My understanding of China as a country and nation comes through my Dad. He is now 83 years old, born and left China before the Culture Revolution. I want to be clear, being here for almost a decade, I believe that Chinese generations before the Culture Revolution has a different mindset than those after; for good or for worse.
Dad says that during his childhood he was forced to memorize Kongzi's (Confucious) Analects, write them and repeat them without understanding them. Reminds me of what my middle east friends tell me about learning the Koran. But he says that as grew grew older and confronted problems and other situations in his life, usually a verse from the dialects would pop up into his head. I saw first hand from my Dad's action how a big of an impact Kongzi was to his life through filial piety. Though the hard relationship that Dad and his Dad had, respect and subordination was always the norm for him. Dad was also a planner for our family, laying his ideas on what he wanted us to accomplish in the future and always reminding us that we have a duty to protect and take care of him and Mom.
At the age of 13 I stole my Dad's copy of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Honestly, I just liked the name. At that age it sounded like a good Chinese Kung-Fu (Gongfu) story. Even though I was disappointment I read it all and did not get to talk to Dad about it until I started to work full time with him at age 19. We would both agreed they were logical points to follow in any manner of business, war and politics.
Chinese food taught me the diversity of its people. No single dish can represent the variety of its people. China is not one group of people. It's a nation conformed by different people with similar history, language and traditions. Sort of like if Latin America was one big country.
Chinese opera was easy to like at a young age. The dresses and make up are amazing. But it took me a while to like that pounding of the drums and the cymbals crashes and the high pitch notes of the singers. But I do enjoy it now. Perseverance my friend.
China is a universe in itself. I'm grateful for my Dad to have introduced it to me in a way that all has been useful until this day.
JLC - 140107
Dad says that during his childhood he was forced to memorize Kongzi's (Confucious) Analects, write them and repeat them without understanding them. Reminds me of what my middle east friends tell me about learning the Koran. But he says that as grew grew older and confronted problems and other situations in his life, usually a verse from the dialects would pop up into his head. I saw first hand from my Dad's action how a big of an impact Kongzi was to his life through filial piety. Though the hard relationship that Dad and his Dad had, respect and subordination was always the norm for him. Dad was also a planner for our family, laying his ideas on what he wanted us to accomplish in the future and always reminding us that we have a duty to protect and take care of him and Mom.
At the age of 13 I stole my Dad's copy of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Honestly, I just liked the name. At that age it sounded like a good Chinese Kung-Fu (Gongfu) story. Even though I was disappointment I read it all and did not get to talk to Dad about it until I started to work full time with him at age 19. We would both agreed they were logical points to follow in any manner of business, war and politics.
Chinese food taught me the diversity of its people. No single dish can represent the variety of its people. China is not one group of people. It's a nation conformed by different people with similar history, language and traditions. Sort of like if Latin America was one big country.
Chinese opera was easy to like at a young age. The dresses and make up are amazing. But it took me a while to like that pounding of the drums and the cymbals crashes and the high pitch notes of the singers. But I do enjoy it now. Perseverance my friend.
China is a universe in itself. I'm grateful for my Dad to have introduced it to me in a way that all has been useful until this day.
JLC - 140107
