Philosophy Amazing
THE AMAZING YIN / YANG PRINCIPLE IN CHINESE CULTURE
I believe it is impossible to fully understand Chinese attitudes and behavior without comprehensive knowledge of the ancient yin-yang principle in Chinese culture. The terms yin and yang are generally known around the world as relating to such opposites as hot-cold, sweet-sour, male-female, and positive-negative. But this view is incomplete. The concept of yin and yang is, in fact, an explanation of the nature of the cosmos; of the behavior of all organic and inorganic material in the universe, as well as the invisible energy that infuses the cosmos down to the level of quantum physics. The yin-yang concept incorporates the creation and extinction of all things in an unending cycle. It refers to the power that infuses all things in the cosmos and dictates that there must be—or should be—harmony between the positive and negative, the dark and the light, the active and the inactive, etc. Several of the most basic elements of Chinese culture, including personal and business etiquette, are manifestations of the yin-yang principle, particularly the Chinese characteristic of thinking “in circles” in contrast to the “straight-line” thinking that prevails in the West. Looking just below the surface of Chinese behavior reveals that the yin-yang principle applies to all relationships between males and females, between seniors and juniors, between the government and the private sector, in fact, to virtually all relationships and all activities—including the food they eat and the order in which the dishes are consumed, and all of their traditional medical and therapeutic practices. Chinese scholars and philosophers have been aware of and writing about the yin-yang principle—which could be defined as the interplay between opposites—since around 1,400 B.C. But long before this they had become acutely aware that the yin-yang relationships between things and people are not fixed, that they are in a constant state of flux, that they wax and wane in inverse proportions—between the hot and cold, the strong and the weak, the young and the old. The personal and business etiquette of the Chinese is based on trying to keep all of the yin-yang relationships in harmony—which does not mean or infer equality in the relationships; only that the relationships are on a level that is acceptable, or bearable, to the parties concerned. This view of human relations is not fair in the Western sense, but it is realistic in the sense that in nature equality is an absolute that can exist only in relative terms and for short periods of time. Chinese culture is now evolving in the direction of Western cultures. The Chinese in the more industrialized areas of the country are giving preference to people-oriented standards that are making their society less formalistic, less ritualistic and less homogenous—and certainly more human. But in most areas of Chinese life, from the personal to the professional, the yin-yang principle is at play on some level, and it is generally necessary to understand what that means in terms of all relationships—especially business. This is especially true for Americans and other Westerners who are programmed to view things as linear, and have poor vision—if any—of all of the things that are above, below and on the sides of that straight line. In dealing successfully with the Chinese it is always vital to view the relationship—or proposed relationship—from a holistic viewpoint; being aware of and often taking into account these subtle and sometimes invisible elements. Americans in particular typically regard this approach as somewhat irrational at best and obstructionist at worst, and begrudge taking the time necessary to deal with it. But investing the extra time generally cannot be avoided. It is best to acknowledge the yin-yang principle upfront, and call it like it is in negotiations—emphasizing the positive and acknowledging the negative in order to achieve an acceptable agreement. Copyright © 2009 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente ______________________________________ Boyé Lafayette De Mente is a graduate of Jōchi University in Tokyo and Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona. He is the author of more than 50 books on the business practices, cultures and languages of China, Japan, Korea and Mexico. For a list and synopses of his books go to: www.boyedemente.com .
January Favorites & Regrets!
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James Earl Jones Reads the Bible, Deluxe Edition, KJV $27.46 With a voice as rich as it is recognized, James Earl Jones brings the King James Version of the New Testament alive with his narrative talents. James Earl Jones has earned a worldwide reputation as one of the world’s most versatile actors and voice-over artists. In over 19 hours on 14 digitally re-mastered compact discs, James Earl Jones Reads the Bible interprets the most enduring book of our tim… |
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PHILOSOPHY AMAZING GRACE by Philosophy BODY BUTTER 5 OZ … |
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Logic (DVD & Workbook) The study of formal logic has fallen on hard times. Viewed as irrelevant or worse, most universities and seminaries no longer offer courses in proper constructs of argumentation and the result for the Christian Church has been disastrous. Many Christians have a set of beliefs not grounded in God’s Word, but based upon their feelings and intuitions. Logic is a tool that guides the student into cle… |
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Toga Party $1.99 … |
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Philosophy Amazing Grace Bath, Shampoo & Shower Gel What it is:A 3-in-1 gel infused with the beloved Amazing Grace fragrance.What it does:Philosophy expanded its Amazing Grace line to include this product that’s a bath, shampoo, and shower gel all-in-one. This gel is a lovely way to wear Grace, either by itself for a subtle scent or layered for longer wear. What else you need to know:Amazing Grace fragrance for women is a uniquely femi… |
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Philosophy Birthday Girl(R) What it is:A gift quintet to pamper the special girl from head to toe.What it does:Philosophy Birthday Girl(R) is designed to help slow the hands of time so she can bask in every moment getting gorgeous all the while. This ensemble is the perfect way to beautify, relax, and celebrate!This set contains:- 2.0 oz Amazing Grace Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel- 2.0 oz Purity Made Simple- 1.0 oz Time on You… |
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amazing grace | gift set | philosophy philosophy:in the end, it all comes down to one word. grace.philosophys best-selling fragrance, amazing grace, was created because to make a woman feel infinitely clean and beautifully feminine. this amazing grace gift set gives you the opportunity to layer the amazingly clean, infinitely feminine scent of amazing grace from head to toe. the amazing grace gift set contains our 4 oz. amazing grace … |
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Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools $5.49 Savage Inequalities: Children In America’s Schools by Kozol, Jonathan… |
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How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way $11.32 A practical parenting program to help build a calm and happy home life with your child, from birth through age six. Based on Montessori school methods that inspired Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page Packed with creative activities to help children discover more about their world – as well as foster independence, concentration, and respect for others… |
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The Greatest Miracle in the World $2.75 A work that will lift the mind and heart of every reader. –Dr. Norman Vincent Peale… |
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How to Cheat at Cleaning $10.26 The author of Clean It Fast, Clean It Right and 2,001 Amazing Cleaning Secrets agrees with the philosophy of the late Erma Bombeck that perfectionism is overrated. Drawing on the experience of organizational consultants and other experts, Bredenberg pr… |
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The Tao of Pooh (Compact Disc) $33.18 Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain Way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world`s most beloved bear. In <I>The Tao of Pooh</I>, Benjamin Hoff shows that Pooh`s Way is amazingly consistent with the principles of living en… |
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Atomic Structure (Hardcover) $29.76 Philosophers began speculating about matter more than 2,000 years ago, but it was not until the early 1800s that John Dalton proposed the first atomic theory based on experimental evidence. Since then, scientists have made amazing strides in uncover… |
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Johnnie Taylor – The Johnnie Taylor Philosophy Continues $11.01 Disc 1:Testify (I Wanna)Separation LineLove BonesLove Is a Hurting ThingI Had a Fight with LoveI Could Never Be PresidentIt`s AmazingWho Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)Games People Play |
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The Year of Miss Agnes $5.93 Ten-year-old Fredrika–better known as Fred–never thought that school was very interesting. But her attitude quickly changes when the amazing Miss Agnes comes to teach at her school. |
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The Year of Miss Agnes $15.84 Ten-year-old Fredrika–better known as Fred–never thought that school was very interesting. But her attitude quickly changes when the amazing Miss Agnes comes to teach at her school. |
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