What Urban Chinese Think of Themselves

Above: Jinan, 7M inhabitants capital of 90M ShanDong Province. Philosopher Confucius (respect, hierarchy) was from ShanDong. Cook who invented GongBaoJi chicken dish and Jackie Chan, roots in ShanDong. Enough reasons, I took 200km/h CRH train Beijing-Jinan.

What Urban Chinese think of Themselves?
WESTERN VIEW OF CHINESE IS MORE COMPLEX

Mainland Chinese enjoy about Confucian teachings. They always find something meaningful in every situation. What you say about this!

Among the three fellows walking
together, one must be my teacher.
San Ren Xing, Bi You Wo Shi.

Very humble. Recently I had a workshop with Chinese business Beijingers. All born in Beijing, lived abroad, moved back and earning now well by working with foreigners here in Beijing.

My question to the group was:
What urban Chinese think of Themselves?

What followed was a long and hot discussion about views and priorities. Chinese view of themselves is rosy and not humble. It seems that when Chinese income increases, traditional humbleness disappears.

Results of the group discussion here compressed into 8 points.

1. CHINESE HAVE BIG COUNTRY'S PROUDNESS
China has scale, size and big numbers which give Chinese unique competence.

2. CHINESE ARE SMART AND FLEXIBLE
Chinese are alert because of bathing all the time in subtle situations. This reflects Chinese indirect way of communication which is considered smartness and art. Chinese are very competitive people.

3. CHINESE ARE NATURAL BORN OPPORTUNITY SEEKERS
This is in life, work and business, in China and abroad (why Chinese seek opportunities more than others was left unanswered).

4. CHINESE ARE PROUD OF THEIR TRADITIONAL CULTURE
Chinese culture is like a treasure box, something others don't have. But how to take best use of it? At the same time Chinese are humiliated about their contemporary history, which has created sensitivity on some (not defined) issues.

5. CHINESE ARE HARDWORKING AND WILLING TO LEARN
Chinese are familiar with strong effort and try. System limits people's performance and talents to show up in business.

6. CHINESE BELIEVE IN POWER OF GUANXI
Guanxi, relations, is much more than connections or networking. It can be utilized in life and business, in China but also globally. The level of Guanxi may vary but it works. While Guanxi is a long-term social investment, Chinese are also very short-term benefit driven.

7. CHINESE LIFE IS CONTENT
Chinese believe that life in west is simple compared to Chinese, f.ex. food culture and business culture. Because Chinese own life is stressful and not straightforward, it is sparring and coaching. Chinese learn how to figure out.

8. CHINA WILL BECOME INFLUENTIAL
China's influence will be based on market economy and growth. Important part of influence is to be ably to set rules to others. China's future is bright and Chinese are already now proud about it.


Epilog
That is Chinese view of themselves, straight and clear. But this is not what foreigners think of Chinese, that can be very different. Above 8 points remind me about another, more recent Chinese writer, Lu Xun (1881-1936), who wrote:

Chinese never look at foreigners as equal,
either they are looked up as saints,
or looked down as brutes.

In 2009 Lu Xun's conclusion is still very valid. Chinese people have always felt proud of their traditional culture which encourages to be humble. In China humbleness is considered as a virtue and hierarchy is accepted.

TRANSITION towards market economy is changing Chinese thinking.

Many Chinese have now courage to show their new self-confidence which painfully mixes with traditional Chinese culture. Like Coke with Chinese Moutai, and result is not humble.



CHINA's GLOBALIZATION - PHASE 1. MENTALITY
Change has been too rapid to Chinese business people. Most Chinese city dwellers still have "provincial" mentality. When that mentality and Chinese way of business gets mixed with western business processes, brought to China by MNCs and SMEs, result is complex, never before, and full of surprises.

CHINA's GLOBALIZATION - PHASE 2. GUANXI
When Chinese businesses go global, its domestic market winners build bridge-end, presence and sales channels to Europe and U.S.

Manufacturing in China utilizes unique situation of opening and transition. But experience about manufacturing may not be enough for making strategies to enter into laws-rules-and-values based western business environments. Can innovation happen with Guanxi?

Will Guanxi become a cornerstone for Chinese business development abroad? Will it become sales enabler abroad? Will Guanxi be able to help access into western customer base and to break old business loyalties? To be seen.


