| 7 August 2005 | 2005 8 7
|
| 7 August 2005 | 200587
|
Li Qun, the party secretary of Linyi City in Shandong, has had training in the US. Recently, he had the opportunity to serve for six months as assistant to the major of New Haven, John Destefano. He was able to see with his own eyes how an American carries out the job of city mayor. After returning to China, Li Qun wrote a book called "I Was a Mayor's Assistant in America", in which he describes the following eye-opening story.
Li Qun said, one day he checked the news and learnt that Vice President Gore had arrived in New Haven the previous day. But the major had taken no notice of Gore, and was attending to his own work, no different from usual. Li Qun asked the major, "Gore has come, why haven't you gone to see him?" He never expected the major to ask him in return, "Why should I go to see him?" Li Qun writes in his book, later he came to realise, even if the president himself had come, the major still wouldn't have gone to see him.
Perhaps you want to ask: could it be that this American mayor thought too much of himself, or that his status was actually no lower than a vice president? Of course not. It's because in the view of an American major, if higher level officials visit the city without making any arrangements in advance, then the city officials do not need to go and meet then on arrival, and certainly have no need to entertain them. The view of this American major is: the vice president of America has come to my city as part of his job, and I need not inquire too deeply into what he does or who he calls upon for discussion...
China has a saying: "No one will criticise you for too much courtesy". In the case of Chinese officialdom, not only will no one criticise you, but moreover this saying reflects a common reality. Furthermore, apart from people's natural tendencies, "too much courtesy" also has a deeper reason: it is an important way to win the approval and attention of one's superiors. For higher level leaders to pay a visit to a locality and inspect the work there is an important matter of the highest order for that locality. If you hear about it a month in advance, you will prepare early, spare no effort, mobilise your staff at every level, and go all-out. You will entertain the guests well, serve them well, and be sure not to make any slip-ups. If you can make a good impression, then a great deal of benefit will come to you. In Chinese officialdom, those who respond to flattery still form the majority (of course there are also those who do not). "No one will criticise you for too much courtesy", and the giver and receiver speak nothing of it but understand each other perfectly. Both are pleased, and of the benefits we need say nothing more.
— from a post on an internet forum by feiwan
An Australian friend once asked me if I ever complain about chinese culture to chinese people. I wonder, did she really think I could be that foolish? For the moment, let us leave aside the fact that love for one's country is overtly encouraged and celebrated in China (song books often have a whole chapter devoted to patriotic songs) and that the education system instills in children a sense of duty towards their motherland (one of my friends remembers their teacher telling them to study hard so that they could help make China stronger). I challenge you to go to any country and start making complaints. I think you'll find that most people tend to become defensive when they hear criticism from those they perceive as outsiders.
Of course, the reality is that China is not perfect, and even the Party admits to certain problems with the economy, the environment, population control, and so on. The sentence that one hears used again and again to explain (or excuse) these defects is "China is a developing country". But what about chinese culture itself, the values and traditions that evolved during the 5000 years of history that is a source of national pride? Does the blindfold of ethnocentrism (once again, a phenomenon that that can be found in any country in the world) prevent chinese from questioning their own culture and society?
No, it doesn't. In this article, I would like to record a few of the criticisms that I have heard expressed by ordinary chinese people. Some I have heard numerous times, others only once. Some I agree with, others I don't. Some perceived problems may be solved during the coming decades, while others may never be. But they are all evidence that loving one's country does not mean ignoring its faults.
When I was working in Dalian, I often heard students complain about the traditional chinese style of education, in which students are seen as passive receptors of knowledge and rote learning plays a large part. This style of education has been likened to the way that ducks are force-fed to fatten them for roasting. Admittedly, I suspect that what some students meant by this complaint was simply that their classes were boring, but at english corners I have heard people speak passionately about the importance of developing critical thinking skills, and learning more than just how to pass exams. Many seemed to believe that university education in western countries was a paradigm of stimulating student-centered learning, and I had to inform them that the "chalk and talk" method is far from rare in my country either.
