American Students' Di Zi Gui (弟子规) appraisal 美国学生的弟子规读后感 #2

Appraisal #2: 弟子规Appraisal
HML, 11th grader

            Given that Di Zi Gui contains such a variety of ideals and philosophies, it contains both similarities and differences to Western culture. Similarities include basic concepts such as taking care of your body and respecting your elders, while differences are met by the extremes, which are not matched in Western society.

            The similarities between Di Zi Gui and modern day Western society are matched by numerous couplets. Understanding that Confucius established these philosophies so long ago in such a different culture, it’s amazing to see so many resemblances between the two societies values. As demonstrated many times in Jin, everyday actions such as neatly organizing your shoes and socks or even walking with good posture, are practiced in America with ease. Also, more conceptually speaking, it’s important to always return other people’s belongings on time, obviously after you’ve asked in the first place if you could borrow it; if you didn’t, that’s considered stealing. “执虚器如执盈;”pick up an empty container like it’s full. Everyday people are encouraged to do everything to the best of their ability, and though a task may seem small it’s important to put forth your best effort. Beliefs and practices such as the ones mentioned above are basic concepts are practiced in every society, not just in China.

            Those who would argue that Confucius’s principles are nothing like those found in American believe that Confucius met the extreme of every situation. For example, Confucious states “勿虽小无私藏苟私藏亲心伤。” Although I agree that most things should be shared with your parents, I don’t agree that even the small things must be passed on. It’s important to have some privacy and independence. If your independence and privacy are compromised and always shared with others, how is a teenager supposed to learn how to decipher important and small things in life? If everything is shared, there is bound to be an opinion that follows, and sometimes it’s important to devlop that opinion on your own. In Western culture, teenagers are notorious for hiding things from their parents. Although I don’t agree with parents allowing this extreme, I believe that a happy medium should me met. Children should be left to differentiate between the large and small things in life, and most large events should be passed on for their parents to know about. Also, Confucius adds, “亲所恶谨为去.” Yes, one shouldn’t intentionally upset their parents by doing things they don’t like, but often it’s important for a child not to follow in their parent’s footsteps and pave their own path. American parents more often than not encourage their children to try new things and pursue their interests. This is often seen during the college process when a child chooses to attend a school different than their parents wish.

            In conclusion, the similarities and differences might be small, but Confucius’s philosophies are often recognized to be more idealistic than practical in American society.

American Students' Di Zi Gui (弟子规) appraisal 美国学生的弟子规读后感 #1

Having taught Confucian classic Di Zi Gui (弟子规, Rules for the Young) for more than a month now, students have learned in detail Confucian emphases on filial piety (入则孝), peer respect (出则弟), prudence (谨), trust (信), and humanity (泛爱众). With only two more chapters to go - befriend virtuous people (亲仁) and studying if you have extra energy (余力学文) - before concluding this material, I decided to offer my students an opportunity to write an appraisal of Di Zi Gui in their native language. The assignment was a spontaneous one, so spontaneous, in fact, that they had to figure out what "appraisal" means. "Do you want us to praise Di Zi Gui?" one student asked, obviously confusing the word "appraisal" with "praise." I had to copy the definition of "appraisal" from the Cambridge dictionary and assure them that they are free to either praise or criticize Di Zi Gui, as long as they substantiate their statements with evidence. So the students spent some time planning and then used 50 minutes of class time to type out their reflections of about this Confucian classic. Knowing my American youngsters are generous with their candour, their Di Zi Gui appraisals did not let me down. I'm proud to share these candid reflections here in this blog.

