This monograph describes and demonstrates the politeness strategies used by speakers of Mandarin Chinese and explains these strategies to readers whose native language is English. As a contrastive study, it explores what aspects of behavior are universal, what aspects specific to a group. As a theoretical exploration, the work is of value to scholars in pragmatics, sociolinguistics, sociology, psychology, and anthropology; it also has practical value for teachers and learners of language. Examples are taken from recorded dialogues, contemporary literature, and the Dream of the Red Chamber (18th century).