Dress code
First impression is important when you are meeting someone for the first time, especially during a business meeting. Usually, the first impression will be determined from the dressing. Your dressing not only represents your image, but also the image of the company. Sometimes, first impression can also decide whether one can clinch the deal during a business meeting. Therefore, being in the appropriate dress code is crucial.
In China, the appropriate dress code for men is business suit with light coloured shirt and tie. Men should go for conservative colours such as navy blue, charcoal and dark grey. They should avoid wearing white as white is the colour worn during a funeral in China and this include their socks. Tie should be of neutral colour and not with excessive patterns; simple patterns such as polka dots and stripes are acceptable. Bright colours are also considered inappropriate during a business meeting. For shoes, men should go for black leather business shoes with black socks. A matching leather belt should also be worn. A suitable accessory for men will be a watch. Men should also avoid showing tattoo or piercing if they have one.
For women, the appropriate dress code is business suit with long sleeved blouse and stockings. In China, skirts are preferred rather than trousers as it looks more professional. Women can also go for dress, however they should go for high necklines and the hem of the dress should be below the knee. They should refrain from wearing short sleeved, bare backs or low-cut blouses and also anything that is revealing as the Chinese do not like women with too much of exposure. Just like men, women should also go for conservative colours such as black, dark grey and avoid bright colours. F...
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...rp as it symbolizes severing relations. The giver should also avoid giving green hats and caps to married men as it suggests that the wife is unfaithful. Other items not to give includes fan and umbrella as it has a similar pronunciation with the word ‘separation’ in Chinese. Refrain from wrapping the gifts in white or black coloured papers as they are colours associated with death. Suitable colours will be red, silver or gold as the Chinese are fond of these colours.
In China, gift giving is usual when you are doing business with Chinese businessmen. Gift is expected from the guest or someone with a lower rank to show courteous and respect for the recipient. Not giving a gift will make one seems impolite and uncultured. However, it is also important to present the appropriate gift to the recipient or it can result in unhappiness or even ruining the relationship.
China hasn’t operated with an aristocratic social group since the Han Dynasty (Global Security). The equality that was encouraged during the communist regime blocked the development of an elitist culture within China. However, communism is being glossed over in favor of capitalism, Chinese aristocrats, powered by the recent boom of the economy, are on the rise. China lacks a long established aristocratic culture due to it’s communist past, and as a result, its nouveau riche look elsewhere for examples of elitist culture. Compared to China’s nouveau riche, who are not from traditionally wealthy families, long established European elitist cultures, or the “old money”, are prestigious. These upper classes, such as the Victorian high class of the 1800s are seen as prestigious because of their strict social conduct and total control of society and politics (Bayley). The acceptance of China’s nouveau riche among these long established elite “old rich” cultures requires emulation of the cultural and social norms. “The realities of the Victorian age are seen to be with significant historical resonance to China’s modernization process” (Li). The Victorian era holds the perfect stanford of taste for Chinese aristocrats. For Chinese nouveau riche women, emulation of 19th century Victorian Era elitist culture is the ultimate show of status, through patterns of consumerism, appreciation of Western art, and focus on classic etiquette.
This is more important for a woman, as they are considered equal to men by the written law, but not necessarily by the spirit of the law. The first fact to be aware of is that if you are a woman in a leadership position going to China for a business trip, it is important that you are well prepared for the differences in culture. Passport to China provides a convenient example to demonstrate what the expectation is when sending a woman in a leadership position to China. It says, “An introduction letter that clearly indicates the female leader’s position, accomplishments, and credentials should be sent to China in advance” (p. 39). This implies that if a woman were to be present at a business meeting unexpectedly the Chinese participants may be surprised or even annoyed. Chinese businessmen normally assume that for a Westernized Women to be in power, she must be very competent at her job. When negotiating and speaking, the women in power should always be the first one to answer the questions, and not have the other attendees speak out of turn. A good tip to have when speaking with a Chinese man is that he will typically avoid eye contact with a woman. This a natural thing, that men commonly do when dealing with women in business. In the US it is considered acceptable to speak about women’s position of power outside of the workplace, but in China, it is
There is no doubt that males have a very dominant social status in China, and this phenomena is even more evident in early period of China due to the strictly hierarchical from of society which is highly influenced by Confucianism (Richey). Confucianism has a very specific ethical structure and rules, such as “subordinates should serve and be loyal to supervisors (or emperors); children should serve and be loyal to parents; wives should be loyal and serve husbands”, which is called “San Gang (Three Cardinal Guides)” and followed by ancient people for hundred of years. In a meantime, women in ancient China cannot participate in election, nor involve political activities—their main job is taking care of their husbands and children, doing housework and cook for their family (Huang, Anderulis and Chen).
