The Influence of Sino-Culture on the Meanings of University Diplomas in Taiwan:The Cultural Gap between the West and Taiwan

The global economic system significantly benefits western advanced countries, granting them the status of hegemony that allows them to export their thoughts and values to other countries. Therefore, western theories are generally viewed as unproblematic in educational research. However, it is almost impossible for this approach to obtain complete and solid findings due to its neglect of the cultural gap. Individual countries tend to develop their own cultures with unique characteristics and meanings that are able to shape people’s minds and behaviours. Sino-culture, for example, has different characteristics from western culture. Agriculture, which was the main industry in ancient China, required organized manpower, so it gradually brewed big-scale families that functioned as a vital core of life by providing shelter and adequate food. When people needed to be reliant upon family, family-oriented culture gradually developed and eventually become part of Sino-culture. In such a context, people were concerned with sustaining and enhancing their own family status and reputation rather than their own individual concerns. This collective approach substantially constrained the scope of individual ideas. It also further created a special form of culture – face-oriented culture.