| How do you feel about China? | |
|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2007 03:09 | #21   |
 | Hi,Paul, What's China like in your image??? |
| Mar 2, 2007 06:17 | #22 |
| Calif, I made a few comments already...see post 11. |
| Mar 3, 2007 10:44 | #23 |
| At the end, We can't leave China, specially businessman. More and more opportunity there. |
| Mar 3, 2007 12:49 | #24 |
| I had a great time when I visited China in Winter 2005. Previous to that I had lived in Korea for three years and it was like a breath of fresh air. In that part of the world, people still see China in a very positive light, because of its cultural and economic dominance. After I came back to Canada though, my attitude changed a lot. I saw China in a much more negative light. People here think China is an environmental disaster, and both Western and Taiwanese media report on all the more negative practices (related to food safety esp) that are not talked about within China so much. I was very surprised to hear all kinds of things that I never heard about when I was living in that part of the world. It goes to show that just because you live somewhere for a long time does not give you intimate knowledge of a country. It depends also on the access to information. Sometimes, due to pride we don't see our own country, culture as it is. Even as a Canadian, I had to leave Canada before I could get a more objective view on my own culture. |
| Mar 5, 2007 13:28 | #25 |
| Also, there is a very big difference between Chinese who never left China, and those who have foreign education and life experience. Ironically, I find that sometimes Caucasians in China are much more positive about it than Chinese nationals who have emigrated abroad. I'm very interested in Chinese culture and language because it's my heritage, but my parents are always there to remind me that it is not the best culture in the world. My dad (a native of Shandong) says to me that even though Chinese people started first (one of the oldest continuous civilizations), they still ended up behind other Western countries. If you look at European history, you'll see that they were more enlightened than Chinese in some ways: building the first women's university in Poland, the first public hospital in France. There were also laws limiting the King to have only one wife (in 17th century England), while Chinese emperors could have thousands of concubines until more recent times. It's selfish. I just don't that practice is enlightened or compassionate. Chinese people, just like Indians used to put widows into widow camps. We know now, that how a society treats women also shows how they treat those they do not have to treat well, like minorities, marginal groups, poor people. Basically, China was a tiger -- they admired strength, but if you were weaker, the tiger would eat you. Much as I like Chinese culture, but the more I learn about it, I can certainly see that a "profound" culture is not always a profoundly good one. There are certainly many, many good things about China and it's a beautiful country, but certainly, the culture has flaws just like any other human society. |
| Mar 6, 2007 06:45 | #26 |
| I had considered seeking political asylum in China. As I review current news reports and information on the web I fear that China has fallen to the influences I had hoped to escape. It seems that the whole world has fallen to self interest and decadence. I am beginning to be thankful for my age and failing health. |
| Mar 12, 2007 23:35 | #27 |
| Hi evening, Don't worry, I have not forgotton I owe a post here in your thread. But I still have not had the time the past couple of weeks to write out some feelings from the heart :) I hope to share my feelings soon, but want to do it right. Just so you know, [none] of my feelings are negative !! :) :) I am always my happiest when I am thinking about China !! |
| Mar 13, 2007 23:55 | #28 |
| To Chris' post...in John Fairbanks' writings of China, he pointed out that the Chinese people often absorbed the invading populations and made them Chinese. There is much to be admired in the ancient wisdom. When I wrote in my diary after leaving China in 1978, I wrote that the the Chinese might be the best equipped civilization to "separate the wheat from the chaff" with regard to the sort of society the West and capitalism has developed. I still believe that is true. ...another thing that I wrote in my diary...was that for all of the millions of people in China there was only one heartbeat. Modernization has disrupted that, at least for the present.... My greatest concern is that the Chinese will succumb to the temptations of greed. However, I believe/hope that the ancient Chinese culture and wisdom will provide guidance to the Chinese and all cultures (by example) as our global society struggles to find its way in the future. |
| Mar 14, 2007 03:28 | #29 |
| Interesting point, Griz, and it's something I've noticed. The Mongols who founded the Yuan dynasty became Chinese, as did the Manchus who founded the Qing. It's also interesting that certain modern invaders (Japan, UK, etc) who refused to become Chinese found themselves kicked out before long. One thing I've always admired about China is that (so far) it has only taken from the outside that which it found useful. I hope that this principle holds..... |
| Mar 30, 2007 01:11 | #30 |
| the country I like to live in, for the rest of my life! |
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