Chinese Americans live in a community that has strong connections to the old country. They often develop benevolent societies and tongs, as well as operate restaurants, laundry businesses, and Chinatowns.
They are highly engaged in church and tai chi practice. They also enjoy a wide variety of recreational activities, including movies and sports.
Family
Family is a big deal in Chinese culture. It is believed that one’s destiny lies within the family, and it is important to honor your elders. This is reflected in the respect for authority and hierarchy that exists within Chinese society, where it is expected that elders are respected for their wisdom and experience and younger people show deference and obedience.
Many parents in China will sacrifice everything they have to provide their children with a good education. They believe that education is the key to upward mobility, and it is often seen as a sign of love.
Chinese society is patrilineal, and ties to extended family are usually based on male lineage. For this reason, women typically do not adopt their husband’s family name when they marry and are referred to by different terms that indicate their relative status. For example, relatives on the maternal side are called Wai (
Education
Education is extremely important in China. Before the Revolution, illiteracy was widespread and in rural areas as high as 95%. The Communists spared no effort to wipe it out and they succeeded, opening schools to workers and peasants.
Students in Chinese schools study Chinese and mathematics (called “the Big Two”), history and geography, foreign language, music, drawing and handwork. They also take current events, politics, economics and natural knowledge. Some cities have policies that allow students to attend city schools without having the requisite urban hukou.
Students spend a great deal of time on homework and studying. They also participate in extracurricular activities such as sports, dancing and watching television. Most teenagers in China are very focused on school and study, and parents are often involved with their children’s education. They rarely date and prefer to socialize with their classmates in groups. They also have strict rules on sexual behavior. This makes it difficult for them to have a life outside of the family or school.
Religion
In the context of declining economic growth, the CCP has increasingly embraced folk religion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, officials distributed anti-xie jiao (literally “heterodox teachings”) brochures to households with members of the Church and broadcast anticult propaganda on radio and TV.
Local governments have also stepped up pressure on the Church and other religious groups. Bitter Winter reported that in some areas, the local TSPM office instructed clergy to “Sinicize” their sermons by inserting core socialist values and Xi Jinping Thought into them.
Unlike Christianity, which makes exclusive truth claims and lacks indigenized roots, Buddhism, Taoism, and other indigenous folk religions are considered to be “harmonious” with Chinese culture. As a result, they can more easily assimilate with local philosophies and incorporate indigenous beliefs and rites. Meanwhile, Xi has begun to praise Buddhism for its indigenization. During the nationwide census, he told census takers to pay close attention to the homes’ religious materials and symbols.
Work
The Chinese value work, believing that hardwork leads to success. They are very punctual and respect their supervisors. They also prefer to have small talk with co-workers in order to build rapport and foster teamwork. They often go out together after work for drinks, dinner, sports, and other activities.
Many of the Chinese in Spain are immigrants who migrated for economic improvement or family reasons. However, little research has been done on the working conditions of this population. Using an ethnographic design, this study sought to examine patterns of work and working conditions among Chinese people in southern Spain. Data collection included participant observation, field notes, and semi-structured interviews with 133 Chinese immigrants.
Findings revealed that the Chinese in Spain typically work actively in the service sector of the economy, and have long work hours. These factors seem to have a negative impact on their health at the physical, psychological and social level. Moreover, they have a strong desire to return to their homeland upon retirement.