Differencesin-gift-giving-and-gift-receiving

LOGODifferencesingift-givingandgift-receivingbetweenChineseandWesternersBy国政101张秋霞冯秋伶彭秋丽OUTLINECaseInChinaGift-givingGift-receivingInwesterncountriesGift-givingGift-receivingCompareReasonChinesegovernmentsentadelegationonfriendlyvisittoHolland.Thetwodelegationsexchangedpresents.And…CASE“AreNationalDelegationsatisfiedwiththevisit?Yesterday,wegavegiftstothem.Butwhydidnotanyoneopenthegiftsandhavealook?Inouropinion,theywerenotinterestedinthesegiftsorhadanyotherproblems.”TheHollandstaffstoldtotheChineseembassystaffsinHolland.“荷兰人为什么要当场查看我们的礼品呢？难道是对我们的礼品不放心？”中国代表心里想。Gift-givinginChinaAsforChinese,wepayattentiontothegiftofusevaluebutnotthememorableorspecialvalue.Thebigbothergiftsondifferentlevels,differentgenderstochooseadifferentgift.Therefore,Chineseusuallychoosesomethingexpensivethegiftis,theclosertherelationshipbetweenthegiverandthereceiveris.Fruitisacommononewhenvisitingafamily.Avoidgivingclocksandothersitemstotalinganevernumbersuchasfourflowerstemsasgifts.Theword’spronunciationfor”clock”inChineseissimilartothewordfor“death”andthenumberfoursymbolizesdeath.Sharpobjectssuchasknives,letteropeners,orscissors.Theseimplytheseveranceofarelationship.Don’twrapgiftsinthesecolorssuchaswhite,blackorblue.Thoseareassociatedwithfunerals.Red,yellowandpinkareseenasjoyfulcolors.Gift-receivinginChinaChinesetraditiondictatesthatapersonshouldnotappeargreedy,andsoitiscustomintheChineseculturetorefuseacceptingagift3times.Thegivershouldpolitelycontinuetoofferthegift,anditwilleventuallyaccepted.Chinesealwaysopenthegiftafterthegiverhasleft.Nomatterwhetherhelikeitornot,healwayssayhelikeit.Itisconsideredpolite.Itispoliteandoftenexpectedthatyouthankthegiverofthegift.Thankyounotes,aphonecallafterwards,oranyothergestureofthanksisgreatlyappreciatedintheChinesecultureaswell.Chinesetendtobeaverygive-and-takecultureinwhichtheexpectationistoreturnwhatisreceivedatsomepoint.Gift-sendinginwesterncountriesThenumberofpresentsisoddratherthaneven.Gift-sendinginwesterncountriesFestival,birthday,wedding,visit，farewellIt’snecessarytosendgiftsatChristmas.Graduationceremony,engagement,thesecondwedding，workplaceGift-sendinginwesterncountriesSendgiftswrappedbywhitepackingpaperandtiedbywhiteribbonwithacongratulationcardandanamecardafterreceivingaweddinginvitation.Gift-sendinginwesterncountriesGiftsarenotsupposedtobepresentedin13thoronFriday.Don’tneedtogivevaluablegifts.Original,romantic,DIYUSAUKGermanFranceGift-receivinginwesterncountriesopengiftsinpublicatoncetoshowyouradmirationandgratitude.Foodshouldbesharedwithotherstoshowyourloveforit。comparecountrygivingreceivingChinesefocusavoid1.Openthegiftafterthegiverhasleft.Nomatterwhetheryoulikeitornot,youalwayssayyoulikeit.Itisconsideredpolite.2.Thankthegiverofgifts.1.Expensivegiftsarewelcome.2.Fruitiscommon.1.Clocks.2.Sharpobjects.3.Colorssuchaswhite,blackandblue.Westerners1.SomethingCheapbutspecial.2.Flowersandwinearecommongiftsforwesterns.1.Sharpobjects,2.13thandFridayareunpopular.3.GivingStripedtiestoEnglish.opengiftsinpublicatoncetoshowyouradmirationandgratitude.ReasonSocialdistance:atermrefferingtothesimilarityordissimilaritybetweenthetwocultures.InChina:●Chinesevaluecollectivismandharmonyinsidegroup,beringtheculturaltraitsofhigh-context,relation-driven,face-consciousness,highpower-distanceandother-maintenanceoriented.Theyoftenshowgreatself-abasementasasighofmodesty.ReasonInWesternCountries:●Westernersvalueindividualismandthinkhighlyofdirection.Theyhavetheculturaltraitsoflow-context,monochronic(doingonethingduringoneperiodoftime)andlowpower-distance.●InmostWesterncultures,itisnotconsideredappropriatetoacceptaprivategift,especiallyavaluableone,asarewardforperformingawork-relatedduty.Suchagiftwouldoftenbeviewedasabribe.Reason●Western(individualist)culturesgenerallyfeelthereshouldbeaclearerdistinctionbetweenpublicandprivatelifethanEastern(collectivist)culturewouldmake,andthiscausesWesternerstofeelitismorewrongtodothingsthatwouldtransgresstheboundariesbetweenthesetwopartsoflife.Inconclusion,differentcountrieshavedifferentetiquetteofgift-givingandgift-receving.Beforegivingagifttoaforeignfriend,you’dbettermakeclearabouttheetiquettetoavoidmisunderstandings.Thanksforyourwatching.