Chen (2004)

Management > Asian Management > Lectures > Independent Research > Guanxi > Face

Face

The main aim of Confucianism is to achieve harmony, which depends to an extent on the protection of one's "face", or dignity, self-respect and prestige. It is crucial in China to keep one's face - losing it would be equivalent to losing parts of one's physical face.

There are two dimensions to face:

1. Lian - personal behaviour. If one is deemed to have no lian, one is being socially criticised
2. Mianzi - this is more valuable and needs to be achieved. If one is deemed to have no mianzi then they are low in status

One can save, gain, lose, give and exchange face - it is like a social currency. It is also connected to guanxi, as if one has no mianzi, it is hard to build up a social network. The greater the network, the greater one's mianzi