ABSTRACT
The Confucian concept of naming helps us uncover patterns in Chinese Web design, especially in displays of verbal information. This chapter examines the influence of the practice of “naming the known” on Chinese Web design by focusing in particular on the Web site of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It discusses the significance—and the rhetorical purpose—of naming the known in Chinese professional communication. Chinese professional communicators, including Web designers, use correct names to avoid ambiguity in communication processes. The traditional practice of naming things may enable us to perceive previously unnoticed patterns in the visual displays used to present information on a Chinese Web site. The US Department of State Web site seems more task oriented than its Chinese counterpart. The link “Travel and Business” on the splash page of the US site takes users to a “Visas” page. In naming the constituents of the visa application procedure, Chinese Web designers seem to engage in selection of content information.
