Basic Characteristics of Chinese Culture

Joseph S. Wu Introduction Chinese culture is so substantive in content, so comprehensive in varieties, and has had so long a history, that to its outsiders, it is very similar to the elephant before the blind men in the ancient story. The blind men could not grasp the elephant in its entirety. They held onto some part, and from this vantage point they attempted to describe the whole animal. The man who has Chinese culture by the feet may say that Chinese people are conservative and this explains why it is so difficult for China to accept modernization. The man who holds Chinese culture by the tail may say that the substance of Chinese society is its family system and this accounts for the failure of some modern politicians attempt to establish communal life. The man who holds Chinese culture by the ears may say that Chinese people are spontaneously artistic, and this is perhaps the reason why they have been underdeveloped in scientific thinking. These interpretations of Chinese culture may not be mistaken, but they all commit one common fallacy: the fallacy of selected emphasis, or, the fallacy of taking the part for the whole. Nevertheless, an insider of Chinese culture may not be able to grasp a complete and accurate picture either, nor is he able to present it to its outsiders. This is simply because that the one who is actually involved may still have the problem of failing to get clarity and objectivity. A lover being in love is usually unable to describe his own feeling until he has stepped out of it. This author was born in China, educated in Chinese schools and colleges. No doubt, he had direct contact and substantial involvement with Chinese culture. But, when he was an insider of the culture, if someone asked him about the nature of this culture, he would just be startled and baffled. It is because Chinese culture was a part of his life that he never had to question or wonder about it. After many years teaching in the American Continent, he has been given an opportunity to reflect upon Chinese culture at a distance. He is now in a position that he can see Chinese culture with fuller clarity and greater degree of objectivity because he is no longer involved in it as his practical environment. At the same time, he can be relatively free from the fallacy of the blind men, since he was once an insider, having a full and direct contact with the culture itself. With this advantage of being an insider-outsider, he ventures to communicate his understanding of Chinese culture to his readers in the English speaking world. In what follows, he will give an impressionistic, phenomenological, but reflective account of Chinese culture. He is going to present what he has observed as an insider-outsider. This consists in twelve characteristics to be presented in this essay. 1. Agriculture As Economic Foundation

The term "agriculture" as a mode of production, or as a way of economic life, does not seem to bother with any explanation. But I would like to point out some of the qualities of this mode of life because they have shaped the character of Chinese culture. Compared with the life of tradesmen and herdsmen, a farmers life is relatively fixed, settled, and relaxingly permanent. This is commonly referred to as "the lack of mobility." Because this style of life is more settled and at rest, it is easier for a farmer to raise children, and to develop a family up to a large population under one roof. Due to the lack of mobility, a farmers life is relatively free from risk and adventure. This may account for the origin of Chinese conservatism which will receive some attention later. This kind of "attached to earth" and "dependent on land" attitudes also account for some moral qualities of the Chinese people, particularly, the virtue of patience. A farmers efficient production very much depends on the cooperation of nature. The process of the growth of a plant, from seed to full maturity, needs a certain period of time which can hardly be speeded up by human effort. In a technological society, attempts have been made to shorten the period of time needed for production. The popular usage "instant" in "instant coffee" and "instant noodle" fully discloses the lack of patience in modern life. But this kind of "instant" production can hardly apply to an old-fashioned agricultural process. I have learned that, in contemporary American society, in addition to instant coffee and instant noodle, a computer dating service can produce an "instant girl friend" or "instant boy friend." Similarly, a commercialized college can produce an "instant degree." But, I have never learned of any "instant asparagus," and "instant cherry tree," or an "instant redwood or pine." This indicates that agricultural production needs time and patience as a required condition for the life of a farmer. From the development of the Chinese language, we have discovered many ancient characters which were names of agricultural products or natural botanical items. A very interesting phenomenon is that, the Chinese term for society is an "agricultural product." it is called she chi (or, she ji, while "she" means "the god of the earth," and "chi or ji" means "the god of the crops". These usages really mirror the significant role of agriculture in traditional Chinese life. Another strikingly interesting fact is the name of the founder of Chinese medical tradition. This person was a legendary figure among the ancient tribal kings who were said to have contributed significantly to Chinese culture. This legendary king was called "Shen Nung Shih" (or shen nong shi, ). "shen" means "spiritual," "holy,"or "divine." "Nung or nong" means "agriculture" or "farmer." "Shih or shi" does not have any specific meaning except denoting a person, or a person of prominence. So the title of this legendary king can just be translated into English as "The Divine Farmer" or "The Spiritual Farmer." It was said that this Farmer experimented with various kinds of herbs in order to discover their medical functions and thus founded the tradition of Chinese medicine and pharmacy. I still remember, in my childhood in Canton, when I caught cold, I was taught to take a kind of herbal medicine called "Shen Nong Cha" ("cha" literally means tea). This reveals the significance of this legendary figure which in turn discloses the importance of agriculture in the Chinese tradition. 1. Naturalistic View Of Life

A naturalistic view of life is the direct offspring of the agricultural society. Farmers work on land in the open air rather than working on papers in an enclosed air-conditioned office. Closeness to nature and direct contact with plants and animals easily develop a naturalistic view of life which is hardly found in an industrialized society. In spite of the fact that China has gradually become modernized during the last one hundred years, this naturalistic view of life is still rooted deeply into the Chinese mind of the contemporary era. Many Chinese overseas in the American Continent have saved enough money to purchase a Caddilac, but they do not even buy a Pinto or Tercel. This is simply because they still believe that walking is a more natural way of life than operating a motor behind the wheel. In a modern society, sleeping-pills are so popular that they are even sold in the supermarket without the prescription of a physician. But from the Chinese viewpoint. it is a violation of the naturalistic view of life because they do not believe that sleeping should be artificially induced. In some modern Chinese cities like Hong Kong or Taipei where an average family can afford to buy a refrigerator. But very often Chinese people do not make the full use of this modern technological device. In many families, a refrigerator is primarily used for keeping drinks such as coca-cola, milk, and beer. They still prefer shopping their meat and vegetable afresh and transfer them directly from the market to their wok (pan) They would be surprised and even shocked if they learn that some American families keep their steaks, pork chops, and lobsters for many days and even over a month. The naturalistic view of life has gained supports from ancient Chinese philosophers such as Laotzu () and Chuangtzu (). It was emphatically pointed out by Laotzu that Tao is a naturalistic principle. [1] Chuangtzu, in a mythical story, disclosed the futility of human effort to change nature.[2] According to this story, there was once a legendary emperor who had two intimate friends. This emperor treated both of them kindly and generously, so they always thought of repaying his favor. One day, they came up with an idea. All men had seven openings, so that they could see, hear, eat, and breathe. But the emperor was born defective and had none of them. So they decided to bore him some. Before they accomplished this enormous mission, the emperor departed this world miserably. This story suggests the importance of what is endowed by nature. The emperor was endowed by nature without sense organs, yet he could live happily by following the natural way. Nevertheless, his friends, with a good motive and kind heart, tried to exercise effort to change nature and thus led to a disaster. Confucian philosophers also share this naturalistic view of life. Mencius told us a story about a stupid farmer who did not have sufficient patience to wait for the growth of the rice plants. He went to the field to lift up each of the plants by an inch and was under the illusion that he had helped them grow. After a few days, all the plants died.[3] In ordinary Chinese language, there are many sayings which reveal this attitude of life. The most popular one, ting chi tzu jan (ting-qi-zi-ran, ), "following the natural way" or "let it be as it is" has become deeprooted in the ordinary Chinese mentality, and serves as a guiding principle of the life of Chinese people, including all varieties of life style. 3. Simplicity and Contentment

