Comparing the Chinese and Japanese cultures(英语论文).docVIP

Comparing the Chinese and Japanese cultures Japanese culture has been greatly influenced by the Chinese culture, and yet they are almost as different from each other as any two neighboring countries can ever be. The reason for that lie partly in the geography of Japan, which being an island, was often close to external influence, and is partly due to the difference in religion, philosophies and history between the two countries. They differ in many aspects while sharing a lot in common. SIMILARITIES To begin the comparison, there is no dearth of similarities between the two. Both are typical Asian cultures, surviving since a few millennia. Like all old cultures, many of the traditions in both societies are woven around the family structure and social hierarchy that they have nurtured over several centuries. Like all old Eastern cultures, the gender roles used to be highly differentiated in both societies. Both the societies followed a patriarchal system of inheritance, and the head of the family used to be the eldest male. In both societies, extended families were common, and the social order dictated request for elders and teachers. In both China and Japan, modesty of womenfolk was part of the culture, though restrictions on women were far less compared to those practiced in Middle East countries. Both China and Japan provide a lot of emphasis on Confucian values in life. Confucianism, along with Buddhism is one of the common links that bind the two cultures. In both societies, one can observe apathy towards blatant consumerism, and a high tendency to save, as part of social and moral fabric. There are numerous similarities in language and vocabulary used in the two countries. Kanji, the symbol characters in Japan have a lot in common to the Chinese characters, and can actually be the common link between a Chinese and a Japanese, who do not understand each others language. In modern times, both societies have changed in somewhat comparable manners. The majority of