从文化层面分析中美消费观念的差异

从文化层面分析中美消费观念的差异摘要中美社会历史背景、价值观念、道德观念、以及家庭教育背景的差异，引起了两国人们消费观念的不同。

论文从文化的角度，主要论述了中美两国人们在存钱、旅游、以及追求新潮时尚等方面消费观念的差异。

论文重点研究了文化与消费观念的关系，以及文化对消费观念的影响，使人们进一步认识到不同文化背景蕴含不同的消费观念，并能正确、理性地看待本国文化与本国人们的消费观念，打破对其他国家人们不同消费观念持有的偏见，理解、尊重并借鉴不同文化背景下人们的消费观念。

关键词：中美文化；文化差异；消费观念差异On the Differences of Chinese and American Consumption Conceptions from the Perspective of CultureABSTRACTOwing to the geography differences, society development differences, cultural value differences, ethic differences, family education differences, Chinese and American nations’ consumption conceptions differ from each other in three aspects: difference in depositing conception, difference in traveling consuming, and difference in catching fashion. This study mainly elaborates on the relationship between culture and consumption, emphasizing the cultures’ influence on consumption conception from the perspective of culture. The aim of this thesis includes three aspects: firstly, making people view their own culture and consumption conception correctly and rationally; secondly, breaking people’s prejudice towards other nation’s consumption conception; finally, making people understand, and respect people’s consumption conception under different cultures.Key words:Chinese-American culture; culture difference; consumption conception differenceCONTENTS1 Introduction (1)2 Chinese and American Culture Differences (3)2.1 Geography differences (3)2.2 Society development differences (4)2.3 Cultural value differences... . (4)2.4 Ethics differences (5)2.5 Family education d ifferences (6)3 Chinese and American Consumption Conception Differences (7)3.1 Difference in depositing conception (7)3.2 Difference in traveling consuming (8)3.3 Difference in catching fashion (8)4 Influences of Different Cultures on Consumption Conceptions (10)4.1 Influence of geography on consumption conception (10)4.2 Influence of society development on consumption conception (11)4.2 Influence of value on consumption conception (11)4.3 Influence of traditional family education on consumption conception (13)Conclusion (15)References (16)Introduction“Culture is the total accumulation of beliefs, values, behaviors, institutions and communication patterns that are shared, learned and passed down through the generations in identifiable group of people.”(Che Lijun, 2008:3) It is a well-known fact that people across nations and countries have different cultures, which influence human life in various aspects. Besides, consumption conception is one of the deepest aspects being influenced. Owing to the different cultures of China and America, their society and history differences, cultural value differences, ethics differences, and family education differences, the consumption concept of Chinese and American is also different in three aspects: depositing conception aspect, traveling consuming aspect, catching fashion aspect.Until now, many Chinese and foreign scholars, such as Zhu Chen (1996), Chen Qinde(2005) , Miao Qing(2005) , Hao Peiyan(2007) , Yang Guangqiong (2008) have ever done researches on Chinese- American culture differences and Chinese-American consumption conception differences . But each of them approaches it in his own way without keeping abreast of what others are doing on the study of culture and consumption concept. The former studies, which haven't combined culture differences with consumption conception differences, may cause some misunderstanding which can't make people achieve a better understanding of the relationship between culture and consumption conceptions. Based on the researches of the previous experts and scholars, this paper is to make a systematic study on the differences of Chinese-American consumption conceptions from cultural respect. This paper has five parts:The first part is an introduction. It shows readers the relationship between culture and consumption conception. The second part mainly analyses Chinese-American culture differences from geography, society development, value, ethics and family education aspects. The third part will talk about Chinese-American consumption conception differences from three aspects. The fourth part concerns with different culture's influences on consumption conception. The final part serves as a conclusion. It draws a conclusionthat the nature of consumption is culture. Only having a good knowledge of culture differences can we evaluate people's consumption conception correctly.2 Chinese and American Culture Differences“Culture usually means the unique life form in a particular society, including ideas, recognition, emotion, and behavioral faith, which are different from those of other society.”(Che Lijun, 2008:2) In our daily life, culture is ubiquitous, multidimensional, and all-pervasive, as we have it almost anywhere and anytime. It is understood differently by people throughout the world .Americans believe that culture is a fast-moving train, which is closely connected with what is going on for the time being .The better you adjust to the present world, the more you understand culture .However, Chinese people believe that culture is closely related to the past .The more you know about Confucianism or the past, the more cultured you are consider to be. To the outside observers, Americans may seem like a nation of amnesiacs; they care more about the next big invention. To Chinese, the past is always something to be memorized. They are always proud of the four great inventions they made in ancient times. Therefore, the culture differences between China and America are various, which may be reflected from the following aspects:2.1 Geography differencesChina and America have different geography conditions. America has a vast territory; and