China and Japan Life Culture

Both Chinese and Japanese enjoy life that is closely connected to both peoples' rich culture. But the Chinese are known to be more traditional than the Japanese, whose society has evolved drastically over time. Trade and industry are driving Japan's everyday lives, and many elements of international culture have been invaded. The Chinese, on the other hand, are very careful in their level of contact with the outside world and are very active in maintaining culture. Weddings in China are exciting activities that bear the hallmarks of western-style grandeur. Wedding photos are taken way before the wedding day where captivating sceneries, especially from the tourist sites, are captured. According to Kim and Iwashita (2016), the bride is usually adjoined by her girlfriends who ridicule the groom before passing her over. The girls would often tease the groom until he bribes them with money or convinced so that they can give away the bride. Both the bride and the groom then bow down before the parents to the bride before proceeding to the groom's home. Okayasu, Nogawa, Casper, and Morais (2016) are of the view that the reason why red is the preferred color for Chinese weddings is that it represents success, loyalty, honor, fertility and love among other values. Japanese marriages, on the other hand, are decorated with traditional flavors. While Japanese cultural weddings were held at the shrine in Shinto style, modern weddings conventionally take place inside a hotel. The festivities would usually take place within the hotel precincts, and a Shinto priest is called to officiate. Only close family members attend the weddings (Kim & Iwashita, 2016). During the ceremony, the couple is purified, and the groom reads the words of commitment after the couple has taken a unique drink called sake. The traditional dress for Japanese weddings is kimono. The couple then invites their guests, which amount to between 200 to 200 guests. 

Regarding sports and entertainment, sumo is the de facto national game in Japan. This game is widely enjoyed in Japan and has a history spanning over 1500 years. Guo and Li (2017) assert that Sumo is steeped in tradition. It is believed that at some point in history, the fate of the Japanese people depended upon a sumo match between the gods. Sumo was originally a Shinto ritual, but today it has traversed beyond the Japanese border and is enjoyed by people across the world through television and internet channels. The Japanese also play Kendo, a noisy martial arts game that blends power, skill and bravery. Besides, the Japanese also plays other games like Karate and Judo. The Japanese enjoy games which display energy and machismo; this explains why they mostly patronize martial arts, a culture they have exported across the globe (Guo & Li (2017).

In like manner, Chinese people across the ages are sociable and engage in various recreation activities in groups. A favorite pastime in China is Majiang; it is a board game commonly played by the elderly. People often gather in parks and play the game which confuses one who doesn't have a good memory. Kite flying is also a favorite sport for the Chinese. It was declared an official competition in 1991, and consequently, every year Chinese gather in Shandong Province for the Weifang International Kite Festival. It is a colorful festival that attracts Chinese across the world to display colorful kites of various shapes and sizes. Besides, the Chinese also love Badminton and Cuju (Kim, Prideaux and Timothy, 2016).

China boasts of a vibrant agricultural sector that ranks first worldwide regarding productivity. The typical crops grown include wheat, potatoes, sorghum, tea, millet among others. The Chinese agricultural industry is labor intensive. However, Japan's economy is industrial based, and the country imports most of its agricultural products. A severe shortage of land characterizes the farming sector in Japan; only 13.2% of the total land mass in Japan is under cultivation. The typical crops cultivated in Japan include wheat, barley, vegetables and rice.

The dressing style in China is unique and is based on the concept of harmony with nature and everything on earth as determined by how an individual thinks. According to Guo & Li (2017), the Chinese people love colorful dressing as it makes them feel great about themselves. The Chinese have high regard for close family relations and respect for elders. The people value family relationships traced down the generations and even in modern times, it is common to find two generations of Chinese living under one roof. In a similar vein, the Japanese culture is hinged onto traditions that date back to thousands of years. Guo & Li (2017) are of the view that respect and harmony are inbuilt in the Japanese Psyche and they seek to uphold it by accommodating everyone in society regardless of their origin or race. Four key factors characterize people's behavior in Japan; first is that one must follow his/her mentor's conduct. The Japanese are also expected to avoid embarrassment by following the contextual reaction of others and do activities according to his/her specified right process and context of behavior. They must also observe self-discipline (Okayasu et al., 2016).

