Untangling the Meaning of 'Civilization'

The Putonghua translation of the word civilization, wenming, has a broad meaning. To most ordinary people it refers to being polite or well-mannered. Media campaigns to promote public etiquette, with slogans such as "no spitting," "don't throw garbage" and "do not make noise," have latched on to this idea.

Academics, however, define a civilization in terms of the diversity of ethnic groups, religions, social formations, history, production methods or lifestyles in a place.