most territory physiognomy is low and flat. It lies in the temperate zone where there is enough rain. It supplies good resource condition for the development of American agriculture and has no limit to its development. It also has abundant water resource, which supplies reliable security for the development of American industry and resident usage. The mineral and energetic sources are also very rich, such as iron, copper, lead, zinc, mine, petroleum and natural gas etc. For China, remote location, and the relatively closed environment are the significant features. Geographic environmental conditions in China just like this: in the West and the North, there are plateau, mountains and desert, while in the East and the South, there is sea. All of these are barriers for Chinese.2.2 Society development differencesWe all know that America is an immigration country, where people have adventure spirit. Its history is very short, for about 300 years .For this, we would have to turn to the historical development of the United States. Its origins can be traced back to the 1776. In 1776, the US gained independence from the British rule. After 200 years of development, the United States has developed far beyond its previous in the aspects of economy, politics and military power. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the United States has become the sole superpower in the world. American is also the first modern democracy country in the world. With prosperous industry, America’s economy is full of vigor, which excludes the natural economy prematurely and breaks the self-sufficient pattern.However, China, as a feudal society with closed natural economy, has developed for about thousands of years.Its self-sufficient producing style forces most Chinese to spend all their life on farming. Once someone lost his ability of self-development or even lost his land, his family cannot survive.2.3 Cultural value differencesIn china, we pay much attention to a person’s reputation, modesty, advocate selfless-service and encourage people to make up for their defect and suffering by adjusting their inner mind. In Chinese history, Confucius concepts played a dominant role in the formation of social ideology. Confucianism believes that one should immerse into the whole society to exist. And one cannot realize his own value of existence if he does not immerse and become part of the society .China’s strong emphasis on the group, cooperation and coordination, in the process of social development, has built up their group-oriented value. As a basic value system, Confucianism has permeated all Asia for centuries .It is a philosophy of humanity which survives on the basis of good interpersonal relationship. “REN”(benevolence), one of its principles and the core of Confucianism, means the harmony of interpersonal passion .In daily life, it has intimate connection with mutual benefit which indicates that one must have the ability to think in other’s shoes, take care ofothers, and give sympathy to others. Another principle is “YI” (righteousness) which is part of human nature brings people back to “the good nature of humankind at beginning of birth”. It can make person see through problems and integrate with others by transcending the present interest and breaking through personal limitations. According to Confucianism, this kind of social relationship based on common interest, is very important and conductive to group coordination and harmonious interpersonal relation .So, in China, because of the high emphasis on group concept and social coordination, collectivism has gained a good and long –standing reputation.However, Americans focus on materials, and stress individualism. The unique experience of American history has determined the formation of their concept of individualism, the basis of American ideology. In order to escape the religious persecution from central Europe, the first group of settlers set up their own colony on the American continent .And this special historic experience of emphasizing on dependence has given a profound influence on American cultural value .In America, each person is viewed as having a unique set of talents and potentials. The striving for self –realization is accompanied by a subjective sense of rightness and personal well-being. Individualism also encourages people to express their own opinions and to make their own decisions independent of external influences.2.4 Ethics differencesChinese family moral education takes human relations as a foundation and emotions as principal to process family interpersonal relationship. Chinese family ethics are based on human relations, and they take emotion for the law to deal with family relationships. Chinese ties to each other with blood as basic coordinates. In dealing with family relations, the Chinese people’s genetic-based sentiments led to unusual attention. However, Chinese people have never followed a "reason" for the love, “A kind father and a filial son, a tender brother and a respecting brother, a gentle husband and a tender wife”(父慈子孝，兄爱弟敬，夫和妻柔) (Weienyase,2000:127))standard has enabled the Chinese to follow. Chinese families used to cultivate good habits and establish relationships of caring other people. Ittrains personality of each family member and at last units a family as a whole.However, American family moral education takes individual as the center. In an American family, individual is the foundation and has the highest value, whose existence does not rely on other people. The family may make all sorts of sacrifices for them, but does not request much obeying. The independent individual can enjoy freedom and equality in the family. The American parents foster and educate their children, but do not attempt any repayment. Children, after 18 years old, leave home to rent a room to live alone, to study or to work, and nobody can accuse the parents of their being unreasonable. Clearly, the common Chinese family stress and believe that, "good relationship is the most important"(和为贵).