The Culture Difference Between China and France

沈周洁2012456059

Abstract One is the state of ceremonies in the eastern world, the other is the capital of romance of the western world; one is the world full of traditional ethics and professional standards, the other is the fashional and young capital of the world. They are both the big countries and the leading powers in their regions, so many similarities do they have, so does the large numbers of differences.

Key words communication and culture history and their language values and attitudes

chauvinism

1,As we all know, both China and France have a long history, but the two countries' communication and culture are not the same high-context. When reading here, you may not agree with me, all right, I need to make a short explanation indeed. Cultures can be categorize as being either high or low context, depending on the degree to which meaning comes from the setting or from the words being exchanged.[1] Compared with Chinese culture, French has the mass information being vested in the explicit code while Chinese people transfer feature programmed information that is in the receiver and in the setting, with only minimal information in the transactions. However, the key point lies in the way how we use the language, I think.

2,French have a keen sense of national identity, which comes from their history and their language which results from their long history and somehow prosperous modern society. This is just like us Chinese to some extent. France was a considerable colonial power ever, with interests around the world, while China was one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.; French is the language of international diplomacy and Chinese is the most widely used language all over the world; The French Revolution changed the course of history, so the same as the Anti-Japanese war. Above all, France sees herself as one of the foremost contributors to civilized life-through her cuisine, her artists, composers, scientists , while China considers herself as the standard of the eastern traditional culture by showing her old poems, shadow puppet, exquisite embroidery, the old Pecking Opera and so on.

3,In China, there is a proverb, saying:"The outstanding bear the brunt of attack", usually Chinese people are not willing to be the first, the first to answer a question, the first to put forward an existing problem so on and so forth, which is regarded as a good way to protect themselves. Nevertheless, The French are “different”. "Different" means that they are charming, challenging, uncooperative, questioning, and doing things in their own way and to their own advantage. For instance, French people tend to raising lots of questions and then come up with several constructive suggestions. In contrast, the Chinese prefer to sing merits and praise virtues. That's why Chinese people is looking more prudent than French.

4,Despite of the difference between values and attitudes, Chinese also has significant variations on style versus the French people.

5,The French combine logic with wit, flair, and elegance.They enjoy plays on words, rhetoric, and satire rather than practical jokes or “belly laughs”. Molière, Voltaire, Honoréde de Balzac, Victor Hugo... So many writers create their brushwork with sharply sagacious minds and originally penetrating flair, leaving the later generation plenty of precious spiritual wealth. Here is an old funny story. One day three man were put into prison, the prison administrator promised to meet their demand as long as they put forward. When came to the French man, he asked for a beauty, and then went out the jail full loaded with children[4]. From the short story we can not hardly find that French person is so open on sex and lovers. In their view, lover is not equal to wife, after marriage, it is normal for them to have one or more lovers. And French people seldom care about one's private life, let nature take its course is the principle they rule to keep harmony with others.

6,However, Chinese people operate just the opposite way. When the young at an age above eighteen nearby do not have girlfriend or boyfriend, the old will be busy introducing and arrange appointments for them, until they fall in love with each other and even get married. Nowadays, Chinese new generation is in pursuit of free love, they emphasize more on the freedom to choose one's spouse, the real love, not the one parents choose for them. The view of love affairs is becoming more and more open , such as premarital cohabit, divorcement, which can be strongly against by the community a few years ago, be accepted by an increasing number of people nowadays. Whereas , Chinese still can not embrace the point of view that one of the couples still has one or more lovers outside. In Chinese traditional view, both of the couples should be loyal to each other, When marry, both ought to swear to be single-mindedness and only love the other forever. Once the treacherous action happen, the one will be intensively blamed for his or her derailments. Being loyal to one's spouse until his or her death is preferred by the society.

7,Nevertheless, though a French may be uninhibited or make his world full of women and wine, she or he will put family first without any hesitation. There is a strong tradition of regionalism in France, and people on the whole like to live near their relatives and to keep in touch with their roots. French families, traditionally, are highly integrated. Children often live with their parents until they marry, and an entire family of three or four generations may live in the same household, which is so similar to Chinese traditional extended families. But nowadays, Chinese young people prefer nuclear families rather than the extended families in which there are only parents and children . French man would never mix the work and family affairs.Hard work led to a moral life, spiritual fulfillment, and God’s blessing in the form of material rewards in France on earth. Nor they are willing to let their work take up the time which should have been spent with their families. Work is just one of the many dimensions of one’s life. However, Chinese seem to not deal with the relationships between family and work well. Most of them will choose work and give up family in pursuit of promotion,which is called "work to live". When comes to weekend, despite some of the significantly successful person have the ability to pull themselves out of work and company with their family members, all most all the working class work over time . We can not deny that social welfare and economic leverage plays an important role , whereas, work or family is just their choice, isn't it?

8,Though France and China are one of the biggest countries in their region, France has a strong great-nation chauvinism , while China do not. That's odd. As we mentioned in the former passage, French man is "Different", which we can conclude from the interesting phrases : "take a French leave"," French measles", "French print", "French fare","French intransigence"[3], they reject to affiliate with person whose background is humble and being millionaire almost one night without receiving favorable education. While Chinese people will treat all kinds of persons the same, just as the saying goes:"Act fairly by all men". Especially those who rise from humble beginning and overcome adversity to achieve success will receive the most respects and honours from society. Constitutionally speaking, Chinese culture is more inclusive compared with the French culture. That's the reason why we Chinese could keep harmonious relationships with most of the countries all over the world.

9,Finally, I want to express that the best way to find the culture difference between China and France is travelling--put yourself into the real situation ,and then just enjoy and appreciate it. There, your feeling will tell you everything.

【参考文献】：

[1] High-context and Low-context. 2008 Log into the World of Cultures-Intercultural Communication. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.

[2] Family Types 2008 Log into the World of Cultures-Intercultural Communication. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press.

[3] Welcome to France 2008 English for Travelers Chongqing: Chongqing University Press

[4] Funny stories 2009 Beautiful English Tianjing Education Express

[5] Chang, Yaoxin. A Survey of American Literature (the second edition)[M].

Tianjin: Nan Kai University Press, 1996.

跨文化交际期末论文

会计02班 孙彩虹

学号：20090470