The principle of simplicity follows closely the naturalistic view of life. According to the philosophy of Taoism, simplicity is the way of nature, so it should also be the way of man. This principle is also known by the principle of wu-weior non-action. "Nature does nothing, but everything is done." Modern life, however, is a life of complication. It is complicated by both technological devices and social or political institutions. An average person in modern American society can own an automobile, a home with air-conditioning, heating, refrigerator, washer, dryer, and many other appliances in the kitchen. But from the Chinese viewpoint, the possession of these technological devices will generate tension and anxiety rather than happiness. Say, car troubles alone will be sufficient to cause you headache. If two or three devices fail to work at the same time, this technical tool will generate tremendous pressure upon your life. The social and political relations of a modern man is complicated by the increased complexity of our system and the enactment of new laws. You have to meet tax deadlines, to observe the expiration dates of your different types of insurance. Above of all, you have to meet with the liabilities as a citizen and as a member of the community. This type of complication and the problems generated by technological devices usually reinforce each other. Take for example, if you own an automobile, you are required to buy auto insurance. Provided that your careless driving results in an accident with another driver who is injured critically and ever since paralyzed. Your luck is probably the confrontation of a lawsuit. At the same time, you may have problems with your own insurance company which may refuse the settlement proposed by the injured party. So this kind of complication of life can lead to infinite trouble and unrest. This is by no means the Chinese ideal way of life. For the Chinese, a guiding principle of life is that "Big things are to be reduced to small things, and small things are to be reduced to nothing." Associated with the principle of simplicity is the experience of contentment toward material living. This is also a product of agricultural life. A farmer is well-contented with his anticipated harvest, and, unlike a modern man, he would not expect any excessive profits from the sharp rise in the stock market. His crops are produced through continuous effort rather than through risks or gambling. The virtue of contentment has been justified and even praised by both the Confucian scholars and the Taoists. As recorded in The Analects,[4] Yen Yuans ( ) material living was very much below the minimum standard of his time. He lived in a shabby lane with coarse food and simple clothing, yet he was living delightfully. Because of this, he was admired even by his master, Confucius, and praised by later Confucian scholars. In compliance with this principle of life, the Taoists seriously criticized "discontentment" as the precedent of misfortune and even the cause of disaster. From the viewpoint of contemporary American society, one may criticize this Chinese view of life as a form of asceticism which may not fit the life of a highly developed civilization. But the present author would like to point out, contentment is not the same as the denial of any enjoyment at all. In addition, a life of contentment is, rather, a life free from frustration, anxiety, and sense of misery. Generally speaking, there are two extreme approaches to ones material living. This can be demonstrated by the following equation: Desires fulfilled Happiness (based on satisfaction) == -----------------------

Desires

The hedonists struggle to enlarge the numerator (fulfilling their desires), while the ascetics try to minimize the denominator (desires). Both are equally efficient ways to attain happiness. It is because, according to the principle of mathematics, the amount of happiness can be increased by either way. These two extreme approaches correspondingly represent the contemporary American way and the traditional Hindu way. But the Chinese way stands in the middle. If the numerator can be enlarged without exerting too much strenuous effort, the Chinese would go along with the hedonists. But if the numerator cannot be increased with human effort, they would go with the ascetics, reducing the denominator. This is the Chinese way of contentment, and is regulated by the principle of moderation which will be discussed later in this essay. Here, I would like to point out emphatically that the Chinese motto for living a contented life is Sui yu er an (), which means: "Being at home wherever you stay."
4. Artistic Way of Life

It was about fifty years ago, an American scholar made a very penetrating remark on Chinese way of life saying: "The Chinese way of looking at life was not primarily through religion, or philosophy, or science, but throught art."[5] In spite of its apparent exaggeration, this is a very insightful characterization of Chinese culture. In order to understand this aspect of Chinese culture, we have to understand what it means to be artistic. Perhaps a brief contrast between art and science will reveal its implications. In the main, the distinction between the artistic and the scientific can be found in their respective modes of communication. The communication of scientific knowledge is primarily literal conveyance of meaning through abstract concepts, while the artistic mode is mainly suggestive presentation of concrete images. In science, truthful and accurate description is necessary, while in art, selective characterization is encouraged and preferred. Furthermore, in the artistic discourse, exaggeration, and even fictional construction are considered adequate, and, they are sometimes even desirable. As to the result of communication, the scientific way yields the recognition of facts and relations among them, while the artistic way yields appreciation and enjoyment through perception of sensory qualities. The Chinese language, having its substantive foundation in the construction of concrete characters, is primarily an artistic language. Although it has been asserted that the Chinese are not incapable of scientific thinking, and that there have been important scientific discoveries in Chinese history, it is still valid to say that Chinese culture is predominantly artistic. In the Western world, medical science, by definition, is a science. But Chinese medicine is an art. It is a demonstrable fact that many of the classical prescriptions were written in the form of verses. In addition, the fortune-tellers compose their fortune sayings in rhyming verses, even though they do not bear much poetic substance. There is another significant distinction between science and art, or better, between scientific culture and artistic culture. This distinction is embodied in the different learning methods of students, particularly beginning students. The fundamental learning method for a student in science is the following of rules and procedures. But in art, the learning

