friends one has, the better personality he has and more sociable he is.
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