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24 Funny Illustrations That Show The Cultural Differences Between The East And The West Made By This Artist
Since we can travel around the world and visit different countries, people noticed cultural differences that are here to this day. That is what makes traveling fun, to change your usual setting with something new and unexplored.
Yang Liu a young artist from Beijing currently living in Germany illustrates the social and cultural differences between her Eastern and Western worlds in her project “Ost trifft West,” or “East Meets West,” which conveys a strong message on the differences she personally experienced.
"Ost trifft West" is a series of infographic posters that compare German and Chinese people in accurate and humorous ways. The infographics highlight important human elements such as self-perception, opinion expression, and mood.
So without further ado, we invite you to explore the differences captured by this incredibly observant artist.
More info: yangliudesign.com | amazon.com
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The Boss
Headless Roach 2 years ago
Meanwhile in China: "Sorry, you're just not tall enough to get promoted "
If you wonder how Yang Liu gathered information, such as whether she used interviews, research, or theories, her reply is this: “The fact is that every single illustration is my very personal experience in the past 13-17 years, and this work was made as a documentation of my own life,” she said. As an artist who was raised in multiple cultures, she doesn’t feel like she belongs to any of them: “I am feeling myself more as a person who belongs to all the places I have been,” says Liu.
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#2
Means Of Transportation
#3
Expressing Opinion
Sure, we are all aware of cultural differences around the world, such as social norms, family structure, religion, cuisine, and the more day-to-day ones that Liu has depicted in her illustrations. Historical, geographic, economic, and social factors are just some of the ones that form differences in the way we perceive and interact with the world around us.
#4
Standing In A Line
#5
Attitude Towards Punctuality
When moving to a new country, no matter how close or far from your home, the beginning can be quite challenging and time-consuming. In order to adapt might require some adjusting to a new culture and adopting its values, beliefs, customs, and behaviors. Building new relationships and keeping an open mind is the right way to start.
#6
Dealing With Problems
#7
Expressing Feelings
In Liu’s illustrations’ on one side, we might recognize ourselves more than on the other one, and it might raise questions: what else is different? How does that affect our mental health? Could I maybe learn new things and include them in my life to make it easier?
What do you, Pandas, think when seeing Liu’s depiction? Share your thoughts in the comments.
#8
Traveling
#9
What’s Trending
#10
Noise Level At The Restaurant
Headless Roach 2 years ago
*noise level everywhere in China. Chinese cities are full of sounds coming out of absolutely everywhere.
#11
Everyday Life Of Elderly
#12
Mood And Weather
#13
Self Perception
Hannah M 2 years ago
People, this isn't saying that Chinese have low self-esteem or don't value themselves. It's comparing the individualism of the West to the collective mindset of the East. To a westerner the self is the primary consideration; in the east the self is a small part of the wider community
#14
Cultural Perceptions: Germans vs. Chinese
Phoenix the Frog 2 years ago
I mean the Chinese one is not wrong. Saying as someone who lived in Germany
#15
At A Party
BlueEyesWhiteDragon 2 years ago
I'm one of the little lonely dots on the German side. I would say I wish I lived on the circle side, but I would probably get overwhelmed by my nearest dots and try to leave early.
#16
Children In The Family
#17
Three Meals A Day
Lyone Fein 2 years ago (edited)
More variety in Germany? Oh no, I get it. Cold and hot meals. Ok.
#18
Contacts And Connections
#19
Cure For Stomach Ache
#20
Sundays On The Streets
#21
Lifestyle: Independent vs. Dependent
Autistic McWolferson the Forth 2 years ago
So basically "disappoint your family in any way and be disowned" in China. No real chance to develop your own genuine personality in a world like that
rob 2 years ago
What? How did you jump to this conclusion? What does that mean? Because Chinese have stronger family bonds they can't develop a personality?
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Helena Ribeiro 2 years ago
It's unfortunate that society everywhere isn't like the chinese one in this department. Like my extended family, that are willing to kill anyone, even their own mother just to get 1 more euro/dollar... bloody thieves...
Mosca Noche 2 years ago
Westerners and especially Anglos tend not to have a strong family support system. If you make it, you’re making it on your own. With Eastern and even Traditional Hispanic-Latin cultures, the family bond is strong. It’s all for one and one for all. They will pool their money and sacrifice for each other to start a business. Then when that person becomes successful, they give back to raise another to be successful. The Pilipino culture is one I’ve witnessed do this. It’s something I’ve always respected.
