Monday, March 20, 2017
Week 6 Posts due March 24
As the end of the semester continues to press closer, I urge all of you to make sure to keep up with your reading, and to consider beginning some of your assignments following the guidelines in the syllabus if you have time. And don't forget to get your immunizations and travel documents in order! It's been fun to read and follow your posts and see how all of you have been interacting with one another. Keep up the great work :)
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ReplyDeleteIn my continued reading of various myths about China, I feel that while it is a very different culture, there are just as many underlying similarities between our cultures. This week I read about some have a general perception that the Chinese people are very Xenophobic. However, the author points out this has been something more connected with the older generations from the various wars and mistreatment that has occurred in the past but most of the younger generations are a lot more open to foreigners.
ReplyDeleteYet, back to my point about similarities in culture, in most of the topics that I read could probably be said almost the same points. Are there people in the US that have negative views of foreigners yes. Does that mean everyone is that way, no. Does business work better when you have a relationship with an individual first, yes. Are both countries proud of their heritages and traditions, I would say yes.
As I've read this book, I've come to understand that its important to understand the differences in how each culture approaches life, in the end if you treat each other well and get to know each other, that is what is important.
I think it is interesting to hear about the xenophobia. As a history student, it is easy to believe this. In the matter of the past 150 years, with the progression of science, man began measuring other men based on empirical measurements. If you didn't fit the European model of perfection, then you were obviously inferior. This was definitely still continued well into the 20th century so there is no surprise that the older generation have this type of xenophobia (especially towards people of European descent). When you belong to a culture and nation that was viewed as inferior just because of how you looked, it is no surprise that there is strong resentment/fear towards the other cultures that implemented these "measurements."
DeleteI completely agree that there are many similarities but also differences between the American culture and the Chinese culture. For example, in my reading it stated that their practices in minimum wage policies, no more than 40-hours per week, and overtime pay are all very similar to Western practices.
DeleteThere are some principles that different cultures have invented that are widely welcomed by all yet there are some that only particular cultures choose to adopt. This is a good thing though, so that each culture can continue to have differences that make them unique but have enough similarities where they can work together in harmony.
I think a big reason for being watchful of other cultures is the fact that often they come in and don't assimilate to the culture, but they kind of spoil the historical culture in that country or mess up the way things that have always been done. I don't think it's bad that Chinese are cautious of outsiders, because letting too many in might hurt China as a nation and might spoil parts of their culture that they want to protect.
DeleteThe Chinese have good reason to be xenophobic. Their first real interactions with western countries were ones where they were got the shady end of the deal. From the 1840s to the 1940s is called the Century of Humiliation. In the 1840s England went to war in China, twice, to force them to sell opium, which was made in India but already illegal in England. When the Chinese made it illegal in China the British went to war, and won, and opium use continued until Chiang, and then Mao came to power in 1949 and implemented a death penalty for opium use. There was this kickback against foreign powers for all the negative influences they brought, not just the governments but also the missionaries, who were perceived by many to be destructive of Chinese culture and values, and often they were. The saying was that "the missionary came to do good, and he did very well." Meaning that he came to help people, and maybe he did that, but he also ended up living like a king with a full staff of servants and houseboys. There is no time in history where a foreigner can be viewed on the same level as a Chinese, in Chinese eyes. We are always the rich foreigner, which made the religious message hard to convey. When you go to China this summer, central China not coastal China, it is likely that people will stop you just to take a picture with you. So they are not so xenophobic against Americans today, but the history and legacy are certainly there in undertones... and they are VERY racist, unfortunately. And why shouldn't they be, 93% of their population is Han Chinese, the rest are like our Native Americans, scattered in the mountain villages putting on shows for busloads of tourist groups or found in the far west provinces.
DeleteAs I have continued reading about Mao Zedong, I find it extremely interesting to see a pattern emerging from his life before he became leader of the Communist party in China: he valued education and was extremely proactive in getting involved with various leadership opportunities at school. The chapters that I read this past week showed this the most. Throughout his schooling, not only did he excel in his coursework, but he took time to read classics and organize student movements against the politics that were taking place in China during the early 20th century. For his few close friends that would one day help establish the Communist party, he encouraged them to study abroad in Western countries such as England, France, and America. He lived as a peasant for fun at one point with his close friend and made money by begging. When he eventually got his hands on the Communist Manifesto, he was utterly convinced that capitalism had controlled education completely and therefore needed to be abolished.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how after a life as a peasant, experiencing some form of western culture and then getting his hands on the manifesto that he was so convinced that capitalism had controlled education. I see his point, and to a great deal I believe that capitalism has offered little to the education system outside of monetary gains (which is still quit low). Final thought: The education system in America is broken, safely, and offers little to those who refuse to think inside the confines of professors thoughts. Not all professors have such a style, but many do.
