Human Beings as Social Creatures
Human beings are social creatures and millions of years together imply that the society has not only developed similarities in biological and physiological traits but also in terms of the beliefs and the nominal systems that guide our characters and relationship between each other. This set of beliefs and norms are what define the cultural composition of a society. Culture is defined by the commonalities in beliefs, faith, practices, custom, art, language, and generally the way a group of people live (Elliot 3). It is a way of life that gives identity to a group of people fostered by the unique characteristic and social patterns of a group. Nevertheless, it is quite prudent to note that despite the distinction created by culture based on the way a group of people connects and lives, it is prone to change. Perhaps one of the most advanced cultures that have existed in the world are the Indian and Chinese cultures. Having existed for millenniums, it is quite obvious that the distinction that is associated with these cultures have definitely implied that they are not only advanced in comparison with cultures from the rest of the world, but they are also among the most studied going by the fact that India and China comprise of the highest population of the people in the world. Having been in existence for millenniums imply that the cultures have had significant impacts on each other. As such, there are several characteristics that make them distinctively similar. However, it is also notable that there are certain aspects of the respective cultures that highlight the distinction between the two of them.
Similarities between the Indian and Chinese Cultures
One of the most outstanding aspects in the Chinese and Indian cultures is the position and influence of religion in their ways of life. It is quite obvious that a look into both the Indian and Chinese cultures highlight how religion dictates their social relationship, their imaginations, as well as the various social structures in the society. In India, for instance, religion has historically influenced the society on national, social, and personal levels. The traditions of Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism all emerged from India and are often associated with the country's history. Most of the people in India often identify as Hindu but the medley of religions continually impact the contemporary society as seen in the way people communicate, dress, and even organize other social relationships (Sen 4). The society also ascertains the existence of several sacred religious symbols and religion is more of a public affair among the people than in most Western communities. Similarly, Chinese culture is greatly influenced by the religious standings of the society. For millenniums Confucianism and Buddhism have had a great impact on the political and social standings within the Chinese community (Hoobler and Hoobler 50). It is prudent to state that Buddhism underlines one of the significant ways in which the Indian culture influenced the Chinese way of life. Nevertheless, it is also ostensible that there are certain innate religions in China such as Taoism, Shamanism, and other religions such as Catholicism and Orthodox Eastern Chu. However, it is quite apparent that the main ideologies that dictate the main ideologies of the Chinese cultures are often pegged on the principles of Buddhism and Confucianism that not only has an impact on the personal and social lives of the people but also on the political structures of the countries.
Diverse Cultural Amalgamation
It is also apparent that with the high populations of the Indian and the Chinese cultures, the Indian and Chinese cultures may be described as beautiful amalgamations of several subgroups. India, for instance, is made up of an amalgamation of several hundreds of distinct and unique cultures that are presently found in India. It is quite obvious that with the thousands of years of coexistence, the cultures have diversely affected each other and as such amalgamated their distinction to form a single culture that is known as the Indian culture. The culture spreads across the Indian subcontinent and has been shaped and influenced by millenniums of history. However, these cultures have been bound together by the common philosophies that dictate the way of life including religious principles and the philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent. The Greater India underscored the historical content of the Indian culture in what would create a significant fusion of religious, tribal, social, and lingual divisions. This is an aspect that is also identified in the Chinese culture. Chinese culture is a fusion of several customs and traditions of people spreading across a large geographical and several ethnic regions. According to Rofel (42) the 8th onwards saw the birth of a unified China that was prompted by wars that had far-reaching impacts on the political, social, and intellectual organization of the Chinese culture. Simultaneously, with the decline of the traditional feudal political system arose the assimilation of smaller tribes into the dominant tribal groups such as the Hans. Likewise, the rise of urban centers also brought together the various subgroups in China and eventually created a unified cultural system that is the Chinese culture.
Importance of Social Units
In addition to the religious influences and the apparent amalgamation of subcultures that form the unified Chinese and Indian cultures, a common trait of both cultures is the importance of the social units within the society. Of particular importance is the family structure in both cultures. It is rather ostensible that the family life in the two cultures is different from the Western culture. As earlier stated, religion plays a significant role in either cultures. In the Indian culture kinship ties area significant part of the family structure. India is a collectivist society that places significant emphasis on the family integrity, loyalty and Unity. Collectivism in this case refers to the sense of concern, harmony and interdependence between the members. In this light, it is quite apparent that the entire family is involved not just in the social decisions made by an individual member but also in terms of the professional and marital aspects. For instance, it is a common trend to have arranged marriages between various members of the society based on the impacts that the unity is bound to have on the family way of a group. Similarly, the Chinese culture is referred to as a collectivism society based on its family values and the interactions between the various members of the society. Just like the Indian society, the Chinese family structure is highly influenced by the aspect of hierarchical organizations within. Despite the Confucian teaching of filial piety, the older members of the family still expect the younger ones to do as they are told. Several aspects of the family indicate the collectivistic nature of the society. For instance, it is common to have a group of people being served from the same pot and on the same bowls during meal times. Family members have significant interdependence on each other. Of significant implication in both societies is the position of the woman in the family structure with women being below the men in the rather patriarchal systems of the society.
