The Difference between American and Chinese Culture

 Culture is the most important part of one country. It has a great influence with the people’s life style. There is a big different between two countries. If you do not know the country’s culture, you may offend the people with no intention and be sent to the jail, and you even do not know what happened. China and America are these countries who are much too different.
　　The most different part between America and China is the religion. In America, most people are Christians. They believe in God. They pray on every weekend. Every city has its own church. China is different. Most Chinese people have no religion belief. That is why most foreigners think China as a country where is no belief. There are also some foreigners who suspect this view. Finding many temples in China, they think that the religion in China is Buddhism and Chinese people are Buddhists. This view is totally wrong. Only few Chinese people are Buddhists. This makes Chinese and American people’s life style much different. At this point, I want to say that China is much freer than America, because there is no religion belief to control Chinese people’s minds. Because of on religion belief, Chinese young people only need to get the marriage license from the government, but American young people get the marriage license not only from the government but also from the church. They need to be blessed by God, so the new couples say special oaths to each other in the front of God. Only the marriage, which is blesses by God, can be thought as a happy marriage (You can find this in the New York Times on the marriage page). Religion also influents American’s daily life. When they are in trouble, surprised shocked and happy, they would say ‘Oh, my God!’ They believe that God will help them to get out of their troubles. Because of no religion belief, Chinese people say nothing and know nothing can bless them, but themselves, when they are in trouble. We can find the evidences from the songs ‘God Bless America’(1918,1938 by Irving Berlin) and ‘God Bless the U.S.A’(1984,2001 by Lee Greenwood) to prove that religion has a great influence in America. Puritan Jhon Withrop and President John F . Kennedy compared America as ‘ A City upon A Hill’ – this is a story from the Bible. All these show that religion has influenced America deeply.
　　The ethnic group is also the reason that China and America are different. In America, there are different races, such as White Americans, African Americans and other immigrants. Just as Juan Gomez, the vice president of United Voices, said ‘America was built with immigrants’ (This is from the article ‘Across the United States, Growing Immigrants). ‘Everyone was created equal.’ This is the theme of Declaration of Independence. It is also the most important reason of foundation of the United States. The phenomenon of American society betrays this theme. In ancient America, slavery was a very important part in the society. Slaves were Africa-Americans. They enjoyed no freedom, no human rights. They were just an object of their owners, the white Americans. This created the racial discrimination and racial war. That was why civil war happened. African-Americans wanted their equal rights. From the history of American, we can see that the war between White Americans and African Americans was endless. African Americans always lived in the lower level in America. Jim Crow can prove it well. Chinese Exclusion Act and Across the United States, Growing Immigrants also showed that Americans do not like immigrants, especially after the event of 9/11. This was a horrible experience to most Americans. It made Americans look most immigrants as the terrorists. The article ‘Enemies’ can provide for us good evidences. Even now, we can also see some unequal aspects to African – Americans. When I watch the movie, Crash, I can feel that it is not easy for immigrants to live in America, especially after 9/11. In China, although there are fifty-six ethnic groups in China, there is no racial discrimination this is caused by the difference skin color in China, because everyone is the same color. Thanks to the deep influence of Confucianism – rituals is the theme of Confucianism, China is a state of ceremonies, so there is no discrimination to immigrants. Everyone is the same in China.
　　Different geographical features create different eating style between China and America. Chinese people eat rice and Americans eat bread, because different place grow different plants. There are so many reasons caused the differences between China and America. No matter how many differences between the two countries, we must admit that the two countries are great countries because of their great culture. If we want to live well in the two countries, we must learn their culture very well.