Nirvana in Fire and Chinese history (and some random notes)

After watching Nirvana in Fire I read up a bit more about Chinese history.  Popular narratives in China about Chinese history are especially important to understanding the Chinese perspective on the responsibilities of governments.  I wrote about how this relates to Nirvana in Fire in a Fold story.

In other news, I started trying to read it in Chinese.  The story actually started out as an internet novel.  Then I bought a paperback copy from Amazon.  To my shock, they were not the same!  Thankfully, someone on the internet explains that there are multiple editions because the author typically polishes it when they go to publish the story as a book.  The internet version is the modern equivalent of weekly installments in the newspaper so it's often more long-winded, Dicken's style.

Nirvana in Fire

I wrote an essay about a Chinese TV show I have been watching because I wanted to share my thoughts about the themes about patriotism and governance.  I have several shows, and some of these themes have shown up before so that now I feel that I more fully understand the context behind them.

 

The acting is really good.  There are so many great bromances, and it's also really cute that the actors are friends in real life as well.  It's really helped me to improve Chinese, too, since I'm motivated to read Chinese articles about the actors (尤其是胡歌!) and the show.  太好看了但是我的中文也太差了。也没办法了，学到什么就算什么。

 I am also trying out Fold as a platform for interactive blogging. I think I like it! It seems like the feature in Medium where people can comment in your text would be useful, though.

College Admissions Essay: San Mao Showed Me

This was my MIT admissions essay.  The prompt was something like "tell us about something that inspired you."  I always really liked it although it never occurred to me to share it with anyone before.  I found it again recently at my mom's house.  Although some of the word choices are a bit off, I still really relate to this essay.  

About once a year, I take out my box of children's books and sift through the colorful pages remembering how things used to be.  A couple of years ago, as I was indulging my nostalgia, I remembered how the picture stories made me feel and decided that they had much more literary value than I had previously thought.  One such piece particularly meaningful to me is a Chinese comic book called "San Mao," directly translated as "Three Hairs."

It's a pretty bland comic overall - nothing like the vibrantly colorful Disney cartoons, inviting children into warm and fuzzy worlds of fantasy.  "San Mao" was all black and white and most of the stories were pretty depressing now that I think about it.  The main character is a young orphan, who suffers from such extreme malnutrition that he only has three hairs.  Thus, he is dubbed San Mao, or Three Hairs.

The comic starts out with him gazing dejectedly at a sheep and her lambs in the countryside.  He cried (and I cried) because he was deprived of such an unconditionally caring relationship.  He then finds his way to the bustling streets of Shanghai, one of China's most congested cities, hoping for a life of peace and plenty.  Instead, he finds Shanghai in a state of riot and turmoil with multitudes of people just as pitiful as he.  Disappointments abound, he finds that Shanghai also has multitudes of people living in luxury, possessing only disdain for the surrounding poverty.  It made me feel personally affronted.  I was hurt that people were so inconsiderate and avaricious.  How could anyone sit cozily inside with the space heater eating ice cream, while others froze in the bitter cold of winter?  Couldn't the police see that San Mao was just trying to make a meager living by shoe shining?  So what if it's illegal?  Did they really have to confiscate his chair and box of shoe shining equipment?  

Reading San Mao was definitely not a conventional means for moral training.  Written in 1952, the social afflictions and unrest of Shanghai depicted in the comic can seem anachronistic.  However, the lessons are global and timeless.  I didn't know this at the time, but San Mao showed me at an extremely young age how good and bad can be conditional, and that no one is above this conditional scrutiny, not even a policeman.  Furthermore, since everything is seeped in chagrin and irony, individual blame is almost completely irrelevant.  Subsequently, all that remains is an image of helplessness and a yearning for a better world.  

