Good Chinese, poor Chinese: features mentality

Operating typical kitaytsaV China "intricate melodies numerous rygov, bunches and Harkany become familiar and integral part of a sound picture of the world. Otherwise, you can not - flow of qi energy should be free to flow through the body. " Philologist and Orientalist Ermilina faith - the positive and negative sides of the Chinese mentality.

"The Dark Side" kitaytsevPoskolku many of my friends, knowing that I am in China, often begin a dialogue the question "What is it the Chinese?", I decided to devote the first serious post in this blog my perception of residents of the country, which currently serves as I haven, and in the distant future - who knows? - It may be my new home.

Immediately say, that always cautious about generalizations and stereotypes in relation to any group of people, especially such large, as an ethnic group. However, after living for a while in the country, willy-nilly, you start to observe for themselves certain laws, properties inherent in the vast majority of the representatives of this nationality. And with regard to the Chinese, at some point, I came to a disappointing conclusion: I do not like. Several reasons for this, I will try to list them:

1. Household kulturaTak happened that for the ordinary Chinese expression "that is natural, it is not ugly" - credo. When you walk down the street in China, with the usual urban noise harmoniously interwoven all the rich variety of sounds produced by the human body - many intricate melody rygov, bunches and Harkany become familiar and integral part of a sound picture of the world. Otherwise, you can not - flow of qi energy should be free to flow through the body and out of it at a time when it is needed. Many of the usual Western human taboos do not work here, especially for children. Seat 7-year-old baby to pee in the middle of the street - fine; breast-feed the baby in the metro - no problem; allow offspring to be worn around the restaurant, screaming and lying on the floor - why not (though raising children - the question from another sphere, perhaps, this is what I, too, ever write). Subject to a separate story - culture of using public toilets: many Chinese people (probably mostly the ones that came to the city from the province) do not consider it necessary, stepping into the booth, close the door; in those rare cases where there is a toilet in the bathroom, looking at his condition, the preference is usually still give away the usual "point each».

2. Disrespect personal prostranstvaNi no secret that a lot of Chinese. Lots of. Therefore, where a Dane or a Swede acquires its own house and plot with lawn, within which everything is subordinated to his personal taste, and he can be alone with yourself, the Chinese literally sit on each other's heads. Traditional big families, cramped apartment in which they live at the same time 3-4 generations, for seniors of collectivism which is one of the main features of the world - all this contributes to the majority of the Chinese habit to constantly be in the crowd, without experiencing discomfort. Hence it is very irritating behavior of most foreigners, for example, in the subway, when to get off the train and go to him, people just shoved each other aside; those who stand on the platform to squeeze into the car and, without thinking first release of people from it, and this - not rude, it is - the norm. If you are traveling by train or fly in an airplane, and your neighbor wanted to meet you - do not expect to read a book; If you are close, then open for communication, and familiar to us the body language - directed to the other side view, closed posture, cold and laconic answers - it is likely to remain misunderstood and, whether you like it or not, have to hear all about political views, culinary preferences and the vicissitudes of family life companion.

3. Narrow krugozorOsobennosti Chinese education is such that learning is based on rote unconscious and directed not so much to obtain the maximum amount of knowledge, the formation of a wide range of interests and creative thinking, but on the change of school and college exams (something that's vaguely reminiscent, is not it? ?). Therefore, as a rule, the Chinese do not shine erudition; for most of them the Baltic countries are somewhere between Russia and China, the population of Belgium says, likely is Belgian, and Bolivia - a US state. In general, the picture of the world - about the same as the majority of our fellow citizens, but it is also complemented by the unwillingness to think critically, analyze, draw their own conclusions. I feel that the average Chinese person - the ideal machine to perform basic tasks on standard schemes, his intellectual activity is based on lessons from school a set of ideas and stereotypes (in Russia - cold, big nose - beautiful, Africans - aggressive, drink more water). Such a consensus among the residents of a billionth of the country - a definite plus from a political perspective: Chinese conveniently manage their reactions are understandable and predictable. However, in terms of interpersonal and intercultural communication, I think it helps to preserve the huge communication hole between "us" and "them».