A person I know commented on the loss of regional customs and traditions, such as wedding customs. I also once spoke with a young Tibetan guy who bemoaned the slow loss of Tibetan culture and language, admitting that many foreigners who study Tibetan can speak it more fluently than he can. When talking to a Tu acquaintance about the oppression of minority ethnic groups in Afghanistan, he said "Oh, like how the Han treat minority nationalities in China".
|
| Tibetan women welcome guests in the traditional manner, with a hada scarf and alcohol. The wording on the bus reads "China International Travel Service". (I saw this painting at an exhibition in Xining last year, but unfortunately I forgot to note down the artist's name). |
When I was running around with Zhuoya, trying to get my visa extended, she said "It wouldn't be this difficult in your country, would it!" In China, some things are next to impossible unless you have the right connections. She assured me that ordinary chinese do not like how bureaucracy works here, but they can't do anything to change it. Government corruption is, in fact, a nationally recognised problem in China, and some people have suggested to me that western countries are free from such corruption. I had to explain that, although it is much less common in Australia than in China, it nevertheless still occurs. (Similarly, one time I was forced to admit that some Australians cheat on their taxes too).
I have a friend who studied law at university but does not want to work as a lawyer or judge because of corruption in the legal system. She explained that in western countries nobody is above the law, while in China this may be true in theory but is unfortunately not true in practice. I also heard a taxi driver once complain that here the police can fine drivers arbitrarily (I'm not sure whether this is actually true or a taxi driver's exaggeration). He said it wouldn't happen in my country, because there "people are equal".
A government official once complained to me that there are too many meetings in China that are only held for the sake of appearances, and do not actually accomplish anything. He also said that a lot of paperwork that people have to do is just as pointless, but their superiors insist that it be completed. The same person also commented on the amount of useless talk in China, such as greetings, and the way that people who have something they want to say to you might sometimes make polite small talk for a long time before they finally get to the point. Another person complained that when you go to meet a person who you know, you inevitably have to have a meal with them, and you end up wasting two or three hours on something that could have been dealt with much faster.
A chinese blogger complained that chinese web design is always so over-the-top, aiming to fit as much in as possible rather than aiming for elegance. (This is a criticism that I whole-heartedly agree with. We once asked somebody to design a web page for SDA, and it ended up with scrolling text, animations, and some irritating floating letters that followed the cursor around the screen. Yet despite all the bells and whistles, it still looked like almost every other chinese front page ever: a three-column layout, a clock somewhere, lots of lines and boxes, and a host of links promising news and information about every facet of the organisation that do nothing when clicked on because the information has not and probably never will be written).
A topic that is sometimes debated on chinese web sites is that chinese are "cold" (lengmo), which usually amounts to saying that chinese don't show any concern for people they don't know, even people in danger or distress. Interestingly, there is a television ad campaign running at the moment which promotes altruism, everything from picking up litter to helping a stranger carry their groceries. One of the slogans is "Care about others, make yourself happy".
There have been two or three people who warned me not to trust strangers, and even went so far as to say that chinese are "bad", and will cheat foreigners and their own countrymen alike. But the person I met who was the most negative about chinese culture was a man in Guanting who said that in his view the main difference between China and other countries is that chinese people are like parasites: if they can find a talented person then they will try to benefit from that person's ability, rather than relying on their own. He also told me about a book called The Ugly Chinaman, written by Bo Yang. Another person who was with us at the time eventually couldn't stand it any longer, and told the man that he shouldn't be saying these kinds of things in front of a foreigner guest.
One of the first things that foreign visitors to China often complain about is the spitting, but I have heard this complaint from chinese many times too. One friend of mine even suggested that the reason why SARS never broke out in Japan was that hygiene standards in that country are much higher than in China.
It's worth noting that a lot of these criticisms explicitly make the comparison between China and other countries, especially western countries. Admittedly, the image of the West being compared is often exaggerated or idealised, for example just this week a person said to me that in China Cinderella could never marry a prince, and I had to explain that inter-class marriages are an exception to the rule in western countries too, whatever Hollywood would like us to believe. But whether the comparison is legitimate or not does not invalidate the criticism.
On the other hand, I rarely hear anyone in Australia compare our society with other countries, which is a pity because it might give us some food for thought. Just considering China, I can think of a few comparisons worth making. Take, for example, the respect and attention which the elderly in China enjoy. Or stroll through a chinese park in the morning and see the number of people who come for exercise, such as badminton, dancing, or Tai Chi. When I'm in Xining, I often go to Central Park in the morning to do Tibetan circle dancing (guozhuang). The fact that this is within walking distance of where I live is also worth noting: high-rise living has many advantages that do not feature in the Australian Dream of a big house in the suburbs. Another great thing about China, or at least Qinghai, is that people are not afraid to get up and sing songs at a party. I've also noticed a relatively large amount of holding and touching between same-sex friends here, which makes me wonder why it is almost taboo in Australia. And a question that is definitely worth asking is why the rate of violent crime in China is significantly lower than in most western countries (maybe Ani Difranco didn't look quite far enough afield when she sang "I'm gonna take all my friends, and I'm gonna move to Canada, and we're gonna die of old age").
