II. An Introduction to Face Theory 

2.1 The Origin of Face Theory

     One of the most influential writers on face theory has pointed out politeness theory, including face theory, is universal, but politeness is restricted by different cultures. Therefore, it is necessary for us to understand the cultural differences between “Chinese face” and “English face”. (He 239)  The western culture originated from the ancient Greek culture around twentieth Century B. C., and an important feature of the latter is the spirit of freedom and democracy. This makes the western culture 源Z自+751=文-论(文+网[www.751com.cn be endowed with freedom and democracy at the beginning. When capitalist relations of production broke through the feudal shackles after the middle ages, a large number of people with humanism in the emerging bourgeoisie emerged. They promoted humanity and human rights to an unprecedented height. Later, this kind of humanism thought gradually occupied the leading position in western culture. It emphasizes inpidual rights and values, and forms a kind of “inpidualism” value concept, which is based on “personal freedom”. The “negative face” in the western “face” theory is formed in this kind of cultural atmosphere. Chinese culture originated from the Confucian culture more than two thousand years ago, the essence of which is “harmony between man and nature” and “love”. In this theoretical system, the inpidual is regarded as a member of society and the whole human beings, which should be based on their own social roles to assume the responsibility of the community and the formation of the quality of adaptation. (Hudson 38)Therefore, Chinese culture has a long history of stressing the whole society, emphasizing the inpidual obedience to the whole. Confucius, a representative of the Confucian culture, advocates the “kindness” of the heart. Confucius’s thoughts of “benevolence” and hierarchy are different, people with high social status are closely linked. In this hierarchy, the relationship between people is a vertical, which emphasizes the inpidual should regulate their own words and deeds strictly according to their position in the hierarchy and be subject to their own community or society to the largest extent in order to achieve the social ethical standard. In this context, “ Chinese face” is not the same with the “face” of the West.