To start off the New Year, on February 14th, the Chinese will give “red envelopes” with lucky money inside to friends and relatives as a blessing of good luck and fortune. In this framework, Communicaid Inc. has launched a series of 10 web articles called “Chinese Red Envelopes” to shed light on some of these fascinating traditions of the Chinese culture.
The first article discusses the concept of 'face' in the Chinese culture, we hope you find it captivating and valuable to you when doing business with the Chinese.
The essence of building a relationship in the Chinese culture can be summed up by the term 面子 "Mian-zi” (also refered to as 脸 "Lian”) which translates into English literally as “face” meaning respect or reputation. Face can be gained (“zhang mian-zi” 长面子), given (“gei mian-zi” 给面子) or lost (“diu lian” 丢脸). [1]
It is critical to avoid situations that will cause either you or your friend to lose face during the initial stages of relationship building. You should set the foundation of the relationship by establishing mutual respect. Any communication should be taken with the purpose of increasing face for both parties in mind.
Business-wise, this means you should refer to local business partners or mention regional awards you have won to establish face for your firm when meeting your client for the first time. Anything that can prove you are locally respected will earn you face in the business community and enhance your appeal to prospects. Prospects will also feel that face has been gained when they are dealing with a reputable firm.
Please follow this link to view the entire “red envelopes” series: http://www.communicaidinc.com/
In the tradition of the Chinese culture, we wish you Gong Xi Fa Cai!
