The Difference Between Chinese vs Western Culture, Zodiac, Horoscope and Food

Chinese and Western: In this post, you will read all about the difference between Chinese and Western Culture, Zodiac, Horoscope and Food and more.

The Difference Between Chinese and Western Culture, Zodiac, Horoscope and Food

Chinese vs Western Culture: The main difference between Chinese and Western culture is that China is an Eastern country and its traditional culture is completely different from Western cultural heritage. The Chinese culture is over 5,000 years old, and the Chinese have developed their own music, musical instruments, painting techniques, traditional Chinese medicine, and not to forget cooking methods, etc. – completely different and unique compared to Western culture.

Chinese believe in healthy eating and have a holistic approach to health. Western culture is more advanced and loves adventure and discovery. The Chinese focus on collective rather than individual benefit when making the right decisions and believe that a middle path must be chosen to avoid extremes.

Western and Chinese Culture

To Westerners, Chinese culture seems complicated and difficult to understand because Chinese culture has its own values, background and belief system.

Chinese are very friendly and helpful to a foreigner compared to westerners who would never entertain a foreigner. Western culture has a rich and luxurious lifestyle, while the Chinese have a mostly modest lifestyle, for example, the average Chinese can have a maximum of 0 square meters of living space. The Chinese use gentlemen’s names and are strictly moral to avoid public affection.

Compared to Western culture, Chinese culture is very different because they value relationships more than their Western counterparts. There is a huge difference between the main philosophies of life in the East and the West. Westerners believe in commitment to achieve their goals—success and happiness, etc.—while Chinese have a behavioral ethic and rely on their inner world and notions of eternal recurrence.

The Western approach is to look for yourself outside, while the Chinese prefer to approach systematically and look for yourself. True happiness in Western society based on a materialistic approach, while the Chinese believe that true happiness achieved through inner intervention, because truth is the key to eternal happiness and bliss.

Western society believes in individualism, while Chinese culture believes in collectivism and fundamental connections with others. Pragmatic, materialistic and emotional approaches are overwhelming for Western people compared to the Chinese, who have a more missionary and spiritual approach to life. Westerners analyze and Chinese meditate. The Chinese believe in virtues and the Westerners believe in value ethics.

Summary of Chinese and Western Culture

1. Westerners believe in individualism and Chinese in collectivism.

2. Western culture has the freedom to freely express affection, while Chinese culture is puritanical.

3. Western and Chinese philosophies are unique and completely different.

4. The Chinese believe in relationships and finding inner happiness and bliss through meditation.

5. Western culture believes in a materialistic approach and has a pragmatic and emotional attitude.

Differences between Chinese Zodiac, Horoscope and Western Astrology

As the Chinese New Year approaches and 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, it is worth trying to understand the Chinese horoscope, a system of predictions that differs from Western astrology.

Chinese Zodiac and Horoscope

The main similarity between the two systems is that both systems are based on the date and time of birth and use 12 symbols or signs to convey the meaning between them. We listed some of the key differences to make things a little easier to understand.

12 Signs:

Both systems have the same number of signs: 12. Two are superficially similar: Ox/Bull and Goat/Ram.

The Chinese characters are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

Western signs are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Centaur, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

Origin of the Signs:

In Chinese astrology, these 12 signs originate from the myth that when God invented a calendar, all creatures on earth were invited to participate in the competition. The first 12 to cross the line given Chinese zodiac signs.

This differs from Western astrology, where the 12 signs are based on constellations and #039; positions relative to the ground. The constellations named after Greek mythology.

Horoscope / Zodiac Months – Another Similarity:

The overlap between the Chinese horoscope and the Western horoscope is half a month (or one solar term). Chinese zodiac animals were assigned months in the traditional Chinese solar calendar. Each animal sign corresponds to two of the 2 solar terms for a period similar to the Western zodiac month.

This means that the Western astrological signs and the Chinese zodiac months are.

More than just the year or month of birth: In a simplified Western astrological framework, signs are assigned monthly, while Chinese signs are assigned annually in popular astrology. This means that according to Chinese beliefs, people born in the same year have similar characteristics, unlike the Western belief that people born in the same month have similar characteristics.

However, there is of course more to it. In Western astrology, in addition to the constellations, the planets also symbolize the basic motivations of the human psyche.

In addition to the annual horoscope, Chinese astrology has three other pillars that create your destiny, for a total of four pillars: birth year, birth month, birthday and birth date.

When comparing the Four Pillars with Western astrology, the main difference is that Western astrology focuses on celestial alignment (constellations with planets, stars, moon, etc.), while the Four Pillars is based on the alignment of time blocks on Earth . chinese calendar

Lunar, But Mostly Solar:

The moon, but mostly the sun: Appreciation of the moon is deep in Chinese culture Appreciation of the moon is deep in Chinese culture. In the commonly used Chinese astrology (lunar calendar), each month begins with a new moon and lasts 29 or 30 days. The date of the Chinese New Year and the length of the lunar year change by up to one month compared to the solar calendar.