Masculinity in itself is very diverse and varies according to each culture and each person. In China, masculinity has traditionally been very different than Western masculinity. Where Western masculinity is known for being very macho and tough, Chinese masculinity has consistently been much more feminine when compared to the Western’s. Chinese masculinity traditionally has always had a very soft aspect to it, however as China continues to change as a nation, it is slowly beginning to alter their normal definition of what it means to ‘be a man’.
The Chinese New Year is the most significant holiday for the Chinese people, as it is a time for honoring ancestors and reuniting family members together. The Chinese New Year originated centuries ago from the fear of the great beast Nián (年).This terrible monster resembled a huge ox with the head of a lion. Every year, on New Year’s Eve, this creature would come out and devour the terrified Chinese villagers. Numerous homes and animals were destroyed. Eventually, a wise old man counseled the villagers and instructed them on how to get rid of the horrible Nián. He told the people to hang red paper cutouts on their doors because the monster was scared of the color red. Also, the man advised the villagers to light torches and firecrackers, as Nián was frightened of fire and loud noises. The Chinese followed the wise man’s directions and finally conquered the great beast. After Nián’s defeat, the Chinese called this date “the passing of Nián”, known as Guònián (过年). This symbolizes the celebration of the coming New Year. In addition, in keeping the monster away for a year, the Chinese say Gōngxǐ fācái (恭喜发财), which means “congratulations” This represents congratulating each other for making it safely to another New Year.
Dress code, probably one of the most talked about topics by teenagers. Most teenagers believe that dress code is “witless” or “incompetent”. Why do we think this? Well, most adults believe that keeping a strict dress code keeps us educated because apparently our clothes are “distracting”. Now I can see how wearing booty shorts and a tank top would be distracting, but how is wearing sweatpants distracting? If anything wearing sweatpants keeps us comfortable, because I know that being uncomfortable is way more distracting than wearing sweatpants. When I wear sweatpants I can lay back and relax while the teacher talks, but if I am uncomfortable I am more likely to move around and fidget with my clothes rather than listen to the lesson.
In tradition Chinese culture the bride must be covered by a veil and the groom
In the view of the Chinese common man, life on earth is but a temporary stop on his journey to death and other reincarnations. Since death is viewed as inexorable and inherent in the human condition, the Chinese accepts it with composure. It was a common custom in China, especially in rural areas, for people to have a coffin ready in their houses as a preparation for death that may come ten or twenty years in the future. Well-to-do people used to build their own tombs long before they felt they were approaching death. This composure should not be construed as absence of sadness and regret. The Chinese believe that, in spite of its seamy side, life is still better than death which is shrouded in mystery. Death, for Chinese, does not mean total disappearance. Only the corporeal frame is disintegrated, and the spirit survives and perpetuates itself in a series of reincarnations. The belief of the survival of the soul forms the spiritual basis for ancestor worship while the feeling of gratitude ant affection for one's ancestors forms its moral foundation. Among the Chinese, the honest man is born amidst traditions and rites; as an adolescent, he seeks to improve himself through culture; and in maturity, he aims at wisdom through following the spiritual path. This pattern is not an abstract ideal but a way of life, which often leads to an attitude of tolerance and detachment. The bulk of the Chinese people lived for centuries in this environment of ancestral beliefs and religious doctrines.