Appraisal #1: 弟子规Reflection
LZS, 11th grader

            弟子规is Confucius’s way of living. It describes how people should carry themselves in all situations, and with all tasks, big or small. Many of his teachings, while somewhat outdated, can still be used today. For example, in the introduction to 弟子规, he says “首孝弟，次谨信“. This means respect your elders and peers, and be trustworthy. In this simple six word statement, Confucius has identified one of the essential points of interacting with others: respect. Respect is a common theme he will return to often throughout his teachings, as it is of the utmost importance for living a virtuous life. This certainly still holds true today. From a young age, we are taught to respect our parents, grandparents, etc. However, Confucius takes this even farther by saying that you must respect all of your elders, not just your family. While this may seem like an implied point, he is sure to emphasize it throughout his teachings. Confucius is also includes peers in his list of those to be respected. This aspect of respect is often overlooked in today’s world. The second part of the statement, be trustworthy, is also an extremely important teaching today. The fact that Confucius puts trust in the same line as respect implies that he believes trust is essential to respect.

            Following his thoughts on respect and trust, Confucius ends his introduction with an interesting statement: “有余力，则学文“。This means if you have extra energy, you may learn. Confucius is implying that educational learning is not as important as learning virtue, and therefore it should only be pursued once one has mastered virtue. This statement would likely be met with substantial criticism, as it essentially says that schools are not teaching the right type of knowledge. To a certain extent, Confucius is right. The amount one has learned does not decide how good of a person they are. And in the society Confucius lived in, education of the sort we have today likely took a back seat to the teachings of virtue and respect. But without education, society would probably not progress. Furthermore, many of the same values taught in education hold true in Confucius’s writing. School children are taught  to respect both their teachers and their classmates, and they must be trustworthy when talking about their work. Therefore, a middle ground can be found when discussing Confucius’s stance on education versus learning virtue.

            While many of Confucius’s teachings hold true today, other seem to have lost their significance. He says “或饮食，或坐走，长者先，幼者后“. This means wherever you eat or travel, older people go first, and younger people go second. It is clear why Confucius would say this. It is important to respect your elders, and therefore you should make sure they are satisfied first. However, in today’s society, this is often not true. Many families prioritize the children and make sure they are satisfied first, and then the adults proceed. Confucius would likely be horrified at this practice, as it seemingly goes against his teachings on respect and virtue. However, it could also be seen in a positive light. By showing children a sizable degree of respect, elders teach kids how they should one day respect others. Therefore, while this practice may on, the surface, not teach children respect, it teaches them how to respect others in the future.

            It is evident from 弟子规that Confucius’s most essential virtue is respect. He believes it should govern every action in one’s life, from minutiae tasks to ones of more significance. And while some of his teachings outwardly appear outdated, their essentials hold true for many situations.    

Chaperone Reflections (Answers to the Ten Questions from my Last Blog) about the China Trip

1. What did you learn about yourself on this trip?

Home is, and always will be, my fountain of inspiration. I learned so much about myself on this trip: I realized that I really enjoy being a teacher, that I want to further my calligraphy studies, that I want to read more Chinese classics, and so on.

2. What challenged you about living with a host family? What did you learn from living with a host family?

Observing students’ homestay experience convinced me that in order to truly gain an insight into another culture, it is so important to go beyond mere sightseeing when traveling in a foreign country. Although homestay was a challenge for many students, they embraced these challenges as valuable opportunities to grow. I do believe that in the end, both American and Chinese students learned a lot from their host siblings and emerged from the homestay experiences more receptive, tolerant, and cooperative.

3. How would you compare the four schools we visited in China?

Each school has its distinct characteristics, and their differences, represented in their campuses, curricula, students, etc., are the results of geographical locations, history, and nationality. S was the most beautiful, most prestigious, most historical and most academic. I campus was also very studious, yet the students seem less privileged. Because it is a boarding school, students also seem more social. D is an international school based on I. It feels like an American school. While some of our students loved it, others felt it was exclusive and isolated. X was the only rural school we visited. Although the facilities are less modern, we received the most attention there because American visitors were so rare to the school.

4. What surprises / cultural differences challenged you to think about your own biases?

I regret a lot that I did not communicate to our participants the importance of being indirect, reserved, and face-saving in China. My bias was that when in China, we could still act “American,” but I was wrong. One day in S, while S teachers were listening and watching, our crew loudly complained about a certain thing about S. Although that certain thing was unpleasant, it was not the fault of those teachers who were listening, and I felt so embarrassed that we displayed our discontent noisily. After all, the teachers had organized everything for our stay in S, be it lodging, food, transportation, or even clothing. As guests taking advantage of their hospitality, we could have been more thoughtful and considerate.  In other words, when in China, be less blunt like the American, but more reserved like the Chinese. We certainly should discuss the negative experiences among ourselves, and we did, but we should not have done that in front of our Chinese hosts, because we were guests by all definitions of the word.