However, professional that is, traditional Chinese astrology mainly uses the traditional solar calendar to make predictions and make horoscopes. In this method, the year starts on February th (within one day).

The Western astrological calendar is based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun (and the resulting alignment of the sky), giving each zodiacal month an assigned date (within a day) of 29-31 days. That is why the western zodiac signs are also known as sun signs.

Lunar / Moon phases in China and the West:

Chinese astrology emphasizes the phase of the moon at the time of your birth. There are four phases of the moon: new moon, waxing moon, full moon and waning moon. New moon types seek an innovative environment, waning moon people are known for hard work, full moon types are diplomatic, while waning moon people want a peaceful environment.

The western system considers two lunar nodes; the north or ascending node and the south or descending node. Although the planets still play a role in sensitive areas, in Western astrology the planets are seen as more important factors.

Together with the elements Five elements

The Chinese system of astrology recognizes five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Each element relates to the motivating forces in your life. Since the animals are in a 12-year cycle and there are five elements, the entire Chinese zodiac element cycle lasts 60 years.

In this system, each sign has fire, earth, metal, water and wood variations depending on your year of birth. 2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon.

Fire signs are inspired by excitement, landmarks are encouraged to secure the foundation, metal tags aim to create order, water signs are forced to form emotional bonds, and those born under the wood element have a desire to explore.

In the Western system, only four elements are recognized: fire, earth, air and water, and each element is associated with three signs that have psychological properties.

Each sign is associated with one element. Water signs are driven by emotion, earth signs are practical, fire signs are impulsive, and air signs are intellectually oriented.

Your Chinese Zodiac Year Is Bad Luck!

A feature of the Chinese zodiac that is incomparable to anything in the West is that it is bad luck when your year comes around.

Rabbits beware in 2023 (an Rabbit year). Read more here about how to make sure youand#039;re lucky in your zodiac year.

Do you want to visit China in the Year of the Ox?

More Chinese New Year Decorations for Chinese New Year Decorations: Whether you already know what you want to see, or you’re just starting to explore your first trip to China, Weand has many attractions.

We’ve even compiled a list of the top four cities to visit for Chinese New Year if you want to experience China’s biggest celebrations.

If you are interested in fortune telling, please let us know in advance and we can arrange a Chinese fortune telling at one of the many temples in China.

Top 10 Differences Between Chinese and Western Food and Eating

You may have eaten Chinese food in Chinese restaurants in your country. Have you noticed some differences between Chinese and Western eating? Except chopsticks vs. there are other differences between knives and forks that you may not know…

1. Chinese people usually eat communally and share their food with others. Westerners usually enjoy individual servings.

2. Chinese chefs chop everything into bite-sized pieces, so people don’t need knives to cut, but take their food with chopsticks. Westerners prepare food in large pieces and serve it with knives and forks for cutting.

3. The Chinese usually do not remove the bones, but cut them and the meat into pieces. They cook the fish whole. Westerners usually eat filleted fish and whole or boneless meat.

4. Chinese always cook vegetables –

Fry, boil, boil and steam – sometimes with soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Western salads or simply boiling vegetables in water are almost unknown in China.

5. Composition:

Chinese cuisine uses many ingredients rarely seen in Western cuisine, such as winter melons and yams, mushrooms and lotus pods, frogs and dogs, legs, tongues, ears and all kinds of internal organs, etc.

6. Use of spices:

Chinese cooks like to add fresh/dried spices like ginger, scallion, mint, pepper, garlic, chili, etc. Western cooks usually use processed spices like pepper powder, ketchup, etc.

7. Spice Bottles:

Usually you won’t find salt, pepper, ketchup or mustard on the table in a Chinese restaurant. But if you eat breakfast in a steamed bun, you can enhance the taste with bottled soy sauce or vinegar poured into the dipping bowl.

Related: Chinese Daily Horoscope

8. Desserts:

Sweet desserts are served after a Western dinner, Chinese have fresh fruit or tea for dessert.

9. Round tables vs. square tables: Chinese people traditionally eat around a round table, especially family meals, because it is convenient to share food with others, especially with lazy Suzy. The circle symbolizes the unity of China. Westerners eat at square tables, which are more suitable for individual meals, at long tables for larger groups.

10. Cooking methods:

Where Westerners tend to limit themselves to boiling, frying, frying and baking, the Chinese use more cooking methods such as steaming, stewing, stewing, braising and stirring in a wok. Chinese people usually use animal/peanut oil to fry food; Westerners use more butter, sunflower oil and olive oil.

Hopefully, sharing these differences will help you prepare for your China experience and give you an insight into Chinese culture.