For a civilization that has been around for 5000 years (give or take), it comes as no surprise that Chinese people are very serious when it comes to traditions, many of which are as old as imperial China itself.
From “Feng Shui” (English for wind-water), a Chinese geomancy system that is believed to improve life by getting positive qi, to the Chinese zodiac, to a variety of superstitions, getting familiar with Chinese culture and tradition is an integral piece of the puzzle that is doing business in China.
How so? You may be asking.
Positioning is Powerful
Being around Chinese culture on a daily basis for the last four-plus years has allowed me to see everyday things from a Chinese perspective. Before, when I walked into a Chinese restaurant and was greeted by a large fish tank, I saw it as a mere decoration. I know now that the direction the fish tank faced and the amount of fish inside was likely not random. It’s Feng Shui.
While “Feng Shui-ing” your home is gaining popularity outside of Chinese culture these days, Chinese people have relied on this ancient system of creating good energy in their lives for thousands of years. And since creating good energy results in prosperity and abundance, you can probably guess how important Feng Shui is in Chinese business.
So if you find yourself in a conference room or a businessperson’s office in China wondering about the “money frog” or other Feng Shui wealth cures dispersed throughout, all these are believed to bring money and good fortune in Chinese culture.
But whether you want to buy one as a gift or place it in your office to show off your knowledge of all things Chinese before you meet that important Chinese client, the important thing to remember is that these aren’t simple decorations. They are important cultural items with different meanings and purposes; where they are placed is just as important.
Not all wealth cures are created equal and their effectiveness varies from person to person. The three-legged mythical money frog is popular because it is believed to bring wealth and abundance. However, if the person happens not to like the money frog, the energy connection will be poor and likely not effect their Feng Shui. Also likely, you will look silly rather than culturally adept.
In other words, if you don’t know the person well and want to make a good impression, don’t go over-the-top with gifts, but rather do your research and be knowledgeable about Feng Shui and…
Red, go ahead! White, not alright! (Usually)
Colors. Different colors are significant in different cultures and Chinese is no exception. And some maybe more obvious than others. If you’ve been at a Chinese New Year’s Celebration or simply walked by and glanced at some decorations (celebrations of Chinese New Year 2012 just recently concluded), you can probably guess that red is a good color in Chinese culture.
Red symbolizes fire and is believed to be lucky, bringing fortune and joy. During Chinese New Year and other holidays and celebrations, people give out red envelopes filled with money to loved ones and friends. Who gives to who and the amount given depends on the occasion.
Red also supposedly keeps evil spirits away and traditionally symbolic of happiness. Thus, it is strictly forbidden in funerals.
White, on the other hand, is the predominant color used in funerals, and isn’t celebratory or pure like in many other cultures. In fact, ancient Chinese people only wore white while mourning for the dead so it would be safe for you to avoid it in presents, clothing, cards, etc.
A few more general Chinese color associations: Black is neutral, corresponds to water, and is regarded as “Heaven’s” color in the Book of Changes (I Ching). It is also used in daily Chinese clothing in modern China.
Green is another good color generally associated with health, harmony, and prosperity, but more recently in regards to the People’s Republic of China’s harmonization efforts.
While blue is symbolic of immortality, dark blue is often associated with funerals and death.
Yellow/Gold is believed to be the most beautiful color and corresponds with the earth. There is a Chinese saying that implies that “yellow is the center of everything”. Because of it’s neutrality, beauty, and luck, yellow is a good color and is usually always a safe bet. However it is important to know that Chinese Buddhists use it as a mourning color.
It’s a Game of Numbers
Certain numbers bring happiness and fortune in Chinese belief and thus are considered lucky while others are avoided because they are unlucky or represent something bad.
The word ”four” in Chinese is “si”. As you probably know, one word in Chinese can have numerous meanings depending on the tone and context. “Si”, when said with the third tone, also happens to mean “die/dead” so Chinese people often avoid the number 4. In fact, some buildings in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau don’t have fourth floors or room number 44, etc.
The number 8, which is “ba” in Chinese, on the contrary is lucky, because “ba” has the same sound as the word for “wealth”. The fact that the Beijing Olympics started on 8/8/08 is no coincidence. For a full list of lucky and unlucky numbers, click here.
An (even) More Direct Connection
In an article I read last week, I was surprised to find out that Feng Shui and Chinese astronomy can play a direct role in the business world, particularly in investments.
Turns out, CLSA, a Hong Kong-based brokerage firm, releases a yearly Feng Shui index that combines traditional market forecasts with Chinese astrology to help determine if the year will be good or bad for investing.
And while it can be completely wrong in it’s prediction (last year was supposed to be a lucky and “especially good for playing the markets”), this doesn’t discourage many Chinese from believing or at least respecting the index.
In case you’re wondering, while the Year of the Dragon is traditionally auspicious, the animal is not the only determining factor. Each year is associated with an element too and 2012 is a water year and a water dragon is less lucky than it’s fire or metal counterpart.
To Sum-Up
As a person wishing for successful business endeavors in China, you are now hopefully armed with better knowledge of Chinese culture and tradition and how they can directly impact the success of your business venture.
The Chinese are very serious about their traditions and the last thing you want to do is to unintentionally disregard a tradition or dishonor the culture. Doing business on the fourth of April or wearing that lucky white suit to meet an important Chinese client may be a deal-breaker to some people.
And while the Cultural Revolution in China in 1960 attempted to eliminated many of these traditions, in a thousands-of-years old country ingrained with a rich cultural history and populated by more than 1.3 billion people, this was impossible. Traditions survived and are evident all over China today, especially as the economic giant becomes more and more open.
To make a very long, 5000 year-old story short, the point is that all these intricate details and Chinese cultural traditions are important and nothing is too minor to overlook if you plan to do business in China.
A Humorous Lesson
To reiterate the importance of all this, I leave you with an anecdote in the form of another article I recently read. Although not directly related, I believe it accurately portrays Chinese’ trust in themselves and superstitions.
Remember Roland Emmerich’s 2009 apocalyptic disaster thriller “2012″? I don’t expect you to since it underwhelmed despite millions of dollars worth of special effects and an intriguing premise. However, it is one of Hollywood’s top grossing movies ever in China with $466 million in revenues.
Why? It is the Chinese that build the arks that save humanity at the end of the movie. This “good guy” portrayal has had a strong influence on the Chinese and some even believe the film to be prophetic.
The article discusses this in depth so I will not bore you with the details. But if you can see how a three year old over-the-top movie made in America can impact China as a nation simply because it portrays them in a positive light, imagine how much better you will be seen through the eyes of a Chinese businessperson if you take the time and effort to research and respect his or her culture and traditions.