Dude 2 years ago
Doesn't help to explain it to westerners They are brainwashed
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Matt Harrell 2 years ago
I think too many people confuse independent with alone. You can be independent and still rely on people. After all, nobody can do everything.
majandess 2 years ago (edited)
I wish people understood this! I can't speak for Germany because I don't live there, but from personal experience in the US, I think the focus on individualism is very isolating. The number of things we're supposed to know (do your research!), the implied notion that asking for help is a weakness, the shade we give kids for living at home past college, the disdain for parents who aren't 24/7 eyes on their kid... Everyone is supposed to go live in their own little pods and be perfectly successful. Anything less is socialism.
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PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
Neither is best. Interdependence in a large supportive Family of Choice is most uplifting.
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
Not easy or common to develop though :'-(
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Vlad Pintea-Gärtner 2 years ago
yeah, we have become so alienated and lied to into this individualistic to the point it's toxic culture. We're meant to stick together as a species, but under capitalism we're supposed to all be sad little lone wolves
Dude 2 years ago
Its not capitalism for pete sake Get some common sense Capitalism decreases poverty Communism increases it
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Janet Graham 2 years ago
I could agree, but only to a degree. The west may be less dependent on family, but not totally isolated.
anniee 28 2 years ago
you are gonna be kicked out of the house if you got A but not with a plus in math
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#22
Ideal Of Beauty
Ian Reynolds 2 years ago
Is this to do with skin colour or tone? Germans prefer darker skin and Chinese prefer lighter skin tones? If it is not, I don’t get it.
#23
Shower Time
#24
Novelties
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Mr Old School Cool 2 years ago (edited)
Attention trolls: please stop calling this Beijing-born Chinese artist a racist, or that she is stereotyping her own country
Veggie to Save Our Planet 2 years ago
I love her (accurate) take on things and I think it's so true that it actually makes it humourous. ..... I haven't read every comment but a lot of them seem to be 'defending' the west! Why?? These pics are just some general sweeping statements to make us smile .... Well it worked for me! Happy Tuesday 😉
Load More Replies...
kool mudkips 2 years ago
Just goes to show there are things to be learned from both (and other) cultures. Once we get further down our shared timeline, hopefully we can choose the best of all and further humankind.
Just another bored panda 2 years ago
Again, wish I could upvote this comment at least 100 times. (Hopefully, fingers crossed, but not holding my breath 😪)
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Nonna_SoF 2 years ago
I feel like this should be titled differences in China and Germany rather than East and West. Both areas are culturally diverse enough that using one country as a metric isn't really fair.
Blue 2 years ago
I relate completely as a middle eastern living in the west.
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Nick Murphy 2 years ago
Yep. Acknowledging differences between cultures is the exact opposite of racist unless it's done with a disdainful or xenophobic undertone. It's so gross that it's become the norm to cry racism for any humor relating to or observations of CULTURAL variations. Hell, it is almost never coming from a racist place when people make jokes or discuss differences between actual races in today's day. 99.999% of what many people have tantrums about and call racist only shows their inability to process the literal definition of the term. It's basically always about their fragile egos being damaged due to a lifetime of privilege making them weak, narcissistic and simple enough to still do something so obviously embarrassing, wrong, dividing and...just f****n gross. It's regressive fragility masquerading as progressive. I can't imagine anyone is still so enslaved by their delusion as to believe this contemporary bastardized version of social consciousness and tolerance is progressive.
Nocturnowl 2 years ago
It took me 4 pictures to realize that this wasn't talking about the East and West coast of the U.S 🤦🏻♀️
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
well you DO live in a country that calls its indigenous sport tournament the "world series" so we're quite used to you guys thinking usa is the world ;-) /jk
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Ari Keeper 2 years ago
The art is neat, but most seem more like judgements than observations. Very interesting.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
It seems to me that a lot of the negative reactions are to Yet Another BP Post That Lacks Subtlety. It's strange to me that the title of the series was painted is such broad strokes: Berlin vs. Beijing would have been more poetic and reflective of the observed differences, and it would also recognize that painting something like half of all humans vs the other almost half of all humans is probably too broad of a stroke. I also, personally, dislike this from an infographic perspective because a good graphic condenses complicated information while making it more accessible and the graphics... do the opposite? These observations, without cultural context, and presented as a full card each seem to be adding space and removing information, and I can tell from other comments that I wasn't the only one who found some of these counterintuitive or confusing.