process is the imitation of models. If we apply this distinction to a more concrete level in comparative culture, we can observe that Chinese cooking is still very much an art, while American cooking has become mostly a scientific procedure. One can never learn authentic Chinese cooking exclusively from a cook book recipe. It has to be learned through the imitation of a master-cook. But the American way is quite different. You can follow some instructions like the following: "Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Then put it into the oven for thirty minutes and it is ready to serve. In the main, in Chinese culture, a supposed science is still an art (like medicine), while in American culture, even an art has already become a science. 5. Conservatism After some superficial contact with Chinese culture, a Westerner can easily get the impression that Chinese people are conservative. This is not mistaken if the term "conservative" is used in the descriptive sense, free from evaluative tone. "Conservatism" may have degrading connotations in American culture where "progressiveness, is considered a premium. But for Chinese culture, being conservative can be a positive virtue. In fact, "conservative" and "progressive" are only relative concepts rather than absolute categories. To the present writer, Chinese conservatism is shaped by two cultural traits which have been discussed. The first one is the agricultural economic foundation, and the second one, its artistic way of life. Being agricultural, Chinese people have developed an earthattaching attitude which in turn has developed a strong sense of permanence. This sense of permanence, being a built-in Chinese way of perception, sees the "eternal truths" in the sayings of their ancient sages, and thus prevent any arbitrary progression into novelty. Even when later philosophers produced new philosophical ideas, still they modestly interpreted their own ideas as merely elucidation of some ancient doctrines. Another cause of Chinese conservatism is its artistic view of life. This view is transformed into a way of how Chinese people perceive their own culture. A major motto of a scientific culture is "The more up-to-date, the more acceptable." In the development of science, the later development usually supercedes the former accomplishment. Take the example of physics, Aristotelian physics was superceded by Newtonian physics, which is, in turn, in its theory of space and time, superceded by the new theory of Einstein. But this principle of cultural progress can never apply to an artistic culture. It would be absurd to say that Shakespeare is superceded by Bernard Shaw, and Dickens by Hemingway. The value of a literary work is not to be judged by its practical relevance or instrumentality. It has intrinsic value in its own world. Therefore, in the world of arts, the principle "the more up-to-date, the more acceptable" will fail to apply. In the main, Chinese culture is predominantly artistic. It is quite natural for Chinese people to look back to Chinese history to search for values. In fact, masterpieces of art and literature, unlike scientific doctrines, are contemporary at all times. A side product of Chinese conservatism is the respect of the elderly. This constitutes a sharp contrast to contemporary American society. As the present writer observes, the

American Continent is a paradise for the young, a life-struggle field for the middle-age, and a hell for the elderly. But in traditional China, the opposite was the case. It is quite interesting for a student in Chinese language to learn that the Chinese character for "filial piety" is composed of two elementary components. One of them is the character for a childand the other is the abbreviated form of old age. This character or hsiao, means "the youngs caring for the old." 6. Process View of The Universe In spite of a strong sense of permanence and a permanence and conservatism, Chinese thinkers have developed a process view of the world. From the very beginning of Chinese culture, Chinese people seemed to have recognized "change" as a primal fact of the universe. Among the Confucian classics, we found a specialized treatise profoundly dealing with the nature of change and how it affects human situations. This is the wellknown I Ching or The Book of Changes (The Book of Creativity,). It should be noted that the Chinese concept of change in the I Ching is not a mere chaotic flux. It follows some immanent laws governing the growth of a living organism. This means that the Chinese view of change is an organic, creative, and developmental process in accordance with the principle of life. This is perhaps a natural consequence of agricultural life where the farmers have full contact with living beings such as animals and plants. The process view of the universe, as a cultural trait of the Chinese tradition, very often escapes the attention of Chinese metaphysical thinking. There is no wonder that a noted Japanese scholar Professor Hajime Nakamura mistakenly interpreted the Chinese metaphysical viewpoint as looking at world phenomena statically.[6] One may inquire if a process view of the universe is compatible with the social conservatism just mentioned. My answer is that there is no logical connection between social or conventional ideas and metaphysical thinking. Social conservatism may have its cause in politics, economics, religion, as well as social institutions, while a metaphysical view can be autonomous and developed independently. In spite of the lack of a proof of a necessary relation between language and thought, this process view of the universe is reveal by a recent writer who made the following comment: In English, the differences between things and actions are clearly, if not always logically, distinguished, but a great number of Chinese words do duty for both nouns and verbsso that one who thinks in Chinese has little difficulty in seeing that objects are also events, that our world is a collection of processes rather than entities.[4] The above comment is not simply an excellent interpretation of Chinese language, but also an enlightening suggestion to a correct understanding of Chinese metaphysics.

7. Intrinsicness of Humanism Humanism as the essence of Chinese culture is a well-known and firmly established fact without dispute among the sinologists or scholars in comparative culture. The well-known comment by Confucius on the unknowable nature of after life has been often quoted as an indicator of this primal fact: Tzu-Lu (Zi-lu, ) once asked about the right way of serving the spiritual beings. Confucius replied, "We are not yet able to serve man, how can we be ready to talk about serving spiritual beings?" Then Tzu-lu asked, "May I ask about death?" Confucius said, "We do not yet know enough about life, how can we know about death?" [8] There have been also movements of humanism in Western culture. Notable examples are humanism in the Renaissance movement and the humanism of the Existentialist movement in our century. Then, our question is, what is the fundamental difference between Chinese humanism and the movements of humanism in the West? The answer is that humanism is intrinsic to Chinese culture. It is so intrinsic to the culture that throughout the whole history of Chinese philosophy, it is but the history of humanism. European humanism appears a "movement" rather than an intrinsic cultural quality. Renaissance humanism is a movement rebelling against the religious authority of Christianity, while Existential humanism is a reaction against scientific materialism and modern technology. Chinese humanism, however, has been internal to the entire cultural development of China, and is embodied pervasively in all parts of Chinese culture. A notable characteristic of Chinese humanism is that in Chinese cosmology humanity plays a central role. The concept of Fate in ancient Greece indicates the futility of human effort to cope with the inevitableness operating in nature. But in ancient Chinese cosmology, as embodied in the doctrines of the I-Ching, man is the co-creator of the universe. He actively takes part in the creation of the world and his own destiny. Even in religious thought, instead of worshipping some transcendent or supernatural force, i.e., God, they worship mentheir ancestors. So, I may conclude that for the Chinese, man is truly the measure of everything, and that anything that exists, it is in existence for humanity, by humanity, and of humanity 8. Continuity between the Supernatural and the Human World Worshipping another represents only one aspect of humanism in Chinese religious thought. Humanism in religious beliefs can be found in many other aspects of the culture. A very interesting phenomenon is that the world of supernatural beings is very similar to the world of man. The world of man is one governed by a hierarchy of officials with authority appropriate to their ranks and political positions. In traditional China the emperor had the supreme power. While the Chinese supernatural world exhibits the same nature. The supreme ruler is called Yuhuang Da-di (literally, Jade Emperor the Great, ). Under him there is a hierarchy of "spiritual" or "supernatural" officials, possessing titles and ranks which are analogous to the political structure of the world of man.