Various religious communities co-exist in China, including Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism. Buddhism remains the most significant religious group and is divided into the Han, the Tibetans and the Southern Buddhism. The entire Buddhist community is 200 million active compared to 33 million Christians. The most commonly practiced religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism.  According to Okayasu et al. (2016), Shinto is the indigenous Japanese religion and is as old as a culture while Buddhism is regarded as a foreign religion imported from China. However, there exists no conflict between the two beliefs.

The Japanese economy is considered as one of the most stable in the world today. Kim, Prideaux, & Timothy (2016) have observed that the Japanese government has to still grapple with social ills like corruption and violent property crimes despite its stability. According to the Japanese government, those crimes are committed foreigners and not native Japanese. There are also fewer Japanese women attending universities and workforce despite the constitutional prohibition against gender discrimination. China grapples with pollution issues which are considered to be the worst in the world. It also bears a negative reputation regarding human rights violations; the governments crack down on opponents mostly without trial.

According to Yang (2016), food is vital in the daily life of both the Chinese and the Japanese. The Japanese like sea food which they consume on a large scale in the belief that it is healthier. This is because there is minimal use of oil in seafood preparation. They mainly prefer their food raw. It is common for the Japanese to slurp while eating at the table, a practice the Chinese consider as a sign of poor upbringing. They use a lot of oil in their food which mainly includes chicken, pork and beef. The Chinese boast of a variety of food because of the large geographical extent as the influence of foreign cultures. Being the most populous country in the world has enabled them to exercise creativity in feeding their ever-growing numbers (Yang, 2016).

Giving and receiving of gifts is practiced very often in Japan as well as China. Workmates and colleagues, as well as family members, seek to find occasions to exchange gifts including special days like Valentine's and Christmas days (Okayasu et al., 2016). In social mannerisms, however, the Japanese are more capitalistic while the Chinese tend more towards socialism. The Japanese streets are clean owing to the culture among the people not to litter. However, litter and garbage are a nightmare for the Chinese people.

Conclusion

Both China and Japan have a rich and vibrant lifestyle. Although both countries remain economic powerhouses in Asia and the world at large, these countries remain profoundly cultural and warm in their relations. Day to day life of a person communicates a lot about their values, attitudes and aspirations. The way they engage in sports and entertainment, their ceremonies, including weddings and special days and their daily economic activities all points to the things the peoples of these great countries hold dear. It is through the observance of the mannerisms of these two countries that one can appreciate their culture.

References

Guo, J., & Li, R. (2017). The Development of Leisure Sports in Ancient China and Its Contemporary Sports Culture Value. Advances in Physical Education, 7(04), 377.

Kim, S., & Iwashita, C. (2016). Cooking identity and food tourism: the case of Japanese udon noodles. Tourism Recreation Research, 41(1), 89-100.

Kim, S. S., Prideaux, B., & Timothy, D. (2016). Factors affecting bilateral Chinese and Japanese travel. Annals of Tourism Research, 61, 80-95.

Okayasu, I., Nogawa, H., Casper, J. M., & Morais, D. B. (2016). Recreational sports event participants’ attitudes and satisfaction: cross-cultural comparisons between runners in Japan and the USA. Managing Sport and Leisure, 21(3), 164-180.

Yang, S. (2016, January). A STUDY ON CULTURE CODE ANALYSIS FOR RICE AND RELATED PROCESSED PRODUCTS MARKETING-FOCUSING ON CHINESE AND JAPANESE MARKET. In Allied Academies International Conference. Academy for Studies in International Business. Proceedings (Vol. 16, No. 1, p. 22). Jordan Whitney Enterprises, Inc.