Chinese Three Books - Three Models to Insight the Chinese Character - Chinese (01)

Author: Arthur Smith (USA), Munakata Kozo (Japan), Gu Hongming / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Preserving Face
Seeing the word "face" () immediately brings to mind a "characteristic" of the Chinese people, and there is nothing more fitting than this description. In China, the term "face" does not refer solely to a person's physical face; it is a complex collective noun whose meaning extends beyond what we can describe or understand. Even to partially grasp the meaning of "face," we must recognize the fact that the Chinese possess an extremely strong instinct for acting. Drama can be said to be the only nationwide form of entertainment. Like the British's love for sports or the Spanish's passion for bullfighting, the Chinese are deeply enthusiastic about drama. With just a little provocation, they adopt the posture of actors, bowing or kneeling as if performing a role in a play. To Westerners, this may appear somewhat comical and absurd.
In their way of thinking, the Chinese are also highly theatrical. For example, if someone is misunderstood, when they attempt to clarify the facts, even if only two or three people are present, they will shout, "I said this in front of you, and you were all there!" creating an impression of addressing a crowd. If the matter is resolved, they will proudly "exit the stage." If it is not resolved, they will feel too ashamed to "exit the stage." Upon closer reflection, however, one realizes that these actions have nothing to do with the facts themselves—they are merely about form. In a play, to receive applause, one simply needs to say a well-chosen word at the right time and in the right way. There is no need to inquire about what happens behind the scenes; isn't it better to witness all the good plays in the world?
"Face" is, in real life, the result of acting according to theatrical conventions. That is, when they are fully immersed in the drama, any indifference, slighting, or harsh criticism can cause them to "lose face." Once people correctly understand the meaning of "face," they will realize that the word itself is the key to unlocking many important characteristics of the Chinese. By the way, as for how to maintain "face," the methods and knowledge involved far exceed the understanding of Westerners. Westerners often get lost in the realm of facts and forget the theatrical elements in the lives of the Chinese. To Westerners, the Chinese's "face" is like a law—an undeniable latent force. The difference is that it has no rules, is unpredictable, and can be canceled or altered depending on the situation. From this perspective, it must be acknowledged that there are differences between the Chinese and the Westerners, and they will never view the same things in the same way.
When mediating endless disputes between villages, the balance of "face" is the mediator. First and foremost, it is essential to take the matter seriously, just as European politicians of the past considered the balance of power. In such cases, it is impossible for an Easterner to solve the problem fairly, even if they wish to do so in principle. In reality, they can only distribute "face" in proportion. This is a common scenario in legal judgments, and the results often end in a stalemate.
Giving someone a generous gift is considered "giving them face." However, if the gift is given personally, the recipient should accept only a portion. It is rare, if not unheard of, for someone to accept the entire gift or reject it entirely. Examples of people desperately trying to preserve their face illustrate this point. Even if they are criticized for their own mistakes, it is also considered "losing face," and to regain it, they will deny everything, no matter how strong the evidence. For instance, if a tennis ball goes missing, and there is evidence that a laborer picked it up, when they find him, he angrily denies it. Then, he walks to the spot where the ball was lost and quickly discovers it on the ground (in fact, it had fallen from his long-sleeved shirt) and confidently says, "Look, this is the ball you 'lost.'"
A maid hides the guest's pencil sharpener in her employer's house and later finds it under the tablecloth. She proudly claims she found it. In such cases, everyone preserves their "face." A servant accidentally loses the employer's belongings and knows they must compensate. Instead of doing so, they resign and pretend to be above it all, saying, "I don't need the money to compensate for that silver spoon." In this way, their face is not damaged.
A person who knows they cannot collect a debt still goes to the debtor and threatens them harshly, showing that they are in control. Although they do not get the money, they preserve their "face," ensuring that similar things will not happen in the future. A servant who fails in their duties or refuses to fulfill them, upon learning that their employer has decided to fire them, will deliberately make another mistake and proactively resign to preserve their "face."
To us, it may seem senseless to risk death to preserve face, but we hear that when a Chinese local official is beheaded, they are granted the special privilege of wearing their official robes—a special favor to preserve their "face"!
P8-9