Chinese are known for their strong sense of community. They value hierarchies and respect social relationships, such as loyalty and filial piety.
They have built self-reliant communities known as Chinatowns. While these neighborhoods serve as tourist sites, they also offer a place for people to understand their heritage and identity.
Ethnicity
China’s 56 ethnic groups have a variety of cultural traditions and overlapping identities with each other and the Han Chinese majority. Some of them are confined to one province (such as the Tibetan and Uyghur groups in Xinjiang), while others are spread across two or more provinces such as the Mongols.
When a group migrates to a new country, they take with them some elements of their culture, such as food, style, language, music and marriage customs. These form what is known as a “community” within the larger society, which can be a source of pride and unity.
In Latin America, for example, a significant number of Chinese communities have grown up in countries like Peru, Venezuela and Argentina, where the numbers run into the hundreds of thousands. They contribute to the local economy by running restaurants, supermarkets and other businesses that serve the community. They also play an important role in the social life of their host nations by organising sports and charity events.
Culture
Chinese culture is a blend of embedded traditions and modernisation. The Chinese government conceptualises the country as a composite ‘multi-nation nation’ with 55 official minorities and a majority Han group. Each of these groups has its own cultural identity and customs.
The Confucian philosophy of adherence, obedience and responsibility influences the way Chinese act and communicate. This ‘guanxi’ (networking) principle commits friends, family and business colleagues to assist one another in return for favours. Violating this principle can lead to loss of face and honour.
Because of this cultural emphasis on social acceptance and unity, the Chinese are often sensitive in their interactions with other people. Their sensitivity extends to the way they treat people with physical and mental disabilities, such as autism and post-operative patients with skin conditions like dermatitis or acne. They are also careful about who they invite to their homes, and they often have a small inner circle of close friends and family.
Religion
Despite the official hostility to religion that persists from the Cultural Revolution, many Chinese people identify with and participate in beliefs and rituals from religious traditions. However, statistics on these groups are difficult to obtain due to people being reluctant to reveal their affiliations and the government’s hostility towards certain sects of Christianity and other religious movements.
Almost half of Chinese adults say they believe in Buddha and a bodhisattva (deities that are on the path to enlightenment), according to the 2018 China Family Panel Studies survey. In addition, many Chinese practice folk religions such as ancestor veneration, Taoism and shamanism.
International media and human rights groups reported that the Chinese government continued a campaign to Sinicize religion by bringing religious doctrine and practices into alignment with CCP ideology. This included a formal five-year plan announced on January 7. The government reportedly shut down church venues, demanded that churches display banners of political ideology and recite the national anthem before singing Christian hymns.
Family
The family is a central part of Chinese culture. Whether living in traditional, rural environments or modern cities, the family is cherished and honored. The Chinese character for family,
The concept of family is rooted in Confucian values. One of the most important is filial piety, which dictates that children must respect and take care of their parents. This reflects China’s long history as an agrarian society, when families relied on each other for support throughout their lives.
Even as gender equality has grown, many Chinese women continue to carry the burden of their families’ financial needs and often work outside the home. Because of this, the names of Chinese family members always begin with the maternal surname, and married women don’t adopt their husbands’ family name. Taking care of aging parents is a priority and children are expected to visit their elderly relatives regularly.