BeijingMan aka Kippo

List of BeijingMan Postings

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All photos in this post are from my train trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province. I used Canon 20D with EF-S 10-22mm.

Above-1: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China. Return ticket by CRH train Beijing-Jinan is 153RMB, about 15EUR/20USD. Four hours per direction. Over 350 CRH trains in use, f.ex. Beijing-ShenYang, Beijing TianJin, GuangZhou-ShenZheng. Soon Beijing-Shanghai.

Above-2: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Early morning in Beijing. On the way to Beijing old Railway Station, 10 minutes drive from home.

Above-3: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Beijing old Railway Station, early morning.

Above-4: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Into Beijing old Railway Station. Stream, no long queues.

Above-5: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Beijing old Railway Station. Waiting hall No.1

Above-6: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Small shop inside Beijing old Railway Station.

Above-7: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
CRH train ready to speed to Jinan.

Above-8: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
CRH train ready to speed to Jinan.

Above-9: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Inside CRH train, my seat was here. All was more than I expected, good legroom. Service like in airplanes. Top speed 250km/h but we went only 200km/h.

Above-10: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Four hours later I arrived to Jinan.

Above-11: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Jinan Railway Station.

Above-12: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
In front of Jinan Railway Station.

Above-13: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Taxis at Jinan Railway Station. Hot day, sometimes a few rain drops.

Above-14: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China. This tower is Hotel Sofitel Silver Plaza, five stars. I went to 49th floor, round top has a rotating restaurant, for lunch. Next four overview pictures are taken from there.

Above-15: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
View from Hotel Sofitel Silver Plaza, 49F rotating restaurant. Buffet lunch 8EUR/10USD.

Above-16: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
View from Sofitel Silver Plaza 49F restaurant.

Above-17: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
View from Sofitel Silver Plaza 49F restaurant. Quan Cheng Square.

Above-18: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
View from Sofitel Silver Plaza 49F restaurant.

Above-19: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China. Boxer Evander Holyfield visited here before me. Found this picture on 49F lunch restaurant wall.
- Evander, did you have GongBaoJi in Jinan?

Above-20: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
That's BeijingMan at Silver Plaza.

Above-21: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Next: Jinan sightseeing by taxi.

Above-22: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Sightseeing: Views.

Above-23: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China. Sightseeing. Gate of famous Jinan Iron and Steel Company which has over 70.000 workers, own housing area, hospital, stadium and library, TV-channels. Chinese state-owned factories have gates of this style.

Above-24: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Sightseeing: Company's library.

Above-25: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Sightseeing: Statue greets visitors and residents. Speed added.

Above-26: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Sightseeing: Street view.

Above-27: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Shopping tunnel under Luoyuan Avenue near Hotel Sofitel Silver Plaza. Lazy going.

Above-28: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China. Lunch buffet at 49F of that Hotel Sofitel Silver Plaza tower.

Above-29: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Map of Jinan main square - Quan Cheng Square. Click to enlarge.

Above-30: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-31: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-32: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-33: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-34: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-35: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-36: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan. Chopsticks? Probably not.

Above-37: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-38: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan. Science - no gravity!

Above-39: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan. The Jinan Ball reflects somehow like steel. I stretched and saw my reflection spreading over the magic ball.

Above-40: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-41: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-42: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan. Day was hot and humid.

Above-43: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-44: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-45: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.

Above-46: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Jinan China Mobile meets wireless professionals at Quan Cheng Square.

Above-47: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Beside the Quan Cheng Square. And it was a lazy day.

Above-48: Trip to Jinan, capital of ShanDong Province in China.
Quan Cheng Square in Jinan.


Jinan, Capital of ShanDong Province, China
+ Easy, quick, on schedule access by train from Beijing
+ Good space and fiendly service personnel in CRH train
+ Jinan is not a small city, has scale, private sightseeing ok
+ New Jinan Qilu Software Park was round and interesting
+ Yellow River flows through Jinan
+ Quan Cheng Square is sort of experience. Visible from moon?
- Overall Jinan is a standard Chinese big city
- Lunch buffet at Silver Plaza 49F restaurant was disappointing
***** OK TARGET FOR DAY TRIP FROM BEIJING *****

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© BeijingMan aka Kippo 2008, 2009