People often take Zunzhong (尊重) as the Chinese translation of "Respect". They are different concepts. Zunzhong carries a notion of submission; in English, respecting someone does not necessarily imply submission.
People often take Zunzhong (尊重) as the Chinese translation of "Respect". In fact, Zunzhong means more than respect. The Chinese character Zun (尊) means defer or subordination. The phrase Zunzhong (尊重) means submission with respect -- respecting someone for being superior to oneself. For example: Zunzhong Shangsi (尊重上司) means deferring to one's superior. Zunzhong Fumu (尊重父母) means deferring to one's parents.
In English, respecting someone does not necessarily mean submission to someone's superiorty. Parents may respect their children. The word 'Respect' has no Chinese equivalence. The closest term is Huxiang Zunzhong (互相尊重), which means mutual respect. However, the English word 'Respect' doesn’t necessarily imply mutual respect. One may respect someone independent of reciprocal attitudes. For example, after knocking out Boxer B, Boxer A may express respect for B. But, being unconscious, B cannot express any respect for A.
If A Zunzhong B, that means B does not have to Zunzhong A. If A Zunzhong B and B Zunzhong C, then A must Zunzhong C. These properties do not apply to the concept of 'respect'. When A respects B, B may still respect A. When A respects B and B respects C, A may not respect C.
The language that one uses affects one's behaviour. The concept of Zunzhong could have cultural impacts: Once you start to Zunzhong someone, that someone may take on a superiority status. You empower that person to dominate you. Very often, that someone will stop Zunzhong you. This is because Zunzhong is directional.
Under confucius values, one's position in an organiaation entitles one to dominate others. Being older also entitles one to dominate the other. When A Zunzhong B, B is entitled to patronise A. In the Chinese culture, patronising is not necessarily perceived as being negative, as it is in the Western culcure. Incidentally, the word 'patronising' does not have an obvious Chinese translation either.
The Confucius defines the hierarchy of who should Zunzhong who: officers should Zunzhong their rulers; children should Zunzhong their father. If everyone in the society accept this hierarchy, there will be less conflict within the society. This is why the Confucius teaching appeals to rulers.
[End]