All this, of course, is not all Chinese. Of course, among them there are highly cultured and educated, charming personality and fine sides. But I will try to formulate those unpleasant features that, according to my feelings, common to most people in this country.

"The Bright Side" kitaytsev1. Dining kulturaNe sure there is such a thing, but oh well. I am one of those people who dish on the plate at the neighbor always seems to taste better their own and Western-style restaurants, which comes from the diversity of vkusnyashek menu to choose one and only, I find it a little sad. In the Chinese catering is no such problem: always ordered several dishes (and their number is usually 2-3 exceeds the number seated at the table), which are put into the middle, and it turns out that something like a mini buffet. In such a situation, first, it is possible to try many more dishes, and secondly, even if some of them are not your style, hungry just do not go away, as something surely enjoy it, and thirdly, economically those dinners are more profitable because the amount of the check is usually divided at all consumers.

My attitude to the Chinese cuisine is ambiguous: some of the dishes I was eating with pleasure (pork with the scent of fish), others seem to me rather sad (all sorts of soups with fresh noodles), and there are those whose existence I do I can not justify the (stinky tofu) but the form of collective power impresses me. In addition, there may be little to worry about compliance with table manners - you are no special plugs for oysters and pialok rinse fingers - only sticks, only hardcore. All scraps, shells, bones, and tissues as pravilvo, rush directly to the cellophane-covered table, or on the floor. In terms of aesthetics - outrageous in terms of convenience - the most it. If you, like me, manners slightly worse than the Queen of England, in the Chinese restaurant, you will be quite comfortable.

2. TrudolyubieHotya, perhaps this is not entirely correct: the Chinese love to work (as, indeed, most other nationalities) are no different; but their ability to engage in long and patiently boring and monotonous work is sometimes astounding. The most glaring example - is, of course, work in manufacturing. The salaries of the workers of the Chinese factories is very low, working conditions, to put it mildly, not an office of Google, but where Russian would be drunk, the French organized a trade union strike, and the German took up the optimization, the Chinese quietly work out shift after shift, often staying overtime to earn more . More than an opportunity for creative expression, career prospects and all so dear to European hearts challenges, ordinary Chinese appreciates stability. As long as the work brings a steady income, no matter how boring it is, they will plow, eat fresh rice and rejoice in the fact that they have - I sometimes think that this can be envied. The quality of the work they do - that is another question ...

3. TerpimostV China in its history has never been religious wars. Well, drive, for example, in the Tang Buddhist, because they were big fans of MILLION to live by begging and labor was not enough; Well, banned Falun Gong sect, because nefig roll a barrel on the Communist Party ... but the bloody conflict on the basis of the fact that in one village goddess Guanyin draw with 6 arms, and the other - with 8, he has never happened here. As long as your beliefs do not threaten national security and do not involve violations of the law - you can believe anything. In China, in my experience, it is quite tolerant of gay people (at least in large cities) and other minorities. I have a feeling (perhaps wrongly) that is very tolerant of disability, so that people are much less suffer from complexes. On the streets and in the parks, many dance, sing out loud, doing qigong, and no one is criticized for extravagance. It's a little strange, but, in general, probably great.

4. Friendliness and gostepriimstvoNavernoe, the flip side of the lack of personal space, but actually it does not change. Chinese - very open guys, always ready to help and give way to invite to dinner. They smile a lot and very rarely get angry. As a foreigner here, I often encounter with curiosity in his address (sometimes excessive), but never - aggression. When you come home to the Chinese, he is trying to do everything to make the guest feel comfortable and satisfying.

Somehow ... to each item I wanted to add a dozen of any "buts", but I tried to somehow stay on the positive. Here are the Bahia aunties with oranges to make it quite happily.

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