there is a chinese saying,face is to man what bark is to trees.the concept of "face" is one associated with reputation and prestige,in short with a person's "positive public image."it can be subdivided into mianzi and lian,both of which are paramount within social relations and social hierarchy.mianzi is associated with prestige and status,in terms of education,wealth and social position:it is society's positive assessment of a person.lian,on the other hand,pertains to a moral integrity and social conduct and constitutes the respect a person commands as commendation of their decency and sense of honor,regardless of social position.maintenance of"face"is vital within chinese social relations as it is a measure of power and influence.whether in a well-to-do urban environment or a small village.loss of lian means loss of trust within a social network,while loss of mianzi loses a person their authority and status.for example,gossiping about someone who has stolen from a cash register would cause a loss of lian(to the gossiper that is).repeatedly interrupting one's boss while he is.trying to speak would cause him or her to lose mianzi but not lian.loss of mianzi does not necessarily bring with it a loss of lian,but it is almost impossible to keep mianzi once lian is lost.
