1、What is ChinaThe Peoples Republic of China, commonly known as China, is located in east Asia. And borders 14 nations or any other county in the world. It is the most populous state in the world with a 1.3 billion citizens, while the worlds population is 6.8 billion. That means other every 5 people i
2、n the world, one is Chinese. China is made of 56 distinctive ethnic groups with Han Chinese making the 92% of its whole population. 中华人民共和国，简称中国，位于东亚。与 14 个国家或地区接壤。是世界人口最多的国家，有 13 亿人口，而世界人口是 68 亿。也就是说，世界上每 5 个人中就有一个是中国人。中国有 56 个民族，汉族占总人口的 92%。China is a single party state governed by the Communist P
3、arty of China whose power is enshrined in Chinese constitution. Though China is officially an atheist country, its religious roots lie within Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. And from these most social and moral values are derived. There are also a significant number of Chinese Muslims who arrived
4、 via the silk road trade route and still retain their distinct culture. 中国由中国共产党一党执政，共产党的执政地位写入了宪法。中国奉行无神论，宗教文化扎根于儒教、佛教和道教。社会道德也多根源于此。大量的穆斯林沿丝绸之路到达了中国，仍保持着自己的文化。History. China is one of the world oldest civilizations dating back more than 5 million years and was ruled by successive dynasties until 1
5、912. During these time, many great discoveries in fields of science and technology were made including the intentions of printing, paper, gunpowder and compass. This period also saw the construction of many landmarks, such as The Great Wall which stretches over 4000 miles equals to 30 return travels
6、 from London to Paris. After a period of foreign occupation and civil war, the Communist Party of China led by Mao gained control of mainland China in 1949, and established Peoples Republic of China. 历史。中国是文明古国之一，有着五千年文明，世袭的封建王朝终结于 1912 年（Sun Yat-Sen）。在中国古代，有许多重要的科技发明，包括印刷术、造纸术、火药和指南针。也有很多著名的建筑，比如绵延
7、四千英里的长城，相当于往返伦敦和巴黎 30 次的距离。抗战和内战结束后，毛泽东领导共产党与 1949 年夺取了中国大陆的政权，建立了中华人民共和国。The modern China of today is as much shaped by its past as its rapidly in mending old ways looking to the future. While many of its big cities are comparable to any in the west, the underlying culture is still vastly different
8、. Traveling outside large urban areas also highlights the growing disparity between rich and poor.如今的现代中国被她的过去所塑造，并以其总结过去并快速发展展望未来。许多大城市很像西方的一些城市，但二者存在着巨大的文化差异。走出城市就能看到不断增大的城乡贫富差距。Language. Chinese which is the most widely spoken language in the world as well as one of the most impenetrable for fore
9、igners. There are many regional dialects of Chinese although the most widely spoken is Mandarin and Cantonese. Chinese characters evolved over time from earlier forms of hieroglyphs. Chinese contains over 49,000 characters. But a well-educated person can recognize around 6,000 characters, some 3,000
10、 are required to read a newspaper.汉语是世界上使用最广泛的语言，同时也是让外国人最难搞懂的语言之一。汉语的方言很多，使用最多的是普通话和粤语。汉字发源于象形文字，有超过四万个汉字。受过良好教育的人能认识大约六千个字，阅读报纸需要认识三千字左右。Chinese Calendar. Chinese Zodiacs a scheme that relates each year to an animal. This is the year of rabbit. Chinese New Year is the most important of traditional
11、 Chinese holidays. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of happiness, wealth and longevity. On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children wil
12、l meet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year and receive money in red paper envelopes. Chinese people love red color which symbolizes prosperity and good luck. The period around Chinese new year is also the time of the largest human migration. And between 150 and 200 million mig
13、rant workers in China bring home their earnings and go to have a unit dinner with their families on Chinese new year eve.农历。中国用十二生肖来代表年份，今年是免年。农历新年是最重要的传统节日。门窗会贴上红色的剪纸和对联，象征幸福、富裕和长寿。除夕夜，年夜饭全家人一起吃。家人会以放鞭炮的方式辞旧迎新。大年初一，小孩子给长辈拜年收红包。中国人喜欢红色，红色象征着繁荣和吉利。最大规模的人类迁徙也发生于春节期间，1.5亿到 2 亿农民工会带回一年的收入，和家人一起吃团圆饭。Yout
14、h. Most married couples in China are subjected to one child policy which is introduced in 1979 to curb massive population growth. It is believed to have prevented more than 300 million births since then. Another consequence of the policy has been the emergence of so called “little emperors“, a gener