Another striking feature of the Chinese supernatural world is that most (if not all) of the deities were originally members of the human world. It has been a popular belief among the Chinese common folks that if a person leads a moral life, possessing exceptional virtues or contributing a great deal to mankind, he will become a deity after his death and will probably receive award from the Supreme Ruler of Heaven. In fact, many of the popular Chinese gods belong to this type. For example, Kuan Kung (Guan Gong, ) was originally a general during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.). Due to his integrity and strong sense of justice, he became a deity and has been worshipped throughout the dynasties until the present. Another example is L-zu () who was originally a poet in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) . Because of his long time self-cultivation, he became a god in the Taoist tradition. It was said that Lu Chu gives prescriptions for the sick because he studied Chinese medicine during his life time in this world. When this author was in his childhood in Canton, he was given an opportunity to witness prescriptions in verses through the medium of a performer who was only an illiterate. Another notable humanistic characteristic of Chinese religious beliefs is that in the rituals of worships, people usually offer on the altar or table ordinary delicacies to the deities as if the deities had the same taste of a living person. Wealthier people offer a whole banquet together with rice, tea, and wine. Poor people offer some simple and plain dishes accordingly. The concept of a universal deity who is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, is completely alien to the Chinese mind. The Chinese religious temper is one toward eclecticism and allinclusiveness. They could not see the validity of accepting only one god and rejecting all others. For them, the universe is a very comprehensive and heterogeneous one. For each cosmic or local function, there needs an appropriate deity. The deities are finite and limited in power, just like what we are. 9. Family Relations and Mutual Dependence Since the existence of the human race, family is probably the most fundamental social unit. But it has played an unusually significant role in Chinese culture. In Confucian ethics, one of the most important topics is the five human relations which are (1) sovereign-subject, (2) father-son, (3) elder brother-younger brother, (4) husband-wife, and (5) friend-friend. Of these five relations, three of them belong to the family. In fact, the remaining two have usually been conceived in terms of the family. The sovereignsubject relation is analogous to that of father and son, and the relation between two friends is similar to one between two brothers. In the book of Erh Ya ), one of the prominent Confucian classics, we could find over a hundred terms for all different kinds of family relations. Most of them do not have equivalents in European languages. Even today, in modern spoken Chinese, there have been many names for different relations which in English are under the blanket relational name "cousin." In a contemporary western society like America, an individual is liable for his own debts or his own misconduct. But in traditional China, privileges and liabilities, honor and shame, and even crimes of one single individual were shared with his family. This

follows that an individual could not be released from his financial liabilities by the American simple procedure of declaring bankruptcy, for his liabilities could be inherited by his children or brothers and sisters. It was sharply pointed out by Francis Hsu that the most fundamental character of American people is self-reliance while that of the Chinese, mutual dependence.[9] When a Chinese individual faces a financial problem, instead of going to governmental agencies or savings and loans, he would first go to his relatives and then to his friends. He seldom gets turned down because his relatives or friends may think that a similar favor may be returned to them some day whenever such a need happens. This mutual dependence concept is reflected in many literary works of traditional China. In the famous novel, The Dream of the Red Chamber (), the hero Pao-yu () was encouraged by his family members and relatives to study hard in order to win the honor through the pass of the civil examination. It was very obvious that the future of the whole family would depend on the future of this son. Later, when he passed the examination, even his uncles crime was pardoned by the emperor because of his earned honor. Thus a popular Chinese saying describes: One son receives royal favor, The whole family gets unearned wealth. Although feudal China has already gone into the historical past, yet this relational concept of human situations perpetuates into the modern scene. A striking example is found among the Chinese immigrants. Due to the unstable political situations in Asia, many Chinese in Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as other parts of Asia, have a strong desire to immigrate to the American Continent. In spite of the strict immigration rules set up by the U.S. government, Chinese immigrants are still coming to America at a steady rate. Many of them try to seek an immigrant status through a marriage relation. Immigrants from Europe usually make use of the immigration opportunity to take care of themselves only. But a Chinese individual, after becoming an American citizen, will take care of his whole family, relatives, and even friends. And in turn, his relatives will take care of many others through any possible relationships. Thus, instead of "One son receives royal favor, the whole family gets unearned wealth," we shall say: One child marries an immigrant, The whole family go to America. This concept of mutual dependence, particularly mutual dependence among family relations, presents a significant contrast against the social scene of the United States where individualism and self-reliance are held supreme. A further discussion or an evaluation of this will go beyond the scope of our essay here. 10. Respect for Scholars and Contempt for Business Men

Being in the American society for many years, I have been able to adjust myself to various aspects of American views and American ways of life. But, I am still seriously disturbed by the fact that scholars in the American society have not received their due share of respect. Top honors have been given to business executives and active politicians. Among the professionals, only medical doctors and lawyers are respected. This phenomenon seems to reveal one fact: American culture is very money-minded and short-sighted. Business executives, lawyers, and physicians are respected mostly because they are top income earners. Active politicians are respected because they can exercise immediate influence on the social and political scene. While scholars (most of them received much more education than lawyers and physicians), in spite of their devotion to world culture and to the contribution toward the future of mankind, appear a neglected and alienated class of people in the society. But in traditional China, the contrary was the case. According to the Chinese traditional hierarchy of social status, people were classified into four classes: (1) scholars, (2) farmers, (3) craftsmen, and (4) merchants. It has to be noted that some scholars were raised in the home of farmers and merchants. So, it was only a rough classification rather than a rigid categorization. According to this classification, scholars were the most respected class because they were also educators and political leaders of the society. Scholars were very often teachers who were extremely respected in traditional China. For the parents, the most honored guests of the family were usually the teachers of their children. According to traditional Chinese religious thought, one has to revere or even worship five kinds of beings. They were (1) Tien (tian, ): Heaven, (2) Ti (di, ): Earth, (3) Chun (Jn, ): Emperor, (4) Chin (qin, ): Parents, and (5) Shih (shi, ): Teachers. In traditional China when there was not yet public schools, when a child was up to school age, parents usually "employed" (this word is not appropriate for it does not reveal sufficient reverence) a teacher for him. The teacher-pupil relation started with the ceremony of the pupils kowtow to the teacher. The reverence for teachers and scholars has perpetuated to the present century even after the overturn of the imperial China. The Chinese respect for scholars has been accounted for by the fact that Confucius was a scholar and a teacher, the first teacher in the history of Chinese education. But from the viewpoint of the present author, it is also due to the Chinese peoples love of culture and education. In a Chinese society (past or present), a cultured and well-educated but lowincome individual is much more socially respected than a wealthy but uneducated person. This does not mean that Chinese people condemn wealth or money. But, for them, money has only instrumental value, while culture and education have intrinsic worth. Perhaps a very important characteristic of Confucian ethics is its downgrading of a profitoriented personality. We find a statement in the : "The superior man sets his mind to justice, while the inferior man sets his mind to profit."[10] A sharp distinction between justice and profit with the downgrading of the latter, has since permeated the history of Chinese ethics. It is probably because of this, profit-minded business men, have never enjoyed any place of honor in the Chinese society. 11. Predominance of Morality and Under-Development of Law

