spot_img

World Ready; Global Perspectives Educate New Chinese Character

spot_img
spot_img

Latest News

spot_img

Today, China is flourishing with an evolving education which propels the quality of the population and in turn, promotes social solidarity. Since arriving in Nanjing at the age of 2, I have personally felt the leaping social progress of the last 13 years.

Gone are the days of mass spitting or littering. I also notice that more people are now choosing to use Nanjing’s convenient public transportation system instead of traveling in their private cars, helping to make the city more environmentally friendly than ever. Most importantly, the combination of remindful, inspirational advertisements, plus educational PSAs in Chinese have greatly contributed to the population’s awareness as to the importance of making civic decisions.

Before China’s opening up and reform, the chances of any ordinary person seeing a foreigner were slim to none; now they are ten a penny. However, colossal change in society over the last 40 years aside, many Chinese people, especially the middle to older generations, still feel a certain fascination when encountering foreigners.

Some weeks ago, as part of a group of international school students, I went on a sports trip from Nanjing to Suzhou. Waiting outside the bus at the service area on the highway, a group of Chinese people from the bus beside ours started taking photos of the foreign students, examining their faces from a distance, enjoying the view of the “Lao Wai”. One man even shoved a professional camera in front of my friend’s face, while another person tried to take a photo with a foreign teacher. He was too shy to ask, so his friend tried to help him ask, saying in Chinese, “My friend, my friend”, showing their interest and “friendliness”, while the teacher was waving no, a simple and common move in western culture that might not look friendly to the Chinese people in this case. This is a pretty typical recount of all of my school trips since 2012, where some Chinese amateur photographers play paparazzi and make us all feel famous for a day.

Yet, taking such photos of strangers in public can sometimes cause feelings of confusion and hurt, making foreigners feel alienated and uncomfortable. Drifting back in time, as far back as fourth grade, our class went to a museum in Nanjing. After visiting all the exhibition areas, we went to the souvenir shop. We stepped inside and shortly after, an older lady asked her granddaughter, “Can you stand beside this young foreigner?”. Nodding her head, she walked and stood beside my friend, who was baffled about what they were about to do.

“Please move away”, the grandma politely asked me, waving her hand. Predictably, she took out her phone and snapped a photo of them.

At that time, I felt mind blown, and a little infuriated. I thought, “Why not me? I am his friend”. As a non-foreigner, she did not want me in her souvenir picture.
Yes, the taking photos of people without permission involves the right of portrait, and the difference between Chinese and Western property rights is an area ripe with misunderstanding, although again, China has made significant progress recently as to issues surrounding “banqian” (版权); copyright.

The social phenomenon, on the other hand, is actually very understandable. After years of insight, I’ve learned that such is the result of transitioning from a closed society to an open society (after the economic reform). Chinese adults wanting to take photos of foreign people reflect the tendencies that many Chinese still exhibit today; the worship of all-things foreign and a binging on foreign commodities. Over time, however, the Chinese population will soon start treating foreigners in China as common visitors and foreign residents, leading to the Chinese displaying a new attitude and world view, through education. Not only powerful in developing knowledge, education also shapes people’s character through the learning experience.

Becoming a mandatory part of the national curriculum in recent years are historical-text studies where students learn about Chinese morality and ethics, greatly benefitting students on character, one of the main elements that determine a person’s success.

Likewise, there has also been the introduction of liberal-arts elements into education, resulting in a wide range of subject choices, such as the arts and physical education that improve people’s mental and physical health. In addition, cultural and foreign languages, plus history, social and political science, will all help students to acknowledge that globalisation is a trend that also expands the students world view in general.

Even though morality and ethics are taught in schools, there are always some events in life that are not taught by schoolteachers or parents, which leaves the question, how much do we know about right and wrong? I once witnessed a street fight between two men, in front of a restaurant. Frenzied and out of control, I was appalled to see the immense amount of blood all over the ground at the scene. Fresh red. Yet, more shockingly was the crowd of bystanders who did not mind the bloodiness. Some were using their phones, not to notify the hospital and the police, but to take videos of the fight as a rare and memorable experience. It was as if someone was performing martial arts. Even grandparents took toddlers with them to ogle the fight scene.

It was a far cry from the traditional Chinese point of view; “When you see violence, retreat as soon and as far as possible. Leave well alone; most of the time, it is better to be respectful by staying quiet”.

In many countries, citizens are expected to report crimes when witnessed. So too in China, as more people become educated at a global level, their character will change as their world view expands.

Despite the cultural differences in China due to its historical background, ignited by the country’s rapidly advancing education, as the local population becomes more knowledgeable as to global trends, so too shall their characters develop to be a model for centuries to come. China’s advancing education system and a growing awareness amid the population, no matter differing social status, remind us everyone can eventually learn that as humans, we should contribute to society positively, through having a strong moral character.

- Advertisement -

Local Reviews

spot_img

OUTRAGEOUS!

Regional Briefings