When it comes to business etiquette in China, it’s more than just the formalities, niceties, and taboos.  Navigating the world of business relations in China requires a nuanced understanding of Chinese values and history.  In this article, we will explore how this understanding can cement good business etiquette at the business meeting, during dinner, and in personal communication.

Key Values and History

There are two strong values that underpin present day Chinese culture.  The idea of “saving face” is critical within family, business, and political circles.  It is important not to cause anyone to lose face.  The value that we uphold in Western society with regards to a person’s dignity can serve as a point of reference.  In Western society, we talk of self-esteem, self-confidence, and dignity when it comes to connecting a person’s intrinsic worth with their outward treatment.  In Chinese society, face is connected to how a person is viewed.  Essentially, losing face means experiencing shame.  [Bucknall]

The other strong value present within Chinese culture is the concept of harmony.  It permeates the ethos of government and the family.  It stems from thousands of years of Confucian influence with regards to what a perfect world would be.  In the perfect world, people would be connected to each other in well-established hierarchal relationships.  Harmony also means conflict is not necessarily resolved but overcome by mutual existence.  [Graham & Lam]  This may be a bit strange to Westerners since being straight-forward and getting to the point is essential in business dealings.  In China, the working out of relationships requires reciprocity of favors and sustained mutual amity despite disagreements.

Besides these two strong values, it must be understood that the Chinese have a strong sense of nationhood and ethnicity in the face of harsh and perceived unfair dealings with the outside world.  The transliterated version of the word China in Chinese means “Middle Kingdom”.  The Chinese see themselves as the center of the world.  It was difficult for the Chinese emperors to admit defeat in the Opium Wars and the handover of ports like Hong Kong and Macau.  The brash treatment the Europeans powers gave 19th century China is not easily forgotten.  The cruel injustices the Japanese committed during World War II still festers mistrust and resentment in many a young Chinese.  So there exists simultaneously a rock-steady pride and an inferiority complex within Chinese society.  On the one hand, the Chinese see themselves as inheritors of a great culture yet on the other hand, they see the rest of the world with better technology and lifestyles which they want and believe are within reach. [McGregor]

So what does saving face, harmony, and the Chinese self-pride/inferiority complex have to do with business etiquette?  The answer is A LOT.  In the next sections, we will delve into how these sensibilities manifest themselves in the business meeting, at the dinner table, and in business conversations.

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