1 . Differences between people within any given nation or culture are much greater than differences between groups. Education, social standing, religion, personality, belief structure, past experience, affection shown in the home, and a myriad (大量) of other factors will affect human behavior and culture.

Sure there are differences in approach as to what is considered polite and appropriate behavior both on and off the job. In some cultures “yes” means, “I hear you” more than “I agree”. Length of pleasantries and greetings before getting down to business; level of tolerance for being around someone speaking a foreign (not-understood) language; politeness measured in terms of gallantry (殷勤) or etiquette(e.g., standing up for a woman who approaches a table, yielding a seat on the bus to an older person, etc.); and manner of expected dress are all examples of possible cultural differences and traditions.

In México it is customary for the arriving person to greet the others. For instance, someone who walks into a group of persons eating would say prove Cho (enjoy your meal). In Chile, women often greet both other women and men with a kiss on the cheek. In Russia women often walk arm in arm with their female friends. Paying attention to customs and cultural differences can give someone outside that culture a better chance of assimilation (同化) or acceptance. Ignoring these can get an unsuspecting person into trouble.

There are cultural and ideological differences and it is good to have an understanding about a culture’s customs and ways. Aaron Pun, a Canadian ODC net correspondent, wrote: “In studying cross cultural differences, we are not looking at individuals but a comparison of one ethnic group against others. Hence, we are comparing two bell curves and generalization cannot be avoided.” Another correspondent explained the human need to categorize. True and true, but the danger comes when we act on some of these generalizations, especially when they are based on faulty observation. Acting on generalizations about such matters as eye contact, personal space, touch, and interest in participation can have serious negative consequences.

3 . Tiaohua Festival is a main festival of the Miao people in Guizhou Province, China. It originates from Anshum City in Guizhou Province and has gradually developed into a comprehensive (综合的) yearly event.

Tiaohua Festival is usually held during the first lunar month. To determine the exact dates of the festival, organizers have to take many things into consideration like the Chinese lunar calendar, lucky animal days (e.g. the tiger and dragon are powerful, but snake and pig days need to be avoided at all costs), and lucky numbers (e.g. 8 means wealth but 4 means death). Organizers also need to make sure the dates don’t fall on the festival days of other communities. In this way, people from nearby villages can attend the festival.

Singing and dancing are the main activities of Tiaohua Festival. During the festival, the Miao people dress up in their traditional clothes and silver accessories (配饰) and celebrate the festival in memory of the heroes in their history. Yet, the most important part of the festival is the chance for young people to meet possible marriage partners — men play the musical instruments and women dance to the music in the flower area. If a man plays well, he will not only be praised by listeners but also win the appreciation from the girls. Nowadays, the festival has become a celebration event for the young to visit their parents. Other activities include competitions of climbing a flower-decorated pole, needling crafts and wushu.

Each year, Tiaohua Festival attracts international tourists from all over the world. “We’re really amazed by the rich cultural scenes(场面)and the local people who are very welcoming,” a foreigner named Charlie says excitedly.

4 . The meticulousness (一丝不苟) that drives the craftsman’s spirit, has made the arts of Japan famous worldwide. But how may this traditional spirit of perfectionism, or kodawari, have wide-ranging influences on everyday life in modern Japan?

Nagasawa Rosetsu was an ancient artist who produced Five Hundred Arhats. He drew the 500 chief followers of the Buddha in a work that measures just 3cm square, roughly the size of a postage stamp. You’ll need to take out the magnifying glass (放大镜) for this one!

Back to modern-day Japan, the most well-known modern Japanese artist is Yayoi Kusama. One of her most representative works is her large-scale spotted pumpkin sculptures. Kusama has also produced many hand-painted works with a level of detail that must have taken weeks, if not months, to complete. Having suffered from a disorder for many decades, Kusama applies herself to painting detailed patterns as a kind of treatment; the repetition involved in creating the work allows her to keep control of her mind.

When did kodawari, this Japanese’s seeking of perfection and devotion to detail begin? I suppose it was even as far back as the Heian period, which began over one thousand years ago. In her The Pillow Book, the court lady Sei Shönagon took it upon herself to write lists of objects and situations that she found to be beautiful due to their perfection.

Today there are still many examples of this single-minded devotion to one’s work in Japan. You can find shops that only produce a single product, whether it be pickled vegetables, tofu, or Mochi sweets. It’s often said that at the best sushi restaurants, apprentice (学徒) chefs will often be tasked for many years with washing and cooking the rice and perfecting this skill before they are even allowed to pick up a knife to begin slicing fish.

This single-minded devotion to one’s craft, whether it be in the field of fine art and handicrafts, or at a local sushi restaurant, is surely one of the defining characteristics of Japanese culture today.

7 . BEST CULTURAL FESTIVALS IN THE WORLD

If you’re planning on hitting a cultural festival this year, make sure you check out the background information about some of them.

