Beware the dangers of sticking your head above the parapet
In terms of how to conduct oneself in public, Chinese people traditionally practice modesty and humility. In other words, don’t push your way into the spotlight or any conspicuous position.
Two oft-quoted idiomatic sayings back up this advice.
The first one is qiangda chutouniao, or “the shot hits the bird that pokes its head out.” It means that a person who stands out is liable to be criticized or attacked.
枪打出头鸟
qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo
It is somewhat like the Japanese proverb “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down,” or the “tall poppy syndrome” in Australia and New Zealand, which warns that people who fancy themselves more important than others will get chopped down by criticism.
In English, people may say “don’t stick your neck out” lest you risk doing something that others may not like.
The other Chinese idiom is shuda zhaofeng fenghanshu, or “a tall tree catches more wind, which shakes the tree itself.” The implication is that the taller the tree, the more likely it is to be blown down.
树大招风风撼树
shù dà zhāo fēng fēng hàn shù
When this Chinese idiom is quoted in the 16th century Chinese classic novel “Journey to the West,” it is followed by a sentence saying “people who crave fame might be ruined by it.”
One may see the similarity between this Chinese idiom and the Dutch saying “the wheat that’s growing above the mowing line gets cut down.”
Thus, most Chinese people believe that the best way to succeed in life is to go with the flow and fit in with the crowd so that others won’t dislike you. In other words, don’t get above yourself.
