THANG LONG UNIVERSITY

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

***

SUBJECT : GIAO TIẾP GIỮA CÁC NỀN VĂN HÓA

TOPIC : SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN THE EAST AND THE WEST

STUDENT’S NAME : TRAN NGOC MY LINH

STUDENT’S CODE : A26875

TEACHER’S NAME : MISTER NGUYEN VAN DO

SEMESTER : 2 GROUP 2, 2017- 2018

HA NOI,2018

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 CATEGORY

I. Cross culture…………….……………….……..3

1.What is 'cross culture'?............................................3

2.Considerations in cross culture...……………..…..3
3.Breaking down 'cross culture…………..……...….4
II. Cross cultural…………………………….....…..5
1. What is cross cultural ?...........................................5
2. Cross-cultural studies…………………….……….5
3. Cross-cultural theatre……………………………..7
3.1. Companies………………………........................7
3.2. Plays and theatre pieces…………………..…….7
4. Cross-cultural communication…………..........…..7

III. Similarities between the east and the wes……...8

IV. Differences between the east and the west........12
1. What is the culture of the east and the
west?.........12
2. The differences from lifestyle…………….……...12
3. The differences from religion…………….….…..16
4. The differences from philosophy…………..…….17

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 5. The differences from family……………….…….20
6. The differences from habits and
customs………...21

I. CROSS CULTURE
1.What is 'Cross Culture'?
Cross culture can refer to a company's initiatives to increase
understanding of different groups, develop effective
communication or marketing efforts to reach out to customers
and clients outside its traditional market. Methods of cross culture
are intended to strengthen the interaction of people from different
backgrounds in the business world and is a vital issue in
international business.

2.Considerations in Cross Culture

Culture is immeasurably important due to its impact on how

social, societal and professional behaviors are interpreted and
what is considered taboo and what is not. Some cultures are more
hierarchical, while others have flatter social structures. In
business, the relationship between an employee and a boss is
important as one culture may encourage open dialogue — even
criticism of a superior by an underling — while in another, it
would be unacceptable. Cross culture also extends to body
language and body contact: how should employees approach

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managers in a professional setting or how would a pat on the back
be interpreted in China compared the United States. For example,
everyday experiences, even those that may seem trivial, can be
vastly different in various cultures. Accepting a business card
from a Japanese businessperson, for example, is more ceremonial
in Japanese culture than it is in American culture. When accepting
a business card, the person receiving it in Japan is expected to
take it with both hands and review it to show respect. The person
presenting the card will bow and present the card with both
hands. This may seem strange in the United States, as cards are
usually exchanged freely, but understanding this can help those in
Japan to avoid showing disrespect. Likewise, understanding this
can help Japanese businesspeople to not feel disrespected if their
American counterparts are less ceremonial about taking their
business cards.

3.Breaking down 'cross culture'

Cross culture is becoming increasingly important as the success

of international trade depends upon the smooth interaction of
employees from different cultures and regions. A growing number
of companies are devoting substantial resources toward training
their employees to interact effectively with those of companies in
other cultures in an effort to foment a positive cross-cultural
experience. In addition, cross culture can be experienced by an
employee who is transferred to a location in another country. The

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employee must learn the language and culture of those around
him and vice-versa. Cross culture initiatives can be more difficult
to implement if an employee is acting in a managerial capacity;
someone in a leadership position who cannot effectively
communicate with or understand his employees' actions can lose
credibility. In an ever-expanding global economy, cross culture
and adaptability will continue to be important factors in the
business world.

II. CROSS CULTURAL

1. What is cross cultural ?

Cross-cultural deals with or offers comparision between two or

more different cultures or cultural areas.

The term “Cross cultural” emerged in the social sciences in the

1930s ( largelys as a result of the Cross Cultural Survey by George
Peter Murclock, a Yale anthropologist ) :
Initially referring to comparative studies based on statistical
complications of cultural data, the term gradually acquired a
secondary sense of cultural interactivity.

Cross-cultural may refer to:

 Cross-cultural studies, a comparative tendency in various

fields of cultural analysis

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  Cross-cultural communication, a field of study that looks at
how people from differing cultural backgrounds
communicate
 Any of various forms of interactivity between members of
disparate cultural groups
 The discourse concerning cultural interactivity, sometimes
referred to as cross-culturalism
2. Cross-cultural studies

Cross-cultural studies is an adaptation of the term cross-cultural

to describe a branch of literary and cultural studies dealing with
works or writers associated with more than one culture.
Practitioners of cross-cultural studies often use the term cross-
culturalism to describe discourses involving cultural interactivity,
or to promote various forms of cultural interactivity.