Professor Tang Chn-i (), a leading philosopher of contemporary China, has pointed out that one of the major drawbacks of Chinese culture is the lack of a well-developed legal system.[11] This is perhaps the result of the influence of Confucian philosophy in which law-enforcement should have only the place of last resort. In a well-governed society, all the people abide with moral principles and thus leaves very little room for the exercise of judicial power. Confucius once remarked: "In hearing cases, I do not differ from others (i.e., other judges). But I maintain, however, the important thing is to have no cases to hear."[12] There is a very interesting story in Chinese legal history which illustrates this viewpoint. There were two brothers disputing over the issue of dividing properties inherited from their father. Both of them went to the court for a decision. If this kind of case had taken place in contemporary American society, no doubt it would take months to settle. In addition to the complicated procedures of filing documents by the attorneys for both the plaintiff and the defendant, the court probably has to employ accountants and real property appraisers, and summon witnesses for testimonies and evidences. Moreover, the judgment issued by a lower court is not yet final, for the defeated party can file an appeal to a higher court. Nevertheless, the Chinese judge, as the story tells us, handled the case in a very different way. He was reported saying to the brothers: "The most valuable thing in the world is harmony in the family, while the most valueless thing is material possession. Why do you two brothers sacrifice the most valuable for the most valueless? Go home and have no more fight. Be good brothers again." It was said that the case was in this manner forever settled. This kind of judicial story probably reflects a basic Chinese cultural trait already mentioned: love of simplicity, reducing big things to small ones, and reducing small things to nothing. Nevertheless, the predominance of morality and the underdevelopment of law in China, from the viewpoint of this author, reflects another fundamental cultural traitthe predominance of art and underdevelopment of scientific thinking. The legal mentality and the scientific mind share important common groundsboth emphasize clear definitions, orderly procedures, and credible evidences. All these three important matters are usually ignored or belittled by the mentality of the artist. Chinese moral thinking, unlike Western moral thinking in terms of rules, (like the Ten Commandments, categorical imperative, etc.) emphasizes the imitation of the model of ancient sages. This kind of imitation of models is akin to the artistic, and is prevailingly pervasive in Chinese thought. 11. Moderation and Harmony It seems that, without a mention of the doctrine of the mean in Confucian ethics, a characterization of Chinese culture will remain incomplete. Being shaped by agriculturalism, artistic view of life, and perhaps other cultural inclinations, Chinese people have developed the character of avoiding extremes or one-sidedness. The Chinese called this principle by the word chung (zhong, ) which has been referred to as "The Doctrine of the Mean." The term chung (zhong) as an adjective means "middle" or "central," and this doctrine can be called by a common-sense phrase "the middle way." But, as I observe, the verb form of chung (zhong, in fact the same written character) reveals more depth. As a verb, chung means "hitting the point,"

and this implies "being to the point," "being proper," or "what is just and fit." [Ku Hung-ming, ] So, this doctrine can be interpreted as the doctrine of proper conduct. Then, what is the standard for proper conduct? The answer from Confucian ethics is moderation, or, avoiding extremes, no matter they are extremes of deficiency or extremes of excess. Aceticism tells us to suppress our desires and to reduce our material enjoyment to nothing, while the American Playboy philosophy suggests that the best life-style is one of pleasure seeking, namely, to be a playboy. The Chinese rejects both viewpoints. They would like to enjoy life, but with moderation. Both aceticism and hedonism are wrong in being extremes. Wherever it has reached an extreme, properness will lose its place. Together with the concept of moderation is the concept of harmony. In the classic of Chung Yung or Doctrine of the Mean, the word chung is associated with ho (, harmony) to form a special term chung-ho.[13] As it was explained, ho denotes the state of harmony attained through the balancing of all aroused feelings. This is a psychological interpretation. In its very generalized sense, ho can be interpreted as equilibrium within an organism, a well cooperative relation among the members within a family, and peacefulness existing in a well-ordered society. This term has appeared for many times in Confucian classics such as Li Chi or Li Ji, ) and the I Ching. In fact it is the most prevailing single notion in the history of Chinese culture, both the cultivated and the vernacular. It is the custom of Chinese people to post slips of red paper containing maxims or sayings of good fortune during the new year period. Two of the most popular sayings are ho chi sheng tsai (harmony brings fortune) and I-tuan ho chi ( , Being united in harmony). In ordinary Chinese, a well-flavored dish is called ho wei ( )harmonized tastes), a drawn game is called ho chu (he ju, a situation of harmony or peace), and a pleasant breeze is ho feng (harmonious wind). All these indicate that the concept of harmony plays a significant guiding role in Chinese modes of thinking and Chinese ways of life. This concept of moderation and harmony can account for some phenomena of Chinese culture and society. It has been noted that the Chinese attitude toward religion is one of eclectics. one may worship the Buddha in the morning, then pray to Laotzu in the afternoon, and yet is "registered" as a Confucianist. This is a product of chung-ho which is an inclination to create balance among conflicting components. Therefore a typical Chinese mind is often bothered by the exclusiveness and intolerance of the Christians toward their pagan beliefs. For a Chinese, all religions lead to the same goal. In short, the tendency to compromise, or to be eclectic, is a logical product of moderation and harmony.In theory chung-ho is a concept of ideal. But in practice, it may produce undesirable results. Due to too much readiness to compromise, individuals are too often willing to sacrifice their rights and freedom for the sake of the harmonious order of the family or the society. The result is social conformity. Too much tolerance for a totalitarian government, from an American viewpoint, is scarcely a virtue. But, from the Chinese viewpoint, tolerance for the evil is only a means toward a greater future. Conclusion These twelve characteristics of Chinese culture as presented in this essay are not intended to be exhaustive or complete. It is undeniable that a blind man tails to give an accurate description of the elephant. Then how about the zoo-keeper who takes care of the animal every day? It is true

that he knows more about the animal than the people outside the zoo. But his communication to outsiders may fall short due to the limitation of human language. This limitation was revealed by the Taoist sage Lao Tzu more than two thousand years ago: "The Tao that can be spoken of Is not the Absolute Tao." [14] I do not mean to quote Laotzu as an excuse for my possible failure in my communication with full clarity and accuracy. What I intend to say here is that my attempt in this essay remains only (using a popular Chinese metaphor) "an invitation of jade with a piece of brick" (). This attempt can probably be explained more clearly by a Zen story. Once a Zen student asked the master where the moon was. The master pointed to the place where the moon was rising. Realizing that the student was still looking at his finger, the master said, "Oh, child. Dont take my finger for the moon!"[15] My account is the finger, while Chinese culture is the moon. I hope my readers, with attention toward this essay, will not take the finger for the moon. http://summer.berkeley.edu/chinese-lecture-series-outline#top

On cross-cultural marketing strategies L'Oreal cosmetics industry in China Inspiration Posted:2011-3-17 11:06:00 views:16001 Bookmark and Share [Paper Keywords] Cross-Cultural Marketing Strategy Implications L'Oreal [Abstract] This paper mainly uses the example of the method, outlining the international situation and domestic cosmetics industry, L'Oreal, through the analysis of cross-cultural Marketing strategies, discover the L'Oreal Group on Dunning's eclectic theory of international production use at this stage will extend the company's globalization Strategy as detailed crossCultural Strategy aimed to the Development of China's cosmetics Industry has made three major revelation: brand cross-cultural, cross-cultural Marketing and cross-cultural research. With the integration of world economy and regional Economic grouping the continuous deepening of the internationalization of business have become unstoppable craze. Enterprises worldwide use of resources, will have their own capital, Technology management skills, market linkages, Research and local development, etc. with the host country have the human resources, natural resources and even combine the advantages of market size, the use of cross-cultural advantages, expand international business in a global context complement each other, become the main form of international operations. In cross- international companies operating in the produce, as in a different cultural background, geographical environment, inevitably will encounter unprecedented opportunities and challenges. effectively cross-cultural management, international companies in cross-cultural background, geographical successful operation under the guarantee This is especially the Chinese companies into the global economy more realistic. First, the world cosmetics market overview