At one point, as San Mao starts to whet his appetite for idealism by reading a book directly translated as "World Enlightenment," he witnesses a man being robbed.  He becomes so discouraged that he rips the book apart.  In contrast, my early exposure to calamity has helped me overcome this initial sense of disappointment.  I decided that San Mao's tragic kingdom does not have to be so tragic.  San Mao showed me things that I do not like and initiated within me a resolve to work for things that I do like.  

Since then, I found out that San Mao is actually as popular as Mickey Mouse in China.  It was written by an alcoholic communist, who was depressed and cynical about the poverty in Shanghai.  Its popularity is a reflection of the trauma and turmoil of modern Chinese history.  I'm sure the children growing up in China now can't really relate to it as much.  

When I wrote it, I felt I was taking a big risk, especially since by then I already knew it was sort of about communism.  I really did want to get into MIT, but I also felt the need to "test" them I suppose.  I wanted to know that mildly unconventional thoughts would be welcome.  I'm glad I did since it did make the admission feel more legitimate, since they accepted me knowing who I am.

Nowadays I still relate to the essay because it's probably the best description of why I don't really get that depressed about the state of the world no matter how bad things sometimes get.  For example, many people will say how they get discouraged when they read more about global warming and how so little is being done about it.  I mean, I know it's because nobody really wants to put in effort for something that might be a lost cause.  But I'm not concerned about that since it's not like I have something better to do, and seeing immediate results isn't that important to me.  Anyway, global warming and everyone else's lives will move on whether you're depressed about it or not, so you might as well give up feeling hopeless and fulfilling self-fulfilling prophesies.

Romance With Chinese Characteristics

I went to see the Shanghai Ballet at the Zellerbach perform the Butterfly Lovers this weekend, which is the classic Chinese love story originally from the Tang Dynasty.  The girl, Zhu, pretends to be a boy so she can go to school where she falls in love with a boy, Liang.  She is arranged to be married to someone else, though, and then they both die of sadness.  Heaven takes pity on them and turns them into butterflies.  

I've also been watching another Chinese drama, the Legend of Lu Zhen, which is mostly an epic love story.  http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Female_Prime_Minister

I'm seeing a lot of common themes in Chinese romances.  One is that the romance often starts when they don't fully know each other's identity.  Usually the poorer one doesn't know the other is rich since it means they really love each other for who they are, not because they are gold or power-digging.  Another is that the romance often takes place over a longer time frame where they are friends first.  Finally, the girl is often smart and capable, and that is actually important to making her attractive to the boy, and vice versa.  

To me, the first two themes are about trust.  Someone who likes you for your personality is less likely to move on to the next pretty face or next richest person.  Someone you know very well for a long time is more likely to be someone you can trust.  I thought that the last theme was a more modern theme to relate to modern Chinese women, but then again, it's also in Butterfly Lovers which is from the 8th century or so.  

Now I realize I've been influenced by Chinese romance themes my whole life.  "Love at first sight" and "happily ever after" princess stories never seemed that romantic to me.  Even though it was exciting that Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast liked to read, the Beast didn't really care about that.  And anyway, her favorite book was some other princess story.  

Nobels for Chinese Scientists Next Year?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/oct/01/nobel-prizes-asian-scientists-us

According to the Guardian article, Chinese scientists will start getting more Nobel prizes. Since Nobel prizes are usually given for decades old research, this would actually be pretty impressive. Perhaps the Chinese research community will start getting more prestigious. It is generally scoffed at by the American research community these days.

In other random news. The Chinese made an animation of the launching of their space shuttle and used "America the Beautiful" in the soundtrack. Chinese people are so funny.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/30/china-launch-america-the-beautiful

What Some Chinese Are Thinking

http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/pictures/adrian-fisk-what-are-young-chinese-thinking-about.html

I thought it was very moving. It makes me feel sad because there is so much to do and there always will be. I don't feel personally responsible for other people, but it still makes me feel like a failure.

Viral Web Commercials

Hu Ge is a Chinese filmmaker who got his start making spoofs and posting them on the internet. He did a couple of internet commercials for 7-Up that I think are really funny.