Cross-culturalism is nearly synonymous with transculturation, a

term coined by Cuban writer Fernando Ortiz in the 1940s to
describe processes of cultural hybridity in Latin America.
However, there are certain differences of emphasis reflecting the
social science derivation of cross-culturalism.

The term "cross-culturalism" became prevalent in cultural

studies in the late 1980s and 1990s. An early proponent of the
term was the Guyanese writer Wilson Harris, who wrote in The
Womb of Space (1983), that "cultural heterogeneity or cross-

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cultural capacity" gives an "evolutionary thrust" to the
imagination.

Cross-culturalism in literary and cultural studies is a useful

rubric for works, writers and artists that do not fit within a single
cultural tradition.

Some cross-cultural films :

 The African Queen

 Anna and the King
 Babel
 Bride and Prejudice
 Jodhaa Akbar
 Mammoth
 Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
 The King and I
 The Last Samurai

3.Cross-cultural theatre

Note that in the early 21st century the term "intercultural

theatre" is preferred to "cross-cultural theatre."

3.1. Companies
 International Centre for Theatre Research
 The Bridge Stage of the Arts
 TheatreWorks (Singapore)
 Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
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 3.2. Plays and theatre pieces
 Homebody/Kabul by Tony Kushner
 Indian Ink by Tom Stoppard
 Madame Butterfly (1900) by David Belasco
 Miss Saigon
 The Mahabharata by Peter Brook

 The Mikado (1885), a comic opera in two acts by

Gilbert and Sullivan
4.Cross-cultural communication

Since 1970s, the field of cross-cultural communication (also

known as intercultural communication) developed as a prominent
application of the cross-cultural paradigm, in response to the
pressures of globalization which produced a demand for cross-
cultural awareness training in various commercial sectors.

Cultural communication differences can be identified by 8

different criteria:

 When to talk;
 What to say;
 Pacing and pausing;
 The art of listening;
 Intonation;
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  What is conventional and what is not in a language;
 Degree of indirectness;
 Cohesion and coherence.

III. SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE EAST AND

THE WEST

The similarities between eastern and western philosophy are

greater than any differences cited by modern-day writers and
lecturers on the topic. The most often cited difference is that
western philosophy is 'fragmentary' while eastern philosophy is
'holistic'. The popular writer Sankara Saranam, author of the book
God Without Religion, is one example of this when he claims that
eastern philosophy is concerned with general knowledge while
western philosophy aims at specific knowledge. This refers to the
popular understanding that eastern philosophy - specifically
Chinese philosophy - addresses the whole of human existence
while western philosophy - beginning with the Greeks - only
focuses on certain aspects of the human condition.

The purpose of human existence

An example given by academic scholars is how Confucius'

analects deal with both the inner and outer life of a person
(holistic) while Aristotle's works emphasize how one should
conduct one's self to live well among others (fragmentary). Mo-Ti,
some claim, aims at a holistic understanding of one's self and

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one's surroundings while a western philosopher like Plato
emphasizes specific goals one should strive for in discovering
what is true and real in life.

These are arbitrary distinctions which totally miss the

underlying, and essentially identical, aims of eastern and western
philosophy. Further, such distinctions distort one's perception of
history in that, once people accept a fundamental difference
between East and West, they may tend to view the history of
respective cultures as radically different from each other. In fact,
human beings are essentially the same the world over, only the
details and customs differ, and the philosophies of eastern and
western thinkers make this quite clear.

One could compare the fundamental ideas of the great Chinese

philosopher Confucius (551-479 BCE) with those of the Greek
philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BCE) and find they are presenting
the same basic concepts. Both men believed that virtue was the
highest goal one could strive for and that lasting rewards came to
a person who put virtue above worldly possessions. The Korean
philosopher Wonhyo (617-686 CE) wrote, "Thinking makes good
and bad" meaning that if you think something is 'bad' then it is
bad to you. The Greek philosopher Epictetus (c. 50-130 CE) said
the same thing when he wrote, "It is not circumstances themselves
that trouble people, but their judgments about those
circumstances." (Enchiridion, I:v) Epictetus says that one should
not even fear death because one does not know whether death is a
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good or a bad thing. Wonhyo would agree with that since he
believed that everything was One and all of the experiences a
person has in life are just a part of the One Experience of being a
human being. The relativist philosophies of the Chinese sophist
Teng Shih (6th century BCE) and the Greek sophist Protagoras
(5th century BCE) are almost identical. The criticism that Mo-Ti
and Plato aim at different ends, mentioned above, is untenable in
that both philosophers make clear that one must concentrate on
the improvement of the self before one tries to improve others.

