session #4 -- october 30

[Natalie Sanchez]

The government of the Peoples Republic of China has been extending their influence to Latin America. More recently the Panamanian Prime Minister agreed to an alliance with China and Beijing. Taiwan is being affected because most of the countries that still recognize Taiwan are Latin American and Caribbean countries. China has been investing in countries like El Salvador that recently broke ties with Taiwan. China has a history of not doing business with countries that recognize Taiwan and in many ways some impoverished countries are opting to do business with Beijing because of the economics of their countries.

[Nira Sun]

Although the "Leftover Park" video is only 8 minutes long, it represents some aspects of traditional Chinese values towards dating and marriage.

• Certain things need to be done at certain age. A lot of Chinese parents believe that getting married is one of the procedures in one's life just like birth and death. They are so worried that we wouldn't get to experience having marriage and children or wouldn't be taken care of when we get old. These are the genuine concern that Dr. Dube talked about in our session.
• "Face". I'm not sure if this is an easy concept for people from non-Asian cultures to understand. Everything we do as an individual affects how others see the family and everyone in the family. In western culture, getting married or not it's my personal matter. In Asian countries, getting married or not is a family matter. If I was in China, I would be considered as the "leftover daughter". Basically, my mom's friends or relatives would try to guess why I'm not getting married. This is definitely something would  make my mom "lose face". Parents' pressure mainly come from others' comments. The "face" concept also expands to what type of man or woman one finds for him/herself.
• "mandatory requirements" in dating or marriage. From the video we can see what the parents are asking about other parents. These are usually considered as the mandatory requirements in dating or marriage. Certainly, these requirements can get quite personal depends on individuals. Sometimes, even zodiac signs are accountable as well.
• Changes in modern society. Back in the days, in ancient China, matchmakers were the ones who go to different families to set up couples. Men and women couldn't get to know each other before becoming married couples. This mainly because women didn't have the right to choose their husbands, while men could have as many wifes as possible. However, in modern society, even though we still have relatives or friends who try to set up blind dates, the part of "knowing each other" is still the determining factor of whether the relationship leads to marriage.

 

[clay dube]

I mentioned the remarkable filmmaker Carma Hinton. Together with her husband, she's made several amazing documentaries. Her father was William Hinton (he's passed away), author of important books about China (Fanshen- is the most famous, about land reform). The village that she focused on for four films is called Long Bow in English.
Small Happiness (outstanding film): http://www.tsquare.tv/longbow/sh.html
At the bottom of that page are links to the other films in the series. She's also made long films about the Cultural Revolution (Morning Sun) and Tiananmen (The Gate of Heavenly Peace). She taught for many years at George Mason University.

A low resolution version of Small Happiness is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeUclPA42Vk

The film ends with a tragic twist.

 

[clay dube]

This picture that I took in September shows the device that school security 特勤 use to protect students. They would thrust the U towards a knife weilding attacker and the snap loaded arms would close around the person. I've never seen it used and in some rural schools I've not seen the guards equipped in this way.
Below is another picture. This picture also shows a big screen -- this was on Saturday, but kids attended anyway so they would have a full week off starting on Sunday to celebrate China's National Day on 10/1.

[Nira Sun]

Hi Natali,

Teachers in China has the definite authority. It's the level of respect that we cannot expect to have in the US. It is fair to say that "teacher knows best" is an overall perspective on teachers in China even though her observation was conducted in a high regarded school.

I believe this situation stems from the traditional Confucianism which taught people the basic ethnics that rule the society which are the four virtues. What four virtues, loyalty, filial piety, contingency, and righteousness, emphasize on are basically respecting authorities. There is a saying in Chinese which is "尊師重教" which is translated to respect teachers and value education. Teachers are the authority in education.

With the development of technology, teachers are utilizing all sorts of technology to stay connected with parents in China. I often heard my friends in China talking about how teachers leaving works in the wechat group. Parents do need to be extremely involved with school work for their children to succeed in modern education system. Certainly, there are teachers who took advantage of the situation and expect parents to do everything that teachers are responsible for.