The Four Seasons has really stressed the cultural differentiation and made it evident that something that an American would want would be something that the Chinese would see as unnecessary and vice versa. Using the term cultural chameleon, shows that the Four Seasons takes their time to sit back and observe how the different cultures react to things that remind them of home. For example, incorporating a pair of slippers in each room for the Chinese guests makes the company look more professional. Small gestures make a huge difference, especially when it creates a sense of personal care from the hotel to the guest. Another factor to keep in mind when caring for Chinese guests, are symbols. The Chinese culture is incredibly symbolic, especially when it comes to numbers and colors. As the hotel company, they must keep those in mind when checking in a customer. For example, red is
This helps to understand our social standing within our culture. In China, they value respect and use the group memberships we assume to help aid our communication with one another. Non-verbal communication styles are also just as important, if not more important, when communicating with someone from a different culture. It is best to always make eye contact and pay attention to the other person.
The Chinese burial customs of the 1890s to 1930s are very different than what we see from burial customs now. There are many different, interesting things about the early 1900s Chinese burial customs:: The steps taken when a family member dies, the superstitions about burials, and the difference between our burial customs and the burial customs of the Chinese people during those times.
One of the traditions you will see most often is the Red Packets. Red packets are passed out to children by elders, married couples, and adults. The packages will contain yuan and is believe to keep the children healthy and suppress evil. (“Chinese New Year Traditions.”) Many people will also clean and decorate their house with Fu, Papercutting and door gods. Fu or upside down character of Fu (which means luck) will be posted because upside down it means coming, as in luck will come to those who post it. Door gods are decorative pieces which are placed on the side of an entry to ward off evil spirits. (“Chinese New Year Crafts.”) Some of the more popular foods eaten during the fifteen days of Chinese New Year are dumplings, New Year Cake, Tang Yuan, and LaBa Congee. New Year Cake is a solid cake with glutinous rice flour together with some sugar, it is most popular in eastern china. Tang yuan however is a small ball of glutinous rice flour served in boiling water. They can be filled or unfilled and are traditionally eaten on the fifteenth day or the Lantern Festival. LaBa congee is a mixture of rice, nuts, and beans cooked together. LaBa Congee is usually served at the LaBa festival, which is the 8th day of the last month of the year. (“Chinese New Year Food.”) The final foods eaten are of course noodles and dumplings, throughout the festivities they are eaten because noodles represent long life and dumplings represent wealth because they are similar to silver or gold ingots. During Chinese New Year the people celebrate by writing poetry on the lanterns as well and posting poetry throughout the house. In this poem you can clearly see how the New Year is reveled and enjoyed by the
Xu, Ocker (2013). In most cultures, you would usually have a priest conduct the ceremony. However, in the Chinese culture, a host oversees the event. Both the husband, and wife-to-be are dressed in a red dress. Most Chinese marriages are arranged. During the ceremony the host says, Xu and Ocker (2013),“The first kowtow is for the heaven and earth!”(p. 591) After this is said, the husband, and wife-to-be turn and bow. The host continues, Xu and Ocker (2013),“The second kowtow is for parents!”(p. 591) the two then bow to their parents. The host will continue; Xu and Ocker (2013), “The third kowtow is for each other!” (p. 591) The couple then bows to each other. The host completes the event by saying Xu and Ocker (2013) “Send them to the bridal chamber!” (p. 591) The two newlyweds disband household for a short amount of time, and a large jamboree concludes the entire event. Xu, Ocker
General Statement/Attention-getter: Nowadays, it is a common sight to see students attend their classes with uniforms to school and institutions, complete with their badges and logos on the uniform to represent themselves. However, do they know what is the aim of wearing school uniforms? By the word school uniforms itself, we know that it is a uniform that is used by the students in school or institutions. It is a common sight to see students with their uniforms, even in this modern era. School uniform is an attire which has solid colours and no banned logos which can restrict students from political or religious issues.
A student’s high school career should be about discovering new knowledge and discovering who you are, not about what you wore. One rule that I would change at Ralston is the dress code policy. The dress code policy limits a student's right to express themselves, be comfortable in what they wear and ultimately put a higher value some students over others.