(Weienyase, 2000:9) American family stresses personality, and has strong rational idea.2.5 Family education differencesChinese family education takes "the benevolence of the Confucianism”as the core; the basic of benevolence is loving people. This enormously affirmed and transferred family member's intrinsic noble motive. In China, the corresponding relation of rights and duties are not important in China morality. When we fulfill our obligation, we make other people enjoy the rights. This is a basic faith of Chinese family.Americans take fair as the moral principle; everything is according with fair. And this “fair" is rational, even indifferent. American believes the fair is in opposition to and in agreement with the duty and the right. American is clear about the relation of the right and the duty. They work to get the reward, which also includes love. If they ask other people for help they also have to pay some reward. For example, they have paid for using relative's telephone, and the children demand the reward if they help their parents to wash car. American views that duty and right is not inconsistent with their intrinsic love. To pursue the coexistence of the right and the duty is the American family’s fair principle.3 Chinese and American Consumption Conception DifferencesConsumption conception means people’s ideology and attitude towards their disposable income, including people’s pursuit of the goods value. It also refers to a consumption activity, which makes people evaluate and value their action towards consumption manner, consumption process, and consumption trend. The process of shaping consumption conception is closely related to the level of productivity. Owing to the different level of productivity, the two nations’ consumption conceptions are different. The characteristics of Chinese consumption conceptions are conservative, with high saving rate. On the contrary, to most Americans, they tend to consume excessively. The main differences are as following:3.1 Difference in depositing conceptionAmerica is an emerging industrial country, without traditional agricultural period (while China is a large agricultural country), and therefore they do not have the conception of depositing money. Americans have courage to active advance.However, China, as a feudal society with closed natural economy, has developed for about thousands years. Chinese people from the very young has been instilled such a conception–to keep up. Since ancient times, Chinese society is also to appraise the economy, which is many Asians’ concept ion to money. To sum it up in one word that is "deposit." There is an old story that can best prove this phenomenon: it is about a Chinese old woman and an American old woman. When they were dying, the Chinese old woman said, “It took me 60 years to save enough money to buy a big house”, and the Western old woman said, “It took me 60 years to pay for the debt of my house”. (王埃亮，2000) We can see from the story that Chinese people traditionally think that they buy what they can afford and don’t want to be on a debt. However, Western people think that they would like to enjoy their lives even by loaning money from bank or making an installment. In myopinion, it’s a good idea for people to e njoy the life more comfortable while, we should also realize that the real happy life is contributed to the hard work by our own hands.3.2 Difference in traveling consumingAmerica is an immigrant nation. The development of the western region makes constant flow become a living. Therefore, American have no conception of the ancient precept "it is good to stay home for a thousand days ,and it is difficult to go out even for a moment(在家千日好，出外一时难)". With the development of family vehicle and highway, as well as other infrastructure industry and technology, travel becomes very simple. So tourism has become a major industry in America. However, Chinese advocate economy. They don’t think it very important to conduct cultural entertainment expense and service expense. In their point of view, traveling expense is also the service expense, which is spiritual expense, and it belongs to high income people. They also believe that, tourism expense is the expense after people’s basic life needs are satisfied; and at present, traveling is a kind of basic accumulation expense, but it is not a kind of regular expense. People think the traveling expends, especially traveling aboard is luxurious expense. To borrow money to travel, for most people in China is an incredible thing. In the eyes of most ordinary people, tourism consumption is not necessary in their lives.3.3 Difference in catching fashionAmerican likes to catch new things in order to be different. In America, Only the work- clothes have the possibility to be put on for above 3 years, the leisure clothes generally only are put on for 1 - 2 years. Moreover per capita has various seasons clothing above 10 sets. Their clothing is massively from Chinese and all developing nations, the price of which is extremely cheap.In the durable consumable aspect, the renewal speed is very quick. According to Sun Bangzhu’s investigation, the proportion of people having the cell phones is very high, nearly 100% university students, 50 - 70% middle-school students, 80% adults have cellphones, and after just one year they will get a new one. For automobile and other domestic electric products, they don’t use