I also think it's really impressive that he sort of invented his career by being creative with his interest in filmmaking.

China's Environment in the News

Never good news, but at least they admit it.

China Faces ‘Very Grave’ Environmental Situation, Officials Say

Plan for China’s Water Crisis Spurs Concern

In order to feed the growing water needs of northern China, they are planning on diverting water from the ChangJiang River to the Yellow River. It is a very weighty decision that will have huge ecological and human impacts. People tend to forget that inaction and other alternatives also have huge ecological and human impacts. It is upsetting to read so much righteous comments from NYT readers when American per capita water use is so much more than China's. In fact, many American states, most notably California, face major water shortages. America's population is much lower, is much wealthier, and yet we still have problems and many do not even admit it. Many Americans still do not believe in climate change.

Narcissism

Funny but actually a little chilling article about narcissism in Chinese women and what it means for their Western boyfriends. Haha

Some of the traits hit close to home such as "Has constant fantasies of unlimited success, money and power," and I think sometimes I do lack empathy, usually when I think someone did something stupid, which is quite often. I also know I have the ability to be manipulative, but I consciously decide not to do it most of the time. Contrary to narcissistic behavior, though, I feel like I usually am empathetic and I can take criticism. In fact, I think I have quite thick skin. I also feel I have already overcome some other negative aspects of narcissism such as the depression, low self-esteem, and needing affirmation of my self-worth.

Consequences in relationships include "Only seeking men who are perceived as powerful, influential, extremely handsome, well-educated and unique." Also "will engage in constant power struggles or will always need to prove she is right. Closet narcissists are usually very distrustful and devaluing of other women, mostly or entirely have male friends." Actually I have a good number of female friends, but I do tend to be initially distrustful or competitive, especially with attractive women.

The author describes China as a matriarchal society. "In public, I will give my future husband 'face'. I will not argue with him or yell back at him, but, in the house, I am the boss. I will tell him what to eat and what to wear and he will have to listen to me."

Most relevant to me. Ruh Roh

In this context, many Western men, soon after intentions of marriage have been discussed, or, at the very least, once the girl has achieved a certain level of security in the relationship, report how Chinese women metamorphosize into partners who are controlling, domineering and hypercritical. Love and concern are often expressed in a manner that we would refer to as both critical and overbearing. Feelings of love and concern will be expressed with, for example: "Why did you wash your hands before flushing the toilet? You are supposed to wash your hands after you flush the toilet"; "Why did you leave the light on in the bathroom. Are you using it now?" and; "You better do a good job or they won't ask you back!" If you can understand and accept these very common types of condescending admonishments from your Chinese girlfriend or wife as "true love," then you are a better man (certainly a more accepting and patient one) than most.

I was recently getting worried about getting too naggy with little "tips" like those above. Actually it's a little creepy that the examples are close to things I've said before, but it's also hilarious.

Bottom line:

Thus, as a rule, foreign men who report the greatest degree of contentment in and satisfaction with their marriages to Chinese nationals are those who typically prefer being married to, and have deliberately sought out in the past, a strong-willed and dominant maternal-like figure.

Who knows, maybe it's just a silly article with some crank psychology. However, unfortunately I am sorry to admit that some of the behavior described does seem to be a trend with Chinese women such as myself.

Chinese Internet

Cool article in The Fast Company magazine

The Socialist Networks

It's fun to read about ambitious people in China. It is also interesting to see how the general public in China has sculpted the web landscape.

(Yes, this magazine was in the Cruftlabs bathroom)

Ian Bremmer on US China relations

Interesting clip from the Wall Street Journal. Americans are becoming much more knowledgeable about China, but things are also changing fast.

American Architects Go to China

NYT article
Architects Find Their Dream Client, in China

What can explain why Chinese developers seem to be bolder with designs? Maybe it is just because they have more money? Maybe there is less liability legally? Maybe they are just in a good mood.

