Information AboutGuanxi |
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| chinese culture | |
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| chinese words and phrases | |
''Guanxi'' describes the basic dynamic in personalized networks of influence. The Pinyin romanization of this Chinese word is becoming more widely used instead of the two common translations—"connections" and "relationships"—as neither of those terms sufficiently reflect the wide cultural implications that ''guanxi'' describes. Closely related concepts include that of Ganqing , a measure which reflects the depth of feeling within an interpersonal relationship, Renqing , the moral obligation to maintain the relationship, and the idea of " Face ", meaning social status, propriety, prestige, or more realistically a combination of all three. "Face" has two components, lian and Mianzi . Lian is achieved through proper behavior in relationships. Mianzi is obtained when behavior exceeds obligatory role expectations. DESCRIPTION ''Guanxi'' is a central concept in Chinese society and describes, in part, a personal connection between two people in which one is able to prevail upon another to perform a favor or service, or be prevailed upon. The two people need not be of equal social status. It could also be a network of contacts, which an individual can call upon when something needs to be done, and through which he or she can exert influence on behalf of another. It can also describe a state of general understanding between two people: "he/she is aware of my wants/needs and will take them into account when deciding her/his course of future actions which concern or could concern me". The term is not generally used to describe relationships within a family, although ''guanxi'' obligations can sometimes be described in terms of an extended family. The term is also not generally used to describe relationships that fall within other well-defined societal norms (e.g. boss / office worker, teacher / student, friend). The relationships formed by ''guanxi'' are personal and not transferable. Sociologists have linked ''guanxi'' with the concept of Social Capital (it has been described as a Gemeinschaft value structure), and it has been exhaustively described in studies of Chinese economic and political behavior, including those listed below. When a ''guanxi'' network violates Bureaucratic norms, it can lead to corruption, and ''guanxi'' can also form the basis of Patron-client Relations . ''Guanxi'' often makes the press when its obligations take precedence over civic duties, leading to Nepotism and Cronyism , but commentators that focus exclusively on these negative aspects of guanxi are missing the bigger picture described above. SEE ALSO
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