This is Lechuan Huang saying 'hello' to everyone at IfGoGo.
After being a lurker for some time, I am just recently offered the privilege to join this fantastic group of authors. Excited :)
I am from Nanjing, but took my first chance to go abroad the last school year to London, where I began to feel that there ARE a lot of things about China that should and could be told to the world. I met fabulous friends there, most of whom cheerful and thoughtful, very knowledgeable and still open to new ideas. Sadly, sometimes information does not go through from China to Europe as well as it should have, people still do not realize who I am, what my country truly is.
I am not sure if it is alright to feel responsible for clearing up the image of China to the outside world, but as I am an economics teacher-to-be starting next school term, it might not be a bad idea to employ my professional techniques in familiarizing China to as many people as possible. And of course, to make friends in the same process. Search for Lechuan Huang on facebook and add me as a friend :)
So today's topic (finally)
Yesterday I met with a British lady who was working in Nanjing. During our talks she told me that among things she did not understand so well about China was this 'face-saving' behavior. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to go further on the topic.
Afterwards I read in a British teacher's guide, that students might resort to 'face-saving' if criticized improperly. So face-saving is present in the Britain (and probably in the Western world) as well.
My question is: is there a difference between the Chinese (or East Asian) way of face-saving and the Western way of doing so? What do you think?
Well, I think the 'face-saving' thing is due to some "over-evolution" culture in China. People are treating simple stuff more and more complicated. And on the other hand, Chinese people are restrictedly (most mentally) reigned for years, which caused they were so afraid to act naturally - they have to think twice before, and then, getting stuff complicated.
Personally, I don't think 'face-saving' thing is a so bad stuff, though it just sometimes cuts down the life efficiency. I just hope those people (under pressure) around us could live easier and happier.
I have the same feeling that we (Chinese) care too much about how other people think about us. Thus, I usually see people want to keep a reasonably nice position in the society, no matter fake or real, by any means.
Usually, if the community is open and mercury, the fear for face-losing might be lower in comparing with that in the isolated/fixed community.
Well, I think this is caused by the differences between educations systems. In China, students study for marks while other westerners kids study for fun. I have been Australia for one and half year, what I seen here is even facing GAOKAO coming soon, students still have lots of time for fun. Never start class before 9.30 or end after 3.30, and all kinds of competitions, activities,......With obviously different pressure in their childhood, the way of treating stuff around will definetely varies accordingly.