Chinese business etiquette and culture06中国商务礼仪文化06
Gifts Exchange Guests are expected to give a gift to their Chinese host. It is helpful to bring an extra supply of wrapped gifts lest you be caught short-handed. A visiting group can give one large gift to the host organization or smaller mementos to individuals. Avoid gifts of excessive value or that are too personal. Try to find a gift that represents your home state, such as locally made products. As a fallback, many companies rely on gifts of nice crystal or company products such as pens or calendars that can be distributed to everyone.
Chinese dynasty history—Tang dynasty 唐朝
The Tang dynasty (A.D. 618-907), with its capital at Chang’an (长安), is regarded by historians as a high point in Chinese civilization–equal, or even superior, to the Han period. Its territory, acquired through the military exploits of its early rulers, was greater than that of the Han. Stimulated by contact with India (天竺) and the Middle East, the empire saw a flowering of creativity in many fields. Buddhism (佛教), originating in India around the time of Confucius, flourished during the Tang period, becoming thoroughly sinicized and a permanent part of Chinese traditional culture. Block printing was invented, making the written word available to vastly greater audiences. The Tang period was the golden age of literature and art. A government system supported by a large class of Confucian literati selected through civil service examinations (科学) was perfected under Tang rule. This competitive procedure was designed to draw the best talents into government. But perhaps an even greater consideration for the Tang rulers, aware that imperial dependence on powerful aristocratic families and warlords would have destabilizing consequences, was to create a body of career officials having no autonomous territorial or functional power base. As it turned out, these scholar-officials acquired status in their local communities, family ties, and shared values that connected them to the imperial court. From Tang times until the closing days of the Qing empire in 1911, scholar-officials functioned often as intermediaries between the grass-roots level and the government.
Chinese Art：Chinese Qipao, Cheongsam 旗袍
Qipao (Ch’ipau) is one of the most typical, traditional costumes for Chinese women. Also known as cheongsam, it is like a wonderful flower in the Chinese colorful fashion scene because of its particular charm.
Chinese business etiquette and culture05中国商务礼仪文化05
Last Name First In China, the family name (surname) appears first, and the first name (given name), last. So for Jiang Zemin, Jiang is the family name, Zemin is the given name. For a Chinese businessperson or official who frequently interacts with foreigners, names may be spoken/written in the Western format. If you are uncertain as to which is which, it never hurts to ask for clarification.
Chinese dynasty history—Sui dynasty 隋朝
Sui dynasty is called a Restoration of Empire.China was reunified in A.D. 589 by the short-lived Sui dynasty (A.D. 581-617), which has often been compared to the earlier Qin dynasty in tenure and the ruthlessness of its accomplishments. The Sui dynasty’s early demise was attributed to the government’s tyrannical demands on the people, who bore the crushing burden of taxes and compulsory labor. These resources were overstrained in the completion of the Grand Canal(大运河) –a monumental engineering feat–and in the undertaking of other construction projects, including the reconstruction of the Great Wall. Weakened by costly and disastrous military campaigns against Korea (朝鲜)in the early seventh century, the dynasty disintegrated through a combination of popular revolts, disloyalty, and assassination. Map is showing the geographical extension of the Chinese Empire of the Sui Dynasty as well as surrounding ethnic groups, tribes and kingdoms around the year 600 AD.
Chinese art: Paper-cutting
Paper-cut is a very distinctive visual art of Chinese handicrafts in China. It originated from the 6th century when women used to paste golden and silver foil cuttings onto their hair at the temples, and men used them in sacred rituals. Later, they were used during festivals to decorate gates and windows. After hundreds of years’ development, now they have become a very popular means of decoration among country folk, especially women.
Never make these mistakes in Chinese 87
Foreigners often make some strange mistakes in Chinese when they study the most difficult language— —Chinese. We try to analyze typical sentences to correct these errors.
Chinese business etiquette and culture04中国商务礼仪文化04
Using Chopsticks on Banquets Chinese appreciate foreigners’ efforts to eat with chopsticks. If using chopsticks proves impossible and no forks are available, you can use the porcelain spoon.
Chinese dynasty history—Han dynasty 汉朝
After a short civil war, a new dynasty, called Han (206 B.C.-A.D. 220), emerged with its capital at Chang’an (长安 ). The new empire retained much of the Qin administrative structure but retreated a bit from centralized rule by establishing vassal principalities in some areas for the sake of political convenience. The Han rulers modified some of the harsher aspects of the previous dynasty; Confucian ideals of government, out of favor during the Qin period, were adopted as the creed of the Han empire, and Confucian scholars gained prominent status as the core of the civil service. A civil service examination system also was initiated. Intellectual, literary, and artistic endeavors revived and flourished. The Han period produced China’s most famous historian, Sima Qian (司马迁 145-87 B.C.?), whose Shiji (史记 Historical Records) provides a detailed chronicle from the time of a legendary Xia emperor to that of the Han emperor Wu Di ( 武帝141-87 B.C.). Technological advances also marked this period. Two of the great Chinese inventions, paper and porcelain, date from Han times.
Chinese business etiquette and culture03中国商务礼仪文化03
Banquets Toasting Toasting is an indispensable component of the Chinese banquet and it begins when the principal host offers a welcoming toast. Toasts are typically short (2 to 4 minutes) and may consist of a simple welcome, a brief statement filled with platitudes, or a substantive comment on the visit. Chinese rarely hold their glass at shoulder length when toasting, it is considered respectful to try and toast your glass lower than other’s glasses.
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