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, “All men are created equal.” Egalitarianism is highly visible in the often quoted United States Declaration of Independence line, “All men are created equal.” 4. Hierarchy and Chinese Culture In hierarchy society, seniors are not allowed to call on their names by juniors, whether in family or any other social activities, and the school is no exception. Students in China do not address their instructor in a colloquial, friendly manner. They will always refer by last name + Laoshi. It is possible that a student and teacher could develop a close enough relationship outside of class to allow for use of first names. Even if that were the case, proper titles would always be used inside of class. Call on the teacher’s name, first name or full name or family name without LAOSHI by a student is quite disrespectful to a teacher. In fact, it is far more likely that the teacher will always be addressed in the formal way, even long after the student graduates. Formality in these instances is not about proper semantics, but a constant reinforcement of the Chinese hierarchical value system. It is a genuine affirmation of the fact that the teacher is in an elevated position, and should be given due respect at all times for his/her experience and knowledge. This has a profound impact on the way that classes are taught in China. The Chinese model holds that teachers and books contain the knowledge, which should ideally be memorized by the students. Because of this, class participation in China is a fairly one person, one-way street. “I remember when I went to China to teach, the Chinese students were very shy. They sat at desks quietly reading their books or reviewing their notebooks. They didn’t even raise their heads to make eye contact with me because teachers are viewed as someone who is superior to students. There’s social hierarchy in class. Parent teaches their children not to rebel, not to talk back to the teacher, and not to answer questions when it is not their turn to speak.” says an informant who teaches English in China for two years when interviewed. “I know how to answer the teachers’ questions and I have a good command of teacher’s interpretation and explanation, but I never raise my hand to answer questions except when the teacher calls on me to answer the question to set an example to the whole classroom.” An ESL graduate student in St Cloud State University, who was a top student in China, says to the author. Students who ask questions put themselves in harm’s way on several counts. In the first place, asking a question Comparison of draws attention to the questioner. Chinese culture tends to frown on those who draw attention to themselves, and instead pride the idea of fitting into the group. Secondly, asking a question tends to point out the questioner doesn’t know the answer. A good student studies well, pays attention, and knows the answer. Thirdly, asking a question stops the teacher from lecturing the entire class, and forces the teacher to spend time on that single student. This is a “selfish” act, and constitutes a loss of face. Because of this, class participation in China is at a minimum. “Respect for seniors is emphasized rather than challenging outdated knowledge endorsed by seniors.” (ibid) Class time is devoted almost exclusively to incorporating as much material as possible to memory. Because of this, Chinese teachers spend a great deal of time talking, so much so, often teachers l