5. What did you find in common between "your" culture and Chinese culture?

Despite the seeming differences, I believe that American and Chinese cultures share a lot in common as well. For example, the quest for school success (and success in general) is a shared craze in China and America. Even in prestigious schools like our own and S, students have enormous pressure. Another example is that etiquette goes a long way both in America and in China. One of the host mothers had only good things to say about her host son because she so appreciated the American boy’s politeness and gratefulness. Similarly, when a Chinese student did not behave graciously or responsibly as a host, no Chinese or American respected him.

6. What Chinese words/phrases did you learn on the trip / from your host siblings?

I learned some Chinese slangs myself too: 酱紫 = 这样子啊；吐槽 = 太没道理了。I found that the students’ favorite ones are, of course, 高富帅 and 百富美. These were also the easiest words for them to remember.

7. What did you learn about Chinese culture (family relationships, family values, school culture, social interaction, Confucianism, history, etiquette, etc.)?

From talking with families, friends, and colleagues in China, I witnessed a sizable force for the revival of Confucianism in China. This revival includes the establishment of private schools that dedicate themselves to teaching Confucian classics, the emergence of artists who promote calligraphy and Chinese painting, the growing popularity of activists from all walks of life who travel across the country to spread the idea of Confucian philosophy to common folks. I was deeply impressed and inspired by this burgeoning cultural renewal.

8. How do you think you can help raise international and multi-cultural awareness at school?

Immediately upon my return to New York, I made a plan for teaching 《弟子规》(Rules for the Young), a Confucian classic for the young, to my students at school. The initial response I have received thus far has been so amazing and encouraging. Your interest will motivate me to carry on a mission that is extremely important to me: help more American know about Chinese culture and values, and help more Chinese know more about Western values, through my words and deeds.

9. How do you think you can contribute to global collaboration in the future (in your studies, work, humanitarian work, environmental conservation, economic development, cultural exchange, etc.)?

This trip helped me realize that in order to contribute something to global collaboration, I have yet to learn much, much more about the most profound of Chinese culture and the most diverse of American culture. I have started with reading “四书”(The Four Books), the canon of Confucianism. My goal is to be well-versed in both Chinese and American cultural and intellectual traditions. It is a challenging, but a most worthy, goal.

10. What was the best/most fun moment on the trip?

The most fun moment was certainly learning “Gucci Gucci” rap on the bus. The most special moment was visiting L’s home and witnessing their graciousness and kindness. Thank you everyone for these and other beautiful memories.

Seize the Educational Moments: Questions for Reflection After a School Trip to China

Right now is the first week of school after spring break. I asked my students, who participated in the China Trip during the past spring break, to reflect on their experiences by answering the following ten questions. Since teachers usually serve as chaperones on school trips, they make school trips special by taking advantage of all the educational moments on and beyond the trip. Having the students reflect in depth their experiences shortly after the trip takes place is certainly one of those educational moments. I hope these questions can help other school develop similar questions for their various school trips.

1. What did you learn about yourself on this trip?

2. What challenged you about living with a host family? What did you learn from living with a host family?

3. How would you compare the four schools we visited in China?

4. What surprises / cultural differences challenged you to think about your own biases?

5. What did you find in common between "your" culture and Chinese culture?

6. What Chinese words/phrases did you learn on the trip / from your host siblings?

7. What did you learn about Chinese culture (family relationships, family values, school culture, social interaction, Confucianism, history, etiquette,etc.)?

 8. How do you think you can help raise international and multi-cultural awareness at Riverdale?

9. How do you think you can contribute to global collaboration in the future (in your studies, work, humanitarian work, environmental conservation, economic development, cultural exchange, etc.)?

