China's cultural practices

Culture can be defined as the beliefs; art, rules as well as traditions that follow the citizens of a certain culture. That is the way of life of people who have a similar ancestor. This essay would explain a number of cultural traditions among the people of China.
Women are considered poor sex in China and are ruled by men. Women are also forced to follow men's lead. Even though culture has changed and women are doing the same tasks as men, they are still considered passive in a society dominated by men (Griswold, 2012). This is unlike the USA which has moved to recognize equality among men and women. In China, weddings are considered the foundation of their traditional rites. It is a grand occasion with several procedures that must be followed. The first part is to proposal process made by man to the lady he wants to marry. Then there would marriage divination, as well as gift presenting. The wedding is taken seriously and a must in almost everybody. There is a birthday matching that is done between the girl’s family and the family of the man (Huang & Gove, 2012). The birthday dates of the couples to be are sent to the astrologer to check for compatibility of the two. The couples will be allowed to get married when it has been approved that they are compatible. This is not like the societies in the United States of America where there are not too many procedures as long as the man and woman are in love. The predominant religion China is Confucianism and Taoism. The teachings of these two religions have shaped the culture of people of China. Confucianism has influenced the arts, literature and even language of the population of China. Confucianism believes that a society can only prosper when there is harmony (Lilly & Kundu, 2012). They teach diligence and obedience. This has impacted and controlled the way people in China relate with one another. In China, there are several traditional celebrations. The Chinese New Year festival is the most significant festival in China as the people believe that this commemoration in every start of the year would lead to a lucky and prosperous new year. Also, there is Lantern Festival that is celebrated every 15th of the first lunar month (Li, 2012). This celebration is intended to end the Chinese New year celebrations. The celebrations require the family to relax and spend time and eat together. The United States does not have these kinds of festivals, even though there are some traditional celebrations; they are not given much publicity as in the case of China. There are also several superstitions in China that have been passed from one generation to another. For example, funerals and the wake are taken seriously (Li, 2012). They believe that if the dead are not send off well or where there are the improper funeral arrangement, the family of the deceased family might experience a lot of misfortunes that can only end by cleansing the family by traditional medicine people. The Chinese people have several nonverbal communication styles. These include gestures, facial expression as well as eye contact. When they are in temples, they are not required to point directly at the statue directly, and they have to take off their hat. It is considered a taboo if one fails to do so. Also, no one is expected to dip their figures in the butter lamps with the intention of tasting it. Also, if you one to refer to someone in china, call them and do not point a figure at them (Li, 2012). This is considered offensive in china. Gesturing with one's feet is also considered a bad behavior in China. While the rest of the world may take winking and whistling as a friendly gesture, Chinese people find it offensive and do not expect anyone to wrinkle or whistle at the other. It is considered a vulgar gesture since the traditional China to date. Another behavior that is believed to be disrespectful is taking business card with one hand. When one offers you a business card in China, grab it with your two hands and examine it for few seconds in front of the person as a sign of appreciation. The nonverbal communication in China involves a lot. For example, when students meet their professor, they are expected to lower their head and behind slightly with their hands shaking that of the professor. This is a sign of honor, and this also applies when a young person greets those who are their seniors in the society. However, people who are not of the same status are not expected to shake hands. It is only those who are socially equal that are allowed to do that. Moreover, if one places their hand on the position of their heart, it shows that they are sincere in what they are saying or the promise they are making(Li, 2012). Steady eye contact in China is also a sign of disrespect when talking to ones’ seniors in the society. They are not allowed to maintain a steady eye contact with the elderly or those who area above you in social ranks. A gift like clocks is not supposed to be given to older adults as they are a sign of death to them. The gift should not be given that relates to number four. This number is associated with death and people might think that you wish them death. Gifts are supposed to be given in two hands as a sign of good will. The receiver can reject the gift up to three times; it is the part of gift giving ceremony(Lilly & Kundu, 2012). This can happen if one thinks that they are not worth such a gift. However, the giver is expected to be persistent and try hard to pursue the receiver to accept the gift. Usually, the gift is given after a toast or at the end of every meal. Those who are receiving gifts, if they are young, they are expected to bend their head a little and part of their body while receiving the gift with two hands. It shows that they are grateful and thankful for the gift they have received. Where the gift is wrapped, they are not supposed to be opened in the presence of the giver; it is a sign or disrespect and lack of gratitude. Legal system in criminal justice in China is based on laws drawn from Confucian philosophy. This idea controls thoughts and morality in China and is applied in criminal trials. The people of China are thus expected to follow the laws stated in Confucian philosophy.ReferencesGriswold, W. (2012). Cultures and societies in a changing world. Sage.Huang, G. H. C., & Gove, M. (2012). Confucianism and Chinese families: Values and practices in education. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(3), 10-14.Lilly, E., & Kundu, R. V. (2012). Dermatoses secondary to Asian cultural practices. International journal of dermatology, 51(4), 372-382.Li, J. (2012). Cultural foundations of learning: East and West. Cambridge University Press.