15、ation of self-centered consumes has developed. While Chinese education system has rapidly developed, there remains a heavy emphasis on passing exams. The upshot of this is that exams dictate the curriculum. While Chinese students can master and memorize incredible amounts of knowledge and informatio
16、n, they often lack the ability to critically think, develop their own opinions, and engage in creative activities. Due to the propensity for preferring sons over daughters, China is facing a large population imbalance with currently around 120 boys born for every 100 girls. By 2020, there will be 30
17、 million more men than women.青年。大多数夫妻都要遵守独生子女政策，这是 1979 年制定的控制人口增长的政策。据信，该政策避免了 3 亿人口的出生。政策的另一个结果是造就了一代“小皇帝”以自我为中心的一代人。中国的教育在快速发展，但仍然以应试为主。课程学习都以考试为中心。中国的学生能记住大量的知识和信息，但却缺乏批判性思维、独立思考和创新的能力。由于更加偏爱男孩，中国失衡的男女性别比达到了 120 比 100，到 2020 年，男性将比女性多三千万。Economy. Since economic opening up and reform policy began
18、 in 1978, Chinas economy has grown 90 times bigger and is the fastest growing major economy in the world. Chinas annual average GDP growth is predicted to be 9.5 percent for the period of 2011 to 2015. It is the worlds largest exporter, and the second largest importer of goods. It is also known as t
19、he worlds second biggest consumer of luxury goods. It now has the worlds second largest GDP at about 6 trillion US dollars, 40 percent of the United States. Although its per capita income of 4300 US dollars is still low, and puts China behind roughly a hundred countries. Chinas growth has been uneve
20、n when comparing different geographic regions and rural and urban areas. Development has also been mainly concentrated in the eastern coastal regions, while the remainder of this country are left behind. In the past decade, Chinas cities expanded at an average rate of 10 percent annually, a scale un
21、precedented in human history.经济。自 1978 年改革开放以来，中国经济增长了 90 倍，中国是增长最快的主要经济体。预测 2011 年到 2015 年，中国年均 GDP增长率会保持 9.5%。中国是世界最大的出口国，第二大进口国，也是世界第二大奢侈品消费国。目前的 GDP 位于世界第二，大约 6 万亿美元，相当于美国的四成。但人均只有 4300 美元，排名一百位开外。不同地区、城乡之间发展也不均衡，发达地区集中在东南沿海，其余地方则普遍落后。过去十年，城市以年均 10%的速度扩张，这是人类历史上前所未有的规模。China is a country crazy f
22、or skyscrapers to show its economic booming. More than 200 skyscrapers are being built now. Within next three years, there will be one skyscrapers completed every five days in China, which will make the total 800 in five years time, 4 times as many in the States. China is the worlds factory. One out
23、 of every three household appliances/three toys/two pairs of shoes/two shirts are made in China. It has now become the worlds largest energy consumer, but relies on coal to supply about 70 percent of energy needs. Leading Chinese environmental campaigners have warned that water pollution is one of t
24、he most serious threats facing China now. Yet with 34.6 billion US dollars invested in clean technology in 2009, China is the worlds leading investor in renewable energy technologies. China produces more wind turbines and solar panels each year than any other country in the world.中国喜欢用摩天大楼来显示经济实力，目前
25、有超过 200 幢在建。未来三年，每五天就会有一幢摩天大楼竣工，五年内总共达到 800幢，比美国多四倍。中国是世界工厂，每三件家电、三件玩具，两双鞋子、两件衣服中，就有一件是由中国制造。中国是世界最大的能源消费国，但七成能源由煤炭提供。环保人士警告说，水污染是中国最严重的环境问题。不过 2009 年中国就向清洁能源投资了 346亿美元，成为世界最大的可再生能源投资国。中国也是风力发电机和太阳能电池板最大的生产国。Food. Being such a large and ethnically diverse country, each region has its own local speci
26、alties which the Chinese are often keen to try and introduce to others. Generally you will find hot and spicy in the western and central china and cooler food in the south and north. A Chinese dining table is usually round allowing everyone to engage equally in conversation. It will be set with empt
27、y bowls, plates, and chopsticks for each person. Food dishes are placed into the centre of the table to be shared between everyone. Dont be put off if you see people spitting bones and seeds onto the plate. This is perfectly normal. Contrary to what you might find on your local china town, Chinese f
28、ood is generally healthy and often beautifully presented. Texture flavor color and aroma are key considerations for all Chinese cooks even above nutritional contents. Chinese dining is about showing respect and hospitality for the guests and often used as an extension of the boardroom. Heavy drinkin
