Thanksgiving in China

The foreign teachers prepared a feast for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed the
meal very much, especially using generous amounts of the curry from
Dr. Shaq's Pakistani dish as a gravy.

China is much more diverse than I ever would have imagined. Each
province speaks a different dialect, maintains a different set of
cultural norms, culinary tradition, and environment. Yes, China is
predominately Han Chinese, but I am starting to realize that the
country of China is probably about as diverse as the continent of
Europe. From a Western viewpoint, this presents a serious problem of
indenitiy. China has such a long and continuous culture, that they
feel connected as a people, which is a tighter bond than that of a
country. Think of the diversity, yet unity of the Christian world in
Europe or the Muslim world in the Middle East (in their respective
primes, of course). The Chinese religion really is the worship of
China.

The new China, the Communist China, is only a product of the last 100
years. People who play Mahjongg everyday in the park outside my
apartment were born before Communist China. The love of China by the
Chinese is no result of propaganda. I think their love is so strong
for this place, that they look and act like fish out of water when
they are in other countries. I am afraid that this is what the West
sees and thinks of the Chinese. Stereotypes are dangerous. My students
asked me recently “HOW MANY guns do you have?”

My students. Whenever they refer to China, they say “Our China”. If I
ask them about pollution they might say “our China is too polluted.”
Food- “What do you think of our China’s food?” History, sports,
politics, art is all “Our China.” They emphasize possession and take
responsibility for their country.

China needs to be looked at differently. I watched an interesting
video that captures the thoughts I am beginning to develop about
China: www.ted.com/talks/martin_jacques_understanding_the_rise_of_china.html

This is what I questioned over Thanksgiving: “What is “Our America”?
What level of possession and responsibility do I, and should I take as
a citizen of the most powerful country in the world.

I told my students that some people think China will be, or maybe even
is, the new superpower of the world. They laughed. As Americans, we
have no reason to fear China, but for the time being, as the unrivaled
super power of the world, we better figure our stuff out.

I saw a little Chinese girl walking around Southwest University once
with a T-Shirt that said, “IF YOU AIN’T A COWBOY, YOU AIN’T SHIT”.

I am Thankful for anyone reading this!

Love,
John