Comparison and analysis of Chinese and American cultural taboos
In modern society, international communications are playing a more and more important role, such as cultural communication, economic communication and political communication.Due to the frequent contacts, cro-cultural communication is quietly critical, but when we have communications with foreigners in real life, we will find it is very difficult to have a succeful conversation.To a great extent, taboos are the most vital and sensitive elements
Simply speaking, a taboo is something forbidden by religious, law, morals or society and it is a common social phenomenon of every nation.The history of taboo dates from ancient times.Because of the helplene of men towards the nature, people always have a psychological worship and reverence to the whole world.Under such circumstance, the taboo comes into being.In general, taboo has the quality of universal, national, and epochal features.Taboo’s contents and forms are different, although it is ubiquitous in daily life, political and economic aspects.This eay focuses on taboos of social customs, festival and religion, and the cultural mappings between Chinese and American taboos.
1.Social etiquette and customs taboo
In western countries, it is neceary to make an appointment in advance, you can’t visit somebody suddenly.Once you visited suddenly, you will get great inconvenience for your friends or colleagues, their arrangements will be disturbed.At the same time, their house is a part of their privacy, so, it is impolite to visit suddenly.However China is different from America, it isn’t an infringement to visit somebody suddenly.On the contrary, some Chinese will regard it as a surprise, and the hosts will be very paionate to treat you.Although in the modern time, the Chinese people begin to make an appointment in advance in busine circles, it isn’t a serious problem among common people.In addition, China and America have big difference in the visit time.Chinese people are used to arrive in advance.Don’t be late for more than 10 minutes.While in America, people are usually late for 5 to 10 minutes, because they think the master need more time to prepare.If you arrive in advance, the master will be very embarraed.
As to the content of communication, different countries have different taboos.In America, age, income, marriage, prosperity, stature and all problems concerning privacy are forbidden in chatting.Americans in flavor of individualism, so, we should pay attention to these problems when we chat with foreigners.Although Chinese are noticing privacy, they think income, age, marriage problems can be talked about.When two Chinese encounter, they usually talk about these topics.The taboos which Chinese mind are the topics about their shortcomings.Chinese don’t want to show their weakne in public.Weakne will cause embarrament.What’s more, when foreigners are talking in public places, they are forbidden to speak loudly, especially in table manners.They think if you speak too loud, the contents you’re talking will affect others.In China, many public places are noisy.Maybe this has become a
Chinese characteristic.
2.Festival taboo
Christmas is an important festival in America.On that day, everyone will make puddings to promise a wish.But it has a taboo that you can’t stir the pudding anticlockwise, and their wishes can’t be talked open, otherwise, the wishes will not effect.In addition, on New Year\'s Day, Americans will invite a male friend as the first one to visit their home, because they think the people who first visit them will bring good luck to their whole family.In China, Spring Festival is the most important traditional festivals, all family members will go back home to have a gathering.During the period, it is forbidden to say “over”, \"no\", “death” and other negative words.In the first day of lunar year, it is a taboo to sweep trash, because Chinese think that it would let their good luck lo.What’s more, Chinese people in flavor of red color, so they usually decorate with red colors both in festival and weddings.While Americans think white color represents purity and holine, so we can see white colors are spread over all churches.People would exchange presents during the festival period, almost every nation pays attention to reciprocity, but different nation has different customs.In America, people won’t present gifts that are too expensive.If you do, the behavior will be regarded as bribery.However, Chinese won’t give a present exceively light; it would let the receiver feel that they are despised.To some extent, sending a gift is according to the receiver’s social status.Americans pay attention to the content of gifts.They usually take flowers as a gift when having a visit.In their eyes, different gifts contain different meanings, so, we should notice these problems in case of making troubles.
3.Religious taboo
Religion is an important element of taboo language exists.There is a big difference between Chinese and American religion.Americans believe in Christianity.The name of God”Jehovah” is a taboo.Mention the name means blasphemy.According to the Old Testament, Christ, Jesus and some religious words only can be used in formal and solemn occasion.In their daily life, they usually use other words to replace these words.For example, they use “golly”, “gosh” to replace “God”.In China, people mainly believe in Buddhism, Islamism and Taoism, but due to the influence of Confucianism, the religious taboos are more complex.Chinese Buddhists avoid drinking, killing, and eating meat.They must be single.Islam avoid eating pork, they are not allow to drink.When we contact with religious believers, it’s very important for us to know their religious taboos well.
Sapir once said; “Language is a guide to social reality.” Taboo, as a social cultural phenomenon, is based on deep cultural deposits.Take religious faith and political preference for example, it’s rude to ask an American these questions, but Chinese don’t care too much.These phenomenons attribute to culture.America is a nation composed of different immigrants.On the one hand, people from different countries bring different beliefs.They avoid talking about these matters in order to
refrain from conflicts.On the other hand, Americans think religious belief and political preference are their own affairs; it has nothing to do with others.They separate the politics from their individual life.However, Chinese prefer to link politics to the daily life.They might ask: “Do you a party member?” because generally speaking, you are a quite good person to a great extent.Certainly, Chinese and Americans have some taboos in common.
From the above analysis, we can see human have the psychology of pursuing beauty and avoid evil, but they are expreed from different forms.With the development and update of taboos, taboos will be an indispensible element of modern life.We need to keep learning and use the knowledge to effect succeful cro-cultural communication and as far as poible to avoid misunderstandings.