Differences between Indian and Chinese Cultures
Essentially, Indian and Chinese cultures bear more similarities than differences. Having been neighbors for millenniums indicate the Chinese and Indian cultures share certain commonalities that cannot be ignored. It is quite obvious that the similarities between the two are in respect to the social and philosophical organizations of the cultures. However, the two cultures also seem to bear distinct differences. Significantly, it is essential to note the differences in the main backdrop of their cultures – religion. It is quite obvious that while Confucianism runs the Chinese culture, Hinduism has a great influence on the Hindu culture. In this regards, the philosophy of filial piety in China is not replicated in the Hindu belief in reincarnation. Filial piety placed a more or less equal expectation in regards to the relationship between various people in the society (Dingxin 33). Hinduism, on the other hand, placed more emphasis on the social hierarchy that appears in the family structure. It is quite obvious that despite the insistence on the filial piety that Confucianism underscored, the relationship between the old and the young dictated that the younger ones still owed respect to the elderly. Besides, the Chinese culture raised children in belief that their future depended on the suitability of their environment. In this light, most Chinese children are reared not to voice out their feelings. On the other hand, the Indians believed in the sharing of feelings. Childhood is seen as a stage were the individual lives carefree. Children in the 'kama' stage are brought up not knowing much about the world around them.
Another distinction between the Chinese and Indian cultures is the values that are dominant in the philosophies of the main drivers of their culture. It is quite obvious that China and India are by far the most populated countries in the world. However, it is apparent that their national values tend to drive the economic growth of both. In respect to their religious aspects, Chinese cultures seem to be driven by the Confucian apparent appraisal of education. This fact underlines the apparent advancement among the Chinese society as compared to the Indians. Likewise, it is also prudent to note that in the contemporary society, the Chinese do not seem to place much insistence on the fundamental philosophies of religion. Religion, in this respect may be ignored in various parameters of life. In India, on the other hand, religion still seems to have a significant influence on the way things are done. Divine salvation by asceticism, as well as the apparent rise in individualism imply that the society is less assertive in terms of social activities including education. In respect to the values and norms, the communistic philosophies of traditional Indian culture, contemporary philosophies do not allow communal accumulation of wealth (Granovetter38). However, the collectivism of the family unit is still considered. China, on the other hand, still seem to believe in communal accumulation of wealth. This communism is often asserted in the way the Chinese communicate as well. For instance, it is quite common to hear the Chinese refer to "our country" instead of "my country" to indicate the collective nature of responsibility towards the nation. In addition to that, many cultures in India still exist within their cultural cocoons despite being part of the larger Indian culture. The Chinese, on the other hand, seem to have been almost completely merged into one with very little distinction between the various subgroups that exist within the Chinese culture.
Conclusion
India and China are noted around the world for the fact that they are perhaps the most densely populated countries in the world. With populations spanning billions of people, it is quite obvious that the countries have significant diversities in the cultures that are constituted within them. Nevertheless, having interacted for several millenniums, it is quite obvious that the cultures would bear several striking similarities. Perhaps it would be judicious to note that the various similarities in culture are often on a backdrop of the commonalities in principles and beliefs. In both cultures, religion takes a significant place in dictating the social organization. Historically, in both Indian and Chinese systems, religion has not only affected the social structure but the relationships between the various members of the family. It is also quite apparent that traditionally, religion also formed a backdrop for political alignment and the definite unification of the various cultures constituted in both. However, religion also formed a backdrop for the differences that exist between the two cultures. With Confucianism being the major religious ideology in China, it is obvious that its appraisal of education has implied that there is more advancement economically in China than in India where Hinduism has not created a conducive environment for assertiveness. Nevertheless, it is definite that the similarities between the two cultures are more distinct than their differences.
Works Cited
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Granovetter, Mark. "The impact of social structure on economic outcomes." Journal of economic perspectives 19.1 (2005): 33-50.
Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. Confucianism. Infobase Publishing, 2009.
Rofel, Lisa. Desiring China: Experiments in neoliberalism, sexuality, and public culture. Duke University Press, 2007.
Sen, Amartya. The argumentative Indian: Writings on Indian history, culture and identity. Macmillan, 2005.
Zhao, Dingxin. The Confucian-Legalist State: a new theory of Chinese history. Oxford Studies in Early Empire, 2015.