1993-2003 the world of cosmetics and beauty products of the total sales growth of 24% per year, the global cosmetics sales in 2002 totaled 200 billion U.S. dollars, which the United States accounted for 25, Western Europe accounted for 30 and Japan accounted for 15}, and including China total of all other countries, including 30% of the share. American "<Fortune Magazine>> on the global cosmetics Industry to rank, P & G, Geely, L'Oreal, Colgate-Palmolive, Estee Lauder, Henkel, Avon, Shiseido , Wallace Group, Kao received 10 international brands worldwide. shown in Figure 1, the world cosmetics market segmentation of the figure, the largest market share in Western Europe, China did not enter the top three. Second, China's cosmetics market situation (A) of the Cosmetics Market 1. Market products and hair care products for the highest penetration rate.

http://eng.hi138.com/?i294915_On-cross-cultural-marketing-strategies-LOreal-cosmeticsindustry-in-China-Inspiration# http://aesplus.net/The-failure-of-AMWAY-Corp-s.html

The failure of AMWAY Corps marketing strategy in China

WHAT IS AMWAY ?

Amway Corporation was founded in 1959 in Ada, Michigan, USA, by two entrepreneurs. In their first full year of business, Amways sales were more than half a million dollars. Their concept for an innovative business opportunity, centered around person-to-person marketing, established itself as a leader among one of todays fastest-growing industries.

Today, more than 3.6 million independent business owners distribute Amway products in more than 80 countries and territories. Indeed, the Amway Business can be found in Americas, Europe, South Africa, Greater China, Korea and South East Australasia. Amway offers a complete range of products for home care, laundry care, personal care, skin care and cosmetics, nutritional supplements, hometech and fragrances.

ANALYSIS OF THE SLEPT FACTORS :

Market entry barriers are critical factors that influence entry decisions and a firms performance. In the course of international expansion, a firm encounters new factors such as new government regulations, new legal and financial systems, new cultures, new languages, greater distances, new modes of transportation, currency exchange rates and their vagaries.

The environmental influences on international marketing that Amway must consider :

- Economic : Fuelled by foreign direct investments, Chinas economy is beginning to dominate the Asian economic landscape. Indeed, China springs past tiger nations. It has had positive GDP growth in the last five years, while other Asian economies have stalled. Chinas economy is growing at a rate of about 8 percent, the fastest in Asia. It means that this country is certainly profitable. But Amway must ask itself if the market demand is important and if it will be competitive.

Indeed, China is an emerging economy but a dual economy too, with a wealthy urban professional and a poor country people. The gap between rich and poor has grown almost as fast as overall income, meaning that inequality is increasing nearly with the countrys development. There are huge income discrepancies that are emerging within social groups and between regions.

The Chinese market has attracted foreign investors because of its huge size and market potential. Some predict that China will become in few years the worlds largest economy but that could fall flat due to political circumstances.

- Political : The Communist Party of China has transformed itself. It has declared that it represented capitalists as much as workers and peasants. The Old China defended the working class against the capital class. China has just begun its transition to become a democratic country. Chinas new leadership has come to power facing enormous economic, environmental, political and social challenges at home. So, Amway faces the challenge to interpret the very different cultural and political implications of their presence in a changing communist country.

- Social : The Chinese population = 1.2 billion of people. The past decade has seen a phenomenal rate of growth in China. It represents an important potential of customers for a firm.

- Cultural : The consumer buying process is consistent across cultures. The level of consumer involvement : The Chinese are seen as having a low level of involvement when purchases are for private consumption but a high level of involvement when they are buying products for their social or symbolic value. Since the Chinese greatly value social harmony and smoothness of relationships within the extended family, the social significance of products are highly important be it to express status, gratitude, approval or even disapproval.

The level of risk consumers associate with a purchase varies enormously across cultures and as such it is an important variable in consumer behaviour. It will determine whether a consumer will go for the comfortable purchase or is willing to try new products and services.

The Chinese are sensitive to social risk and the loss of social status if a wrong buying decision is made. The level of brand loyalty found in a market is also closely related to the perception of risk. There are huge variations in attitudes to brand loyalty across different cultures.

In China, consumers are loyal, not really brand conscious and not really used to cross product comparisons, except the urban consumers, who have a wide recognition of foreign brand names. Indeed, there are sharp differences between rural and urban attitudes. On a national level, Chinese consumers prefer to buy domestically manufactured products rather than comparable foreign-made goods. But, consumers in big cities are less likely to favour domestic products than are consumers nationally.

And, typical Chinese consumers do not want to be amongst the first to try a new product. They are reluctant to be pioneers, especially for an expensive, unrecognised (in terms of brand) , foreign product. Concerning the cognitive style ; the Chinese have a quite synthetic, concrete and contextual orientation in their thought patterns. Thus culture not only impacts on how we behave as consumers but on the whole decision-making process, advertisers, and marketing managers need to examine how they can exploit such nuances in building their global brands.

There is a cultural gap between the USA and China. Chinese cultural values are largely formed and created from interpersonal relationships and social orientations. Chinese nations tend to rely heavily on personal relationship (Guanxi) in business dealings.

A culture of Guanxi networking is already established. "Guanxi" means connections or relationship. Guanxi is essential in the initial stages of entering the Chinese market. For foreign investors who seek to do business in China, to understand the dynamics of Guanxi can contribute to the success of business.

Finally, Amway produces standard products to meet consumer needs in Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore..., but their product range may not be appropriate to China. Indeed, even if Amway has considerable experience in the Far East, the Chinese market is not a mirror image of these countries. Then, door-to-door selling and party programmes are not part of the Chinese culture.

All these aspects need to be examined to understand the consumer in any international market. If a company is to fully empathise with a culture they must pose a series of questions about buyer behaviour, culture and the suitability of various marketing communications approaches for that culture. The local distributor must understand the cultural drivers of its market.

- Legal : Government policies are barriers in international markets. In China, policies and regulations are often applied inconsistently and can vary between regions. Both foreign nationals and Chinese officials themselves lack a solid understanding of Chinas policies. The key policies which act as barriers to entry relate to foreign exchange control policies and foreign investment policy. Concerning foreign exchange control policies, the state is responsible for formulating and promulgating the principles, degrees and regulations for foreign exchange control.

The acquisition of foreign exchange is a significant non-tariff barrier to doing business in China. Concerning foreign investment policies, China encourages joint ventures. The barriers to access Chinas distribution system make this system unstable : wholesalers at both the local and central levels, new collective and private enterprises and factories, as well as some foreign companies compete to distribute consumer products. Local ministry of commerce wholesalers traditionally served as intermediaries between the producer and retail outlets.