Innate morality

The best example, however, of the fundamental sameness of

eastern and western thought is epitomized in the works of two of
the best-known philosophers from their respective hemispheres:
Plato (428-348 BCE) of the west and Wang Yangming (1472-1529
CE) of the east. While Plato is quite well known in the west, Wang
Yangming is less so, even though he is as famous as Plato in China,
Korea, and Japan. Both of these philosophers have exerted an
enormous influence through their works, and both argue for the
existence of innate knowledge; that human beings are born
knowing right from wrong, and good from bad, and need only be
encouraged to pursue goodness in order to live a fulfilling life. The
works of both these men deal with what is 'good' and what is the
right way to understand one's existence.

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 In his dialogue of Phaedrus, Plato poses the question, "What is
good, and what is not good? Need we ask anyone to tell us these
things?" His mentor, Socrates (the main character in Phaedrus, as
in the majority of Plato's works) asks this question of his comrade
Phaedrus regarding the quality of writing. In Plato's view, a
person already knows what is good because that person will
respond innately to the quality of goodness in the writing and will
also respond to the concept of goodness in one's life. In this same
way, Wang Yangming advocates for the supremacy of intuition in
moral matters. Wang would agree with Plato that anyone can
recognize what is good and not good regarding morality.

IV. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EAST AND

THE WEST

The definition like the Eastern culture and the Western culture
seems to have the same origin. If speak in the simple words, the
Eastern culture means Asia and the Western culture means
Europe and the USA. These cultures were developed together for
some time, but after some time they are really different. They can
have some the same features, but also, they are really different
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1.What is the culture of the East and the West?

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 The Eastern culture is the culture of the countries like India, Japan
and a lot of other ones, which have a lot of traditions and habits. They
would like to continue the old traditions and to not like to change
them to something new.

The Western culture is the culture of the Europe and the USA,
which contains from the dynamic lifestyle, development in the
countries and a lot of new technologies, which were developed.

2.The differences from lifestyle

The Eastern culture is not developed very quickly. You can see,
that there are the traditions, which were presented even 100, 200
or even more years ago. At the same time, the Western culture is
developed every day. You can see a lot of changes and a lot of new
things, which are added to it every day.

The main difference in these cultures can be in the religion. The

Eastern culture can have a lot of different Gods and religions.
People believe not in one God, but they have a lot of them, for
example, the Gods of the sky, sun and other ones. But in the
Western culture is only one God and a lot of people from the West
culture accept the Christianity.

The Eastern culture is built on the different ancient traditions

and rules. The West can break the rules and change them with the
development.

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 The West tries to find more information about this world, but
the East does not like a lot of modern technologies.

The people from the West are the masters of the nature, but the
people from the West live in the nature, they are together with it.

People from the West can show their point of view directly, in a
few words. They do not use very long sentences and words, but at
that time, people from the East like to use such constructions and
some citations. Sometimes, it is very difficult to understand each
other for peoples, that belong to the different cultures.

For the Western culture, the person is on the first place, but if
we compare it with the Eastern culture, there the person is not on
the first place. You will see, that here, people live for the others,
but in the Western culture, people should live for themselves only.

It is possible to see the difference in solving the problem. People

from the West see the problem and do everything possible to
solve it in the shortest way. At that time, people, that live on the
East, will think a lot and will do all possible to find the other
solution.

It can be the funny fact, but there is also the difference in the
mood and the weather in these cultures. If there is the sunny
weather, all people will be glad, but the people from the East will
be glad even if there is the rain, at that time, when the people from
the West will not be so happy.

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 If we would like to check the life of the older people in these
cultures, it can be in this way. The old people in the West spend
their free time with animals or traveling, but the people in the
East try to spend a lot of their free time with their children,
families and relatives. It is because of the fact, that people value
the family traditions a lot of the East. The detailed information
you can find in the importance of family essay.

If we check the working sphere, we will see the different

attitude to the boss. In the Western culture, the boss is accepted as
the usual worker, which can even be your friend and you can
drink the beer with him after hard working day. But in the Eastern
culture, the boss is the wisest person in the organization and
people really respect him. The more detailed information you can
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If we compare the transport system, we will see this picture.

