Abstract: With the deepening of the globalization, China and America，which played an important role in the world，also have strengthened the mutual dependence between them. However, due to the cultural differences, people in different cultural backgrounds often have conflicts with each other in the cross-cultural communication and cooperation. Therefore, the article first discusses the importance of learning about cultural differences and similarities, and then compare some parts of sino-us cultural differences. At last it shows that understanding cultural differences of China and America will not only help deepen the understanding between east and west culture, but also help to cultural exchange between east and west.Key Words: China and America, family education, political system,tourist ideology1. Culture and Cross-cultural CommunicationCulture refers to a state or nation's history, geography, local conditions and customs, lifestyle, way of thinking, values, etc. It is a kind of social phenomenon, which is formed in the long time of people's creation. Meanwhile, it is also a kind of historical phenomenon,social and historical sediment. Culture deeply roots in the basic needs of human survival and development. Any nation requires for survival and development, this is all the nations' common point, which become the basis of cross-cultural communication. Cross-cultural communication, that is, people in different cultural backgrounds participate in the activities of communication. Due to various reasons, the development of all ethnic groups cannot be at the same level. There are always cultural differences existing among various nations, which make cross-cultural communication have the possibility and necessity. Thus, the initial motivation of cross-cultural communication is cultural differences. Without such differences, cross-cultural communication has lost its meaning, it is impossible to exist.2. The importance of learning about cultural differences and similaritiesWith the economic globalization process accelerating and extending, different cultural forms interpenetrated and mingled mutually. If a country wants to maintain cultural independence and enhance culture competitive power, it must fully understand the culture of different countries, discard the dross and select the essence, on this basis of which the country can develop their culture better. At the same time, understanding different countries culture is not only a kind of respect for others, but also can alleviate the cultural conflicts in cross-cultural communication and make us tackle a series of problems easier brought by cultural differences.3. Cultural differences between China and AmericaChinese culture is a typical representative of Oriental culture. America is a fusion of western culture. In recent years, the two countries get closer in the cultural exchanges. Comparing the two typical representative countries can give us a more comprehensive understanding of American culture, and re-examine the accumulation of Chinese culturethrough five thousand years. Next the article will compared the cultural differences between China and America from three aspects:family education，political system and tourist ideology.3.1Family EducationThis part includes the methods and results of the family education. Firstly, in America, parents tend to give children more encouragement and less protection. They pay attention to children's personality development and educate them to be independent. However, Chinese parents emphasize the authority of themselves and prefer to make decisions for children. They not only give children unlimited love and overprotection but also always compare their children with others. As a result, most American children have an innovative spirit of breaking new ground. They are independent so that they can easily adapt to the market economic and social environment. On the contrary, Chinese children have a strong ability of passing exams because of their earnest and strict. But they lack of independence and have poor interpersonal skills to adapt to society.The different historical background, social conditions and economic form contributed to the differences in family education between china and western countries.America is an emigrant country with a short history. It is affected by multi-culture and multi-value, in view of this, it can accept new thoughts and culture more quickly without restriction. Compared with Chinese people, they possess more adventure and creation sprits. However, China has a long history, at the same time, it reserves more old culture, especially is affected by feudal farmers’ idea for a long period. Its culture value is conservative and cautious. Thus, Chinese people are educated to be obedient, lacking of environment to accept new ideas on the whole.As for social conditions, there are so few opportunities to find a job in China because of a large population. Getting high marks has become a necessary condition to have a good job and future. The condition of economy in America is better than that in China, so there are more employment opportunities in America. So far, social security and old-age have not been perfect in China. Many Chinese parents take their childrenas their private possession in order to receive the return of their children. For this reason, their children’s high scores have become their origin of pride. But in America, there is a prosperous development of economy and sane social security system,so American parents don’t count on their children’s support. They educate their children to be an independent, conscientious and kindhearted person as their duties.Although there are many differences in family education between china and western countries, with the extensive intercultural communication, the concept and the way of family education is gradually complementing. Therefore, we should not only admit and accept the western good points, but also succeed and develop our benefits. Anyhow, the essence of education is consistent and we can find a balance between the two differences.3.2Political SystemThe political system usually refers to state system, regime, political party system, the form of national structure and election system. Here we will mainly compare the differences of the form of national structure between China and America.The form of China’s national structure is unitary system. There is only one constitution, one highest organ of state power and one Central People's Government in China. The provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and special administrative regions are the inseparable part of the People’s Republic of China. They exercise their powers under the unified leadership of the central regime. But in America, federalism is the form of the national structure. The federation has the highest legislative, executive and judicial authority. It also has unified constitution and laws. It is the main body of international communication. The states have their own constitution, laws and government agencies. If the states’constitution and the law have conflicts with the federal laws, the states should obey to federal constitution and laws.Meanwhile, the power owned by the federal government was just limited to the constitution. The power which the constitution didn’t grant to the central or prohibit the use of the states was reserved by the states or people. In the early days of founding the state, the power of the federal government was very limited,states’ independenc e and freedom were bigger. Each state had a tendency of local protectionism in the economy. In this case, the Supreme Court always took a stand of liberal interpretation on federal power clause in order to maintain the federal system. It also maintained the unity of the market and equal competition through the judicial review.A country's level of economic development, national condition, national geographic environment, historical tradition, the international environment, culture and other factors, will affect the structure of a country. We can't tell unitary and federalism which is superior and which isn't. The choices of the two countries are both in line with their histories and characteristics of national culture.3.3 Tourist IdeologyIn America, once people have enough money on hand, they will go out for travel or vacation without hesitation. Many people think that travel and holiday are the most important part of life. As for work, it is just the preparation for holiday. In China, because of the influence of the economy and traditional ideas, people generally believe that tourism consumption is a luxury beyond life. If they spend a long time to enjoy but not to work, they will have very strong feelings of guilt. Americans eager to different selves so that they don't confound public affairs with private ones. Holiday is irrelevant to work completely. In China, tourism is an extension of the work. People go out with a mobile phone and keep in touch with unit at any time. Chinese tourists also like to visit a lot of scenic spots, the more the better. The tourism concept quantity over quality leads people to think to travel to the same places every year is a very silly thing. However,the Americans pay more attention to spiritual harvest, they can even choose to go to the same town each year, live in the same hotel and rent the same beach chair.4. ConclusionThat is the whole content I want to share with you about the cultural differences between China and America. In fact, I really benefit a lot from taking the course “Cultural comparison between China and America”. First of all, Ms.Peng's teaching style is humorous. She left a deep impression to everyone with relaxing and free learningenvironment as well as vivid and novel way of teaching. She often give us the opportunities to do presentation, this not only make us understand this part of the content more profound, but also exercise our ability to explain subtly. Secondly, this course brought us more than the cultural differences between China and America, but let us see their unique charm displayed in the Chinese and American culture.。