Green China Rising - September 2011

Really interesting documentary. Maybe China will be the place to work on environmental policy because of the receptiveness of its politicians and citizens.

Their website at www.RedHotGreenChina.com

Shanghai Students Are #1

There was an article today about Shanghai's participation in PISA (Program for International Student Assessment), outperforming all the best performing cities and countries. Even though I don't have anything to do with it, it still makes me feel proud as a Shanghainese person.

Some commenters point out that Shanghai students routinely score lower than their inland counterparts on the national examinations because the inland counterparts are more motivated. Shanghainese students already tend to be better off financially. It is also not true that students do not participate in any extracurriculars, as many students play instruments and sports. It's just that American students spend almost all their time on extracurriculars. I think people should also note that there has been a "brain drain" from China to Western nations for the past 30 years. This is why people claim that Chinese American students such as myself do better than American students (because our parents were the best and brightest already).

Interesting comment

Oh and speaking as someone who reads a lot of comments by Chinese Internet users on Chinese BBS, I think it's safe to say that if the situation is reversed, namely Shanghai trailing the U.S., the Chinese commenters would

1) Bash the Chinese education authorities to no end
2) Try to figure out what's wrong with Chinese education
2) Tell themselves that they should learn more from the U.S.

And that's it.

Seeing how a significant portion of the comments here at the Times have been directed at finding this or that fault with China (human rights), the Chinese culture (lack of critical thinking and authoritarian) and the Chinese people (book-learnin' automatons), you really can tell the difference.

And the thing is, even when Shanghai's students did outperform their American counterparts, the Chinese commenters (yes the news has already been published in China, too) are still

1) Bashing the Chinese education authorities to no end
2) Trying to figure out what's wrong with the Chinese education (they are fully aware of the creativity thing, too)
3) Asking themselves what can be learned from the U.S.

Just based on the comments, you can see who is leaving whom in the dust.

Microfinance in China

Google TechTalk by a representative from Wokai



Really interesting. I think I'll sign up.

Single Pipa

So I finally found out that the Buddha dance that I did in high school was a rearranged version of this Pipa song 阳春白雪, which means "sunlight on white snow." This whole time, I thought it was multiple instruments, but it was all just one. High labor productivity, only have to pay one musician.

UN Climate Talks in China

There are UN talks in Tianjin, China right now, a meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Bloomberg

Among the sticking points are a demand by countries for Chinese commitments to more aggressive emissions cuts as well as for China to accept more stringent verification of its climate change mitigation, said Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of the National Reform Development Commission of China, the country’s top economic planner.

Some countries tried to tie those conditions to financial assistance to the least developed countries, he told reporters through a translator today.

Developed nations have pledged $30 billion in short-term financing from 2010 to 2012, $2 billion of which still needs to be sourced, Figueres said. The outline of a longer-term climate fund could also be agreed upon in Cancun, she said.

The negotiations around targets for rapidly developing nations like China and for financial transfers are relevant to my research for the Climate Collaboratorium. I have been working on making it possible to see simulations of economic impacts of climate mitigations for different regions.

Higher Standards

Scrutiny of China's factories after FoxConn suicides

China in Africa

The latest on the China-Africa relationship. The article talks about the "trade not aid" approach to Africa that China has been pioneering. "Beijing doesn't do gifts; it does deals." The IMF doesn't like that the countries it's making loans to has another source of funding, though, and some argue that African nations are selling out their resources for cheap. There is a danger to having a colonizer-colony relationship, and there is already resentment of the Chinese from the local population. It will be critical to make sure Chinese companies are dealing with African countries fairly, for a fair price, and for there to be enough benefits to the local populations. In other words, after infrastructure is completed, the local population should be able to be technically proficient enough to maintain and use it and also be in charge of the management.

China Appreciating Yen

I appreciate the Yen.

NYT article that China recently announced they're letting the RMB float, but that appreciation will be gradual.