29、g is often a part of doing business and it is expected that you will keep up with others. If you do not want to drink alcohol, make it clear before you start.饮食。由于幅员辽阔和民族众多，每个地方都有自己乐于向外人推荐的特色，总的来说西南和中部的味道偏辣而南方和北方较清淡。餐桌一般是圆形的，能便于大家交谈。会给每个人分别摆放空碗、盘子和筷子。菜肴放在中间一起分享。看到有人把骨头吐在桌子上也别惊讶，这简直太正常了。跟你在唐人街看到的不同，中
30、国的食物基本都很健康并且摆放美观。厨师注重菜肴的质、色、香、味，甚至比营养更重要。请客吃饭是显示对客人的尊重和热情，通常家里的客厅连着饭厅一起用。喝酒是做生意的一部分，你需要喝的跟别人一样多。如果你不能喝酒，需要在一开始就表明。Face. The concept of face can be loosely described as someone social status or reputation in the eyes of others. Throughout a Chinese persons life must be maintained and enhanced through
31、 giving to and receiving from others in both words and actions. It may be something as small as who gets in the lift first to the awarding of multi-million dollar contracts. But without it you will have very little power or influence. To make someone lose face or even unknowingly is a huge dishonor
32、and could mean the end of a relationship.面子。面子是某个人在他人眼中的社会地位和名声，中国人的一生都必须用语言和行动相互维护和提升面子，小到谁先上电梯，大到百万美元的合同授予。没有面子也就没有影响力。即使是无意中让别人没面子，也是极其严重的冒犯，可能意味着断绝关系。GuanXi literally means “connections” or “relationship” as it essentially boils down to exchanging favors “you scratch my back I will scratch yours
33、”. It can loosely be compared with the idea of networking in the west. But usually goes much further of developing and nurturing the relationship through social exchanges and favors which must be repaid at greater value in time. Relationship between family friends and business associates are often c
34、losely interwoven. In such an environment issues of corruption are not uncommon when GuanXi obligation take precedence over normal rules or laws.关系本质上就是个人利益的联系，互相帮忙，互施恩惠。这跟西方社会的人际网络类似。但是在培养关系的利益简化过程中，你需要在适当时间给对方足够的好处。家人、朋友和商业伙伴的关系经常紧密交织。在这样的环境中，当关系人情看得比规则甚至法律更重要时，腐败从来都不是新鲜事。Doctrine of The Mean. Kno
35、wn as the Doctrine of The Mean or golden mean this concept involves balancing ones position a group to maintain conformity and a sense of harmony. To do this while still achieving ones personal objective is considered by the Chinese people the ideal way of living. This can be applied to the workplac
36、e where one should behave in a way which is seen to be neither ambitious nor lazy at the same time. Chinese people never openly criticize, ignore or make fun of a person in front of others, even jokingly. When discussing individual performance, they always emphasize good points before bad ones.中庸。中庸
37、之道，是指个人保持跟群体的一致与和谐，中国人最理想的生活状态就是既中庸又能实现个人目标。工作中也是如此，员工一般既不是非常野心勃勃，也不是非常懒惰懈怠。中国人不会公开批评、忽视或者取笑他人，哪怕是开玩笑。点评他人的表现时，也总是先强调优点，再讲不足。Difference. Chinese may ask you personal questions or make observation about your age, income, religion or appearance. Dont take it personally, likewise Chinese rarely say ple
38、ase or thank you, as this is seen as unnecessary between friends or family. In the Chinese meeting, often the most senior attendees will talk and all questions should be directed to those people. Silence is not sign of weakness of china, often the unsaid message is more important than that is being
39、said verbally. To be successful in china requires different ways of thinking. A Chinese historian professor puts this way: the Chinese people are frank and tactful, honest and sophisticated, suspicious and gullible, unscrupulous yet loyal, advocated and yet often appear unmannered, stand for the gol
40、den yet are extreme, value the quality of being thrifty yet like to parade their wealth, maintain traditions when convenient yet love to chase modern fashion, believe contentment brings happiness yet often daydream about becoming overnight millionaires, believe the world of the fortune yet lack affi
41、liation to any religion.差异。中国人可能会问你的私事，或者探询你的年龄、收入、信仰和外貌，别忘心里去，就像中国人的朋友和家人之间觉得没必要说“请”或者“谢谢”一样。开会时，通常是资格最老的参会者发言和接受提问，沉默并不意味着是缺点，通常潜台词比明说的话更重要。在中国要取得成功，需要另外的思维方式。有位中国的历史学教授总结说，中国人是这样的，耿直却又圆滑，坦诚却又世故，多疑却又轻信，讲实惠却又重义气，尚礼仪却又少公德，主中庸却又走极端，美节俭却又喜排场，守古法却又赶时髦，知足常乐却又幻想暴富，烧香算命却又无宗教感。This is China, one big contradiction which refuses to be placed in a box. In china you will find all extremes but that is all part of the challenge and adventure of doing business here. Be patient and have fun.这就是中国，矛盾复杂，很难归纳成一个模式。在中国，你将会发现各种极端，但也是经营中挑战与冒险的一部分，耐心，你会
