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Honor and Shame across Generations in China

Honor and Shame across Generations in China

Last updated on: September 9, 2014 at 8:35 am by Brad Vaughn

Honor and Shame across Generations in China 2014-09-09T08:35:46-07:00 Brad Vaughn

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How are honor and shame expressed differently across generations in China?

Someone recently emailed me asking this question. They wondered how “modernity” and “postmodernity” might impact honor/shame dynamics in Chinese society.

This post offers just a few brief answers.

What does it mean to be a “modern” Chinese person?

Credit: CC 2.0/wikipedia

Let be over generalize by speaking of Chinese society as have two groups, an older and a younger generation. The older generation grew up in the “Red” days of China, when Marxism was a more aggressively propagated. Accordingly, this group of people is more “modernist” in the sense that they are more concerned with questions of “science” and are more skeptical about religious issues. Naturally, Christians have tended to emphasize apologetics and objective “truth” with them.

Younger Chinese are far more open to religious and “spiritual” things. Although apologetics has its place, it matters far less with them than with their generational elders. The younger crowd is more globally minded, seeking to know who they are within the world community. Entertainment is the new opiate of the people.

Are Chinese modern or postmodern?

Allow me to generalize for the sake of brevity.

Postmodernity is really a Western phenomenon in which western cultures actually become more “eastern” (though obviously an amalgamation). Thus, postmodern westerns will/are increasingly regaining a sense for honor/shame aspects, like collective identity (which nowadays goes under the verbiage of “community”). This will increasingly manifest in the form of tribalism.

China has never really been a “modern” society in the cultural sense. If anything, it could loosely be called “postmodern” only in the sense that modernity has integrated with Chinese culture.

All of these dynamics are honor-shame oriented.

Honor and Shame Among Older Chinese People

How do older Chinese express honor/shame as cultural values? I suggest at least the following ways.

The older generation grew up in a time where the fires of national pride burned as hot as they ever have. The communist revolution followed both the war with Japan in World War 2 and Western colonialism (which spanned from the 1800s the first half of the 1900s). Accordingly, the older generation is probably a bit more sensitive to national/ethnic “face.” Localism and ethnocentrism may be important entry points of conversation for someone who wants to preach the gospel to this group of Chinese people.

The older generation grew up in an economically collectivistic society. Thus, they have an especially strong sense how their individual actions influence those in their group. Among older Chinese, you will find a greater willingness to conform to the group standards; the consequences of exclusion are serious.

Credit: alehidalgo via pixabay

What about the younger Chinese generation?

By contrast, the younger generation is far more individualistic. They have grown up in more of a market economy. Generally speaking, they are a generation of only children. They are “little emperors.” The heavy injection of modern western culture has modified the way that younger people seek face.

For example, more people are willing to pursue individual distinction via some sort of achievement. Although no one want to stick out too much (for fear of retribution), there is greater willingness to try new things and make a name for oneself.

Likewise, younger Chinese people do feel increasingly isolated as the society has a weaker sense of group loyalty than in days past. Group identity is more fluid. It is based less on ethnicity or even hometown (compared to the older generation). Now, wealth, academic performance, and other titles and status symbols determine where one belongs.

Across both generations, “face” and “collectivism” are alive and well. The way they manifest, however, has changed.

This post is only the tip of the iceberg.

It is full of broad generalizations. Of course, there will be many exceptions. I simply want to identify a few trends. Others could be mentioned.

That is where you come in. What are some of the ways you see honor/shame expressed a cross the generations in China? By identifying these areas, we can consider how to improve our relationships and have more effective ministries.

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