Human Nature of the Chinese - A Good Book Written by Foreigners

Author: Arthur Henderson Smith (USA)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The Problem of "Face"
"Face" is a problem shared by all humans. At first glance, it seems absurd to regard "face" as a characteristic of the Chinese people. However, the term "face" in China does not merely refer to a person's physical appearance; its meaning is complex and diverse, richer than what we describe or understand. Even if we do not fully grasp the significance of "face," we must acknowledge this fact: as a nation, the Chinese are inherently endowed with a strong talent for performance. Drama can almost be said to be the only nationwide form of entertainment for this people. The Chinese have as great a passion for drama as the British have for sports or the Spanish for bullfighting. With a little provocation, the Chinese compare themselves to characters in a play, immerse themselves in the plot, bow, kneel, and touch the ground in reverence. Westerners witnessing this may find it absurd or unnecessary. The Chinese way of thinking is dramatic. Once their dignity is aroused, even when facing only a few people, they feel as if they are speaking to a large audience. They might loudly declare, "I am speaking to you, and to you, and to you, and to everyone present." When their troubles are resolved, they "exit the stage" amidst applause; if not resolved, they feel they cannot "exit the stage." If you understand this, you realize that all of this has nothing to do with reality and is never the truth—it is all about form. If a brilliant speech is delivered at the right time and in the right way, it is as if a fine play has been performed. We must not go behind the scenes, otherwise we would disrupt all the fine plays in the world. Perhaps such dramatic actions related to complex life are what constitute "face." If you fail to do so, forget to do so, or interrupt their performance, it means losing "face." Once you clearly understand this issue, you discover that "face" is the key to unlocking many important characteristics of the Chinese people. It should be noted that Westerners completely misunderstand the rules of "face" and how to preserve it, because they always forget the dramatic elements involved and mistakenly stray into a path of seeking facts, which is irrelevant. In the eyes of Westerners, the "face" of the Chinese is like the taboos of the South Seas—it is an undeniable latent force. The difference is that "face" is intangible, unrules-bound, and its abolition or replacement is determined by people's common sense. In this regard, the Chinese and the Westerners must reach a consensus, acknowledging the differences between them, because they can never agree on the same issue under the same circumstances. If European politicians always consider the balance of power in the process of mediation, then in China, when mediating endless disputes in the countryside, the mediator must also pay close attention to the balance of both parties' "face." In such cases, the purpose of mediation is not to achieve justice—in theory, it is for justice—but for Easterners, this is almost impossible to achieve. Mediation is merely to balance the corresponding "face" of all parties involved. This principle is often applied in legal judgments, and the result is largely a game with no winner. Giving someone a