For example, in 1970 people from the West used a lot of cars, but
at the same time, people from the East used the bicycles. If we
compare the year 2006, we will see, that situation has changed.
People from the East use a lot of cars, at that time, when people
from the West try to use a lot of bicycles.

If people went abroad, you can notice, that people from the
West just look everything and try to visit every famous place. At
the same time, people from the East have a lot of cameras and try
to film everything they see.

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 If we compare the meals, it is possible to see, that people from
the West like eating different east food, at that time, when the
people from the East like to eat the European cuisine.

All of you know, that people from the West cannot imagine their
life without coca cola. They can drink it every day. But at the same
time, the famous drink between the people from the East is tea.
They have a lot of sorts and it is possible to purchase this product
in the shop. The prices are high, but you can be sure, that you are
drinking the real tea.

As we have a lot of work every day, we can notice, that usually

we eat hot soup or something like it only 1 time per day. But
people from the East can eat the hot dish 3 times per day.

3.The differences from religion

In studying world religions, there will inevitably be a difference

in the types of religions that are in different areas. Typically, the
world is divided into two areas when speaking of religions; those
that are Eastern and those that are Western. There are few
similarities between speaking of Western and Eastern religions
other than there are some people who live in the western world
and have Eastern religions, and there are those who live in the
East and believe in Western religions. Both the Eastern and
Western world religions were greatly impacted throughout
history, and there were many wars fought over religious
influences across the world.
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 Eastern religions are typically described by those religions that
are practiced in areas like China, India, Southeast Asia, and Japan.
Eastern religions are also typically polytheistic, whereas typically
Western religions are monotheistic in that only one God is
worshipped. Western religions are those religions that are
practiced in most other countries outside of the East. Just a few of
the Eastern religions that are followed in India are Buddhism,
Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

Buddhism is based on dharma where the goal is to liberate

oneself from the suffering of the Earth. It was initiated in the 5th
century BCE by the famous Siddhartha Gautama. Hinduism is
based around the beliefs of dharma, samsara, karma, and moksha.
It is one of the oldest religions in the world and bases its teachings
around the Bhagavad Gita. Sikism is the belief of preaching to
enlightenment based on honesty, giving, and chanting for God.
Jainism is based around the need to be pure, free of violence in all
aspects of life.

East Asians also have many religions, such as; Shinto, Taoism,
Confucianism, and another form of Buddhism. Taoism focuses on
love, moderation, and humility in everyone who seeks to achieve
enlightenment. Shinto focuses on divination, spirit possession, and
the healing power of faith. Confucianism is based on merit,
nobility, and rituals. Typically, Eastern religions are polytheistic,
meaning that there is more than one God that is worshipped by
the people.
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 Some of the religions that are practiced in the Western world
include Christianity, Catholicism, Puritanism, Protestantism,
Judaism, and Evangelicalism. The locations these religions are
practiced depends upon their historical impact by followers of
particular religions. Western religions are not driven so much by
certain principles and ideals, rather everyday good and bad
behavior to reach Heaven.

There are many differences in Eastern and Western religions

that are fitting to different people across the world. The
commonality is that there is faith of some form in the belief that
there is religion among people.

4.The differences from philosophy

Have you ever wondered about the differences between Eastern

and Western philosophies? Apart from geographical locations,
these two parts of the world have differences in their way of life
and the approach to life in general. These ways of living are not
only brought about by topography and physical circumstances
that play crucial factors in living, but also the school of thought
that governs the major societies in the Eastern and Western part
of the globe.

Let us take a look first at what “philosophy” is in general and

how it affects and makes differences on Western and Eastern
society. Generally, “philosophy” is universally defined as “the
study of the wisdom or knowledge about the general problems,
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facts, and situations connected with human existence, values,
reasons, and general reality.” It seeks reasons, answers, and
general explanations to life and its factors. Thus, if we talk about
philosophy, we talk about a school of thoughts. And if we connect
it with our topic, it differs and comes with the realities, problems,
and situations of certain people like, in this case, the East and the
West.

Basically, Western philosophy is referred to as the school of

thought from Greek philosophy that influenced the greater part of
Western civilization. In contrary, the Eastern philosophy is based
mainly in Asia, more specifically the Chinese philosophy.
Moreover, Western philosophy takes its roots from Rome and
Christianity, specifically Judeo-Christianity. Eastern philosophy,
on the other hand, is from Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism,
and Taoism. Thus is it safe to say that Eastern philosophy is
classical Chinese, while Western philosophy is more Latin in its
roots.