As for the part where you mentioned whether students are aware of being privileged or disadvantaged, I would say that most of them is aware of the situation. In China, another popular term is "network" as in relationship with others. It's not about how much effort you devote, it's about who you know. If you have an amazing "network" and know the right "person", you literally can get whatever you want. That is a sad but true reality.  Even a "Hukou" system draws a huge line between urban and rural citizens, imagine the gap between privileged and disadvantage groups.

[Katrina Oh]

The Economist article also examines China’s huge, expensive toxic soil problem. In the southern Hunan province, the country’s largest producer of rice and of the heavy metal cadmium, much of the rice cultivated in the region is contaminated with toxins like cadmium. Despite the toxicity of the soil, the Chinse government still permits farmers to plan rice in polluted areas in the region, which means farmers are selling and distributing tainted rice. While China has seen unprecedented growthand development in past decades, that quick ascent has come at a steep cost. In the coming years, I expect China to increasingly pass and enforce more environmental regulations.

[Katrina Oh]

This week, I learned about China’s substantial progress towards its goal of reducing air pollution in regions like Jing Jin Ji. Improved, energy efficient technology, like the solar PV systems, has allowed the country to dramatically cuts its emissions of greenhouse gases like CO2. After watching the video clip, I can’t help but wonder when the United States will work to actively curb its emissions of greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, environmental regulation in the United States has become a politicized issue; and under the current administration, it seems highly unlikely that the government will take meaningful steps to clean up air pollution in the country is unlikely. 

[Katrina Oh]

The short clip “Leftover Park” offered an insightful look into Chinese values. From the video clip, it became readily apparent that those of the older Chinese generation value families, marriage, and kids. And I, too, was surprised by the level of proactivity among Chinese parents to help their children find their mate. (Who needs dating apps, when you have Chinese parents!)

But the clip also suggests that there is a conflict of priorities between those who belong to the older generation and those who are of the younger generation: While those of the older generation seemed eager to see their children marry and start families of their own, the younger generation appeared more preoccupied with building their careers, which makes me wonder: is this erosion of traditional Chinese values among the Chinese younger generation the unintended result of urbanization and economic development?

[Stephen Secules]

The story of Wu Meng seems to me to be about the integrity and personal pursuit of filial piety, without the expectation of reward. Wu Meng intends only to serve his parents in the best way he can, with an emphasis being placed on his keeping his devotion a secret, as in there's no reason for a show of devotion. The fact that it becomes known by accident and then reaches the ear of the emperor speaks to the value of his virtuous, solitary devotion made even more powerful by his lack of need for recognition. It relays the message that filial piety is reward unto itself and, I think, gives a hint that the showcasing of such devotion would be appreciated but not as well received.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

It's interesting that Latinos and Chinese parents share similar attitute towards children's marriage.  They participat in finding partners for their children and try to do some match-making work.  The single women beyond normal marriage age, probabley above the age of 25, are considered "leftovers".  This "leftover" concept prompts me to think of food leftovers, which means the food no one wants any more.  Even more intereting, lots of leftovers are the single women with higher education.  The higher education a woman posses, the more difficult it's for her to find an ideal husband in China.  This phenomenon projects a social bias towards females in China.  Traditionally, women are expected to care for husband, raise children and take care of extended family.  Those women who break expected gender role, seeking higher education and take part in social roles are perceived "abnormal", therefore, are not "desirable wives and mothers".  So men tend not to select educated women to be their wives.  Parents have to step in to find a partner for their daughter.  As women's freedom for education, life, and marriage advances, hopefully they will not feel pressured to get married and have more freedom to choose the life style  they want in the Latino and Asian countries.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

Air pollution impacts health.  I'm glad that Chinese government is concious about the negative impacts of air pollution on health and other social factors and is taking measures to reduce air pollution, such as opting for enviromentally friendly energies like solar system.  I hear China intends to import electrical cars to combat with air pollution.  Air pollution is a global issue.  I hope a global taskforce will take place to fight air pollution and improve lives on earth.

