CULTURE AS A DETERMINANT OF ASIAN WAYS AND

BEHAVIOR

What is Culture?

Culture is the way of life of a group of people.

Included in culture are language, values,

practices, religion, customs, beliefs and

traditions. One of the characteristic of culture is

that it is an adaptation to the environment. It is

developed through interactions with other

people. The family is the primary agent of

cultural diffusion because the parents and older

relatives act as the first teachers of values and

socially acceptable practices to the younger

generation.

Religion as a Determinant of Ways

and Behavior

• Religion is one of the factors why Asians

have different values and practices.

• In Judaism and Christianity, men seek to

control the environment and be master of

the universe. For example, floods and

droughts are forces of nature that are

caused by the gods to test human capacity

to survive.

• It is the opposite in Taoism and Shinto.

Generally, these religions consider nature

as a great and caring. Taoism teaches that

man has to conform and follow the flow of

nature.

• In Shinto, spirits known as kami live in

natural things. Offerings are given and

ceremonies are performed for these kami.

Asian Ways and Behavior

• Religion and philosophy shape culture.

This culture is reflected in the people’s

behavior and ways.

Ways and Behavior in China• Socially hierarchy is very important for the

Chinese in their interaction with other people. This is a result of Confucian influence in Chinese civilization.

• Chinese would like to determine the place of birth, age, civil status and earning capacity of a new acquaintance.

• Respect and high regard for elders. Example: – Greeting elder people first before the younger ones.

– They wait for the elder people to sit before they do so.

– When the elder goes out of the door, the younger person usually assist him or her by opening the door.

– Chinese people usually do not show their affection and feelings to non-relatives and distant friends through actions like hugging and back-slapping.

• Chinese table manners, rice and soup are

served on bowls, wine and tea in cups and

main dishes on plates.

• Noodles or soup are usually served hot

and eaten with slurping sounds to show

that the food is delicious.

• When the Chinese eat rice from the bowl,

they place the bowl near their mouth to

keep the rice from falling to the table.

How do the Chinese show their

respect for their elders?

Ways and Behavior in Japan

• The Japanese also have high regard for social hierarchy. This is depicted in the manner of bowing – the duration and lowness of bending one’s body.

• Sometimes they combine the handshakes as a greeting.

• In calling the attention of another, they usually add the word san to the last syllable of a person’s family name. For example, Tanaka-san and Takizawa-san.

surname Yamada-san山田さん

Mr. Yamada

given name Yoko-san陽子さん

Miss. Yoko

occupation honya-san本屋さん

bookseller

sakanaya-san魚屋さん

fishmonger

title shichou-san市長さん

mayor

oisha-sanお医者さん

doctor

bengoshi-san弁護士さん

lawyer

• "~ kun （～君）" is used to address men who are younger or the same age as the speaker. A male might address female inferiors by "~ kun," usually in schools or companies. It can be attached to both surnames and given names. It is less polite than "~ san." It isn't used between women or when addressing one's superiors.

• "~ chan（～ちゃん）" is often attached to children's names when calling them by their given names. It can also be attached to kinship terms in a childish language.

• Mika-chan

• 美香ちゃん Mika

• ojii-chan

• おじいちゃん grandpa

• obaa-chan

• おばあちゃん grandma

• oji-chan

• おじちゃん uncle

• Just like the Chinese, the Japanese use

chopsticks in eating. However, Japanese

chopsticks are shorter, more pointed and

made of ivory or lacquered wood. They

also eat their soup and noodles with a

slurping sound.

• Tea drinking was elevated into an art.

• Japanese drink a traditional rice wine

called sake.

Ways and Behavior in India

• The traditional greeting among Hindus in India is namaste which means “good day.” They say this greeting with hands held together as if in prayer, placed near the chin and with the head slightly bent forward.

• The greeting among Muslim is Salaam aleikum (Sahlahm a-laykuhm) or may peace be with you. For the Sikhs, it is Sat Sri Akal (Saht shree ah-kahl).

• Public display of affection – kissing, hugging and holding hands is highly discouraged.

• At least one arm’s length distance when

opposite sex meet and talk in public.

• Indians believed that the head is a very

sensitive part of the body so it should not be

touched by other people.

• Indians consider that the food they eat and

religion are closely connected since all their

food emanate from their gods. Men and

women eat separately. They only use the

right hand for eating because they consider

the left hand as unclean and unsanitary.

Ways and Behavior in Indonesia

Indonesia, the largest archipelago in

the world, has served as an important

trade center in the region and a

crossroad of different cultures. Islam is

the dominant religion in Indonesia.

• Bahasa Indonesia is the official language

in the country.

• Selamat pagi- greeting in the morning

• Selamat siang - for the afternoon (from 12

noon to 4 in the afternoon)

• Selamat sorae - for late afternoon (from 4

in the afternoon until dusk)

• Selamat malam - for the evening

• When introduced to another person, an

Indonesian usually offers his or her right

hand for a handshake while the left hand

is placed on the chest to show sincere

pleasure in meeting the other person (not

done with between opposite sexes).

• Holding hands in public between

unmarried males and females is not

encouraged.

• It is important to address those who have

done so with the title of Haji (for males) or

Hajjah (for females) as a sign of respect.

• Head of the person consider as the seat of

the soul and sacred part of the body. For

this reason, patting or touching the head of

another person even child is avoided.

• Spoons and forks are not usually utilized

in eating. Like other Muslims, Indonesians

only use their right hands for eating and

their left hands for washing their private

parts.

• Considered unclean, the left hand is

likewise not used to receive or hand out

money.

Ways and Behavior in Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia is one of the important

countries in West Asia. Two of the most

sacred places of Islam – Mecca and

Medina – can be found in this country.

• Burqah or Burka – it is a long dress that

almost totally covers the head and body,

leaving only the eyes exposed.

• Bedouins – the nomadic people who live in

tents in the desert of Arabia

• The custom of the Bedouins is to invite

into their tent any traveler who passes by.

The travelers are offered food and invited

to stay, usually up to three days in their

tents.

• Assalamu alaykum (may peace be with

you) – greeting of the owner of the tent

• Wa’alaykum as salam (and peace be with

you also) – response of the guest to the

greeting

• Some Bedouin tribes do not eat until the

guests are finished eating.

• On the special occasions like Ramadan,

Bedouin women prepare special dishes.

• The biggest and wealthiest family in the

tribe serves the special dishes before

sunrise and after sunset.

Synthesis

• Culture is an important determinant of ways and behavior of any group of people. It determines the manner of interaction among people and the frame of mind with which to view the world and one’s life.

• Some of the values and practices common among Asian peoples are respect for elders, respect for the collective interest, being helpful to others and respect for the environment.

• It is important to maintain Asian ways and behavior in order to preserve our Asian identity.