随礼:中国人际关系网络的平衡性

Offering Presents by Following Others:On the Balance of Inter-personal-relationship in China

随礼行为在中国是一个普遍的现象,它通常发生在婚丧嫁娶事件中。婚姻的缔结在中国能够体现出缔结婚姻双方的人际关系网络,在其人际关系网络中,随礼又可以作为关系远近的一个重要标志。无论关系远近,相同类型的交往者会表现出力求彼此之间的关系平衡稳定,而关系越近的交往者表现的行为越复杂。这种平衡性关系的维系是中国人稳定人际关系网络的一个重要基础。

That people offer presents by following others is a popular phenomenon in China, which often occurs in China, especially in weddings and funerals. In China, weddings can reflect the.inter- personal, relationship network between the two families. In the network, offering presents by following others can be regarded as another symbol illustrating whether the relation- ship between the host and theguest is close or not. No matter how the relationship is, people of the same type will always seek the balance of their relationships. While the closer the relationship is, the more complicated people＇ s behaviors will be. Maintaining balance of relationships is an important basis for people to make stable their inter- personal - relationship.