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Since we can travel around the world and visit different countries, people noticed cultural differences that are here to this day. That is what makes traveling fun, to change your usual setting with something new and unexplored. 

Yang Liu a young artist from Beijing currently living in Germany illustrates the social and cultural differences between her Eastern and Western worlds in her project “Ost trifft West,” or “East Meets West,” which conveys a strong message on the differences she personally experienced.

"Ost trifft West" is a series of infographic posters that compare German and Chinese people in accurate and humorous ways. The infographics highlight important human elements such as self-perception, opinion expression, and mood.

So without further ado, we invite you to explore the differences captured by this incredibly observant artist.

More info: yangliudesign.com | amazon.com

#1

The Boss

The Boss

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If you wonder how Yang Liu gathered information, such as whether she used interviews, research, or theories, her reply is this: “The fact is that every single illustration is my very personal experience in the past 13-17 years, and this work was made as a documentation of my own life,” she said. As an artist who was raised in multiple cultures, she doesn’t feel like she belongs to any of them: “I am feeling myself more as a person who belongs to all the places I have been,” says Liu.

#2

Means Of Transportation

Means Of Transportation

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#3

Expressing Opinion

Expressing Opinion

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Sure, we are all aware of cultural differences around the world, such as social norms, family structure, religion, cuisine, and the more day-to-day ones that Liu has depicted in her illustrations. Historical, geographic, economic, and social factors are just some of the ones that form differences in the way we perceive and interact with the world around us.

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#4

Standing In A Line

Standing In A Line

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#5

Attitude Towards Punctuality

Attitude Towards Punctuality

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When moving to a new country, no matter how close or far from your home, the beginning can be quite challenging and time-consuming. In order to adapt might require some adjusting to a new culture and adopting its values, beliefs, customs, and behaviors. Building new relationships and keeping an open mind is the right way to start.

#6

Dealing With Problems

Dealing With Problems

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#7

Expressing Feelings

Expressing Feelings

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In Liu’s illustrations’ on one side, we might recognize ourselves more than on the other one, and it might raise questions: what else is different? How does that affect our mental health? Could I maybe learn new things and include them in my life to make it easier? 

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What do you, Pandas, think when seeing Liu’s depiction? Share your thoughts in the comments.

#8

Traveling

Traveling

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#9

What’s Trending

What’s Trending

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#10

Noise Level At The Restaurant

Noise Level At The Restaurant

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#11

Everyday Life Of Elderly

Everyday Life Of Elderly

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#12

Mood And Weather

Mood And Weather

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#13

Self Perception

Self Perception

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#14

Cultural Perceptions: Germans vs. Chinese

Cultural Perceptions: Germans vs. Chinese

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#15

At A Party

At A Party

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#16

Children In The Family

Children In The Family

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#17

Three Meals A Day

Three Meals A Day

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#18

Contacts And Connections

Contacts And Connections

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#19

Cure For Stomach Ache

Cure For Stomach Ache

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#20

Sundays On The Streets

Sundays On The Streets

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#21

Lifestyle: Independent vs. Dependent

Lifestyle: Independent vs. Dependent

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#22

Ideal Of Beauty

Ideal Of Beauty

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Add photo comments
POST
Ian Reynolds
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is this to do with skin colour or tone? Germans prefer darker skin and Chinese prefer lighter skin tones? If it is not, I don’t get it.

Elmo_from_hell
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is. Asian beauty ideals (including Korea, Japan etc ) say that lighter, whiter skin tones are more beautiful (though it is, albeit slowly, starting to change)

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Lu
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In Asia if you have darker skin (even if genetically) it’s implied that you’re a manual laborer like a farmer who works outside. So that’s looked down before, nowadays I don’t think it’s a think but young women will avoid direct sunlight and you will rarely find people sunbathing like us westerners.

Sue Mullen Andersen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Am I the only one that sees an angry face with the bikinis? Time for me to visit the psychologist for this LOL

Lavern Defazio
Community Member
11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That was the 1st thing I saw and i thought i was just cranky but it turns out im cranky AND bitter.

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D Gibson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In China a dark tan suggests the person does field labor for a living. The dark tan in Germany suggests the person has lots of money and goes on lots of holidays in sun spots around the world.

