China Connect 10

Cultural Insights

Mit Dr. FANG Man.
How deeply does culture shape the way we think, communicate, and collaborate? In this episode of ChinaConnect – Your Guide for Research and Transfer, we explore cultural perspectives from China and Germany with our guest Dr. FANG Man, Affiliate Scholar at the Research Institute for Sustainability (Helmholtz Centre Potsdam) and founder of the Mindful-Transculture Community. Trained as a psychologist and psychotherapist in both China and Germany, she draws on academic, therapeutic, and intercultural experience to reflect on how cultural frameworks influence everyday interactions, professional contexts, and international cooperation.
The conversation sheds light on differences in communication styles, language structures, and social norms—ranging from the role of silence, humility, and independence to the importance of guanxi and informal relationship-building in China. Dr. FANG Man also discusses how philosophical traditions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism continue to shape society today, and what community-oriented versus individual-oriented cultures can contribute to tackling global challenges like climate change.