This means that a smile disarms hostility. If someone is pleasant and polite, even an angry person will find it hard to attack them.
Chinese culture places great emphasis on face and emotional restraint. A smile in a tense situation is a social strategy to de-escalate conflict.
It reflects the Confucian value of harmony and the practical wisdom that emotional display can be a tool. Smiling is not just happiness—it's a shield.
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