Ugh_What_Now 2 years ago
It's quite odd, as this infographic could almost be used for the opposite East/West scenario if you were to swap countries. Japan would easily take the place of Germany, and the US would easily take the place of China in pretty much every one of these infographic situations.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
well yes but Japan was colonised by America in the 1800s (Perry et al) so it's pretty much following western standards on most things except humility and manners, where it's more eastern.
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Azazels Child 1 year ago
There's a lot to be said about a "we" mind set and "me" mind set. I remember how people took what they needed from the stores for their families to eat after the earthquake/tsunami. I wondered if in western culture if people would just raid everything for themselves. I don't operate on a "me" mentality and people will take advantage of your lack of selfishness. It's sad.
Bob Collins 2 years ago
Blue vs. Red? I couldn’t find anywhere an explanation as to which was East and which is West. Being from neither country/region/nationality/compass point, I am not familiar enough with either culture to recognize them. A simple key statement would have been helpful.
Wren Hard 2 years ago
I don't think any of them were designed to make either side seem preferable. For most of them, I personally liked the West becuase that's what I'm used to. It's just meant to show the contrast between different cultures.
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Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
Most of these could just as easily be the difference between Northern and Southern Europe, so the title is wildly inaccurate.
Nazz reth 2 years ago
She is a racist because she has claimed Chinese cultural habits as the same for all of Asia.......... The article is labeled wrong. It should be the EU and China not west and east
Vira 2 years ago (edited)
So, are you racist for saying all of the EU is one cultural block? Because all of the EU is not the same, so you would be incorrect to say that. You could ask for clarification rather than assuming the worst.
Load More Replies...
Dubnaught 2 years ago (edited)
It's also important to recognize generalities. For example, the west queuing and the eastern cluster. Many Chinese tourists actually take a class which involves learning about queuing along with other things so that they are on the same page with others when they travel. I don't recommend going to a new country and assuming everyone is just as unique and independently minded as you. There is a thing called culture and it's not the same across the world lol..
Load More Replies...
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
you need to substantiate your argument otherwise people downvote you.
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Vira 2 years ago
What the heck is this comment thread? Are you people tinfoil hat nutters?
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Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
How do you know? Do you belong to both cultures?
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Tristan J 2 years ago
Seriously? How is it mean? How can you possibly take offence, and if you didn't, why are you taking offence on behalf of others when no one specific is being portrayed, and all of the comments from those of the portrayed nationalities are finding humour and things they can relate to, rather than taking offence? Not everything that isn't rainbows and sunshine needs to be seen as mean or offensive.
Load More Replies...
Materyst 2 years ago
The artist lives in Germany, where two cold meals a day are normal.
Load More Replies...
Tristan J 2 years ago
Look up where the artist was born and where they live. Clues in the picture.
Load More Replies...
Mr Old School Cool 2 years ago (edited)
Attention trolls: please stop calling this Beijing-born Chinese artist a racist, or that she is stereotyping her own country
Veggie to Save Our Planet 2 years ago
I love her (accurate) take on things and I think it's so true that it actually makes it humourous. ..... I haven't read every comment but a lot of them seem to be 'defending' the west! Why?? These pics are just some general sweeping statements to make us smile .... Well it worked for me! Happy Tuesday 😉
Load More Replies... kool mudkips 2 years ago
Just goes to show there are things to be learned from both (and other) cultures. Once we get further down our shared timeline, hopefully we can choose the best of all and further humankind.
Just another bored panda 2 years ago
Again, wish I could upvote this comment at least 100 times. (Hopefully, fingers crossed, but not holding my breath 😪)
Load More Replies... Nonna_SoF 2 years ago
I feel like this should be titled differences in China and Germany rather than East and West. Both areas are culturally diverse enough that using one country as a metric isn't really fair.
Blue 2 years ago
I relate completely as a middle eastern living in the west.
Load More Replies... Nick Murphy 2 years ago
Yep. Acknowledging differences between cultures is the exact opposite of racist unless it's done with a disdainful or xenophobic undertone. It's so gross that it's become the norm to cry racism for any humor relating to or observations of CULTURAL variations. Hell, it is almost never coming from a racist place when people make jokes or discuss differences between actual races in today's day. 99.999% of what many people have tantrums about and call racist only shows their inability to process the literal definition of the term. It's basically always about their fragile egos being damaged due to a lifetime of privilege making them weak, narcissistic and simple enough to still do something so obviously embarrassing, wrong, dividing and...just f****n gross. It's regressive fragility masquerading as progressive. I can't imagine anyone is still so enslaved by their delusion as to believe this contemporary bastardized version of social consciousness and tolerance is progressive.
