What Concepts of Chinese Culture Have Been in Circulation in Singapore - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Concepts of Chinese Culture Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Table of Content 1 Title : Concepts of Chinese Culture 1 Introduction 4 Concepts of Chinese culture in Singapore 4 Mianzi 4 Guanxi 5 Zhong Yong 6 Yin vs. Yang 6 Lijie vs. the surface harmony 7 Keqi 8 The inner vs. outer circles 8 Collection and personal interests 8 Non-Verbal communication 8 Effects of government policies on the Singaporeans images 9 The authoritarianism and the PAP domination challenges 12 Blood Money in Singapore 13 Conclusion 13 Bibliography 14 Caira, M., 2008, The concept of migration and clandestinely in the Chinese culture, Social science information journal, Vol. 47, No. 4, 623-628. 14 Elliot, K., 1996, Working with Chinese families in the context of dementia. In G. Yeo & D. Gallagher-Thompson (Eds.), Ethnicity and the dementias. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis publishers. 15 Rodan, G., 1992, Singapore's Leadership Transition: Erosion or Refinement of Authoritarian Rule, Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars journal, Vol. 24. 15 Mingjuan, T., 1999, Nurturing Nature: Singapore's conservation movement, Hong Kong, University of Cambridge. 15 Olivia, K., 2006, Slang images: on the 'foreignness' of contemporary Singaporean films, Vol. 7, 1, 81 – 98. 15 Introduction 2 Concepts of Chinese culture in Singapore 2 Mianzi 2 Guanxi 3 Zhong Yong 4 Yin vs. Yang 4 Lijie vs. the surface harmony 5 Keqi 6 The inner vs. outer circles 6 Collection and personal interests 6 Non-Verbal communication 7 Effects of government policies on the Singaporeans images 7 The authoritarianism and the PAP domination challenges 10 Blood Money in Singapore 11 Conclusion 11 Bibliography 12 Introduction Culture involves the arts, customs, beliefs, institutions and the entire product of personal work and ideas made by groups as well as individuals. The Chinese culture is very much diversified, dating back several of years. This essay discusses the various concepts in Chinese culture and the impact the state and on the individual lives. The effects of government policies on the Singaporeans images are evaluated and how they constitute Chinese culture and identity. Concepts of Chinese culture in Singapore Mianzi This concept is also known as face or sometimes referred to as self-mage. Mianzi is the foundation to the Chinese culture and is very critical that one has to understand it. In China, it is used to mean a person’s social status or rather reputation before the eyes of some other people within the society and is considered to be integral to the social and business production. For the entire life of a Chinese person, it is an obligation that Mianzi has to be preserved and enhanced by giving and getting from others which should be both in languages and actions. It is built through one showing respect to others which helps one to earn trust recognition. The concept of Mianzi also extends from the individual level through family levels and to the entire nation of China. For instance, for any student to obtain high marks it is considered to be a face to all his or her parents and to that particular child. The ability for someone to indulge the other into lose face whether unknowingly or intentionally is considered to be a very big mistake as it reflects lack of honour to people. However, the lose of face is generally avoided through telling the white lies in the Westside meaning something that is not absolute and trustworthy in saving the other individual’s face. In China, the commercial disputes are as well being handled informally with the help of another who is external to the whole legal system to protect one’s face. Confirmation of schedules is the major and regular confusion associated with Mianzi (Muller & Desmond, 1992). Guanxi This concept involves connections and is closely related to Mianzi that is sometimes referred to as relationships and also at times known as connections. This is because it majorly involves exchange of favours. This aspect of the Chinese culture is ideally compared to networking in the Western culture and is elaborated to mean making and nurturing relationships by means of social exchanges and giving out favour that must be refunded with very high value at a later time. In this kind of environment where Guanxi is being practiced such issues like cronyism and the cases of corruption are not very common as long as Guanxi obligations are prioritized more often than the normal rules. The idea of connectedness in this concept can easily be traced from the belief of considering a person as a component of a group or rather a network who may be a family, from work and social group (Elliot, 1996). The identity of any individual is inextricably connected to their specific network which is not valued on personal basis. As a result of identification, patriotism and sense of personal belonging are fostered which may private and innovative reasoning causing open communication barriers. Zhong Yong This is also known to be the doctrine of Mean and sometimes referred to as the Golden Mean. The major idea in this concept is balance. This involves balancing a person’s position in a group in order to maintain traditional values and the logic of harmony. This practice and continued achievement of personal objectives is regarded as the ideal mode of living which originates from the Confucian philosophy. The concept can be applicable to the entire aspects of life, whether at home where respect for the parents is required and maintain happiness among the children, spouses and parents. This cultural concept is very much relevant in motivation and rewarding of people just like it can be applied in excuse for passive behaviour. Although China is always very peaceful and loving nation, there are some possibilities of the nation being attributed to the principle underlying this concept. Yin vs. Yang The concept which aims at describing the interconnection and co-dependent of opposing forces in the universe is this concept of Yin vs. Yang. Several dualities that naturally exist for instance male vs. female, dark vs. light and honour vs. dishonour are the major instances in Yin vs. Yang. The frequently turning symbol illustrates the belief of things being able to change and indeed they will always have to change (Xiong, 1995). Therefore, according to the western culture, staying with one’s enemies or competitors so close can as well be important since nobody knows what tomorrow will carry.  