5 Keys to Understanding China (Paperback)

Foreword 12
Preface 14

-CHAPTER ONE-
THE CHINESE PARADOX
There’s No China in China

TWO FACES: DRAGON AND PHOENIX
Dragon and phoenix: symbols of Chinese pragmatism 23
Handy strategies for facing the dragon and phoenix 27

CONFUCIAN ON THE OUTSIDE, TAOIST ON THE INSIDE
A philosophical reading of the Chinese mentality 31
The Way vanishes the moment it is expressed in words 34

PUBLIC IS PRIVATE, PRIVATE IS PUBLIC
Feelings come before reason, and reason comes before law 37
Sharing a drink is a chance to spend time together 39

SPOKEN AND UNSPOKEN: THE CONTRADICTORY RULES THAT RULE CHINA
Nuclear submarine: the power of unspoken rules 45
Unspoken rules take precedence over spoken rules 46

CHINESE TACT: WHY BAD NEWS IS NOT SHARED
The green hat taboo 51
Spiteful selfishness or well-intended tact? 53
Working on your cultural literacy 56

DEALING WITH CHINESE TACT
How Chinese tact can result in misleading reports 59

DOUBLE-CHECK AND REVIEW TO GAIN INSIGHT
Get a complete blow-by-blow 64

FREE TO BELIEVE, BUT NOT TO SHARE THOSE BELIEFS
Religion: strictly regulated by the state 69
The Three-Self Church: a unique Chinese institution 71
China’s two-pronged approach toward religion 74

-CHAPTER TWO-
THE CHINESE “US”
Winning the Hearts of the Chinese

WINNERS PLAY BY THE CHINESE RULES
The winners come and go, but the rules remain the same 79
It takes a long time to get to know the Chinese 81

CLIMBING MOUNT TAI AND CROSSING THE YELLOW RIVER
Guanxi: the difference between “us” and “them” 84
A society of people you know and people you don’t 87

FRIENDS: THE ONLY SOCIAL UNIT
The Chinese will do anything for a good friend 91
Friends come before laws and principles 94
It’s in your interest to help friends save face 96

UNEQUAL EXCHANGE: THE KEY TO FRIENDSHIP
Make sure your friends get their money’s worth 100
How to become part of “us” 102

THE FOUR WAYS TO BECOME “US”
The princelings: eighty years of loyalty 106
Complete trust: the best way to win hearts 109

TIPS FOR MAKING CHINESE FRIENDS
The better you know someone, the more you should watch your words 113
Make a network that is both broad and deep 114

-CHAPTER THREE-
THE CHINESE WALLET
Understanding Guanxi Brings China into View

GUANXI: WHAT EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS
Guanxi: the main guideline for every decision 121
Three confusing characteristics of guanxi 123

GUANXI IS A CURRENCY
Don’t try to mooch off others’ guanxi 128
There’s a toll at each turn 129
Gauging guanxi: learning the true power of your connections 131

GUANXI MULTIPLIES POWER
The wisdom of having a motley crew 135
Don’t get too hung up on rank 137

GIVE YOUR FRIENDS A REASON TO HELP YOU
Guanxi is the door, but rationale is the key 141
An unwritten rule about guanxi that’s easy to miss 143

DO YOU ONLY TURN TO THE BUDDHA WHEN YOU’RE IN TROUBLE?
Learning to recognize true friendship 148
THE BLURRY BOUNDARY BETWEEN A GIFT AND A BRIBE

Gifts are a form of courtesy 153
Give gifts when you meet, become friends, and say goodbye 155
Useful tips about gift giving 158

WHO’S IN CHARGE OF CHINA?
Do the Chinese elite speak English? 162
A brief history of Chinese people studying overseas 164

-CHAPTER FOUR-
THE CHINESE PERSPECTIVE
Effective Strategies for Localizing, Negotiating,and Managing in China

HOW TO BEFRIEND A HIPPOPOTAMUS
In like a lion, out like a lamb 173
If you’re going to play, play to win 174
A Confucian gentleman will wait ten years to take revenge 177

LOCALIZATION: LOST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CHINA AND THE WORLD
The limits of localization 182
Paying attention to Chinese pride 185

IF YOU ONLY SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, YOU WON’T SEE CHINA
Who are the real China experts? 191
Building a cart behind closed doors 195

INFORMATION ASYMMETRY CONCEALS CONFLICTING VALUES
Foreigners are fooled by their own ignorance and don’t even try to learn 199
Loyalty means something else to the Chinese 202

PAY ATTENTION NOT TO WHAT IS SAID BUT WHAT IS LEFT UNSAID
Big talk from a local government official 205
Reading in context 207

EACH TIME YOU’RE TRICKED IS A LESSON LEARNED
Getting fooled is an asset, too 210
The Chinese prefer a laid-back negotiation style 211

BUKEQI! WE’RE FRIENDS, SO MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
What bukeqi says about Chinese culture: in the end, friendship is
about sincerity 215

IT TAKES DEDICATION TO REACH THE FINISH LINE
Foreigners who don’t study 220
On a journey of a hundred leagues, ninety leagues is
just the halfway point 223

HARSH ADVICE FOR FOREIGN BUSINESSES
An eye for recognizing a good horse 227

-CHAPTER FIVE-
CHINESE TIME
The People Who Live in the Past, Present, and Future

CHINESE PATIENCE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS
Chinese time is long 235

THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE FUTURE
Tomorrow will be a better day 240

DON’T MAKE GLASS CEILINGS
Don’t kick away the ladder 244

WHY THE CHINESE NEVER SAY THEY’RE SORRY
It’s easier to make someone resign than apologize 247
A historical explanation of the Chinese aversion to apologizing 249

ONE FINAL TIP FOR SUCCEEDING IN CHINA
Don’t assume that you know everything 252
Become a “long-term observer” 255

Conclusion 261