ThetraditionalvaluesoftheChineseareformedonthebasisofacollectiveorientation,profoundlyinfluencedbythousandsofyearsofanagriculturalcivilizationandConfucianism.Thecollectiverelationshipnotonlyincludestherelationshipbetweenanindividualandhisfamily,butalsobetweentheindividualandthecountry,society,aswellasotherindividuals.
Linkeddestiny
InthetraditionalpatriarchalsocietyofChina,thebasiccomponentsarefamilies,insteadofindividuals.Inthenetworkofbloodrelationships,eachindividualisentrustedwithclearobligationsandresponsibilities.Theparentsandthefamilyraisetheoffspring,andtheoffspringdischargetheirfilialpietytowardtheparentsandthefamily.Thedestinyoftheindividualisintimatelylinkedwiththatofthefamilyorclantheindividualrelieson.Whenthefamilyisprosperous,soistheindividual,andwhenthefamilyendsupruined,sodoestheindividual.Theindividualhaslittlerelevanceoutsidethecontextoffamilyandclan.
Suchperceptionisreflectedinmanyaspects.Taketravelingasanexample.IntheWest,mostpeopledonotprefertravelinginagroup.Whetherrichornot,theyprefertobeindividualtravelerswithsufficientpersonalspaceforthemselves.TheChinesearedifferentinthattheypreferbeingtogether,whetheritistraveling,diningout,orworking.Ortheyfeellonely.TheChinesegenerallylovebeingaccompaniedandhatebeingalone.WesternersreceivethesamepleasureintheirindependenceastheChinesedowhenbeingtogether.
SincetheChineselovebeingtogether,itisparamounttotaketheinterestsofthegroup,orthecollectiveintoaccount,andtheindividualmustfollowthewillofthecollective.ThereasonbehindthisisthatthephilosophicalcoreofChinesecultureisanawarenessofthecollective,whilethephilosophicalcoreofWesterncultureisanawarenessoftheindividual.Theawarenessoftheindividualmeanseachpersonisanindependentindividualwithhisorherownpersonalityandwill.
Aheavierweight
Collectiveawarenessmeanstheindividualisbutapartofthecollective,andthecollectiveinterestistheindividual鈥檚interest.Thecollectivevalueistheindividual鈥檚value.TheChinesepaymoreattentiontotheprotectionoftheinterestofthecollective,thesolidarityofthecollective,andtheachievementofthecollectivegoal.Theyputaheavierweightonsocialorcollectiveinterest,whichisconsideredmoreimportantthanindividualinterest.
Individualinterestistobeintegratedintotheinterestofthecollective,ortobeignoredorcompromisedwhennecessary.Thecollectiveorientation,iffurtherextendedinitsimplication,turnsintoanorientationorconcernofotherpeople.
Whendoingsomething,theChinesetendtoconsiderwhatothersmightthinkorsay.Modestyandcourtesyarevirtuespraisedhighlybythem.TheChineseprefertoadaptthemselvestodifferentcircumstances,nottocontendforattentionorgain.Publicopinionismorelikelytobenegativetowardindividualswhostandout.Ifanindividualisidiosyncraticinbehavior,dressorappearance,heorshemaybecriticized,excludedorrejected.
Dropintheocean
Confucianismisaculturethatencouragesthecollective.Amemberofsuchacultureisnotanindependentindividualbutbelongstoacollective.SointheeyesofthosewhobelieveinConfucianism,therelationshipbetweentheindividualandthecollectiveisjustlikethatbetweenadropofwaterandthesea.Adropofwateristrivialandwillsoondryup.Butifitjoinsthesea,itgainsvitalityandpower.
Thatbeingsaid,anindividualshouldthinkalikeandtakeconcertedactionwiththecollective,joininginforstrengthenedcapabilityorpower.Thatistosay,thementalityoftheChineseistoseekwhat鈥檚incommonandtosetasidewhat鈥檚differentthoughConfucianismsometimessuggests鈥渒eepingthedifferencesbutstillbeinginharmony鈥漚ndencouragestheindividualisticspirit.
Butonthewhole,Confucianismhasalwaysencouragedstickingtoethicsfromtheperspectiveofthecollective.