Foreign companies are not permitted to engage in wholesale trade. A strict isolationist policy kept foreign goods and trends out of reach of the average Chinese person, because Chinese consumers have less abundant information and purchasing experience with foreign products, they may rely more heavily on information such as the producing countrys image in product evaluation.

Which consequences could this strategy have ?

In China, direct-selling operations function as a base for criminal activity. Indeed, the market is riddled with unscrupulous operators selling substandard goods with poor services, claiming to be legitimate direct marketers. So, Amways direct-selling techniques could scare the Chinese government and all direct selling could be ban ; it means that Amway China affiliate could have to make changes in its distribution methods in order to work with Chinas regulations. Amway could have to revise its business plans to only sell products in retail outlets.

Concerning the personal sales, customers could receive discounts by paying a small annual fee, similar to buying a membership in a wholesale club. Goods could be sold by sales representatives. They will theoretically operate from the retail establishments. But most former distributors will probably continue to do business as usual, telling the retail centre they are purchasing goods for themselves and then re-selling them to customers on the rare occasions where there actually is an end consumer. In fact, there is a cultural gap between an American company trying to use American sales tactics in a foreign country like China.

- Technological : China has become a competitor for the medium/ high-tech industries that still power growth in its more developed neighbours, the Asian tigers. The internet and the access gained to the world wide web is revolutionising international marketing practices. This explosion of international marketing activity and the associated emergence of the global information highway will impact on all businesses. But the poor country people probably dont have a computer and internet, and some dont even have electricity at home.

ANALYSIS OF THE REASONS OF FAILURE :

1- Inability to find the right market niches

2- Unwillingness to adapt and update products to local needs : Amway produces standard products to meet consumer needs in Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, Singapore... but their product range may not be appropriate for China.

3- Not having unique products that are viewed as sufficiently higher added-value by customers in local markets : no added-value.

4- A vacillating commitment. It takes time to learn how to function in countries such as Japan : Amway had not considered the environmental influences on international marketing that could represent barriers to their entry in China.

5- Assigning the wrong people. Picking the wrong people or the wrong top team in an affiliate : no information

6- Picking the wrong partners : no information

7- Inability to manage local stakeholders. This includes an incompetence in developing a satisfactory partnership relationship with unions and governments : Amway had not developed a partnership/relationship with the Chinese government

8- Developing mutual distrust and lack of respect between headquarters and the affiliates at different levels of management : no information

9- Inability to develop ideas developed in one country to other countries worldwide : Amway tried to use American sales tactics in China, but cultural gaps are too important.

In conclusion, the barriers to market entry make China a challenging market for foreign enterprises. The possible modes of entry into the Chinese market include equity joint ventures, contractual joint ventures, joint exploration projects and wholly foreign owned enterprises. But, Amway must consider the environmental influences on international marketing, which are the SLEPT factors, especially cultural, political and legal factors.

It means that Amway must follow the culture rather than imposing itself, as its rival direct marketer Avon did. So it has to start practically from scratch in marketing the business in China, otherwise, the probable bans of the Chinese government could be dangerous for its activity. It should begin with new distribution methods in order to work with Chinas regulations and adapting the products to local needs.

http://www.greenbook.org/marketing-research.cfm/high-end-cosmetics-trends-in-china

High-end cosmetics trends in China

Labbrand

The high-end cosmetics industry in China is at an earlier stage of development than Western equivalents. This article covers the main product trends in the Chinese cosmetics market, what beauty means in China, and applicable distribution channels and opportunities.

The desire to be beautiful could be considered a human tendency, as it is exhibited by almost every culture all around the world. Yet, what it means to beautiful is often culturally relative.

The cosmetics industry in North America and Europe are now very large and mature markets. Products are no longer enough- many men and women are getting cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks. But in other parts of the world, the high-end cosmetic market is in an earlier stage of development and exhibiting different trends. Lets take a look at a unique, dynamic, and emerging marketthe high- end cosmetics industry in China.

Click here to watch our market research video.

What are the main trends in the cosmetics market in China? To answer this question, Labbrand decided to conduct an extensive video qualitative research project in Shanghai, by interviewing cosmetics users directly, and on the spot, where they buy their products. In order to have a wide and comprehensive overview of the cosmetics market, Labbrand chose seven themes to explore during the interviews: beauty attributes, cosmetic brands, skin troubles, face and body daily care, beauty expenses, cosmetic product attributes, and store and spa concepts. By examining these themes, Labbrand has been able to get a more precise idea of the Chinese perception of beauty, and to better understand the Chinese consumers habits regarding use of beauty products and daily routines. The interviews also provided significant insights into the expectations of Chinese consumers towards the cosmetic industry, regarding both products and distribution channels. The scope of the research covers trends in Shanghai specifically.

To conduct this survey, Labbrand focused on four crucial dimensions of the market: the consumers and the different consumer segments, the trends regarding the products, the way brands communicate about their products according to the different market segments, and the distribution channels.

This article will outline the main results of the research and discuss opportunities for foreign brands in the Chinese cosmetic market.

Research Project Details

Date: June 2009 45 survey participants. 28 women and 17 men. High-end consumers using cosmetic products. Places: the main fashionable and trendy places in Shanghai (Nanjing Road, Plaza 66 mall, Xintiandi, JingAn Temple, Herborist Spa and Barbie Store) Language: Chinese

Chinese demographics

Market and Consumers When discussing the differences between men and women, it has been said that men are from Mars, and women are from Venus. Although Chinese male and female consumers are on different planets, they definitely belong to the same solar system. Specifically, although the two

markets must be distinguished, the survey showed that Chinese men and women share the same underlying concepts of beauty. Beauty in China is considered to be a balance between physical and mental attributes that may be natural or enhanced. However, physical beauty is mainly perceived as a result of external assistance. While talking about beauty, the interviewees often mentioned happiness, which refers in Confucianism to the values of success, fun, health and education, to name a few.

For Chinese people, beauty is part of a happy life, which explains why Chinese consumers are so interested in cosmetics and spend a lot of money on beauty products. As Charles, a 28-year-old man, says, the trend (in cosmetic products consumption) is going to be stronger and stronger, because people want to be beautiful, they want to be trendy and make up and skin cares are part of the fashion, they are part of your life. Moreover, several interviewees, mainly women, said that their monthly expenditure on beauty and skin care products reached 1,000 RMB (about 150 USD). Although many Chinese consumers, in Shanghai and elsewhere, still struggle to earn 150 USD per month, the wealthy market segment represents a growing and highly lucrative consumer group that both foreign and domestic brands may choose to target.