DeleteThis sounds interesting. It's always fun to see how leaders started out; the material they studied and the moves they made to get to a certain place.
DeleteI love even early on he organized student movements against the policies in place. I'm interested in hearing more about how that time as a peasant went, what and where he studying the western Europe, and where he was when he first got hold on the Communist Manifesto.
DeleteAs I continued to read The Chinese Way to Business I was fascinated to read about the practices related to food in the Chinese culture. The Chinese have very strong beliefs regarding yin and yang which holds that everything in the universe is either positive or negative, wet or dry, cold or hot, and so on. They believe that there must be a harmonious balance between these opposing forces if we are to stay right with the cosmos.
ReplyDeleteThese beliefs transfer over even into their eating habits. In the Chinese culture, food should be consumed in combinations and quantities that are balanced and are in the order they are best consumed. The book explained that yin foods are thin, bland, cooling, and low in calories whereas yang foods are rich, spicy, warming, and high in calories. In addition, boiling foods makes them yin; deep-frying makes them yang.
I find this very interesting that the Chinese are so conscientious of what they eat and what combinations they make with their food. Here in America we rarely think about principles such as these, often simply eating what sounds good whether or not the items pair well together.
It will be interesting as we travel over to China to encounter these practices. I would imagine that many entrees sold in restaurants would be prepared keeping these principles in mind.
Respecting this balance while we are visiting will be especially important as we are aiming to experience China in an enriching way by partially conforming to their every day practices. I am very excited for the food we will be eating there and to experience how they choose to prepare meals that incorporate a harmonious balance between yin and yang.
That's an interesting that they put so much thought and value into the food they prepare. You don't see that very often here putting too much thought into the combinations of food we eat unless you're a chef. I've never thought about applying yin and yang to food and I am also very excited to experience their culture and cuisine.
DeleteMy reading this week was focused still on reconnaissance, but more specifically how to look at the situation of business and leadership as a hockey player, and a hockey puck. Hockey players should always skate to where the puck will be rather than where it is in the moment. Likewise, business leaders and especially entrepreneurs should be seeking where the trend is going, not where it currently stands.
ReplyDeleteThe author talks about Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and how it extols the benefits of variation in tactics and of adaptability to ever shifting situations. Sun Tzu argued that "there are roads that must not be followed, armies that must not be attacked, towns that must not be besieged, and commands of the sovereign that must not be obeyed." His core argument is that soldiers on the front lines must improvise and adapt to the real situation in the real time instead of simply implementing a preconceived strategy. (Side note: To connect a thought to Adeline's post, this is exactly what I feel many education thought leaders tell us to do.)
It was interesting to me how this author seems to grasp--more than most--that business isn't a ten step plan to profit, or even a set of strategies that will bring you to the evolution of some new and grand product or service. It's all in how you can adapt!
READY... SHOOT... AIM...
Let that sink in...
In the business department there are two factions, in my opinion. Those who talk, and those who do and inspire. The fist group are those who are love motivational speakers, love the feeling of "success" but despise the risk of chagrin. Then, there are those who also love success but realize that their affluence in this life is built upon the slew of mistakes to be had. Success is a wall masoned of failures.
So for today let's not think of how we can be successful, but how can bring action to out feet?
Most of us believe in our ability to imagine. We simply close our eyes and suddenly we can build anything, be anywhere, and act anyhow. So, what if we gave that same power to our hands and feet and mouth? That my friends is action... Now you are a "doer".
For a business leader it is always important to figure out your next move. With that being said, I found it really interesting how the author compared a business and leadership as a hockey player and hockey puck. It definitely gives the reader a different and more visual way to look at the situation.
