The organisation of Chinese shame concepts?

Abstract

This study examined Chinese shame concepts. By asking native Chinese to identify terms for shame, we collected 113 shame terms. Hierarchical cluster analysis of sorted terms yielded a comprehensive map of the concept. We found, at the highest abstract level, two large distinctions of “shame state, self‐focus” and “reactions to shame, other‐focus.” While the former describes various aspects of actual shame experience that focuses on the self, the latter focuses on consequences of and reactions to shame directed at others. Shame state with self‐focus contained three further sets of meanings: (1) one's fears of losing face; (2) the feeling state after one's face has been lost; and (3) guilt. Reactions to shame with other‐focus also consisted of three further sets of subcomponents at the same level: (4) disgrace; (5) shamelessness and its condemnation; and (6) embarrassment. Except for guilt, there were several subclusters under each of these categories. We discussed both universal trends and specific constellations of shame concepts in Chinese culture.