The relevancy of balancing the conflicting forces may explain the rationale for contradictory theories and main beliefs are coexisting in relation to harmony. The idea of balancing the positions of people in an organization may be considered as the efficient way in management of teams, though it may cause power struggles and inefficient bureaucracies. Lijie vs. the surface harmony The underlying idea in this concept is the ability of retaining composure and continuing to be polite as well as courteous. As matter of arguing publicly in places or management reproaching a subordinate will lead to loss of the face, peacekeeping troops are often employed to distribute unpleasant news. The surface harmony always is considered as being of great value compared to personal emotions, this subsequently calls for proper etiquette to safeguard harmony as well as the face (Lin, 1980). Keqi Kegi is considered to be the concept that maintains humility and diffidence which is demonstrated by one being polite, good manners and considerate and it represents modesty as well. With this concept, the Chinese never consider being polite to mean arrogant and boastful about a person’s achievement and being connected. The inner vs. outer circles In this ideology the rules on behavior for instance apologizing striking into individuals, are not applicable to the outside of a person’s inner ring of friends. In addition, the ideas that are very familiar in western cultures like showing kindness to the strangers and some charitable support are not extensively shared. Collection and personal interests This is a deep-seated kind of social belief that involves collective interest as the most important compared to individual one which is taken as being weak (Ryan, 1995). Therefore, all the individuals are required to sacrifice most of their self-interests in the expense of serving other people’s needs. Non-Verbal communication The non-verbal kind of communication in the Chinese culture takes the biggest position. Due to the fact that Chinese struggle for harmony and depend on groups, they therefore, rely on the various facial expressions, posture and the tone of any voice to explain whatever feelings someone has. For instance when a person frowns while the other is speaking, the interpretation is that he or she has disagreed to what is said. In relation to this belief, the Chinese uphold a very impassive expression while speaking (Caira, 2008). Effects of government policies on the Singaporeans images The country has a community one-party kind of system in which people are liberated to each other in making similar choice; in Singapore there is the “Fine and Simply Beautiful” motto that drives the single one party system. Since the time this country got independence from the dirty ideology in the year 1955, Person’s Action Party has always been in power. However, for the two months in the year 1971 the talking dog took power after its declaration as the emperor. The dog valued one the Singapore’s best leaders and established its own current policy which is referred to as “Neo Spic vs. Spanism”. This policy entails, the state’s meaning of the words is the party’s advancement and the destruction of the evil enemies, known as Durian. Later the dog surrendered his power to the unknown man who decided to use the successful Prime minister’s title referred to as National Socialist meaning empire (Cheng, 2001). In Singapore, there is the existence of people who are referred to as Foreign Talents they are considered to be very precious and they are commonly known as Original Class Citizens. This people’s talents are very precious in that though they do not have the rights of voting, their respective children are considered in the Performance of the National Service referred to as aka the National Slavery for the entire country even if they cannot vote. With this policy in relation to the motto of Lee family “Let those who have no power as well as voice die for the sake of the ones with more”. These kinds of practices have been very successful in the achievement of minor dominances. Majority of the Singapore’s government misinformation are very effective, though not traditionally viewed but instead considered to be for self-parody and they exist as in-jokes. A large number of Singaporeans view their country as being so successful in relation to GDP growth. However, the media surveys indicate that the entire Singaporeans are capable of effectively coping up with the issues of taxation, drop of birth rates, stress related to work and inflation. The issues of demonstration and strikes are nearly in no existence because of the widespread belief of disturbances obstruct the growth of the economy. The government of Singapore refers the tourist experience with of its country as being “Distinctively Singapore”, this kind of slogan has had the positive responses obtained from the majority of tourists whom incase they could realize that there is another certain city in the world which resembles Singapore (Mingjuan, 1999). The recently planned tourist offerings are taken to be a major topic of argument. The Integrated Resorts sometimes well recognized by their really name as Casinos comprise of several Singaporeans middle-aged, these are concerned with betting of spouses that could misuse their saved lives. Therefore, Singapore is in plans of ruining majority of