The main differences between the school of thought or the

philosophies of the East and West are the West’s Individualism
and the East’s Collectivism. The Eastern philosophy is drawn
much more into groups or society or people’s actions and
thoughts as one in order to find meaning in life as they try to get
rid of the false “me” concept and find meaning in discovering the
true “me” in relation to everything around them, or as part of a
bigger scheme. In contrast, the Western civilization is more
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individualistic, trying to find the meaning of life here and now
with self at the center as it is already given and part of the divine.

Western philosophy, on the other hand, is based on self-

dedication to be of service to others. Life is service to God, money,
community, and so on. Due to its Christian influence, there has to
be a beginning and end to find meaning. Linear as it seems,
Western philosophy is logical, scientific, and rational compared to
the East’s concept of eternal and recurring.

Eastern philosophy also thrives on virtues. This would be

explained with the selfless approach to life. Satisfaction with what
one has is the key. Meanwhile, Western philosophy focuses on
ethics. As individuals, one must do what is supposed to be done
without causing ill to others. Success is based on how much one
walks his path without hurting others. Eastern philosophy is also
more about the spiritual while Western philosophy is more of a
hands-on style. The difference is the “I” of the West, and the “We”
of the East, as one focuses on finding truth and meaning.

5.The differences from family

Family is important no matter where you live; this is simply

human nature. But I cannot help but think that the family plays a
more important role in everyday life out here.

Where I live, in the UK, people are often encouraged to move out
when they hit adulthood. We are propelled to either start focusing

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on our own future or go explore the world around us. Basically,
when we hit eighteen, our parents are ready for a long-awaited
break.

In Asian countries, unless you take the increasingly popular

choice to study abroad, chances are you will still live at home
when you study. Family is life. Particularly in Nepal, they see the
idea of living on your own as absurd; people are always around
and that is the norm.

There are many festivities throughout the year where feasts and
family gatherings are the focus. When a woman gets married, she
will go and live with the husband’s family, not like in the UK
where you move out to your own house, just the two of you. The
mother of the husband takes a big role in helping raise the kids.

6.The differences from habits and customs

There is no such thing as a common form of "Western" customs

and habits. Depending on what state or region you are speaking
of, customs and habits vary dramatically amongst NATO members
and regions within said states.

As for Western, there isn't such thing as a unified pattern of

habits. The Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, the capital North,
the vast middle and the South all have distinct customs and habits,
including variations within these regions.

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 So if you are asking a question no less vague than "what are
people like?" If you want productive answers, you'd fare better
comparing a specific custom or a habit between two states or sub-
regions.

A custom (also called a tradition) is a law or right which is not

written and is in practice since a long time and is given by our
ancestors. It is something which lots of people do, and have done
for a long time.

In most countries of the world the constitutions are written. But

British constitution is unwritten. It is based on customs and
tradition as well as past practices. It is no where mentioned the
Leader of the majority party will be the Prime Minister in England.
But practice makes it so and based on ground realities, as the govt
is collectively and severally liable to the Parliament.

Culture of the people is usually the same in one country. Mostly

they belong to same or similar religions as the case with Hindus,
Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs in India. They have common places of
worship as well as similar customs and traditions. So also is with
Sunni and Shia Muslims and Catholic and Protestants among
Christians in other countries of the world. Even Hindus and
Muslims worship 'Satyapir' in many parts of Eastern India. This is
due to cultural integration over a period of time. Nearer home the
former East Pakistan broke away from Pakistan to form the new
nation of Bangladesh. This was basically due to cultural and
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language difference between West and erstwhile East Pakistan
apart from political reasons. Before British unified India, India
was divided into several kingdoms with multiple languages.
However, culturally India was one country because most of the
people practiced the same tradition, custom and religion.

According to some websites :

 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cross-culture.asp
 http://findwritingservice.com/blog/cultural-essay-difference-of-east-
and-west
 https://www.ancient.eu/article/855/similarities-between-eastern--
western-philosophy/
 http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/religion-
miscellaneous/difference-between-eastern-religions-and-western-
religions/
 http://www.differencebetween.net/science/differences-between-
eastern-and-western-philosophy/
 https://tinybuddha.com/blog/east-vs-west-major-cultural-differences-
impact-happiness/
 https://www.ancient.eu/article/855/similarities-between-eastern--
western-philosophy/

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