DeleteIn this week's reading, as I continued to read over China's economy, I learned about the enterprise system that they have. There are two view points on who runs China's economy, either state-owned enterprises or private sectors. One story is that the state-owned enterprises are retreating and that the private sectors account for the majority of the economic activity. The other side of the story is that state-owned enterprises command a much larger portion of China's economy then the private sectors. When you first look at it both sectors cannot possible lead China's economy but the fact is both of them do. China's private sector is a large and fast growing sector in charge of most of the economic output and employment. On the other hand the majority of the largest companies in China are state owned and they dominate almost all capital-intensive sectors. The enterprise system is a way to organize state ownership and show how the private sectors have developed.
ReplyDeleteThis is interesting. I also would have thought that two sectors could not lead China's economy, however what you said makes sense. The two sectors seem to even each other out, allowing them to both lead and and create China's economy.
DeleteAs I continued reading on how to do business in China, I learned that one should look before they leap into conducting business in China. China has shown economic growth, political stability, and massive potential profits over the years. There is no doubt that individuals are interested in wanting to perform business in this country; however, it is appropriate to ask yourself a certain question "Is China right for your particular business at its specific stage of development." Just because the a country has shown so much growth over the years does not mean that over person wanting to go into business should jump on the bandwagon or hype of conducting it in a certain country. One has to be sure that their business will do well in their environment because after all not every business is able to survive. We all know that one business that has failed due to a bad location because when a business is not in the appropriate place it becomes hard for it to thrive. If one is, however, wanting to expand or begin business in China they need to make sure they do their homework. The more you know about the market you are entering the better the potential outcome can be. It is important to remember, just because the overall market is huge and growing, does not guarantee one profitability.
ReplyDeleteWe are visiting Shanghai Disney during our trip. This is the second Disney in China as there is already one in Hong Kong. The expectations for Shanghai Disney are high in contrast. With Hong Kong, Disney definitely failed to "look before leaping," as you stated. They just assumed automatic popularity without really considering cultural expectations. It is the least popular Disney in the world. They took greater care when preparing to establish Shanghai Disney; it will be interesting to visit and see if they learned from their mistakes.
DeleteIn my short readings for this week, I read about the status of women in China. Before the feudal system collapsed, they were expected to do a lot of housework. In fact, the Chinese character for "woman" from the Shang Dynasty depicts a woman on her knees with a broom in her hand. Throughout the history of China until recently, women were confined to household duties. The "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" became popular. The three obediences stated that women should obey their fathers before marriage, their husbands after, and their sons in case of the husbands death. Like many traditional ideologies, Chinese believed that men were superior and that they had the right to take as many wives and concubines as they want. Women's feet were bound tightly so they wouldn't grow, which left many of them in pain.
ReplyDeleteHowever, during a few time periods of ancient China, women emperors took over and gave them more rights. After 1911, when the feudal system collapsed, women rapidly gained rights and became students, professors, and became well-educated. Then, Chairman Mao took over China and gave women the very same jobs as men, in areas such as mining and steel manufacturing. Recently, as Communism has become less strong in China, the role of women has changed a little bit.
Women are prohibited working from a few jobs in areas that would be hazardous to the typical person's safety. While Chinese firms have the highest percentage of female executives, many people believe that women should typically focus on the family. To many Chinese women, marrying the right husband is better than a good career. The authors of the book say that the idea that women should focus on their family is unfair and should be ended, but other Chinese people that I know say that women should be focusing primarily on their families, even if they have a good job. This is a big difference in views, so it will interesting to see which one ends up becoming the mainstream view in China.
It's a stretch to say that Mao was a "good" person. However, good things did happen as a result of the CCP and Chairman Mao. You presented a great example with the advancement of women's rights.
DeleteThis is so interesting! I remember reading an article that said that Chinese women were still kind of oppressed. It said that they still have to look for the approval of their fathers and even the brothers when they are not married. But then it said that when they get married their husbands have to agree on what they do outside the house, but IN the house, they were the ones who managed the money and everything else. I wonder if this is actually true and if they are really the ones who run the house, behind doors.
DeleteThis post sparked an interest with me mainly because the entire book I am reading concerns women's role in China. One point I can completely agree with is that there is immense pressure not just by family but by mainstream society that women are to be married by a certain age. Society in China is very much attached to their government and evidence of propaganda through the Chinese media also shows a push for women to get married. This could be because of a resurgence of society trying to relegate women back into the home.
