“…China, the medieval castle, long isolated by geography and custom, its people garbed in the cloak of feudalism and ready to defend its ramparts. Is now prepared to open itself to the colorful yet tumultuous process of modernization. But as it looks at long last across the moat, what is coming? And what will the kingdom look like once transformed and integrating into the world surrounding it?” “Big Dragon”, Daniel Burstein
The West is just beginning to understand China:
In a recent article in China Daily, titled “Sino-US Cooperation is Essential” there was an interesting political cartoon. In the cartoon , America’s “Uncle Sam”is seated on the right. A Chinese man in a business suit is seated on the left. They are playing a game of chess. Both men are leaning over chessboard pondering their next move.
There’s just one problem…. The half of the chessboard by the American has the pawns, rooks, knights and bishops of international chess. The other half of the chessboard has elephants, cannons and guards of xiangqi or Chinese Chess. This cartoon needs no caption. How can each side understand each other if they are not playing the same game?
Some foreigners understand China’s rich history and culture.
CCTV is the abbreviation for China Central Television, a vast state-owned network of 22 channels in the People’s Republic of China serving her 1.4 billion people.Every so often, a so-called “foreign expert”from the West will be featured on a CCTV English News talk show or news program. One recent foreign expert who had been in China for 30 years was asked to share his secret for success to expatriates who have recently moved to China. The businessman in Shanghai gave a brief, but very powerful two-part answer- 1) “Everything is possible in China but nothing is easy”.and 2)”You can’t change China, China will change you”
As a former psychology major at DePaul, I find both statements to be equally true.
As you can imagine China is a fascinating place to hone one’s “people-watching”skills. This is still a developing country…and some areas are definitely more developed than others. Shanghai looks like any modern city in the world- except for the Chinese characters on every building. Shanghai looks like a major metropolitan city that could be located anywhere in the world. Living in some of the less developed areas might be similar to what soldiers call a “hardship tour”. In awkward situations in China, I try my best to act “zen”…and fail. Profound “cultural differences”make me think of the old psychology joke I learned as an undergraduate: “How many psychologists does it take to screw in a light bulb?”(None. The light bulb has to want to change.). I have found that if you really want to stay the middle kingdom for extended stay…..one has to really want to change and adapt to live here.
I arrived in China in 2006. I live and teach at a university in the northeastern part of China formerly known as Manchuria.. Bordering Russia and North Korea, the trans-siberian railway is in nearby Vladivostok. Chicago’s sister city Shenyang is two hours south by train. First impressions last a long time in China. My first impression was one of suspended disbelief. Ginseng cigarettes? Green Tea Listerine mouthwash? A mile long line to get in a new Pizza Hut? People exercising outside while walking backwards?
At first…blocks of Chinese characters looked like cryptic Chinese Eye charts. Correct pronunciation takes some time. There are 4 different and distinct tones for each syllable. Take the word “da”. The word “da”has 4 meanings in China. If I say “da Bears”to someone in China, “da”can mean “big”, “to answer”, “to hit”or “to hang on to something” And the Chinese don’t like football.
Chinais a proud and ancient civilization with a 5,000 year history. Having just opened to the west just 35 years ago- the speed of progress and change in China is faster than a Shanghai “maglev”– a super bullet train that reaches a top speed of 260 mph. The maglev can go from Shanghai city center to the Shanghai airport… In 8 minutes.
One thing I have come to realize when you are in a foreign country as an expatriate is that once we have accepted the invitation for employment we should realize that we “Ambassadors for the United States of America”. As guests, we need to act in an appropriate manner constantly striving to respect the various cultural norms of the host country. What I learned about the Vincentian values of dignity, respect and the common good that I learned at DePaul are in harmony with the values of Confucius- loyalty, filial piety and humaneness. I often refer to former president Hu Jintao’s visit to Chicago’s Confucius Center in 2011. The Chinese are doing their part when they come to the U.S. with its goodwill program for pandas and panda lovers. Panda experts and enthusiasts from China, better known as “pambassadors”, are sent to America to promote global awareness of these cute bamboo eating creatures.
Yet, try as one might to do the right thing….. I have had the occasional “faux-pas”. Chalk it up to “breach of etiquette”I certainly didn’t set out to offend anyone. Here are two glaring examples of my miscues: Faux Pas #1) A language institute in South China would send me to teach English to Chinese engineers at various Fortune 500 countries and other multi-nationals. One time we were doing a roleplay that involved Chinese play money as “foreign currency”. I had no idea that the money I brought to class was for “tomb-sweeping day”. The students walked out. Faux Pas #2): At a Chinese wedding, I found out even with the drinks flowing, mirrored disco balls, performing acts, singers and dance music does not mean that there is going to be any dancing. I swung a girl around and tried out a couple of dance moves. With over 500 people staring at me it was the longest 10-second dance in my life.
The question I am asked the most frequently is: “What is like to teach in China?”
To be a teacher in China is a litlle like a painter with a blank canvas. A wide-cross section of professions make up the foreign faculty in China.- former businessmen, missionaries, construction workers- to name a few. I am an instructor at a teacher’s college. One of my colleagues is a former West Pointer and Battalion Commander. Another is a retired optometrist. Some are former educators in America. One man at the college next store taught at University of Kansas before coming to China and was a former Peace Corps volunteer.
DePaul is making its presence felt in Mainland China. As Global Director of Customer Service for Cleverbridge Int’l, fellow DePaul Grad, Joe Schnaufer spends quite a bit of time in China interfacing with his clients and expanding operations in China . William J. Walsh travels to Shanghai and Qingdao, China on behalf on Navis, Inc. I taught with
Fellow DePaul grad Jenna Gianneschi at a “summer camp” in China for kids. Friend and fellow DePaul grad Steve Prosapio (B.A. Political Science) gave a “webinar” for my Chinese Post-Graduate English majors last semester live from San Diego. Prosapio hosted a question and answer session about his novel “Ghosts of Rosewood Asylum”. And….one of my former business students is applying for her M.B.A. at DePaul.
