Final Exam for international graduate students

Spring, 2023

Chinese Culture and intercultural

Communication

No-your ID: 22SF10215

Full Name: Makgwa Selefa Thato

School: Management

Score:

____________________________________________________________________

Note:
1. Use whatever sources available. Do not plagiarize.
2. Send your paper to: cyliuchina@163.com in attachment.
3. Use No-your ID as the file name of your paper ( PDF format).
4. Your paper is due on May 19th , 2023.
5. Your paper will be null and void after the deadline.
ESSAY 1: ANALYSIS OF MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINESE
CULTURE AND MY CULTURE (BOTSWANA)

Introduction
Intercultural communication can be defined as the sharing of information on different
levels of awareness between people with different cultural backgrounds
The goal of intercultural communication is to create shared meanings between two
individuals of from different cultures. Intercultural communication is a very important
competency to have. It is important to develop the skills necessary to manage
differences effectively, be cautious against ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice as
well as Discrimination. In this essay, I will be discussing some of the major
differences between Chinese culture and my culture (Botswana).

Botswana
Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa and because of its location, it’s
culture has many similarities as of the neighbouring Africa countries like South
Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola. Batswana is the name used as a
nationality for the people of Botswana and as an ethnicity for people who practice the
same culture and speak the same language in neighbouring country South Africa.
There are different ethnic groups Botswana among them are Barolong, Bakwena,
Bangwato, Batlokwa, Bakgatla, Bangwaketse, Batawana, Bahurutshe, Balete,
Bakalaka, Baherero, Bakgalagadi, Bayei, Bambukushu; Basubiya, Basarwa,
Batswapong Babirwa, and Batalaote. All these have different customs however
because of living together & inter-marrying for more than a century, they have now
developed some similarities which are seen in the changing or developing languages
in the country as well as shared cultures. The languages differ significantly from one
area to the other or by the ethnic dialects but they are all regarded as Botswana
languages

Chinese Culture
Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest cultures, and it originates from thousands
of years ago. The culture spreads across a large geographical region in East Asia and
it is diverse, with customs and traditions varying between provinces, cities, and towns.
Chinese civilization is historically considered a dominant culture of East Asia.
Chinese culture has great influence on the philosophy, virtue, etiquette, and traditions
of Asia continent. Chinese characters, ceramics, architecture, music, dance, literature,
martial arts, cuisine, visual arts, philosophy, business etiquette, religion, politics, and
history have had global influence. Religions practiced in China include Confucianism,
Buddhism, Daoism, Islam and Christianity. Chinese culture bears importance in
collectivism as compared with the western individualism, one self I is a small part of a
group. Chinese culture has two important concepts; the concept of face and the
concept of Guanxi. The concept of face represents pride, dignity, prestige or
reputation. It divided into 5 categories; having face (having a good reputation), not
having face(not having a good reputation), giving face(improving someone’s
reputation), Losing face(losing social status) and lastly not wanting face(not caring
about your reputation). The concept of Guanxi stresses obligation that one has to
another and developing relationships over the long run.

Major differences between the Chinese culture and Batswana culture

Religion and philosophies

In China, there are only 5 recognized religions, namely Confucianism, Daoism,
Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. In Botswana, the constitution allows everyone to
practice their religion and the religions that are most common are Islam, Bahai faith,
Christianity, Badimo(Ancestors), Rasfarianism and Hinduism. Most of the population
(77%) are Christians while most of the Chinese population practice Chinese folk
religion; which includes elements of Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism. Chinese
culture is generally a collectivism culture as they believe in the importance of the
whole society more than self-importance. Batswana also believe in collectivism,
however, they differ in the name of concepts. Botswana’s use concept called Botho-
ubuntu, which translates to being human through other people, and working together
in harmony.

Food Culture
The history of Chinese food in China stretches back for thousands of years and has
changed from period to period in each region according to climate, imperial fashions,
and local preferences. The “Eight Cuisines” of China are Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian,
Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, and Zhejiang cuisines. These styles are
distinctive from one another due to factors such as availability of resources, climate,
geography, history, cooking techniques and lifestyle. For example, Jiangsu cuisine
favours cooking techniques such as braising and stewing, while Sichuan cuisine
employs baking. Hairy crab is a highly sought-after local delicacy in Shanghai, as it
can be found in lakes within the region. Peking duck and dim-sum are other popular
dishes well known outside of China.

Batswana get most of the relish locally. These include beef, goat meat, sheep, tswana
chicken, Mophane worms and fish. Batswana also make home-made refreshing drinks
using water melon, morula and ginger powder. At weddings, sorghum meal is usually
cooked and mixed with melon and this mixture is called Bogobe jwa lerotse. Usually
the melon is pre prepared with sour milk and stored to be used whenever needed.
Batswana are also good in food preservation. Among others they preserve meat by
cutting it into small lengths like strings then dry it. When meat is like this, it is called
digwapa. They also fetch bean leaves, cook and dry them. It is also common among
Batswana to make Mageu from leftover porridge or pap. Some tribes also preserve not
very bad or rotten meat by drying it to be used as relish for a long time. This type of
meat is called Mokungwana. Other food prepared during weddings/ funerals are samp
mixed with beans or cooked without beans and eaten with pounded meat called
Seswaa.