For further reading, consider these two postings on Dezza's blog Mask of China: "A few things Canadians can learn from China" and "Dalian at Dusk: Park Life".
|
| Dancing guozhuang at Central Park. Every morning the organisers hang a banner which reads "Three River Sources Tibetan Dance Fitness Centre". |
| While I agree with almost everything you've written, Todd, I'm not so sure about your last point: " And a question that is definitely worth asking is why the rate of violent crime in China is significantly lower than in most western countries" Trustworthy statistics on violent crime in China would be very hard to find...perhaps because government hired thugs wouldn't count in the official statistics?;) |
| dezza [] [homepage] 07.08.2005 , 11:41 |
| Hey Dezza, what a coincidence that your comment came just as I added links to your blog as "further reading". Okay, I have to admit that I have no statistical evidence that rates of violent crime is lower...it's just something that I've heard. And even if I had statistics, they probably wouldn't reflect domestic violence (since it usually goes unreported), which I believe is a big problem in in many parts of China, especially in the villages. |
| Todd 07.08.2005 , 11:53 |
| Only recently my fluency in Chinese increased to the point where I can now have more substantial conversations with Chinese. In that short time it's been pointed out to me that when I speak Chinese I only talk about the negative aspects of the culture, the people and the country. I was even accused of being a fa saolao - a grumbler - and I was told by a foreign friend that when I speak Chinese I come across as a China basher. This news gave me pause, as has your own post. Only today, I had lunch with a former student, and when the topic of China came up, I was acutely aware of what I was saying, how I was saying it and if I was coming across as a China basher or a fasaolao, all in the vague hope that I didn't offend. But no matter how I measured my comments, I know I harped more on the negative side than the positive. And it only goes to show that this foreigner has got a lot to learn, not just about China but about dealing with people in general. |
| Stavros Mavropoulos 28.08.2005 , 18:19 |
| I would like to play the devil's advocate here and state that on average, the morals of Chinese people is lower than people in Western Countries. This is not due to any sort of natural inferiority, but because of the still relatively improvished society. While being poor does not automatically make a person bad, a kid who grows up in a poor family is less likely to follow the standard morals of the society than a kid who's born in a well-off family. Hopefully as China's economic condition improves, we shall see less people spitting on the ground, and trying to take advantage of foreigners. |
| Fei Liu 10.09.2005 , 14:02 |
| Hey there Todd! Interesting post...what do i think? well like you seem to say, it's not good to complain to local people, nor to be too 'careful' and anxious to find everything about the host culture charming. i'll add my three yen anyway - 1. when i went through terrible culture shock i just could not seem to get comfortable in the culture (of Japan). this lead to some unfair 'opinions' about Japan which i am very glad now i didn't share with Japanese people 2. i sometimes notice other foreigners in the same state tending to release their feelings by complaining. it's embarrassing when Japanese friends of ours in the room/at the dinner table. but other Japanese people are happy to join in, which is sometimes why they're attracted to foreigners in the first place (they can say things they can't otherwise say). 3. i once read this advice below (www.debito.org) and thought it was useful. It's about not taking culture shock on the chin. JETs have the tendency to swallow culture shock instead of making any noise about it, (due to cultural relativity and "guestism" mentalities). This, in the long run, not a sustainable strategy. I say: Be vocally angry at the impolite shopkeep, demand the waitress speak to you if she turns to your Japanese friend, get answers in Japanese in the face of English answers if that's what you want, ask Japanese friends to stand back while you deal with an annoying situation, disagree with the pedant who requires race for cultural understanding, don't allow cultural overgeneralizations to stand without even a polite snipe. Actually, letting people know your feelings might be just what they wanted; Japanese are not always wilfully shutting you out or trying to sound racist. Often they just don't understand your side, and often do appreciate criticism phrased properly. Describe your discomfort constructively. But above all, don't allow the residue of resentment build up inside layer after layer and drive you out of Japan. guess we just need a healthy way to be assertive/have opinions/show people who you are while living in a foreign culture |
| Lisette 14.09.2005 , 11:31 |
