I love living in China, but why are most Chinese basically dishonest?

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roaming_idiot

Its a cultural thing. They have a strange honor system there. The best description I have heard it the face system.

They are very worried about "losing face" or respect in your eyes. So if they have something to tell you that you most likely will not like or you ask them a question they don't know the answer to, they will lie to you to keep from losing face.

Think about how a five year old will lie just to give an answer. That is about the way it is there. Its just the culture differences.

Should one call all Americans basically cheats,liers,robbers or plunderers?
After all it is a reality that the American leadership misled the world by saying that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and made that as an excuse to invade,rob and loot the oil resources of Iraq.
Don't apply the same measure to all Chinese people there can be some but not all !!

Ning

Haha, I have to agree with you on this one.

I think it's the cultural difference... Chinese people have been doing small businesses for over 6000 years (even more, maybe), and to survive, they have to squeeze out every bit of money.

Also, they call really high prices because they EXPECT you to bargain. But you're a foreigner, so they think "oh, well, he doesn't know what's going on, so i'll just do this..." Chinese stores are usually small, so they can price things however they want.

Also, keep in mind that most Chinese peoples' living standards are lower. That means they aren't as educated and cultured, etc.

BUT, do not think all Chinese are like this. Especially the ones living outside China...

LAWRENCE B

I am in a smaller city in China. I fin that most merchants here are very honest. In fact i bougght a mdae in chna lighter here. In us money it was less then a dollar. However, the lighter id not work when we got back ot the hotel. My wife took it back. The merchant, spent about 40 minutes repairing the lighter. He returned it to us in good working order. Al of this for lesss then a dollar. O had my USA watch repaired here. The repairer spent 3 or 4 hours working on the watch. I determined it would cost me more then the watch was worth. However, he returned the watch in good order and charged me about 1.25. this included parts. In most other countries, the reparinan would not even had wasted time fixing it, just sell oyu a new one. So I wouldnt be to worried about thinking these people are any more dishonest thany any other nation. In the bigger Cities. in any country, the saying still applies. BUYER BEWARE.. More so in the more developed countries then in China. However, you will still find that the merchants stand behind their products and merchandise.

When I was a kid, my dad was crazy about my grades, he threatened if my grades were below 80, he would spank me, so to save my a**, I had to lie....then I learned to forged my dad's signature.....of course I didn't end up in jail.

you see, at first lie is self-protection...to protect you from harm, in this society, you will be underdog if you tell the truth.

EDIT: ai_leen....ohh...you know my school days were tough...T_T.....I think it's part of Chinese student's daily life...you were right, when I grew up a little, I didn't care about my grades at all either.....lol

Aileen HK

When you read over our answers, would you classify the answers from Chinese are lies?

LOL.. @ Natsuko's answer..., i did that too when I was small but only I got beaten by my mom!!!! And later on, I didn't care about grades anymore! I lied at first, then, I stopped lying and got beaten up even worse because my parents thought that I was so naughty that I didn't admit my faults. Till now, I still do not think what so wrong was I to get just passed grades!

There are always some exceptions, I have met some very trustworthy Chinese contractors, suppliers, friends from Beijing/Shanghai/Guangzhou too.

lujing h

well i kind of agree with you that some chinese people during business will lie sometimes but i don't think most chinese people are like that. you will probably even meet a lot of western people like that too. everyone wants to earn money while doing some kind of business so its basically human nature!!

chuangze

I am a Chinese, and I understand you, I agree with you. A huge culture history change is happenning in China. In this era, traditional rules is destroyed, and at the same time, new institution like western have established, and it causes more complex situation in so complex society as China, which has more than 5000 years history.
Sorry, my English is poor. Now in China, few people like me, have right thought to self nation, self society, self culture. So I often feel very solitude at the bottom of my heart. If you want, you can contact with me. Maybe we can have some same view, become some kind of true friends.

rman1201

Wow and I thought me and my friends were the only ones lol. Back in High School we had some Chinese friends and they lied about EVERYTHING! Everyday it was something new, he'd talk about a new house he bought, that he owned an Outback steakhouse, etc ; and he was being serious about it all!!! To a lesser degree another one we always say lying to guys, she told him about her car and her job and all that when she didn't have either...I guess its just an adaptation theyve developed over the years, don't know how else to describe it, I dont think theres a gene for dishonesty, but maybe I'm wrong

AQUALUNG

...and how many thousand of Chinese people have you been doing business with to justify the "basically dishonest" label? 5 thou... 10 thou... 100,000?

The Chinese bosses, management staff in China I deal with for the past 5 years are as honest and as sincere as any.

White Shooting Star of HK

To make more money. Many chinese people have 2 faces, the "friendly" face and a real face that looks like a knife ready to gut you

Man

Most people in China don't have a lot of money and most will do all they can to produce extra cash.

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h-u-m-a-n

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yuanyuan

Whoa! What a revelation. A pity...

sQuirt

I don't know.. Maybe to earn money?

Thats why the chinese are so rich. I'm not being racist!

basile

Adolphus, i can understand your frustration as i've also been deceived by some business men in China, too. I think its got to do with the fierce competition reigning, the greed for more money or simply scammers but i've also come across a lot of suppliers who are straight in business, you have to meet a lot of them before you pick the good ones and never be in a hurry to buy. Dishonesty is the privelege of the rich, its not only in China but all around the world.

ileerchina

If a country,their gvm always lies to their people.How do you expect the people be honest?
Just like a child,his parents always lie to him.Do you think he grow up as a good honest person?
It's a nation's ache.I hope you understand the chinese people's fault.Hope that we do better in the future.Thanks for your care about China.

I'm a chinese.

JOHN T

Chinese people are very pleasant and freindly people in the most cases, but like everywhere else in the world you are going to be lied to and find dishonest people where ever you go.I spent 3 weeks in Changsha and enjoyed it , loved it but you still have to keep your eyes open as in the western world

Jong836

Hi,
I live in China too! I went to chinese school for 4 years and the teacher would lie to us and some times hit us!! By the way I am not chinese. I think the main reason is because of this is because of Communism. It started about 1949 when chair man Mao made China a communist country. From then on the Chinese changed because communism said no to religion, take care of your own business, don't care what happens to others and stuff like that. I think that went on until 1970. From then on when Deng Xiao Ping became the chair man of china. Things began to change slowly and they are still changing and I believe China and Chinese will be kinder and trust worthier in the future.
Please don't be angry if I am wrong.

Mr Hex Vision

Money = survival.
The more money you make the better it is for you.
There are no laws to say that the recommended price should be.

I know how you feel the whole hassle of fighting over the price puts me at odds at times.

the italian idol

maybe because they are

Inz R

because its their nature. not only in china but in all parts of the globe. they are clever, hardworking and that's why they can survive anywhere. =) just be careful with them especially about bussiness.

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