Chinese norms of relationship and communication: An exploration of four folk concepts
Patterns of relationships and communication in contemporary Taiwanese society are examined through the lens of four folk concepts--kuan-hsi (relation), pao (return), mien-tzu (face), and yuan (conditioning factors)--and their associated linguistic expressions. Kuan-hsi summarizes the fundamental attitude Chinese hold toward relationship, pao stresses the balance of interpersonal exchange, mien-tzu denotes sensitivity toward another's situational front, and yuan describes the conditioning factors which allow associations to occur. Although not exhaustive, these four folk concepts provide a broader framework within which patterns of relationships and communicative practices can be understood from the natives' perspectives. Also emphasized is the continuity of Chinese cultural traditions, as these folk concepts inhere much traditional Chinese cultural values and continue to direct natives' contemporary interpersonal life.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign