China and Japan are considered important nations in the world. Different nations use these two nations as examples when interacting with one another. In 1945, the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. It destroyed the entire country. Even now, Japan is still experiencing its negative effects. The Japanese people’s response to this tragedy and inclusion on the list of developed nations is admirable. The official language of Japan is Japanese. Therefore, professional Japanese translation services can help you understand their culture and expand your business there.
China’s economy comes second after the United States. Both Japanese and Chinese people look alike when you meet them. However, the language and culture of both countries are different.
Let’s dive into the cultural differences between both countries.
Greetings
The Chinese and Japanese bow their heads when they greet someone for the first time. The main difference between their greeting styles is that the Japanese are very strict about bowing customs.
Moreover, they consider the age and seniority of the people before bowing. However, in China, you can also handshake in Western style unless you greet an older person. A short nod in Japan depicts that person as rude. You can only give short nodes to your friends who are of your age.
Homogenous and Heterogeneous
China has a long, vibrant history. It is influenced by many other cultures, like India and many European countries. This makes China’s entire culture heterogeneous. Professional Chinese translation services can be of great help in understanding the diversity of China. On the other hand, Japan remained isolated throughout history. This is because of its small size. Therefore, Japanese culture is very homogenous.
Public Behaviors
If you listen to both Chinese and Japanese people then you can differentiate their nationalities. It depends on how loud they speak. Japanese are very calm people, and they give importance to their privacy. You can find them quiet on trains, and when they speak, they speak very softly. If we talk about the Chinese, they don’t have a cultural prohibition against speaking politely. Thus, if you find Asian people joking and laughing loudly, they are probably Chinese people.
Cuisine
Japanese people enjoy eating many raw dishes, especially seafood, while Chinese people prefer fried foods. In the dishes related to meat, Japanese cuisine includes beef, chicken, and fish. On the other hand, Chinese cuisine includes pork, chicken, beef, and fish.
Both Japanese and Chinese cuisines use rice, but they cook it differently and use it for different purposes. For example, In Japan, you can find seafood in the main course, while in China, rice is included in the main course. Do you know that Chinese rice is thinner and longer, whereas Japanese rice is short-grain?
Clothing
During the Han rule in China, people mostly wore ‘Hanfu,’ a round-neck robe.
However, during the Manchu rule, ‘Hanfu’ was banned, and the official clothing became ‘Qipao,’ a one-piece baggy dress with a high neck and tight skirt.
In Japan, traditional clothing was called ‘Kimono’ or ‘Gofuku,’ which are T-shaped robes.
The ‘Kimono’ was further stylized into a 12-layered robe known as the Jnihitoe,’ reserved for royalty. The common people wore ‘Kosode,’ which had a varying number of layers, from eight to twenty.
Architecture
Traditional Chinese architecture emphasized using wood instead of modern materials. It preferred broad buildings over tall ones, unlike modern architecture, which focuses on high rises to accommodate the growing population. There were few open spaces on properties, as all available areas were used for construction. Indoors, chairs were commonly used for sitting, and construction followed Feng Shui principles.
Japanese architecture is greatly influenced by Chinese architecture. The introduction of Buddhism also had a significant impact on Japanese architecture. Japanese houses were built elevated from the ground, using mats on the floor for sitting. This design helped keep the houses cool in the hot and humid climate.
Medicine
In China, acupuncture is a popular medical option. It involves using needles on specific body zones called meridians that correspond to organs. For example, if someone has a liver problem, needles are applied to their ears and feet. There are about 700 points in the body, each with its own title and meridian. Specialists use needles to stimulate a person’s energy and relieve organ pain.
In Japan, the medical practice is shiatsu. In this practice, hand pressure is used on the body. Shiatsu originated in the 1940s when Tokujiro Namikoshi saw his mother massaging and pressing painful points to ease her rheumatoid arthritis. He further studied this approach and developed a treatment method based on pressing painful points with his fingers. Shiatsu is a type of manual therapy with this history.
Wrapping Up
The differences between cultures add beauty to the world. You can learn different things from other cultures through their language. Which cultural aspects of Japanese and Chinese do you like the most?
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