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Q: How important is it to lie in China?
White lies and lies of omission are needed everywhere (as demonstrated in the movie 'The Invention of Lying'), but how important is lying in China? For business meetings, in relationships, for work, etc...
is it a bigger deal here?
It might be necessary.
My Canadian boss lies to me too. Guess he learned that in China. And he is good at it. Good for him. 
It ain't lying in China, it's seeing into the future. Kind of an amazing ability actually.
Lying is part of human nature and there are different forms and uses of lies throughout the human plane. One of the original reasons I came here to study-translate an old Chinese book called "the nature of lying". It is a book that helps a doctor to diagnose disease by relating the type of lie that is being used in excess to an organ system of the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, there are seven types of lies, each having a purpose for which it is proper to use (of course in moderation).
Here in modern China use of a lie is different than that old China. I have noticed the biggest use of telling lies here is primarily due to lack of courage. Usually it happens when you are asking for something or what them to do something, they lie rather than say no or impossible.
