A Brief Comparison of Chinese and Western Thinking Patterns:

A Brief Comparison of Chinese and Western Thinking Patterns： Synthesis， Analysis， and Antithesis

： A brief comparison of Chinese and Western thinking patterns reflects in synthesis and analysis， which including tortuous thinking pattern and straightforward thinking pattern. These two different thinking patterns influence our social life everywhere.

“The differences of thinking patterns between cultures have been one of the topics that attract the attention of intercultural communication scholars.” （Argyle， 1998：35） Thinking patterns are different from person to person with different cultural backgrounds. As world’s communication more frequently， it is dispensable that common thinking patterns shared in the world. It is essential for us to study the differences of thinking patterns among persons with different cultures. Thus， differences between Chinese and Western thinking patterns will be elaborated.

The differences can be approached and considered from various viewpoints. Here are but a few instances for

illustration. The Chinese are more accustomed to the harmony and unity of the world and adopt both sides of a matter， therefore establishing a tortuous thinking mode. While in the western countries， people pursue the reason of a matter， therefore establishing a straightforward thinking mode. It is reflected in the act of presenting gifts. In China， “礼尚往来”is an important aspect in the cultural conventions. Generally speaking， the more expensive gifts， the more respect， the higher social status， the more valuable gifts. Otherwise， it is called “拿不出手”. While， Americans presenting a gift to commemorative the birthday， anniversary and Christmas in these fixed occasions without personal feelings. “They put a limited meaning to the gifts which is presenting gifts has nothing to do with personal connections， just for festivals” （Edward& Milton， 1991：59）.

The Chinese have a preference for synthesis while the Western prefer analysis， which leads to the characteristics of a Chinese priority on a holistic thinking pattern and a Western priority on partial. The synthesis thinking pattern emphasizes the overall understanding of nature and human society， that is， the

whole concept and universality. Thus， the feature of obscurity and indistinctness is formed. The Western prefer analysis rather than synthesis. In Western philosophy， people pursue alternate constrast in its reasoning， they emphasize on individualism， stick to point out every reason of the thing to revelant details and accompanying situations， with the assistance of conjunctions and prepositions， which are more flexible. As reflected in their speech， Westerns prefer to stick to the point at the beginning of the speech， offering a straight and frank theme of the speech before proceeding on to present the details and a long， heavy ending with emphasis at the front part of the sentences. However， the Chinese sentences， due to the speakers’ thinking patterns， will present the relative information in great detail before hitting upon the theme， are bound in expressions with a short ending. Furthermore， “it is not clinging with the criterion of the language structure. Chinese is a kind of language that shows the character of “femininity”， and the charming of it lies in its loose structure.” （ 胡文仲，1999： 352） The Western use many conjunctions， prepositions and other connective means to make links between phrases and words，

because of which the language is more logical and better organized. So， “ the Western is a kind of language that is full of viril qualities， for the character of linear logic， organization and ration， which has led it to be “masculinity”.（ Larry A.，2000：148-152）

Since the Chinese tend to regard things as a unity and do not divide subject from object as strictly as the Westerns do， their opinions come into being synthesis. Reasonal recognition of the world to a conclusion about everything according to the Western standards， their opinion come into being analysis. However， the antithesis become more important in the field of peace between human beings develops Chinese cultures as peaceful and loving. With frequent communication between Chinese and Western， thinking patterns shared more than before. Because of diversely cultural backgrounds， different thinking patterns between Chinese and Western are compared more than one aspect in our colourful world. Bibliography：

[1]Edward Stewart and Milton Bennet. （1991） American Cultural Patterns： A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Intercultural Press. p. 95.

[2]Michael Argyle. （1998） Intercultural communication. In Samovar and Porter （eds.）

Interculatural Communication ： A Reader . 5th edition. Wadsworth Publishing Co. p. 35.

[3]胡文仲. 跨文化交际面面观. 外语教学与研究出版社， 1999.11 p.352.

Larry A. Samovar， Richard E. Porter and Lisa A. Stefani. （2000） Communication between Cultures. 3rd edition. Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press p.148-p.152.

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