Corruption v 'li shang wang lai' 礼尚往来

Corruption v 'li shang wang lai' 礼尚往来

 
‘li shang wang lai' can be translated as reciprocity. Like most translations, it has a far deeper meaning. It is a ‘cheng yu’, a Chinese proverbial idiom, a fixed saying that is resonant with meaning. 

‘li’ is gift, ‘shang’ means to show respect, ‘wang’ is go, ‘lai’ is come (very basically translated).

It is, in effect, reciprocity based on respect for the receiving or giving of a gift.

When you give a gift, you expect something in return. When you receive a gift, you expect to give something in return. It is deeply in the Chinese mind. You would look down on the other person if you gave a gift but received nothing in return. The person receiving the gift would look down on themselves if they did not give something back in return.
 
That is all complicated by status and rank. You can clearly see where you stand by the value of a gift given or received.
 
Much of what the ‘west’ labels as corruption in China is ‘li shang wang lai’. It is a vast grey area between the white of never receiving or giving gifts and favours, and the black of taking huge gifts for specific favours. In China, the black is frowned upon and in the wrong circumstances you will lose your life if you are caught straying there.
 
There has been much ink spilt urging China to rid itself of this troublesome priest, what the ‘west’ labels as corruption. Yet, like most things in China, it requires a deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture. 
 
'Corruption' really doesn’t get good press in the OED: ‘adjective 1 willing to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain. 2 evil or morally depraved. 3 archaic rotten or putrid.’
 
The question I would like to pose is, "what about acting ‘honestly’ in return for money or personal gain?"
 
That is how China was governed for thousands of years. An official’s income came from charging a fee for doing his (there were no ‘hers’ until recently) job. It certainly left room for preferment based on personal connections, and the size of the fee, but it was not seen as ‘corrupt’, unless it went too far. 
 
The question then becomes, how does China address what the ‘west’ labels as ‘corrupt’ ( using the wests’ definition) when, essentially, it is not seen as ‘corrupt’ in China? In China, it is just the way things have always been done.
 
‘Ren ji guan xi’ and little red envelopes full of qian (money) oiled the wheels of business both private and State.
 
I am sure that many of the ‘western’ companies now operating in China use both to further their interests. After all, it is the way business is done and you swim against the tide and risk drowning if you do not 'play the cultural game'.  Perhaps it is why large international companies hired people from China or with Chinese heritage to run their company there. These people understand how it works and the large international company can stand aloof if it has to. Those international companies have profited from using the Chinese way of doing business. Indeed, it is unlikely they could have operated in China without doing things the Chinese way.
 
It applies particularly to smaller businesses, not supplying vital raw materials for China.
 
Building up and maintaining ‘ren ji guan xi’, and using 'li shang wang lai', is a game of skill and dexterity. The rewards are great if you play it well. If you cannot play it well, then you are destined for a very average life and income in China. It can however be disastrous if a sudden move from left field leaves you wrong footed. Which is what I suspect happened to Stern Hu and his hapless colleagues.
 
Confucianism v corruption.
 
Confucianism does not condone corruption as defined by the ‘west’. It does however seem to extol the virtue of loyalty to a patron over competence. That does not mean it extols incompetence. ‘Ren ji guan xi’ (interpersonal relations) and 'li shang wang lai' were at the heart of Confucianism, the ability to get the job done through using personal relationships. China has been around, and quite well governed, for quite a long time. It has seen civilizations from the ‘west’ come and it has seen them go. So, something must be working.
 
‘li shang wang lai’ was and is an accepted part of the culture, which is why it is not seen as corrupt as defined by the ‘west’. Giving a 'gift' or taking a fair ‘share’ or a ‘fee’ oiled business and the wheels of State. Taking too much tended to upset the King or perhaps a powerful patron, which in turn tended to lead to unfortunate consequences.
 
China is now trying to address what the ‘west’ defines as corruption. In particular, where ‘West’ meets ‘East’. Yet it is a difficult process because most people in China, while understanding the ‘western’ definition of corruption, do not, in their hearts, see it as applying to them. It is like understanding a joke from another language and culture. You can understand why it is funny, you just don’t find it funny.
 
In China, a lot of leeway is still given to ‘gifts’ in comparison to the ‘west’. Only the very greedy, or the unlucky, or those wrong footed by the ‘ren ji guan xi’ game are caught and punished. I would suggest that that has always been the case.
 
This is perhaps another issue where the ‘west’ will have to come to terms with doing things the Chinese way, or at least understanding it. For centuries the ‘western’ way of thinking has been imposed through force of arms and/or economic might. That seems to be changing and China can now expect the ‘west’ try to understand the Chinese way.
 
While the ‘west’ clings to using its own definitions to define its relationship with China lack of understanding will continue. The ‘west’ has had its way for so long it is finding it hard to come to terms with challenging its accepted philosophies and ways of thinking. It cannot now automatically assume the moral high ground. Those philosophies and ways of thinking had their genesis in the ‘west’, so naturally they are seen as ‘norms’ by the ‘west’. However, there must be room for different philosophies with their genesis in different cultures. 
 
Xiaosui is quite adamant that the Chinese people hate corruption. The Central Government is moving to get rid of, or significantly reduce, corruption. Then again, that has generally been the case when China has been well governed. How well this is achieved has yet to be seen. However, it is best to keep in mind the difference between ‘corruption’ and ‘li shang wang lai’.

Oh, and work on your ren ji guan xi

See Also Kaixin's -Corruption in China

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