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

A CCTV show presents the Sub-cultures of China Youth: Changing Attitutes towards love and relationships.  It tells stories of modern Chinese young women who are more open-minded and independent.  They want to choose their own partners and time of marriage.  " I will not bow to outside pressure", said one of the girls.  I'm glad to see that the new generation of Chinese women enjoys more freedom of life and can control their fate. Priscilla Chan, Mark Zuckerberg's wife, was an immigrant from Asia. She totally embraces American cultures and values.  She breakes boundaries of traditional female roles in some Asian cultures and lives a life of multiple roles - a highly women, wife, mother, physician and entrepreneur. She is not only a master of her own fate, but is trying to change the fate of en entire generation.  Here is a video clip of one of her interviews:

Priscilla Chan, Facebook Qeen, is trying to change the fate of an entire generation:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbM2MAepv0M

 

[Lin ZhaoDavison]

Thanks to Professor Dube for pointing out the parent-child relationship embedded in the Chinese word, 孝.  In Chinese tradition, children have filial duties on parents, and they are expected to take care of parents when they become old.  It's a widely held value in China that younger generation should respect the elder, and children should take care of parents; otherwise, they are “不孝” （not filial).  I agree to the traditional Chinese values; however, I think some traditional values have bound Chinese women to enjoy freedom and the life they want.

Here is a vido clip presenting how children's attitutes towards their father change and how they domonstrate some filial duties through a Family Reunion Dinner during a Chinese New Year Festival. 

 

[Christine Xu]

According to Xinhua, China's top legislature passed a law on soil pollution prevention and control. The new law filled the legal void on soil protection and will go into effect on January 1, 2019. National standards for soil pollution risk control will be set by the environmental authority of the State Council based on soil contamination status, public health risks and ecological risks, among others, according to the law. The law also states that a nationwide soil condition census should be conducted at least once every 10 years. Environmental and health authorities of the State Council are required to conduct screening and evaluation of toxic and harmful substances in the soil and make public a list of them. Also, the law mentioned that the central and provincial-level governments should establish funds to prevent and control soil pollution. The new law has strengthened the responsibilities of governments and polluters in controlling and correcting soil pollution. Farmland polluters are required to make rehabilitation plans, put them on government record, and carry out the plans. Upon completion, polluters should entrust professional institutions to evaluate the effects and report the results to local governments.The legislation on soil protection is of great significance, and has provided a legal guarantee for the country's fight for clean soil according to officials of the office for Administrative Law of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee. This law is the first dedicated law on soil protection Xinhua said. 

Sources: Xinhua

 

[Christine Xu]

Filial piety, ( Xiao) is China’s most important moral and entails a strong loyalty and deference to one's parents. Because the family is the building block of society, this hierarchical system of respect is by extension applied to one's country. Meaning the same devotion and selflessness in serving one's family should also be used when serving one's country. Thus, filial piety is an important value when it comes to treating one's immediate family, elders and superiors in general, and the state at large. Filial piety is a general attitude of offering love, respect, support, and deference to one's parents and other elders in the family, such as grandparents or older siblings. Acts of filial piety include obeying parent's wishes, taking care of them when they are old, and working hard in order to provide material comforts to parents, like food, or money.

By looking at the Chinese character for filial piety, you learn a lot about the term's definition. Filial piety is illustrated by the Chinese character xiao (孝). The character is a combination of the characters lao (老), which means old, and er zi (儿子 ), which means son. The character that represents lao is the top half of the character xiao, whereas the character that represents son forms the bottom half of the character. 

This placement is symbolic and very telling of what filial piety means. The character xiao shows that the older person or generation is being supported or carried by the son, or children in general.

In my class we will learn Chinese character xiao (孝), and we will talk and discuss about Chinese value as well.

Sources: ThoughtCo

 

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