Ron Pyke
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At Great Wall, Chinese teen boys asked to pose with my blond wife, 3 times their age.

C Pryce
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's about tanning. Tanned skin used to be a sign of working class labour (in the sun) in the 19th century: only rich ppl could keep their skin pale. Then when foreign holidays became popular with air travel in the C.20th, a tan became a sign of wealth. Unfortunately,in many countries where darker skin is the norm , young women risk all sorts of damage to lighten their skin.

censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same in Africa. White people tan themselves to look brown, and African people use skin lighteners on themselves to look whiter. Sad how we can't accept ourselves as we are, and how we as Africans idealise whiteness. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-02-15-beyond-the-pale-the-noxious-history-of-skin-lightening-creams-in-south-africa-still-haunts-us/

Fiphi
Community Member
10 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so racist. People of the same culture doesn't mean they have the same perceptions of beauty.

Margaret Weaver
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reverse racism is still racism. The correct analogy would have both puppets the same colour, but the Chinese one in a one-piece bathingsuit.

Reese Beyer
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in Chin light, Shiny skin apparently makes you better. and in Germany most Germans love dark skin and tans.

Ann M Clinkscales
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right! The Chinese who are pale are viewed as higher class because they don't have to work in the fields, or outside. In most of the US and European countries, we view vacations and suntans for people who can afford lavish trips and beach vacations. I worked in China for a year and would go help families working outside to show my appreciation for them taking me in and showing me around! The families would get me sunscreen, using their hard earned money on me! They would spend their money on me versus on their family to try to keep me looking like upper class! It took me a while to figure out why they did that! They were very special and kind people!!

Annora Viola
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree with the Germans. Light bikini reflects back the sunlight so that the heat isn't absorbed 👏

wendy schutze
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In China and other Asian countries women like to keep their skin pale and pearly. No tan!

James Bishop
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmmmm. Everyone saying this has to do with tans....I think this could mean Germans wear clothing and expect that others recognize their outer appearance over their true selves. Chinese wear clothing as a necessity, their true beauty is underneath. The facade is not as important? Lol it's a stretch

Jacob Stone
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's not the skin color, it's just the contrast of the colors. it means that it is the same beauty standards

Brie Sansotta
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The only way I think that the Germans would prefer a darker skin tone was if that skin is usually fair - but now tanned due to a Suncation!

Pam Wollum
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tanned skin is beautiful vs. keeping skin creamy white out of the sun is beautiful.

Pam Wollum
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tan is beautiful vs. keeping skin creamy white out of the sun is beautiful

Galina Nolan
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's about beauty perception. Europeans like tanned skin, Asians like it fair. It's reflected in the cosmetics industry. Products to bleach your skin are still quite popular in Asia (not only China). For Asians used to show social status- if dark, you're a field worker.

태준 이
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think, the black part is what people focus on as beuty. Western focuses on people it self. Eastern focuses on how people look like.

Punkzaine
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hmm. My take: beauty in the west is more focused on materialistic things you put on your body, where in the east, beauty is your actual body and less about the materials you have on it. *Shrug*

meowi.anne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a dark skinned African woman, I have been warned that if i travel to Asian or middle eastern countries i will experience significant racism 😞😞

Littlemountain Birdy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this refers to the fact that westerners like to get tans. Like as in at the beach. Tanning salons. In the east they definitely do not, at least amongst the higher class.

Maggie Hood
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I thought this was about whether people like bodies or the clothes better lol

Bike Angel
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it means that Germans prefer fuller bodies (while the Chinese prefer slimmer, lithe bodies). The former tend to go for less "skimpy" bikini bottoms, while the Chinese prefer more "thong-like" ones?

Killing_Time_At_Work
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment has been deleted.

Autistic McWolferson the Forth
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Chinese ppl will literally have an umbrella out on a cloudy day while in the shade of a tree: reason as explained to me by a Chinese person: "because darker skin means peasantry and lower class" it's literally about racism. Don't believe me? Read a Chinese newspaper and look for the comics section. They... Hate... Dark... Skinned... People. Don't know why. They just do. And I mean haaaate...

HelluvaHedgehogAlien
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude, that’s a pretty messed up perception and stereotype of EVERY single Chinese person.

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#23

Shower Time

Shower Time

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#24

Novelties

Novelties

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