At the Intersect, we do theme days. Mondays and Tuesdays are really about the mechanics of writing culture stories. Wednesday, oh lovely Wednesday, is not about the mechanics of telling a culture story, but is, instead, a culture day featuring snippets of information about a culture. Welcome to Wednesday’s Intersect, and the View From Here (VFH).
For several years, I have been involved with a global arts education program. My role as coordinator of the program has been to educate students about world cultures, and to inspire them with an understanding of what it means to be a global citizen. In a way, it’s like traveling the world without ever leaving home. So, join me on a virtual plane as we travel to this Wednesday’s View: China.
Ni Hao. China is a country with over 2,000 years of recorded history. The most populous country in the world, China is actually split into the People’s Republic of China (which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau), and the Republic of China (Taiwan, Matsu, and Kinmen). We will focus on The People’s Republic of China.
WHO IS LI FAI
Let’s invent a character. A typical Chinese teen. A boy. His name is Li Fai, and he is sixteen years old. Li Fai will be our temporary guide in our virtual visit. Of course, Li is his last name, and Fai would be our character’s first name, as Chinese naming conventions present the family name first. Fai, translated, means brilliant light. Li Fai lives in Beijing with his family in an apartment in the newly constructed Linked Hybrid development, an eco-conscious high-rise with gray water recycling, and a geothermal heating and cooling system. http://www.stevenholl.com/project-detail.php?id=58
Beijing is the capital of mainland China. In China, Beijing is called Zhongguo. It has been the capital for over 800 years. Because Fai is a typical Chinese teen, he is of Han heritage, like the majority of Chinese people. However, there are other groups living in China. They include Zhuangs, Uygurs, the Huis, Tibetans, Hmong, Manuchus, Mongols, Buyis, and Koreans. Although the major religions in China are Daoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, Li Fai is not particularly religious. Fai’s favorite food might be a bao (or steamed bun). He might also like to go hang out with his friends at the local McDonald’s and have a big mac. http://www.mcdonalds.com.hk/chinese/index.htm.
At home, a typical family meal might include rice, soup, or fish. Noodles are also very popular. It should be noted that Chinese food is loved worldwide. It is characterized by four distinct regional styles: Cantonese (Southern cuisine), Shanghai (Eastern cuisine), Peking (Northern regional) and Szechuan (Western cuisine).
As a typical teenager in China, Li Fai begins school at 7:00 a.m. A school day lasts about 10 hours. Each class is 45 minutes long with 10 minute breaks in between. Students attend primary school, middle school, and high school. After high school, many students go to university. University lasts approximately 3 to 4 years. During his leisure time, Li Fai hangs out with friends, or works on school projects.
He likes to play sports. Basketball is becoming very popular, but because he is too short, Li Fai can never be as good as his idol, Yao Ming.
(The Video show Kobe Bryant working with Chinese basketball players.)
Soccer is another sport Li Fai likes. When Li Fai is relaxing and listening to music, he might listen to HKpop, also known as Cantopop or Mandopop. Since he’s a guy, he probably likes Nicholas Tse or Farenheit, but his girlfriend, Jinglei, loves Jason Chan, or Jay Chou. She also likes fashion; and Beijing, along with Hong Kong, are two of China’s best-known fashion cities.
Li Fai is good at science and wants to be a Chemistry teacher. Living in Beijing, there is plenty of opportunity for him to reach his goals. Li Fai lives in the second largest city in China, after Shanghai. Beijing has been described as “one of the world’s greatest cities.” It is home to many beautiful works of architecture, including: the Central Chinese Television station, the Olympic Stadium, Dongtan Eco City, Tiananmen Square, National Grand Theater, and the national swimming center.
The languages spoken in China include Mandarin, or Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Hakka. 70% of the population speaks standard Chinese.
Well, our trip is at an end. Now that you’ve been to the metropolitan city of Beijing, why not pick up a good book to enjoy on the flight back? I recommend, “The Silver Phoenix” by American author, Cindy Pon. Check out Cindy’s blog here: http://cindypon.com/blog/
Another great American author of Chinese heritage is Amy Tan. The Opposite of Fate and The Bonesetter’s Daughter are my two favorite books by her. Visit Amy’s website here: http://www.amytan.net/
I hope you enjoyed your visit to The People’s Republic of China, and Beijing, a fast-paced metropolitan city.
Before you go, I have one final music video. This is from Super Junior, a Korean pop group with a huge fan base. In fact, over 10 million people have viewed their music video on YouTube.
Intersect : Writing Culture 