Political culture
Botswana country has been an independent state since 30 September 1966.The
President of the Republic is elected by the National Assembly. He is both the head of
state and head of government and appoints the Council of Ministers. Politics of
Botswana takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic
republic, whereby the President of Botswana is both head of state and head of
government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the
government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of
Botswana. In part because the party system has been dominated by the Botswana
Democratic Party (BDP), which has never lost power since the country gained
independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. The judiciary system is independent
of the executive and legislature. The Botswana Parliament is bicameral. The National
Assembly has 44 members: 40 elected by popular vote and four appointed by the
majority political party. The House of Chiefs is an advisory board of 15 members
(eight tribal leaders, four elected deputy chiefs and three appointed by the first 12).

On the other hand, the Chinese political structure is led by one party, Chinese
Communist Party (CCP). The CCP has had a monopoly on power since the Mao
Zedong–led party defeated nationalist rivals and founded the People’s Republic in
1949. Every five years, the CCP convenes its National Party Congress to set major
policies and select top leaders. During this time, members choose the Central
Committee, which comprises around 370 members and alternates including ministers,
senior regulatory officials, provincial leaders, and military officers.

Art and crafts

Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced
in China or by Chinese artists. Early "Stone Age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly
consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. After this early period Chinese art, like
Chinese history, is typically classified by the succession of ruling dynasties of
Chinese emperors, most of which lasted several hundred years. In Botswana, Wooden
crafts are produced throughout Botswana, but the Hambukushu and Basubiya people
are the most renowned as artists. Products such as kitchen utensils, chairs, drums,
thumb pianos and knives are commonly sold along the roadside or in the craft co-
operatives that are found in most villages and towns.Pottery- Traditionally, clay pots
were used as an integral part of daily life, so making the step to crafting them as a
commercial enterprise is a simple one. Clay pots are used for storing water and
traditional beer, and also for cooking. Traditionally, the women within the community
are responsible for collecting and moulding the clay, with the most sought-after clays
being the kaolin-based ones that produce red and brown colours. The oldest paintings
from both Botswana and South Africa depict hunting, both animal and human figures,
and were made by the Khoisan (Kung San!/Bushmen) over 20,000 years ago within
the Kalahari desert.

ESSAY 2: CONFUCIANISM AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CHINESE CULTURE

Introduction
Confucianism, also known as “Ruism” or “Ru classicism”, is a system of thought and
behavior originating in ancient China. It can be described as tradition, a philosophy, a
religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or a way of life.
Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought
from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. This essay will discuss
Confucianism and its influence on Chinese culture.

Who is Confucius?
Confucius is the Latinized name of K'ung Fu-tzu (Great Master K'ung). His original
name was K'ung Ch'iu; he is also known as K'ung Chung-ni. According to the
Records of the Historian, Confucius was a descendant of a branch of the royal house
of Shang, the dynasty (a family of rulers) that ruled China prior to the Zhou, and a
dynasty which ruled China from around 1122 B.C.E. to 221 B.C.E. His family, the
K'ung, moved to the small state of Lu, located in the modern province of Shantung in
northeastern China. It was believed that Confucius's father divorced his first wife at an
advanced age, because she had borne him only daughters and one disfigured son. He
then married a fifteen-year-old girl from the Yen clan, who gave birth to Confucius.

As a young man, Confucius worked as a bureaucrat and gave philosophical lessons.

His teachings were popular with the elites in Lu, and he became appointed as a
minister in the local administration. It was at this time that he began to develop his
philosophy in earnest. To Confucius, China's political problems were the result of
decay in traditional ethical values. He believed that if people gave more respect to
their elders and ancestors, and properly practice traditions, society would improve,
and China would see peace under a strong government. These ideas proved to be
popular, and Confucius gained many disciples.

After being disappointed in the self-indulgent behavior of one of the ruling dukes of
Lu, Confucius went into self-imposed exile for several years. He traveled to
neighboring provinces and spread his philosophy. Upon returning home, he acted as
an advisor to the new rulers of Lu and continued to teach dozens of disciples. For
most of his life, Confucius expounded his teachings to many disciples. He advocated
peace and respect for others. His most famous idea is called the Golden Rule: "What
you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others." This concept, which is also found
in most religions and philosophical systems, emphasizes the respect that Confucius
felt all people deserved. He believed that if shown respect and given dignity, people
would give respect and dignity in return.

