EAST VS. WEST PERCEPTIONS

Perceptions that “the East” and “the West” have of each other have always played an important role in the relations between the people of both spheres of the globe. The Chinese, for the most part, consider “the West” as wealthy, developed, and worthy of emulation with regards to technology, education, lifestyles, and fashions. However, many of these perceptions stem from Western popular culture, which may portray only a limited aspect or unrealistic view of life in “the West.” English language training is stressed at all levels of education and a graduate degree from an accredited university in “the West” is quickly becoming a requirement for landing a superior position in China.

On the other hand, the Chinese are immensely proud of their culture and history. It is perceived that Westerners might find Chinese culture–e.g., Chinese characters (hanzi), social etiquette such as the concept of the human connections (rengqing), and sophisticated Chinese cuisine (liaoli), etc.–difficult to grasp and appreciate. The education system stresses the Western colonization of China in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and young people in China are quick to react to anything perceived as an attack on China’s sovereignty.

“The West” also tends to use its own measurements regarding China due to differences between the two cultures. To “the West,” China seems to represent a repressive dictatorship one day or an economic powerhouse that poses a threat to jobs and security the next-although this is slowly changing with increased interaction between the two cultures.