Kids take their studies seriously- some argue too seriously.
Nighttime is often unusually silent. After 10 PM most campuses are quieter than a library. College age kids wear fashions that Americans might consider immature or juvenile- bunny slippers, Sponge Bob t-shirts, Hello Kitty hats, plastic sleeves with polka dots, backpacks shaped like pandas and other zoo animals. No one laughs however when the kid in the library with Mickey Mouse jeans and Winnie the Pooh gym shoes says she is going to Harvard for graduate school. Students of the same major are often together in the same classes all four years- a colorful campus “study platoon”. They help each other and look after each other- an Eastern combination of “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top” in one little 4 year classroom fraternity.
Education is taken seriously for all age groups.
High school often goes until 10 pm at night while “Tiger Mothers” wait at the front gate fro their children to get out of school. A few years back, I taught at a Medical College. One day I was walking out the front gate when a woman approached me- baby in tow. The lady asked if I would “teach” her 9 month old. (Teach? Don’t you mean “babysit”? Can’t you just play the kid a “Baby Einstein” tape?)
This is my 8th year living, working, changing and adapting to China and the Chinese culture. I celebrate the Dragon Boat festival and the Mid-Autumn festival. I went to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. I eat Peking Duck with chopsticks. I can tell you all about Suzhou, Hangzhou and Guangzhou. I am beginning to read and write Chinese. Yes, I am adapting and changing in China as best that I can..
One experience I was not expecting to enjoy in China is the Peking Opera in Changchun. After all, I am more of a shot-and-a-beer, rock, jazz and Chicago Blues kinda guy. Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province and about an hour from where I live. .A main hub of car production, Changchun is known as the “Detroit of China”. In thisrugged blue-collar city, there are also upscale white-collar activities to be enjoyed by all income levels. A world-class ensemble of the Peking Opera has been performing in Changchun for over 53 years. And the cost? Only 80 RMB (about 12 US dollars).
One great thing about the Peking Opera in Changchun- is that the audience is allowed backstage before a performance. A former university colleague of mine from North Carolina, was actually able to persuade the Chinese performers to make her up to look like a Chinese opera star Through the aid of an interpreter (my Chinese teacher Anna) the emcee of the performance gave me a bit of insight on Chinese opera. “Golden Smile”(Han Xin Xiao) told me that the troupe performers range in ages from 20 to 55 and language used in Peking Opera is called “Jing Bai”-a combination of Mandarin and Old Chinese. The black sideburns and black hair on the face is pasted, painted black from the bark from an elm tree. Troupe performers can take up to 2 hours applying their stage make-up.
Peking Opera combines mime, dance, song and combat.If you don’t like opera- you might want to attend the opera just to see the costumes.Flowing robes, swirling embroidery, graceful movements combine to enchant and mesmerize. Constant changes of scenery and performers keep the action at a fast pace, Hair taller then Amy Winehouse’s beehives. and”tall shoes”? We Americans call them “platform shoes”. I saw a male lead wearing white shoes with a 5 inch thick sole.
The colors adorning each of the performers reflect the mood of the performance. For instance, the color yellow in an opera performance signifies a “valiant military man. The color red is easy to figure out. A red face is brave, faithful and wise. This makes perfect sense. The National Chinese flag is red. Chinese hang red lanterns everywhere. Their homes and doorways are adorned with red over all sides of the door frame. Money is handed out in a red envelope. And, of course, it is good luck to wear red on Chinese New Year’s Day….along with setting off hundreds of red firecrackers..
In truth, the cultural differences never end. Red is lucky in China, green is not. There is no St. Patrick’s Day in China. The color green and four-leaf clovers are not lucky in China. And whatever you do- don’t wear a green hat. The last time I wore a green hat, I received 5 text messages asking to take it off.
“Modern-day Marco Polos”who set sail for today’s China meet and greet a kaleidoscope of change almost impossible to keep up with- Chinese tour brochures are often outdated soon after they are printed. If you do find yourself in this part of the world for business or pleasure…..and you are at all athletically inclined…you should run in the “Great Wall Marathon”With its endless serpentine twists and turns over the countryside, the Great Wall is a breathtaking site to behold. .How long is the Great Wall? About 2200 miles….or about the same length as America’s Route 66.. If you decide to take up the challenge -you would only have to run a very small portion of wall. Choose your passion (5k, 10K, 21K and 42K) this annual challenge takes place every May. I chose to run the 21K (half-marathon route) that winds through the villages of Tianjin and on the Great Wall itself. It is a truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Scietists report that the Great Wall is the only manmade structure that astronauts can see from the moon. Can one really see the Great Wall from the moon?Is the moon made of green cheese? Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou 10 just returned to Earth last month- maybe they can enlighten us on their findings in outer space.. The ancient Great Wall mirrors the progress that China since Chairman Mao and President Nixon met 40 years ago. The Great Wall of China that was originally designed to keep foreigners out…is now the MAIN reason they come to China. 10 million people visit the Great Wall every year. The imaginary barriers between the East and West continue to fall under Chinese President Xi Jinping
Welcome to China, DePaul. Even though things are changing fast – take your time and look around at an amazing culture. Slow down. Relax. Make sure you “stop and smell the roses”. The Chinese have a saying about those try to see Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and the Great Wall in 2 days….its like “viewing flowers on horseback”..
Jeff Walsh is an instructor at Jilin Normal University in Siping, China and a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago.