We conducted three studies to explore how trust is perceived, displayed or changed by participants in China, which as a country has undergone substantial cultural and historical transition. Traditionality showed a significant positive correlation with identification-based trust (IBT) and modernity was significantly associated with calculus-based trust (CBT; Study 1). Compared to those primed with modern Chinese culture stimuli, participants primed with traditional icons exhibited a higher level of IBT and a lower level of CBT (Study 2). The study further demonstrated more trust behaviour based on identification with traditional culture priming and more trust behaviour based on calculus when primed with modern culture (Study 3). In sum, the present findings suggest that, along with substantial social changes and economic development, people exhibit their trust differently depending on cultural context, shedding light on the trust crisis in contemporary China.