People of most cultures want to protect their face. Few like to be embarrassed or criticized in public. But why are we only talking about the Chinese face? The answer lies in the unique dimension that the Chinese give to the concept: GIVE FACE to others.
Westerners are often destabilized by the lack of questions from their Chinese colleagues during meetings. By keeping silent, the Chinese try not only to save their own faces, but also to preserve the face of the speaker and the face of the group. Compared to Western notion of honor which is more personal, Chinese notion of face is given by the group. In China, the individuals only exist in relation to the community to which they belong. How an individual is perceived by others determines his place in the society. By giving face to others, one ensures his own place in the group.
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