| During my first couple of months in China i complained a lot to my friends back home about China. But comparing the two places now I find many good things here- the main one i want to mention is that if you walk around through the parks or on the streets in the evenings, there are no teenagers getting drunk on vodka and beer, causing trouble etc. Other great things are the seeming lack of food hygine certification- meaning you can eat cheap chuanr and baked yam (yum!!) from a street corner (I've never been ill). The lack of concern for others I don't really like, so it's interesting to read about the campaign. I always try to help others out and hold doors open for people with bags etc, although recently a chinese lady on her bike got knocked over by a reversing car (not too badly) so while she got up I lifted her bike, picked her stuff off the road & put it back in the basket. All I got for it was a torrent of abuse! Nevermind, won't put me off and maybe we can all support this campaign by example?? great blog! |
| liz 26.09.2005 , 13:16 |
| Hi Todd A very interesting article! We are in London at the moment, after having spent 5 weeks or so travelling around Italy. I can agree with much of what you are saying and also try to emphasise the positive parts of the cultures that we are visiting (and yes I think English culture is different to Australian). One observation I had was that there were some things in common with the cultures of Rome and London which were not present in the smaller towns of Italy - which makes me think that some of the behaviours we can see are the result of humans living together in close proximity in big cities rather than the different cultures per se. Does this have any resonance with your experiences in China? Cheers Tanya |
| Tanya [] 01.10.2005 , 16:49 |
| Tanya, the urban and rural worlds in China are so vastly different that it's hard to know where to even start comparing them. But certainly I agree that some things that get called "culture" are more a result of people's material situation, rather than tradition. The way people in China live is changing relatively quickly (especially in the cities), and a lot of these changes seem to be making life here more similar to life in western countries. Given that China does have a fair amount of exposure to western culture (albeit distorted in some respects), it's sometimes tempting to assume that chinese are deliberately trying to emulate the West, but on reflection I think that in general these changes are the outcome of economic development and the trend towards a market economy. Which is to say, I think a lot of features of developed western countries are not uniquely "western", but instead are side-effects of development and could arise in many other cultural contexts. Oh, yesterday a friend and I tried to make Italian-style pasta. We didn't have the right herbs, and the noodles themselves didn't really have the right flavour (I think Italian pasta is usually made with eggs?), but I considered it a partial success because at least the end result didn't taste very chinese! While boiling down the tomatoes, my friend said that when she was younger her family used to make tomato paste in a similar way to preserve it. She asked, is that also why the Italians do it, because tomatoes are too expensive to buy during winter? |
| Todd 03.10.2005 , 23:41 |
| Hi Todd Funny you should make Italian food in China - we went to a Chinese restaurant in Italy and while the food tasted OK, it wasn't quite right, particularly the noodles/wontons. (Note the noodles were advertised as spaghetti and wontons as ravioli). I have also tried to make ravioli with wonton wrappers - edible but not an experience I care to repeat! I am not any kind of expert on Italian culture or food, but I can say that while there are multiple ways of making pasta most of them involve eggs, and that I thought the tomato sauces etc were made as a means of preserving the huge amounts of tomatoes produced in summer that wouldn't be available in winter even if you had the money to buy them (ie a tradition that evolved before the means of refrigeration and mass transportation to allow people to buy summer fruits in winter). But I could be wrong...also there is a particular grade of flour used to make pasta which could give a different flavour, and I've even heard comments that the water used to cook the pasta can alter the taste, which may have some validity too. Anyway press on with your experiments, perhaps this could be the start of a new business for you! Cheers Tanya |
| tanya [] 13.10.2005 , 09:48 |
| Really interesting article, glad I came across it. Im an Australian living in Chian and I agree that westerners would benefit by comparing their countries with China. Yes, any country has negatives, but in China the positives are often ignored by the outside world. read any article about Chian in mainstream western press and you generally hear negativity, but there is a great deal of very positive activity happening in China- in the realm of politics and culture. As to crime, I believe the international statistics on crime in Chian poitn to violent crime being very very low in China. I feel much safer in any city in China compared to Sydney Australia, for example. |
| greg [] [homepage] 29.01.2006 , 15:11 |
Comments temporarily disabled. There's too much comment spam, and I don't have time to find a better solution at the moment. Sorry for any inconvenience.