them until they can’t work. Therefore, in American life trash, we can see all kinds of things, such as refrigerator, air conditioner, television, and washer and so on.In the 80's, American pursued luxuriously. The majority of Americans have only the brand in mind, especially some young people; they didn’t put on clothes, which are the non- name brand. But in the 90's, American gradually has been faint in expense idea called brand consciousness, and the price consciousness is in the upper hand. However, Chinese are just on the opposite. Chinese consumers’expense behavior has two extremely remarkable characteristics: One is admiring fashion, displaying the new conception and new product craving, but the original product loyalty is low; the other is worshiping the psychology of foreign countries, favoring the purchase of international brand.4 Influences of Different Cultures on Consumption ConceptionIn sections two and three, we have explained in the different culture and consumption conceptions between China and America. So in this part we will mainly focus on how the culture influences the consumption conception.4.1 Influence of geography on consumption conceptionAmerica is an advanced agricultural country, which owns vast, low and flat territory, abundant water resource, and mineral and energetic sources.These sources are taking great grade in the world. Variety and rich resources also supply great foundation to the American industry and great production for consumption .Therefore; they don’t have the idea of depositingHowever, China, because of its relatively closed environment, it inevitably brings closure psychological and cultural anthropology. In China, the psychological and the marine cultural development do not play the important roles, which also related to the Huang - Huai basin, whose natural conditions is good for farming, so the people began to get active and formed a deep attachment to the land. Chinese people are lack of sufficient interest in the sea. Operations at sea are not only difficult but also dangerous, far less safe than agriculture. We assume that, in the low standard of living condition, the need of security should be quite strong. Since people have land for farming, so why do they seek danger? What’s more, the farming life also helps farmers like simple lifestyle and calm rhythm of life, and the sea-based trade will be disturbed and fast rhythm. China's natural conditions, climate, topography, and other aspects are not good for agricultural production, but in general far more favorable than negative. Given China’s own conditions, agriculture is the best choice. Chinese people have a deep sense of food .They think "food is the most important thing of people’s life”(民以食为天)" and "relying on the nature"（靠天吃饭）（李肖，2002）derived from the experience of agricultural life. Chinese food culture is full of life, which is a factor of fundamental aspect of people's life. This factor is constrained andarranged by the “nature”(天). Therefore, the farmers had to take into account the instable climate and mutations factors. The surplus grain will be stored up for the rainy day, and the Chinese community has always been a form of self-sufficiency. Therefore, Chinese people from the very young have been instilled to keep up such a conception. Since ancient times, Chinese society is also to appraise the economy, whi ch is many Asians’ concept ion of money. To sum it up in one word that is "deposit."4.2 Influence of society development on consumption conceptionWe all know that America’s neoteric economy is full of vigor. It breaks the self-sufficient pattern. Exploiting the world market and increasingly extending are all impacting the nation guard and limitation. Besides, America is an emerging industrial country, without traditional agricultural period (while China is a large agricultural country). Owing to these reasons, Americans do not have the conception of depositing money. They have the courage to advance. However, Chinese value agriculture more than industry and commerce. In China, two thirds of its population remains making a living on land. Old China is a feudal society with closed natural economy which has developed for thousands of years. Its self –sufficient producing style forces most Chinese to spend all their lives on farming. Once someone lost his ability of self-development or even lost his land, his family cannot survive. Owing to the difference of the society development, Chinese and American consumption conceptions are different. Americans don’t care much about depositing, while Chinese value it very much.4.3 Influence of value on consumption conceptionChinese highlight a person’s reputation, modesty, paying much attention to the spiritual consumption. They advocate selfless-service and encourage people to make up for their defect and suffering by adjusting their inner mind. For this, we could trace back to the origin of the traditional Chinese values. Confucianism as the mainstream of Chinese culture,along with Taoism and Buddhism, has established the framework of Chinese traditional culture and has built the mentality of the Chinese people. “Benevolence” is the core, and ethics is the standard. Adopted and reinforced by kings and governors since the Han Dynasty, especially in the Song and Ming dynasties, classic Confucianism became the theoretical pattern, whose ultimate concern was how to become a noble man or gentleman, how to cultivate one’s attitude or outlook. Confucius said: “the man with benevolence is the one who loves all men.”