Cultural Traits of China - Essay Example

Cultural Traits of China Name Institution Cultural Traits of China Introduction Culture is the total of the ideas, values, beliefs, values, and knowledge that people inherit and involves shared basis of social action. Culture in itself occurs in different dimensions with each feature referred to as traits. Globally, it estimated that there 6500 languages spoken. However, with China becoming an emerging market, it is attracting foreigners from different countries, which contribute, to cultural erosion and diffusion. In china, there are various aspects of cultural diffusions. China town is an area with people from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, and other states that practice different cultures. With interaction, there is transfer of culture from one country to another (Zimmermann, 2015). Currently, the Chinese refers to their country as the Middle Kingdom, which reflects the manner in which the impact of cultural difference is visible throughout the country’s history. Moreover, there are linguistic and cultural variations in China although in large countries the difference is relatively uniform. Movement of Workers and Cultural Diffusion Cultural diffusion refers to the transfer of ideas and customs from society to another which takes in different ways such as migration, wars, trade, commodities, and technology media. As China continues to growth in its economy and political influence, the country continues to attract foreign investors. With China becoming one of the emerging markets, several international business entities are scrambling for the share of the market; as a result, there is creation of a wide pool of employment opportunities. These opportunities attract people from varied destinations, which in turn affect the culture of the Chinese. Initially, when speaking of Chinese food, most people thought of Kung Pao Chicken, roasted ducks, and dumplings. However, the movement of the workers with varied cultural backgrounds is forcing most Chinese restaurants to focus on the provision of food from other countries to tap the opportunities presented by the foreign workers. Chinese initially practiced Taoism and Confucianism; however, through interaction with people from different countries, religions have to coexist with major players including Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam from the other states and believed by the minority. The Chinese workers are organized properly though communicating with people from English speaking countries is an issue. With the rising number of workers and international investors seeking investment opportunities in China, most locals are shifting their attention from local languages to international languages. Dress defines culture; however, with the rising level of interaction among the workers. Initially, the dressing codes were stricter on the Chinese women than men were though such factors are changing with the advent of cultural diffusion. Rock and pop music from the west are also eroding the Chinese culture, especially among the young generation. These practices not only change the language and traditional music but also beliefs of the Chinese people (Murchiepages, n.d.). China is extremely large with varied customs and traditions of the people resulting from international workers seeking employment opportunities. As China continues to attract several international investors, it lays more foundation to attract more workers that are international. Tourism and Cultural Diffusion China has several spectacular features including physical features, variety in food, cultural dances, and attractive environmental conditions, which attract different tourism activities. In addition, throughout the years, there have been increments in the numbers of people visiting China and locals investing within the tourism sector. Interactions of Chinese locals and tourists contribute significantly to the erosion of the Chinese culture. While using the core-periphery enclave model of tourism, it is clear that the concept of tourism and impact is limited with the geographical areas. According to the model, the tourist's tend to stay within the enclaves considering the number of interactions, which is reachable (Ascher, Heffron & Pacific Basin Research Center, 2010). A properly developed tourism sector accommodates the needs of people from various states and has different cultural backgrounds. There have been development and growth in the Chinese tourism sector; as a result, the country continues to experience cultural diffusions due to various tourism activities. Since the industry involves people from different cultures, the food prepared in china continues to change as tourists continue to seek food from their native homes, which forces the local investors to change their menu and focus on provision of food that matches their expectations. Moreover, in regards to language, tourism sector involves serving people with different language backgrounds. Therefore, many Chinese citizens are focusing on learning foreign languages with an aim of translating various languages to ease communication between the tourists and the locals. Several research undertaken reveal that most people used tourist guides changes their cultures and practices especially if the interactions take long duration. In cultural trait, images involve the political, economic, social, historic, and environmental state of the country. Through tourism, interaction with people from different cultures is inevitable, as described by Jin & IGI Global (2011). In China, dress code is highly valued among the men and women as women have to wear certain clothes with defined heights and designs. However, in certain countries, there are no regulations on the manner people are suppose to dress which is one of the factors that eroding the Chinese culture. In the last three decades, the Chinese dressing codes have been experiencing owing to interaction with people from different cultural backgrounds. Tourists also listen to different music depending on their cultural background. The songs listened by the tourists could spread among the locals which in turn change their perception on the Chinese local cultures and begin emulating the foreign cultures brought by the tourists. International movement of commodities and cultural diffusion Global brands tend to create trans-cultural items in the international markets. China is an emerging; as a result, it attracts international market players. With production of different products, which are available within the Chinese market, the locals continue to focus on the foreign processed products and substituting for unprocessed traditional products. Throughout the years, China is known for production of medicinal herbs and various agricultural products. However, in the advent of improved technology in china, there have been shifts in the manner that the locals use traditional plants as well as their beliefs on their local products (Turner & Media, 2016). Even if the processed commodities in china are costly for the locals to afford or do not consume considering the economic disparity of the country, the Chinese are aware of the lifestyle and culture under promotion, these commodities are greatly influencing the consumption behaviour of the Chinese locals. With the rising focus and emphasis on the changing diets and foods, the Chinese are shifting from eating traditionally prepared meals to processed meals due to additional nutrients. Moreover, the eating habits are also changing especially for the fast foods. Initially, the Chinese focused on eating using the fingers; however, with interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds and various manufactured products such as spoons and folks, the changing habits changed leading to deterioration in their beliefs and practices. In the advent of digital migration, there have development of different technological devices to ease communication, transportation, and manufacturing processes. With the mobile phones, the Chinese are able to access various platforms including the social media, new platforms, and to some extent music sites from which they access various types of music and information. These practices have the ability of contaminating their cultural beliefs and begin emulating the manner in which the western countries undertake their activities. In addition, technology changed the manner in which the Chinese cultures engage in different activities. Conclusion Culture refers to the total of the knowledge, values, and beliefs that people manifest as their way of life. Various cultural traits determine the manner in which people behave within the society including language, customs, beliefs, dress, music, and images. Since china is one of the emerging markets, it continues to draw the attention of international business entities, which in turn result in cultural diffusion. China is one of the Asian countries known throughout the years for the production of medicinal herbs and eating traditional foods. In the advent of technology and various economic activity that encourage technological transfer such as tourism, international movement of workers, and commodities. With the rising number of tourists visiting China in the last decades, many Chinese have been keen on tapping the potential market associated with such sector. As a result, there have been cultural diffusions on the language, dressing codes, food, music, and beliefs. The International movement of commodities also has the ability of influencing various cultural practices including agricultural activities and eating habits. Moreover, the media also technology also influence the purchase behaviour of the locals which makes them forget their traditional products but focus on the imports. Mobile devices have also changed the methods of communication, the manner in which the Chinese acquire vital information regarding certain cultures and practices, and the need to focus on the modern international practices. References Ascher, W., Heffron, J. M., & Pacific Basin Research Center. (2010). Cultural change and persistence: New perspectives on development. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Jin, D. Y., & IGI Global. (2011). Global media convergence and cultural transformation: Emerging social patterns and characteristics. Hershey, PA: IGI Global (701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, USA. Murchiepages. (n.d.). The Cultural Diffusion Process. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://murchiepages.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/4/3/13431671/cultural_diffusion_the_process.pdf Turner, L. L., & Media, D. (2016). Cultural Diffusion & the Silk Route of Ancient China. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://classroom.synonym.com/cultural-diffusion-silk-route-ancient-china-6945.html Zimmermann, K. A. (2015, January 20). Chinese Culture: Customs & Traditions of China. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.livescience.com/28823-chinese-culture.html Read More