ABSTRACT
Chapter 13 details the nature and nuances of friendship guanxi, which carries a complexity unmatched by kinship. Friendship guanxi ranges from kin-like emotional connections to acquaintance-like relationships with little emotion invested. Among the many experiences that formed friendships, two hold special significance today in the guanxi culture: the teacher-student relationship and the geo-linear relationship because of their associations with kinship. On the other hand, the most desirable friendship guanxi is what Aristotle described as “friendship of virtue,” which is based on goodwill for each other and the mutual commitment to that friendship. But the bulk of Chinese friendships are “friendships of shared experience,” which refers to relationships formed on common experiences in memorable events, whether pleasurable or the opposite, such as surviving a natural disaster or a political persecution. With those unforgettable memories, feelings of being special to the “insiders” connect the people as friends. In a relational society like China, such unwritten guanxi rules as obligations for reciprocity could impose tremendous pressure on friends, sometimes even push them beyond the legal limit. The underbelly of such pressure has been top-listed as a compelling reason by fallen government officials for their corrupt behavior.