(Weienyase, 2000:69) The way to carry out benevolence is to establish others if one wants to establish oneself and to enhance others if one would enhance oneself. Do not do to others what you would not wish to be done yourself. The great learning teaches illustrious virtue, to improve the people, and to remain in the state of highest excellence. To achieve a moral ethics and improve one’s spiritual state as the Confucian ideals have made up of the core value of Chinese culture, due to which China becomes one of the cultural and economic centers of the ancient world. To the virtuous ancient Chinese, human interest and desires were of less important, and hence not worth pursuing.However, American is an interest-oriented country. They focus on material consumption. They consider it almost a right to be materially well off and physically comfortable. They expect swift and convenient transportation, a variety of clean and healthy food, and comfortable homes equipped with numerous laborsaving devices including both central heating and hot water. The government is expected to ensure access to food and drug products. Activities of all people and agencies can affect the public welfare. Associated with the values of physical comfort and health is the acceptance of cleanliness as being nearly identical with health. All the values of material property with material well-being yield the powerful social norm of progress. Progress may be said to be universal .Throughout the world, people wish for basic physical comfort, necessary material possessions, and good health and medical services that reduce the physical harshness of birth, disease and death .Both science and technology serve the value of progress .Based on this value, most Americans tend to believe that the basic problem of the world is economic and that technology offers solutions. Associated with material comfort,the American genius for devising and employing machines also provide efficiency and convenience in daily life .American advisors and technicians exhibit a strong tendency to perceive their tasks as requiring the use of machinery. Their future orientation creates a feeling that progress can make everything better than now. Americans find it important to cope with the flow “keeping up with the times” (Borden, George A) and to look ahead “keeping an eye on the future”, (Borden, George A) but the temporal orientation downstream should be qualified as “near future”. So most Americans feel that through their effort they can bring about a better future without compromising the welfare and progress of others .That there is enough for everyone is a valid belief for people living in a large country with an expanding economy and abundant recourses. With no restriction on the goods available to all, individuals can progress, that is, acquire a large quantity of the goods for themselves without concern for depriving others of the same opportunity. The Americans stress on material things is associated with a belief in the inviolacy of private property, a value commonly asserted to be at the root of the constitution and the American conception of democracy. They react negatively to the idea that free enterprises will be denied to anyone in the world .Americans regard free enterprises as an inalienable right that is worth fighting for. At the interpersonal level, many Americans also encounter difficulties in their dealing with persons who do not share with them a clear distinction between private and public property. On a large scale, Americans may react quite negatively to bribery of government officials and other methods of directing public funds into private pockets .With the scientific support of the theory of evolution, Americans see progress as ascending the primitive past along a path in time toward a future in which the impediments of nature are dominated by individual will and technology.4. 4 Influence of traditional family education on consumption conceptionParents in China are good at persuading. They attach importance to their children excessively. They even accept the obligation of educating their children without any complaint. In each stage, they protect children from hurt. For the benefit of the children, they try their best to solve the problems for children. Chinese children also respect the oldgeneration and their experience, and they are happy to accept the current experience of their parents. Today, Chinese parents give more attention to education than before. But they lack scientific educational ideas. Sometimes their ideas of children education are wrong. There is a universal phenomenon that Chinese parents lose the family education direction. People hope that their sons will grow up to be successful persons, which always causes children to feel tired of study, or even to give up the study. Both American family and Chinese family take moral education. In America, the children are cultivated the spirit of independence, and confidence. They explore these when they are young. The children have the right to choose what they want freely. Today, the children in US have more choices than their parents, but the complex situation makes it more difficult to make a decision. The parents do not make decisions for their children instead they give freedom to them. The last goal of American family education is to make children to be a useful person. The Americans give more encouragement than protections to the children .Americans encourage the children to make all kinds of attempt, which can raise their ability, interest, and the most important confidence.From the above analysis, we can draw the conclusion that family education has great influence on cultivating the consumption conception. Americans’education style makes them consume boldly. They have enough confidence to pay the debt. While for Chinese, we do anything hesitantly. And we like asking parents to give advice.。