"It's much easier for a Westerner to say 'sorry' than compared with a Chinese," claims Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociology professor at People's University in China. "As a society, China lacks the spirit of apologizing."

This difficulty with apologies has given rise to the Tianjin Apology and Gift Center. It is a company whose task is to deliver apologies and attempt to facilitate reconciliation. The company's motto is "We Say Sorry for You."

Chinese scholars say the Judeo-Christian tradition in the West is very different from Chinese history. An apology in China involves a formal procedure and is a very stressful process for all concerned. "I'm not sure how long it will last," says Professor Zhou. "In our increasingly commercialized society, people have the idea that you can pay money to others to do your work for you, and that includes apologizing. But if you are sincere, you should go and apologize by yourself."