Burning Man started in 1986, when Larry Harvey and Jerry James built a 8-foot-tall wooden figure and dragged it to San Francisco’s Baker Beach. They lit it on fire and thus one of the world’s strangest, wildest parties was born. It takes place from the last Sunday in August to Labor Day, with an emphasis on freedom, creativity, and self-expression.

Arguably the biggest festival in the world, Brazil’s Carnival is widely considered “the greatest show on Earth”. The event takes place in February or March, attracting nearly 5 million people who’re baking in the heat each year. There are annual samba competitions for the celebration, and the carnival parades are usually the stuff of legend.

Located in Northeast China, Harbin receives some seriously cold winter winds blowing over from Siberia. So why would any healthy person want to visit for this month-long Chinese festival, which officially starts on January 5. Because it’s home to the largest ice sculptures in the world, and the celebration takes over the entire city. Activities in the area during the festival include touring ice lantern exhibitions and swimming in the river’s cold waters.

The rest of the world could learn a thing or two from the Netherlands about properly celebrating the national governor’s birthday. King’s Day is now officially celebrated on April 27 and includes an official government ceremony followed by sporting competitions and family-friendly celebrations. The great climate also makes for ideal conditions for a country-wide flea market you have to see to believe.

9 . Over the past few years, China’s aerospace industry has witnessed many landmark events. Apart from celebrating these scientific achievements, the public has also developed a growing interest in the missions’ unique names, of which many are derived from China’s myths and legends.

China’s spacecraft are called Shenzhou. This literally means “heavenly ship” in Chinese, and is also a homonym for the Chinese words “divine land”, which is a term used in literary works to refer to the country. China’s moon exploration project and its lunar probe(月球探测器)are both named after a Chinese goddess of the moon,Chang’e. In 2013,the Chang’e-3 lunar probe landed on the moon and was carried around by a lunar rover(月球车)called Yutu. The two names perfectly match the legend of the moon fairy and her pet. In another example,the relay satellite for the Chang’e-4 moon exploration mission is called Queqiao, or “magpie bridge”. The magpie bridge, in a Chinese folk tale, was formed by millions of magpies, so that a separated couple could meet each other despite the Milky Way. Likewise,the Queqiao relay satellite serves as a “space-bridge”for communication between the moon and the earth.

Chinese people’s eagerness for the universe dated back to ancient times, some even tried to explore. Luban, a great inventor living in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, made a flying wood bird. Others created many myths and legends, such as “Kuafu Chases the Sun”, to explain phenomena that they could not explain. These traditional stories have become the source of inspiration for Chinese scientists in the naming of major space missions.

The famous spacecraft and rovers built by the United States include the Challenger,the Opportunity and the Spirit, whose names reflect a positive and enterprising spirit. This is quite unlike how the Chinese name their spacecraft,which reflects the Chinese people’s sense of romance and awe for space as well as their efforts to pass down traditional culture and their ancestors’ spirit of scientific discovery. Nevertheless, all these names, Chinese or foreign, showcase the dreams of humankind and our collective pursuit to discover the secrets of space.

When Apollo 11 prepared to land on the moon, the control center on earth told the astronauts onboard to “watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit”, which refers to Chang’e and her rabbit Yutu. With the rapid progress of China’s aerospace industry, more and more Chinese stories embodying Chinese romanticism will be shown to the world.

10 . During my trip to Europe, I had the opportunity to visit Stonehenge, which is considered one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world. As I approached the area, it became clear to me that it was a circle of huge stones.

The stones were huge. Our tour guide said that the square stones weigh nearly five tons each, stand eighteen feet high, and are three feet thick. It was amazing to see them up close. Something that I really asked myself was how the ancient people could have been wise enough to arrange the stones as upright pillars(柱子), then connect the stones overhead, and place them altogether to form a circle. It was a great feeling to admire the magnificent stones up close.

I tried to imagine the figures of the ancient people moving the heavy stones, but it was hard to imagine how they could achieve such incredible work. As I admired the stones up close, I almost imagined myself back in time, standing there, watching the people move the stones.

It was really strange. As I walked around the stones, I noticed how segregated they were: there was nothing else standing around them, no community or anything. Were they also disconnected in ancient times? If so, why had the ancient people constructed them that way? And why did they place them far away from any community? If only I could really travel back in time and find out!

My thoughts were interrupted by our tour guide’s voice. He was explaining that nobody knew about the exact origin of the stones, but most scientists agreed that it dates from the time of the Druids, the first people in England. He said that there were many different theories about why Stonehenge was created. Some people believe that Stonehenge was an astronomical calendar because it was built in a circular design; they think it might represent the passing of time.

I left that awesome place with the feeling that many people had been here before me, each with a different understanding of the place, each wondering about something great and unknown that took place there a long time ago in the past. It was an unforgettable experience.