From the 1970s to the present, the study on cognitive linguistics has created a veritable boom。 So this theory got a remarkable development。 Conceptual Integration Theory, one of the most important cognitive linguistic theories, was formally put forward in the book Mappings in Thought and Language by Fauconnier and Turner。 This theory is not only closely relative to Mental Space Theory but also a supplement and development to it。 This theory depends on psychological space and consists of four abstract spaces including input space I, input space II, generic space and synthetic space。 “The operational principle is that common information and structure of two input spaces are cast into generic space, at the same time they will be reflected into the input space as well。 And then based on two input spaces, by selective match, they will be cast into the synthetic space。 Structural integration of psychological space and part structure of synthetic space produce an emergent structure together。 These four spaces connect with each other and form a conceptual integration networks。” (Zhu 96) From here we can see that Conceptual Integration Theory can explain how new thoughts and new meaning appear and show how language formulate instant meaning。 So it is full of innovative significance to analyze cultural conflict from Conceptual Integration Theory。 Depending upon this theory, we name the Datong family’s psychological space as input space I and Americans’ psychological space as input space II, We will analyze the cultural conflict from the lack of common information in input space and the differences of two input spaces。

3。 Cultural Differences Reflected in Film Gua Sha

3。1 Different attitudes toward law

The film Gua Sha is full of deep Chinese father and son attachment, conjugal affection and grandpa’s love, but there still existing a lot of differences in attitudes toward law。 First of all, confronting with law, Chinese people are full of collectivism, while American people are full of inpidualism。 In the film, Datong and American authorities all have their own attitudes toward the case, which is caused by different cultural background。 So the way people look at the world is different from each other, and they all have their own cognition。 People form different behavior models due to different values。 In Chinese society, people advocate collectivism values which mean sacrificing personal interests for collective benefits。 These values attach importance to collective and there is a close connection between inpidual and society—inpidual belonging to collective and collective interests always upon inpidual interests。 Personal interests should be given up to ensure the safety of collective interests when conflicts take place。 So, Chinese people are willing to abandon their personal interests to ensure the benefits of collective and family。 In the film, on a night, grandfather and his friend Lao Huo went to a gambling boat to widen their horizon。 But when they were on the way home, friend Lao Huo died suddenly due to heart disease。 Thus grandfather had to stay at police station to wait for Datong。 Due to the influence of collectivism, Datong thought that grandfather was the chief of a family and his safety was very important。 As his son, he had an obligation to pick up grandfather immediately。 So without considering Dennis’s safety, Datong left his son staying at home alone。 However, Americans consider children as an independent and complete person to protect and it is illegal to keep a child staying at home alone。 Hence Datong’s behavior exactly breaks American law。 In addition, there is another similar plot: to help father successfully get a green card, Datong would rather bear the pain of separating from Dennis than tell the truth。 So he took the rap for grandfather。 This collectivism characteristics belongs to input space I。 Compared with collectivism, Americans embrace inpidualism values which play an important role in American culture。 This value originated from French Enlightenment Movement including respecting personal space, emphasizing personal interests and human rights。 They think there is not too much connection between inpidual and collective, and inpidual interests is in first place so that it can’t be violated。 In legal field, the core of western private law culture is protecting personal interests and freedom, regardless of old men、children and women。 So when doctors found Dennis might suffer from family violence, they immediately informed Child Welfare Bureau。 After Child Welfare Bureau got the evidence of violence, they compulsively separated Dennis from Datong and sued him for child abuse。 From here we can see that children in American society are treated as an adult and have the right of being protected。 Moreover, no one can deprive this right。 Therefore, American law in child protection field is full of inpidualism, which belongs to input space II。 Due to differences in input space, their spatial information is different too。