Confucius teachings and philosophies

Confucius placed a strong emphasis on the importance of education. He emphasized
that as long as people applied what they learned, they would improve all of their
endeavors. Confucius also felt that proper education could prevent people from doing
evil deeds. He also was a proponent of following rituals and rites properly. In
Confucian philosophy, proper ritual observance is significant because it provides a
template for proper behavior and will influence other aspects of life. In Chinese
traditional religion, ancestor veneration is very important, and many of the rites and
rituals practiced in Confucianism are related to this. Family is at the core of Confucian
philosophy. More than anything else, Confucius emphasized the idea of "filial piety,"
which means respecting one's parents and elders. To Confucius, order came from
hierarchy. Sons should respect their fathers, younger people should respect their
elders, and students should respect teachers, among other hierarchical systems.
Through filial piety, younger people gain benefits from older people's wisdom, and
older people are cared for by younger people when they reach old age.

The influence of Confucianism on Chinese people

Confucianism regards texts such as the Five Classics (The book of Change, The book
of Poetry, The book of Rites, The book of History and The Spring and Autumn), Four
books (The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects of Confucius and
The Mencius) as examples that should be followed to increase the harmony of the
family, social order as a whole, and the world.

Chinese thought and political philosophy, and particularly Confucianism, has always
been concerned with practical questions of morality and ethics. How should man live
in order to master his environment, provide suitable government and achieve moral
harmony? Central to Confucianism is that the moral harmony of the individual is
directly related to cosmic harmony; what one does, affect the other. For example, poor
political decisions can lead to natural disasters such as floods. An example of the
direct correlation between the physical and the moral is evidenced in the saying,
'Heaven does not have two suns and the people do not have two kings'. A consequence
of this idea is that, just as there is only one cosmic environment, there is only one true
way to live and only one correct political system. If society fails it is because sacred
texts and teachings have been misinterpreted; the texts themselves contain the Way
but we must search for and find it.
Another important facet of Confucius' ideas was that teachers, and especially rulers,
must lead by example. They must be benevolent in order to win the affections and
respect of the populace and not do so by force, which is futile. They should also be
models of frugality and high moral upstanding. For this reason, Chinese education has
often favoured the cultivation of moral sensibilities rather than specific intellectual
skills. Further, under Confucian influence, Chinese politics principally focussed on
the intimacy of relationships rather than institutions

The thoughts of Confucius were further developed and codified by two important
philosophers, Mencius (or Mengzi) and Xunzi (or Hsun Tzu). Whilst both believed
that man's sense of morality and justice separated him from the other animals,
Mencius expounded the belief that human nature is essentially good whilst Xunzi,
although not of an opposite position, was slightly more pessimistic about human
nature and he, therefore, stressed the importance of education and ritual to keep
people on the right moral track.

Confucianism expounded the importance of five virtues which everyone possesses:

benevolence/humaneness, righteousness/justice, observance of rites/propriety,
knowledge and integrity. Teachings also explain the five elements (in Chinese
thought) of earth, wood, fire, metal and water. Once again, the belief that there is a
close link between the physical and moral spheres is illustrated. By stating that all
men have such virtues, two ideas are consequent: education must nurture and cultivate
them and all men are equal - 'Within the four seas all men are brothers'. With suitable
application and proper behaviour, anyone can become a sage (sheng). It is not innate
talent which is important but one's will to mould one's character into the most virtuous
possible.

Following the death of Confucius in 479 BCE, he was buried in his family's tomb in
Qufu (in Shandong) and, over the following centuries, his stature grew so that he
became the subject of worship in schools during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE)
and temples were established in his name at all administrative capitals during the Tang
Dynasty (618-907 CE). Throughout the imperial period an extensive knowledge of the
fundamental texts of Confucianism was a necessity in order to pass the civil service
selection examinations. Educated people and aristocratic families often had a tablet of
Confucius' writings prominently displayed in their houses and sometimes also statues,
most often seated and dressed in imperial costume to symbolize his status as 'the king
without a throne'. Portrait prints were also popular, especially those taken from the
lost original attributed to Wu Daozi (or Wu Taoutsi) and made in the 8th century CE.
Unfortunately, no contemporary portrait of Confucius survives but he is most often
portrayed as a wise old man with long grey hair and moustaches, sometimes carrying
scrolls.

The teachings of Confucius and his followers have, then, been an integral part of
Chinese education for centuries and the influence of Confucianism is still visible
today in contemporary Chinese culture and other East Asian cultures with its
continued emphasis on family relationships, filial piety and respect, the importance of
rituals, the value given to restraint and ceremonies, and the strong belief in the power
and benefits of education.

REFERENCES
1. Wikipedia.com
2. Worldatlas.com
3. Yourbotswana.com
4. Religion-facts.com
5. Cfr.org
6. Worldhistory.org
7. Notablebiographies.com