Chinese men and women also share specific behaviours regarding their consumption of cosmetics. Chinese cosmetics consumers are generally not very loyal to brands. You dont need to choose a product because it belongs to a brand, for each product you have to find the one that better fits your skin; it does not always have to be from the same brand explains Ren, a 31-yearold woman. Chinese consumers like to try several brands to compare them. Another characteristic of Chinese cosmetic consumers is that they exhibit seasonal consumption of products. In Shanghai specifically, due to the significant difference in climate between winter and summer months, Chinese people change their habits according to the season. In summer, they will use more sunscreen cream to preserve the whiteness of their skin, and less thick and oily cream than they do in winter months.

However, although men and women share the characteristics mentioned above, the two markets have not yet reached the same level of maturity. Women are a well-educated cosmetics market, whereas men are still only emerging. The steps of becoming a regular cosmetic product consumer are the following: first you become aware of a problem, and you acknowledge the need of external help to deal with it; then you start using cosmetics products as a treatment to solve this particular problem. As you notice the positive effects of the products, you start using them daily. At this stage you become a long-term consumer; you acknowledge your basic needs and start developing new ones. While women are already at the last stage of this process, men are only starting to notice the benefits of cosmetics, and to become daily users of beauty and skin products.

Communication When communicating about and advertising for their brands, it is necessary for cosmetic companies to take into account differences between the maturity of the male and female cosmetic markets. As women are aware of their needs and have general knowledge of the products, advertisements aimed at women will focus on explaining the products, their ingredients and their specific effects on the skin. Thus, a scientific approach will be favoured for the female market. On the other hand, for the emerging male cosmetic market, advertisements should highlight daily steps and the visible results the products will have on skin.

In terms of communication, the interviewees underlined the effectiveness of international brands. Sha, a 23-year-old man, says that international brands are really efficient when it comes to marketing and communication; their ranges of products are really clear and detailed regarding their functions. Chinese consumers seem to believe that international brands should keep their identity as foreign brands. According to Charles, previously mentioned, they dont really need to fit the Chinese market; they just have to be themselves. They introduce their brand and their culture, thats important. They have to do a lot of things on image in the details, its very important, thats the spirit of French brands. Its delicate, good quality, this is how we think about French brands, they have to keep it and I think they will be successful. Although the foreign brands may wish to maintain their identity, they often still need to adapt slightly for the Chinese market by using a compelling Chinese name or packaging design adjusted for local cultural codes. (See our previous articles on Why do you need a Chinese name?, and Advertising Decoded for more information.)

Chinese consumers have a strong need to communicate with brands, and to share their experiences. As previously mentioned, Chinese consumers like to try many different products and brands, and talk about them to compare and finally find the most suitable ones for their specific needs and desires. This need to communicate with brands was clearly expressed in our survey. Li, a 19-year-old girl, says: I want brands to ask for my opinion after I have tried their products. I want brands to quickly alert me when they have special events so that I can buy the new products. Word-of-mouth is also a powerful tool in China, especially for cosmetic products. Some people will only buy products if they have been recommended to them by friends.

Products There is a distinct preference in China towards cosmetic products using natural ingredients. Chinese consumers fear the risks of chemical products and are strongly convinced that natural products are more efficient that chemical ones. For example, a 22-year-old male named Yan, said I would like a natural product made from fruits and vegetables that would use few

chemicals that would be safer and give better results on skin. Chinese consumers tend to rely on the smell to judge how natural a product is. Li, a 27-year-old woman, says Ive used lOccitane, its good, but the products smell really strong, so Im worried they put some chemical perfume inside. Sisley products smell like medicines and are made from plants which is natural, I like it. Sephora natural product

This preference for natural products goes along with a strong attachment to Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM), a significant part of the Chinese culture. Through the survey, we uncovered that Chinese consumers generally associate TCM with quality, safety and efficiency in the longrun. Some companies have understood this trend and have seized the opportunity: new brands using TCM are emerging throughout China and Europe, like Herborist. Herborist is a Chinese cosmetic brand, using TCM in its products. The Herborist products are made of herbs, from the traditional Chinese medicine techniques, they smell very natural, so its good for beauty, you feel happy and relaxed. (Xun, 22-year-old woman) This brand is very successful in China, and has even started to export its products to Europe. For example, in France, the famous brand Sephora advertises for Herborist. In its promotion for Herborist, Sephora insists on the Chinese and traditional dimension of the products, using packaging featuring the yin/yang symbol, which is one of the most famous aspects of the Chinese culture in French peoples minds.

Distribution Channels In China, there are two main distribution channels for high-end cosmetic products, namely luxury department stores and spas. Department stores are convenient and they target a wide range of consumers. They generally offer 20 to 30 different brands, from mid to high-end. It is easy for customers to find products because each brand has its own counter. Chinese people generally like to go to department stores, because they like to buy, try and use different products and brands. Furthermore, going shopping is a popular pastime among the Shanghaiese.

Another efficient distribution channel for cosmetic products in the Chinese market is spas, which provide both cosmetic products and relaxing treatments in sophisticated environments. Massages and spas are part of Chinese habits 60% of the interviewees said they went to spas several times a year. Men go to spas more than women and are regular massage customers, perhaps due to their high pressure and stress at work. However, people under 20 years of age almost never go to spas because they cannot afford it.

In Shanghai, we can observe two main kinds of spas: fashionable and traditional. A highly fashionable spa in Shanghai is the recently opened Barbie-store. This luxurious SPA provides

beauty treatments, hair and nail services and skincare products to Barbie girls of all ages, in a modern, fashionable environment made of flashy plastic furniture and an electro-pop music atmosphere. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Herborist-branded spas are among the most traditional spas in Shanghai. The natural and Zen-like atmosphere of these spas, conveyed through the use of natural and solid materials and the sound of waterfalls, reflects the traditional methods used for treatments, and the natural aspects of the products sold. Moreover, the fact that Herborist is a branded spa chain is well-perceived by the customers. They already have a brand image of Herborist products in mind, and they naturally trust the Herborist spas for delivering the same quality, and same respect of tradition. Barbie-store spa treatment

Harborist spa

Opportunities The results of this survey provide a picture of general trends in the cosmetic market in China, and based upon those trends, some opportunities take shape for international brands, whether they have already entered the Chinese market or not.

First, there is a real potential in the Chinese male cosmetics market which is only just emerging. At this stage, men are less aware than women of the technical and scientific aspects of beauty and skin care. As we stated above, brands have to focus their communication directed towards men on the basic utility of cosmetic products. International brands should have an advantage over Chinese brands, as they are perceived to posses a high standard of quality which can win consumer trust. So, the Chinese male market in cosmetics is definitely an opportunity for international brands who already posses a strong reputation outside of China.

Another opportunity for international cosmetic brands is to open branded spas. I need to rely on the brand to go in its SPA. I go to SPA that has a network, such as Herborist, but never in the ones that just have one place. If there was a LOral spa, then I would go there because its a good brand. If I have ever tried a brand that has a spa, then I would go in its spa, says Xie, a 40year-old woman. So, when a brand is successfully implemented on the Chinese market, a branded spa may represent an opportunity for it to further develop and reinforce its brand equity.