culture of asian ways and behavior
Post on 01-Jul-2015
180 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
CULTURE AS A DETERMINANT OF ASIAN WAYS AND
BEHAVIOR
What is Culture?
Culture is the way of life of a group of people.
Included in culture are language, values,
practices, religion, customs, beliefs and
traditions. One of the characteristic of culture is
that it is an adaptation to the environment. It is
developed through interactions with other
people. The family is the primary agent of
cultural diffusion because the parents and older
relatives act as the first teachers of values and
socially acceptable practices to the younger
generation.
Religion as a Determinant of Ways
and Behavior
• Religion is one of the factors why Asians
have different values and practices.
• In Judaism and Christianity, men seek to
control the environment and be master of
the universe. For example, floods and
droughts are forces of nature that are
caused by the gods to test human capacity
to survive.
• It is the opposite in Taoism and Shinto.
Generally, these religions consider nature
as a great and caring. Taoism teaches that
man has to conform and follow the flow of
nature.
• In Shinto, spirits known as kami live in
natural things. Offerings are given and
ceremonies are performed for these kami.
Asian Ways and Behavior
• Religion and philosophy shape culture.
This culture is reflected in the people’s
behavior and ways.
Ways and Behavior in China• Socially hierarchy is very important for the
Chinese in their interaction with other people. This is a result of Confucian influence in Chinese civilization.
• Chinese would like to determine the place of birth, age, civil status and earning capacity of a new acquaintance.
• Respect and high regard for elders. Example: – Greeting elder people first before the younger ones.
– They wait for the elder people to sit before they do so.
– When the elder goes out of the door, the younger person usually assist him or her by opening the door.
– Chinese people usually do not show their affection and feelings to non-relatives and distant friends through actions like hugging and back-slapping.
• Chinese table manners, rice and soup are
served on bowls, wine and tea in cups and
main dishes on plates.
• Noodles or soup are usually served hot
and eaten with slurping sounds to show
that the food is delicious.
• When the Chinese eat rice from the bowl,
they place the bowl near their mouth to
keep the rice from falling to the table.
How do the Chinese show their
respect for their elders?
Ways and Behavior in Japan
• The Japanese also have high regard for social hierarchy. This is depicted in the manner of bowing – the duration and lowness of bending one’s body.
• Sometimes they combine the handshakes as a greeting.
• In calling the attention of another, they usually add the word san to the last syllable of a person’s family name. For example, Tanaka-san and Takizawa-san.
surname Yamada-san山田さん
Mr. Yamada
given name Yoko-san陽子さん
Miss. Yoko
occupation honya-san本屋さん
bookseller
sakanaya-san魚屋さん
fishmonger
title shichou-san市長さん
mayor
oisha-sanお医者さん
doctor
bengoshi-san弁護士さん
lawyer
• "~ kun (~君)" is used to address men who are younger or the same age as the speaker. A male might address female inferiors by "~ kun," usually in schools or companies. It can be attached to both surnames and given names. It is less polite than "~ san." It isn't used between women or when addressing one's superiors.
• "~ chan(~ちゃん)" is often attached to children's names when calling them by their given names. It can also be attached to kinship terms in a childish language.
• Mika-chan
• 美香ちゃん Mika
• ojii-chan
• おじいちゃん grandpa
• obaa-chan
• おばあちゃん grandma
• oji-chan
• おじちゃん uncle
• Just like the Chinese, the Japanese use
chopsticks in eating. However, Japanese
chopsticks are shorter, more pointed and
made of ivory or lacquered wood. They
also eat their soup and noodles with a
slurping sound.
• Tea drinking was elevated into an art.
• Japanese drink a traditional rice wine
called sake.
Ways and Behavior in India
• The traditional greeting among Hindus in India is namaste which means “good day.” They say this greeting with hands held together as if in prayer, placed near the chin and with the head slightly bent forward.
• The greeting among Muslim is Salaam aleikum (Sahlahm a-laykuhm) or may peace be with you. For the Sikhs, it is Sat Sri Akal (Saht shree ah-kahl).
• Public display of affection – kissing, hugging and holding hands is highly discouraged.
• At least one arm’s length distance when
opposite sex meet and talk in public.
• Indians believed that the head is a very
sensitive part of the body so it should not be
touched by other people.
• Indians consider that the food they eat and
religion are closely connected since all their
food emanate from their gods. Men and
women eat separately. They only use the
right hand for eating because they consider
the left hand as unclean and unsanitary.
Ways and Behavior in Indonesia
Indonesia, the largest archipelago in
the world, has served as an important
trade center in the region and a
crossroad of different cultures. Islam is
the dominant religion in Indonesia.
• Bahasa Indonesia is the official language
in the country.
• Selamat pagi- greeting in the morning
• Selamat siang - for the afternoon (from 12
noon to 4 in the afternoon)
• Selamat sorae - for late afternoon (from 4
in the afternoon until dusk)
• Selamat malam - for the evening
• When introduced to another person, an
Indonesian usually offers his or her right
hand for a handshake while the left hand
is placed on the chest to show sincere
pleasure in meeting the other person (not
done with between opposite sexes).
• Holding hands in public between
unmarried males and females is not
encouraged.
• It is important to address those who have
done so with the title of Haji (for males) or
Hajjah (for females) as a sign of respect.
• Head of the person consider as the seat of
the soul and sacred part of the body. For
this reason, patting or touching the head of
another person even child is avoided.
• Spoons and forks are not usually utilized
in eating. Like other Muslims, Indonesians
only use their right hands for eating and
their left hands for washing their private
parts.
• Considered unclean, the left hand is
likewise not used to receive or hand out
money.
Ways and Behavior in Saudi Arabia
• Saudi Arabia is one of the important
countries in West Asia. Two of the most
sacred places of Islam – Mecca and
Medina – can be found in this country.
• Burqah or Burka – it is a long dress that
almost totally covers the head and body,
leaving only the eyes exposed.
• Bedouins – the nomadic people who live in
tents in the desert of Arabia
• The custom of the Bedouins is to invite
into their tent any traveler who passes by.
The travelers are offered food and invited
to stay, usually up to three days in their
tents.
• Assalamu alaykum (may peace be with
you) – greeting of the owner of the tent
• Wa’alaykum as salam (and peace be with
you also) – response of the guest to the
greeting
• Some Bedouin tribes do not eat until the
guests are finished eating.
• On the special occasions like Ramadan,
Bedouin women prepare special dishes.
• The biggest and wealthiest family in the
tribe serves the special dishes before
sunrise and after sunset.
Synthesis
• Culture is an important determinant of ways and behavior of any group of people. It determines the manner of interaction among people and the frame of mind with which to view the world and one’s life.
• Some of the values and practices common among Asian peoples are respect for elders, respect for the collective interest, being helpful to others and respect for the environment.
• It is important to maintain Asian ways and behavior in order to preserve our Asian identity.
top related