Have you heard of the Big Five? In cross-cultural psychology, the Big Five refers to personality traits that are shared across cultures. The Big Five are: openness, extroversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. However, each is somewhat controversial. So, here’s a different take, five practices (rather than traits) that can be found no matter where you go or who you meet in China.

1. Smiling

  Can you think of place where there are only frowns day in and day out? Doubtful. During tough times, or even due to more rigid and closed communication styles, you might not see smiles as often in some places as in others. However, smiling and being smiled at is understood across cultures as a means of communicating emotion, specifically happiness. So, why not spread the happy cheer wherever your travels take you and share this positive expression.

2. Storytelling

  The tradition of passing down stories, either orally or through writing, is a practice that helps define humanity and separates us from other species. Storytelling is a deep-rooted element of cultures and society as a whole. From legends and myths, to fairy-tales and fables, there are a variety of ways cultures choose to pass their stories from one generation to the next. We all tell our own stories and decide what to mention and what to leave out. If you listen closely you might just hear a story you recognize while studying in China, just with slightly altered details.

3. Dependence

  Some cultures are dependent upon their families or one another, while others depend upon their government or other nations. Many countries have become independent from their mother nation through revolution or war. However, societies by nature are all dependent upon one another for success. Whether it’s interdependence or intradependence, everyone leans on someone or something. 

  In communal societies (like some of those in Africa) families work together to survive, which requires relying on one another interdependently. In China, people tend to be more intradependent, in that family units are reliant on members to contribute to certain aspects of daily life.

  Who do you depend on most when abroad?