(I) Tact Maxim (in impositives and commissives) Minimize cost to other, maximize benefit to other (II) Generosity Maxim (in impositives and commissives) Minimize benefit to self, maximize cost to self  (III) Approbation Maxim (in expressives and assertives) Minimize dispraise of other, maximize praise of other (IV) Modesty Maxim (in expressives and assertives) Minimize praise of self, maximize dispraise of self (V) Agreement Maxim (in assertives)  Minimize disagreement between self and other, Maximize agreement between self and other (VI) Sympathy Maxim (in assertives) Minimize antipathy between self and other, Maximize sympathy between self and other [2]  The most approximate Chinese equivalent to the English word “politeness” is “limao”, which is derived from the old Chinese word “li”. The serious studies of politeness (limao) in China began in the early 1980s. Among the Chinese scholars who have contributed significantly to the study of politeness, the most important one is Professor Gu Yueguo of Beijing Foreign Studies University. Through a thorough study and comparison between ancient and modern politeness, Gu holds that there are basically four essential notions underlying the Chinese conception of “limao”: respectfulness, modesty, attitudinal warmth, and refinement. In his theory, Prof.Gu has traced the origin of the notion of politeness in Chinese culture, and also formulated a different set of politeness maxims, which he thinks are more suitable to the Chinese environment. There are the Self-denigration Maxim, the Address Maxim, the Tact Maxim, the Agreement Maxim and the Generosity Maxim.  Among them, the Self-denigration Maxim is the significant characteristic of Chinese politeness and indicated greatly in polite language.
While admitting the universal nature of politeness, we should at the same time be aware that the ways to realize politeness and the standard for its judgment vary cross-culturally. Such differences arise from the different origins of the notion of politeness and the cultural value orientations, which have been gradually formed in the course of history under the influence of various factors.

II. A General Survey of Politeness

2.1 Definitions of Politeness
Polite is a quite crucial issue in the study of pragmatics and sociolinguistics, and it is also a universal phenomenon in human society. However, what is politeness? About this question, different linguists and scholars have different definitions about politeness. Watts regards politeness as “a form of social behavior; a skill to be used to achieve special aims; principal aim is the enhancement of ego’s self-esteem and his/her public status in the eyes of others with supplementary aim of enhancing others’ self-esteem”(92). Lakoff thinks that politeness is often used as a kind of equipment to lower the rub and conflict in interpersonal communication(79). Leech describes politeness as manners of behavior in order to found and maintain courtliness, i.e., the capability of participator in a social interpersonal communication to engage in a comparative harmonious aura(104).
     In China, the notion of politeness can date back to the thought of Li (礼) in Zhou Dynasty. And the old Chinese philosopher and thinker Confucius(B.C. 551-479) put forward the notion of Li. During the West Han Dynasty, people think of the conception of Li (礼) as “humble themselves but show respect to others”. And recent Chinese people believe that Limao(礼貌) stems from this conception of Li(礼). The idea of Li host by Confucius was understood as social decency, which is about one’s social position, by means of belittling oneself and respecting others. It has ever since turned into an fundamental trait of the Chinese idea of politeness and has maintained at the kernel of politeness in the culture of China. (He 95). Professor Gu Yueguo is from Beijing International Studies University and he put forwards that there are four conceptions underlying the Chinese notion of Limao on the whole: esteem, humility, attitudinal enthusiasm and elegance(225). These are an important part of Chinese people’s concept of being polite. 中西文化中礼貌用语比较研究(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_39225.html