foreigners more in the Casinos than the rest of shopping malls. Concerns were suggested on the unconstructive social impact resulting from casino gambling, illustrating worries that ideas of casinos could greatly encourage supplementary gambling and raise the compulsive gambling risk. It was argued by the advocating groups that the issue of casino would most likely lead to detrimental activities usually related to gambling, as well as the acts of money laundering, organized crimes and loan swindling. PM Lee approved the negative aspects of creating Integrated Resorts which became a public concern. He guaranteed the availability of safeguards to restrict the social force in casino gambling, the casinos could not permit the extension of credit to the entire local community. Lee was the only PAP first-generation leader after the general elections of the 1988. This leadership change has been concluded under the cost-effective and social circumstances that pose other challenges on the intention of PAP in keeping complete political supremacy. This has consequently led to several important modifications with the political procedures in Singapore. According to Rodan (1992) new system of leadership has enforced the legitimate political pluralism closure via several repressive measures. Leadership transition has influenced political liberalization with the government of Singapore. The authoritarianism and the PAP domination challenges Authoritarianism is illustrated by extensive and increased parliamentary controls that are most enjoyed and influenced by PAP, this hinder effective rebel and opposition on the one side and institutionalize the global view of PAP on another side. This global view in connection to other issues, greatly emphasize the idea of technocratic nature in the public policy in place of petitive politics. The wider context of the reserved party system suits and therefore, conditions the chances and setting s in which the dominance of PAP can be confronted. The most related is coordination in political and social institutions to the comprehension of the defined goals of PAP generally referred to as the PAP state, which take the benefit of unusual level of qualified political independence due to the long ruling party that originates from capital and the labor pressures The span of PAP power on to the Singapore society influenced by the ideology of effective integration of the party in the state, has largely been essential in legitimizing the idea of PAP as well as countering effective opposition. However, this principle has integrated with the socio-economic policies which have substantially increased the living standards of most people. Blood Money in Singapore The regime of Kuan Yew in Singapore still keep few drug paddlers compensated with very small amount in smugglings, ideally this involves them in falsehood of increased morality against the crime issues on drugs. In addition, there is creation of very strict rules and profile order to show that they possess high sense of good morals and the authority to enforce law. This has been considered as the worst kind of hypocracy since this regime collaborated intensely with the main dealers of drug lord such as the Burmese and its corrupted military junta government that widely invested in the state of Singapore (Rodan, 1992). The Kuan Yew’s system of governance permits drug lord. The ruling party has restricted the engagement of its citizens to some specific issues especially the ones that are related to politics. However, civic groups have not been discouraged in Singapore, equally so the government has managed to sanction the development of the civic groups in some specific sectors, this is particularly in the sectors that the government would not like to have the responsibility (Olivia, 2006). Such issues as independent charities, are carefully encouraged perhaps the attitude of meritocracy on the welfare of the state-sponsored is unabashedly phobic. Conclusion In summary, the Chinese culture is very much diversified and it comprises of varied concepts that defines the individuals and country’s abilities, traditions, beliefs, societal identifications and the entire product from personal work. The government’s system of leadership and ruling has greatly influenced the Singaporeans images, especially on the issues of identification and individual responsibilities. Bibliography Cheng, A., 2001, Cross-cultural implementation of a Chinese version of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) in Taiwan, British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 567-572. Caira, M., 2008, The concept of migration and clandestinely in the Chinese culture, Social science information journal, Vol. 47, No. 4, 623-628. Ryan, A., 1995, Cultural factors in casework with Chinese Americans. Social Casework: The Journal of Contemporary Social Work, 66, 6, 333-339. Muller, J., & Desmond, B., 1992, Ethical dilemmas in a cross-cultural context: A Chinese example. Cross-cultural medicine A decade later (Special issue). Western Journal of Medicine, 157, 323-327. Lin, M., 1980, Love, denial and rejection: responses of Chinese families to mental illness. In Normal and Abnormal Behavior in Chinese Culture, pp. 387-401. Boston, MA: D. Reidel. Xiong, W., 1995, Expressed emotion in mainland China: Chinese families with schizophrenic patients. International Journal of Mental Health, 24, 54-75. Elliot, K., 1996, Working with Chinese families in the context of dementia. In G. Yeo & D. Gallagher-Thompson (Eds.), Ethnicity and the dementias. Washington, DC: Taylor & Francis publishers. Rodan, G., 1992, Singapore's Leadership Transition: Erosion or Refinement of Authoritarian Rule, Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars journal, Vol. 24. Mingjuan, T., 1999, Nurturing Nature: Singapore's conservation movement, Hong Kong, University of Cambridge. Olivia, K., 2006, Slang images: on the 'foreignness' of contemporary Singaporean films, Vol. 7, 1, 81 – 98. Read More