Nocturnowl 2 years ago
It took me 4 pictures to realize that this wasn't talking about the East and West coast of the U.S 🤦🏻♀️
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
well you DO live in a country that calls its indigenous sport tournament the "world series" so we're quite used to you guys thinking usa is the world ;-) /jk
Load More Replies... Ari Keeper 2 years ago
The art is neat, but most seem more like judgements than observations. Very interesting.
Phyzzi 2 years ago
It seems to me that a lot of the negative reactions are to Yet Another BP Post That Lacks Subtlety. It's strange to me that the title of the series was painted is such broad strokes: Berlin vs. Beijing would have been more poetic and reflective of the observed differences, and it would also recognize that painting something like half of all humans vs the other almost half of all humans is probably too broad of a stroke. I also, personally, dislike this from an infographic perspective because a good graphic condenses complicated information while making it more accessible and the graphics... do the opposite? These observations, without cultural context, and presented as a full card each seem to be adding space and removing information, and I can tell from other comments that I wasn't the only one who found some of these counterintuitive or confusing.
Ugh_What_Now 2 years ago
It's quite odd, as this infographic could almost be used for the opposite East/West scenario if you were to swap countries. Japan would easily take the place of Germany, and the US would easily take the place of China in pretty much every one of these infographic situations.
censorshipsucks 2 years ago
well yes but Japan was colonised by America in the 1800s (Perry et al) so it's pretty much following western standards on most things except humility and manners, where it's more eastern.
Load More Replies... Azazels Child 1 year ago
There's a lot to be said about a "we" mind set and "me" mind set. I remember how people took what they needed from the stores for their families to eat after the earthquake/tsunami. I wondered if in western culture if people would just raid everything for themselves. I don't operate on a "me" mentality and people will take advantage of your lack of selfishness. It's sad.
Bob Collins 2 years ago
Blue vs. Red? I couldn’t find anywhere an explanation as to which was East and which is West. Being from neither country/region/nationality/compass point, I am not familiar enough with either culture to recognize them. A simple key statement would have been helpful.
Wren Hard 2 years ago
I don't think any of them were designed to make either side seem preferable. For most of them, I personally liked the West becuase that's what I'm used to. It's just meant to show the contrast between different cultures.
Load More Replies... Irish woman abroad 2 years ago
Most of these could just as easily be the difference between Northern and Southern Europe, so the title is wildly inaccurate.
Nazz reth 2 years ago
She is a racist because she has claimed Chinese cultural habits as the same for all of Asia.......... The article is labeled wrong. It should be the EU and China not west and east
Vira 2 years ago (edited)
So, are you racist for saying all of the EU is one cultural block? Because all of the EU is not the same, so you would be incorrect to say that. You could ask for clarification rather than assuming the worst.
Load More Replies... Dubnaught 2 years ago (edited)
It's also important to recognize generalities. For example, the west queuing and the eastern cluster. Many Chinese tourists actually take a class which involves learning about queuing along with other things so that they are on the same page with others when they travel. I don't recommend going to a new country and assuming everyone is just as unique and independently minded as you. There is a thing called culture and it's not the same across the world lol..
Load More Replies... censorshipsucks 2 years ago
you need to substantiate your argument otherwise people downvote you.
Load More Replies... Vira 2 years ago
What the heck is this comment thread? Are you people tinfoil hat nutters?
Load More Replies... Mim“the Swede”Sorensson 2 years ago
How do you know? Do you belong to both cultures?
Load More Replies... Tristan J 2 years ago
Seriously? How is it mean? How can you possibly take offence, and if you didn't, why are you taking offence on behalf of others when no one specific is being portrayed, and all of the comments from those of the portrayed nationalities are finding humour and things they can relate to, rather than taking offence? Not everything that isn't rainbows and sunshine needs to be seen as mean or offensive.
Load More Replies... Materyst 2 years ago
The artist lives in Germany, where two cold meals a day are normal.
Load More Replies... Tristan J 2 years ago
Look up where the artist was born and where they live. Clues in the picture.
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