DeleteTo Delia, from my reading I have learned that the incomes in marriages are for the most part separate. While the mortgage and large bills are the responsibility of the husband but the wife uses her income for all other housing needs such as furniture, groceries, and any other things having to do with the home besides the actual mortgage. This is seen as an almost invisible investment in the home because this is where the majority of women's income go to but they don't get to benefit the way their husbands do. That might answer your questioning how much women are in charge of money in the home
Throughout my reading, the impact that state owned enterprise has had on corporate culture and management has been repeatedly brought up. State owned enterprises do not promote based on production, efficiency or leadership ability, they typically promote based on commitment to the Chinese communist party and a blemish free employment record. In addition to promotions based not on merit, but on loyalty, SoE's tend to punish employees for making mistakes - often involving loss of face for the individual at fault. This corporate culture has slowed leadership development, individual empowerment and innovation throughout the whole of Chinese corporate culture. According to Business Leadership in China, this trend is fading as China's private sector grows, but continues to pose problems to the development of quality managers.
ReplyDeleteAs I have read about SoE's and the traditional military style discipline typically found within. It makes me wonder if that is where the high value placed on "face" originates? The individuals that get promoted in Chinese culture do not make mistakes (that they can be blamed for), they appear to be perfect. When in fact they never put their hand near the fire. Face probably has a deeper cultural connection, but a culture that rewards mistakes with punishment would certainly make a good brewing pot for “face”.
This week I read about how Chinese business people like to negotiate in China rather than abroad, since this gives them a great advantage. By this, they can set the agenda and pace of negotiations and will most likely adjust if they have something to be gained. Another reason why they like to do the negotiation in their country is because it is really important for them to have the approval of someone with a high position.
ReplyDeleteWhen they do go abroad, the people they send will most often just go "window shopping" getting ideas (kind of stealing) and not really negotiating.
Another interesting thing is that when an outsider goes to China to negotiate something, he/she will be going in the dark. The Chinese do not lay out their expectations at first so the person will not really know what exactly is what they want, so it is up to them to catch them during the presentation so they will want to work with the foreign company.
Negotiating with Chine will most likely be very frustrating for any non-Chinese person, but it is definitely not impossible. All we can do is keep learning and be open to learn more.
We all feel more comfortable at home than abroad, and with the Chinese emphasis on maintaining face, it is even more uncomfortable to step into an unknown cultural business setting. Still, it seems that the logical response would be to make those of other cultures feel more comfortable to not cause them to lose face, but this is not typically the way it goes.
DeleteI enjoyed your posting. I look forward to learning more about your book and the culture of china business leaders and citizens interactions with each other.
DeleteIt makes sense to feel comfortable in your own environment, whereas some people might consider going to foreign lands as unsettling. It makes sense.
DeleteAs I continued reading the Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom, I read a lot about the early writers from China. One story that had been integrated into many of the stories we know today is, "The Story About Ping". Some of these stories I found surprising that I knew; such as the "tale of the lost duck" and "Kung Fu Panda" the movie that most of us are familiar with: where the hero's dad is a goose named Ping. This chapter also talked about the food industry, and how there are more Chinese restaurants than there are McDonald's, Burger Kings, Wendy's, Domino's and Pizza Huts combined. I thought this was really crazy, especially because I had never really noticed how prominent they really are. I am excited to continue reading and find more interesting facts about China's culture and our relationship with them.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter of my book went into detail of what it is like to make common shoes in factories in China such as Nike and Adidas. If you wear athletic shoes, it is likely that they were made in Yue Yuen factory in Dongguen. The factory control every step of the manufacturing process like initial design to making glues, molds, soles. Then they are cut, stitched and assembled into the finished product. It takes two hundred pairs of hands to make a pair of running shoes. I think it's easy for us to complain about jobs being sent out to China because it takes away jobs from American people. But I do not think we often ponder what these factory conditions are actually like, and the work these people put into making these shoes at extremely low pay.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Rebecca because it is easy to complain about jobs that are taken away by others who aren't American. Yet, many of us are not willing to do the hard work and dedication for an extremely low pay.
DeleteThis week I have been reading about Chinese millennials who have decided to go to the workforce instead of going to school. Something very interesting I found out in the reading is that both in the factory or school setting, both have the same rate of suicide attempts. Another fact about Chinese factory workers is that many come from the rural areas to provide for their families. In these factories many times the supervisors tend to take advantage of the workers, especially if they are immigrants from other countries who cannot defend themselves. In the book the author wrote a story of a worker who was undercover because they were trying to figure out the daily life in the factory. During the time being an undercover worker, what he discovered was that Chinese people in the factories were willing to work overtime or extra time even if it meant being paid a little. Another thing that was discovered is that Chinese factory workers did not only work to provide for their families in the rural areas but also to build character.
ReplyDeleteIntersting. One would think that once getting a job and being able to provide for oneself/family would lower the risk of suicide but it appears not. It's a scary thought and makes you appreciate what you have just a little more than usual.
DeleteThe last part of this chapter was about the post-Mao backlash of women's property rights. After Moa's death, the new leader of China Deng Xiaoping stopped communal agricultural ownership and started to restructure it to go through families. Because of this, property was taken out of the hands of women and put into the males in their family. This primarily affected rural women, who have not been talked about in the book so far. This new policy had changed rural property ownership so only husbands or brothers or male cousins can own property. This rolled back rights for rural women as well as limited their importance in marriages. The main point of the entire chapter, which has been the subject of my last two blog posts is that women's rights can be gained just as easily as they can be lost. It also shows that unlike in most Westernized or developing countries is that there is no linear trend towards gender equality in China.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I actually found the most interesting about this section as well as in previous chapters of the book is the importance that is placed on property ownership and how property ownership is the base for so many political and social conflicts. If you think about it, the main conflict between capitalism and communism is who should own property, the basis of classical liberalism is property ownership, and even in this case the key to women's equality in China is property ownership. I really would like to do more reading among as many topics as possible to see if there is a trend in the importance of property ownership to society.
By doing away with the old landlord system and handing the land to the peasant classes, Mao gained extreme popularity. He also decimated China's ability to produce food and created extreme famine. As a result, the land was taken back by the government to be managed more carefully, in a sense trading one landlord for another.
DeleteA man in my reading, Huang, held a position of enforcing the one child policy in Huangjuapu. The most difficult task he said was having to convince women to become sterile after having a child. He said that many women feared the procedure because of the terrible side effects, one being excessive bleeding, which were very common. Many women would try to bargain with Huang, saying that they would use barrier contraceptives instead of the sterilization.
ReplyDeleteMei Fong said that China preferred sterilization because it was a much more reliable was of lowering fertility than the other options. The alternatives allowed people a choice and gave control, making people untrustworthy. There was barrier that was created so that women would not be able to remove herself but it was still frowned upon to use such things.
Wow Mitchell that sounds awful. I did not realize that they actually forced sterilization. Or even tried to enforce something like that. Reading your post got me thinking about the implications of the one child policy. As I thought about I realized just how big of an impact that has on a population. Assuming that the policy is implemented fully in an area, there would be no aunts, no uncles, and no cousins. That is truly a different kind of society. From the surface, I do not agree with such measures. Yet there are some who would argue that it is truly a necessity. Thank you for sharing.
DeleteAs I continue to read my book, I find it interesting that most of the strategies are related to war or have some element of violence. Stratagem 5 is no exception, Loot a Burning House it tells us. Meaning when the enemy is in crisis, exploit his misfortune and attack in full force. This enables the weaker to conquer the strong.
ReplyDeleteThe story is told of Gou Jian, king of Yue, who lead his army into battle in 498 B.C. He attacked his rival Fu Chai, king of Wu, and was bitterly defeated. He was captured and enslaved for 3 years. When he was released, he went about gradually rebuilding his forces all while planning for the time when he could exact revenge. But with so few men and such a strong opponent, it seemed like he would never be able to get his revenge. However, he waited and finally an opportunity arose.The state of Wu came under a severe drought that lead to a great famine. In desperation, King Fu Chai lead his best men to meet the rulers from the surrounding states to seek aid. While he was gone, King Gou Jian attacked the week state. He won and brought down the state of Wu.
Modern applications. The primary lesson to be learned here is situational awareness. Watch for chaotic situations, and take advantage of individuals and companies in turmoil. This does not necessarily mean attacking them. Sometimes you can "loot the house" by offering a helping hand. The author tells about two experiences that illustrate this well. One was at Disney Land in Florida. It started to rain and at once the park employees began selling ponchos for 8 dollars each. They exploited the situation and made a few dollars. However, it left the author and other people angry and with a mad taste in their mouths. The other experience tells a different story, the author tells of when she was in Singapore and once again it started pouring rain unexpectedly. At once almost every store a shop was offering free umbrellas and raincoats. While the Government of Singapore may lose a small amount of money on the front end, they enhance their influence and image by this gesture which increases tourism and revenue in other ways.
And so we see that by taking advantage of unexpected situations, a company can take the lead over its competition.
I'm doubling up on posts because it appears that I never posted mine for last week. I could've sworn I had but I guess not.
ReplyDeleteThis story focuses on a family that dedicated a family to adopt their child. Indirectly. In this family's case heard talk of a family that was daughter-less. Instead of directly giving the family their daughter when she was born, they left her on the doorstep of said family. This is one of the few ways that children got abandoned by their families. The parents that the daughter was given to eventually found out who had given them the child. They kept in good contact with the birth family and once the daughter had grown and gotten married they allowed the daughter and birth mother to have full and free contact. The daughter chose not to which is understandable with the whole thought "you didn't want me so I don't want you" when hearing the story of how the two were related.
I learned that many parents when giving their children up for adoption believe in the saying "the person who raises the child is the parent" this goes to show how parents in china feel about child-parent relationships compared to other places. I don't know the general belief of adoptions, but in my experience of being adopted many people have asked me if I want to find my "real parents" rather than referring to them as what they are...which is my birth or biological parents. (I've learned to take comments like that with a grain of salt rather than a bucketload) It's interesting to see how the Chinese refer to the adoptive and biological parents.
Education and english is extremely important to china. Without english skills most business man are not promoted and children do not get into college. There are such high requirements to get into college in china because there is not enough colleges for the population. Children from lower class standing are have even less chance to get into college and parents will do anything to get their children into school and into college. One parent was quoted to have 20mins study sessions with there children and 5 mins in between of having them run up flights of stairs. Children must stay more focused in china then in other place around the world if they do not want to end up in the factories or in the fields.
ReplyDeleteImagining how hard it is to get an education for lower class people just makes me realize how privilege we are. Even if they manage to get an education if they don't learn english they won't be able to get into college is absurd.
DeleteIn my reading for the past week, it seems that our protagonist Jack has to deal with theft in his own company. While one might argue that they want to fire and take legal action against those who do such obviously wrong things to their own company, his hand is forced into submission. When we consider the living conditions in China, people can have many dependent family members on one working person. Given that no business is perfect, we cannot consider it ethically viable to fire anyone who does wrong based on this principle. I look forward to understanding this concept in first person, I want to see how people interact with each other knowing such conditions.
ReplyDeleteIn My Reading this week, my book talked about the American automotive manufacturer, General Motors. GM (General Motors) has been a huge manufacturer in China for almost as long the company has been in existence. shortly after GM started production in China, one out of every six cars on Chinese roads was a Buick (an automobile brand manufactured by GM). GM has the best reputation in China in terms of big name U.S. automobiles. Unlike Ford and jeep, GM set out to put the most recent technology in their vehicles that were exported and manufactured in China. this is what made them so appealing to the Chinese market and ultimately made them successful.
ReplyDeleteAs I continued reading my book, it talked more about guanxi and the different attitude Westerners have regarding the time and effort to build relationships as opposed to Chinese businessmen. In the U.S. especially we consider our "time is money" and believe the Chinese spend way too much time in building relationships. The Chinese also believe in time is money but from a different perspective, they have confidence in spending time on relationships will generate money and produce a favorable climate for business activities to take place. That is why Chinese businesses hold numerous banquets and expensive gifts on guests because they see it as a business investment.
ReplyDeleteAnother fascinating topic brought up in my book was good fortune in business and learning about how feng shui plays a part in business. Feng shui, is an "ancient mystical knowledge, which claims to be able to look into the future by examining the physical orientation of an environment." Often businesspeople in China will call a master of feng shui to identify the orientation and location of buildings before deciding to invest or set their place of business. Feng shui's influence has grown after the Cultural Revolution in China, "lucky numbers" have become the most popular way to determine good fortune. The numbers 6, 8, and 9 are thought of as lucky and often Chinese businessmen will try to choose these numbers when picking out which floor of a building to set up their offices. A lot of people in China will pay a high price just to get lucky telephone numbers or license plate numbers, that's how serious it is.