10. What was the best/most fun moment on the trip?

 In fact, these questions were sent to both students and chaperones (myself and my colleague included). After collecting all the responses, I plan to videotape participants for some of our responses. Other responses will be shared in writing. All reflections, photos, and memorabilia from the trip, will finally be compiled into a China Trip photo video, so that we as participants, and everyone else, can always relive our beautiful memories together.

Dumpling Fest - Educational Activities for Chinese New Year

We had a dumpling fest at school kitchen yesterday. Together we made more than 500 dumplings! Then we cooked about 300 dumplings and ate them all! How exciting it was for the kids to eat the food they made!

What's more, after the dumpling fest, the kids discovered with glee that we had also bought them Chinese New Year candies and snacks! They not only ate them much faster than I had expected, but those 6th-grade cuties also hoarded the candies and pretended that nobody saw - haha :) That was precious. But you know what, they worked for it. The vast majority of their dumplings held together in the boiling water, and they delivered a kitchen as clean as before we started. What a happy fest! I'm so glad we did it yesterday before the snow day today.

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone!!

Best Books for Teaching about China (continued.) [好书推荐] 帮我读懂中国的书

Last year, I wrote a blog of the same title. Since then, I have read more books that I enjoy and would recommend to readers who share the same interest as I do in modern China. My students have helped me in this process, because they have each chosen a book to read about China upon my assignment, and they in turn inspired me to pay closer attention to the book that they have chosen. This "book project," in their words, is the most enjoyable among all assignments because it gives them a choice, a degree of autonomy, and an opportunity to share with and learn from each other.

To Live, a novel by Yu Hua

I have watched the movie To Live many many times, wrote about it, and assigned essay questions on it, but my assumption that I almost read the novel by watching the movie proved wrong. Reading the novel proves to be a totally new experience, as the novel exposes me to a whole new setting and much more vivid details than the limited duration of a movie can ever include. While the movie seems to reference more directly the political tumults from 1940s to 1960s, the novel presents critiques the same period more subtly and realistically. Among all the books I recommend to my students to read, To Live is the most frequently chosen. Students love the controversy about how To Live was first banned in Mainland China and then heralded as one of the most influential Chinese novels of the twentieth century.

Chinese Cinderella - The True Story of An Unwanted Daughter, a autobiography by Adeline Yen Mah

I finished the book almost in one setting. Among all the tragic stories about modern Chinese history, the story of an unwelcome daughter of a mega-rich family somehow managed to sadden me just as much as a story of a Cultural Revolution victim. Compared with other books that I have recommended, this book would be perfect for a middle school student: relatively short, easily understood, easier to empathize with (although from a modern perspective, what happened to Ms. Mah is hardly imaginable), but still teaches an unforgettable lesson about girls in Chinese society and a personal view of the changes 1940s and 1950s brought to China. In addition, the book introduces us to a Chinese cinderella story from the Tang Dynasty that predated the Italian tradition, and suggests that perhaps Marco Polo exported the cinderella story from China to Europe. A more complete, adult version of Ms. Mah's autobiography is called Falling Leaves - Return to Their Roots.

The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua

This book probably does not need any more "recommendation," but the profound controversy that has generated the book's fame also makes is a great medium for students to voice their opinions on parenting and to compare the so-called Chinese and Western parenting styles. I have both 12th-grader and 8th-grader present provocatively and thoughtfully about this book that led to boisterous discussions and great understandings among their classmates. In my middle school classes, the Asian-American students almost unanimously chose this book - well, having met their parents a couple times, I can totally see why.

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution, by Ji-li Jiang

China's Son: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution, by Da Chen

 

These two books are good entries into the Cultural Revolution for middle school students. As a history buff and history teacher, I care deeply that my students learn something about China's most painful history, the Cultural Revolution, at some point in their secondary school education. Fortunately, there are books for both sophisticated and innocent readers in the U.S. that can help me accomplish my goal. These two books are sad, yet also convey messages of grit, perseverance, courage and optimism, which young students need to learn regardless of book titles or subject matters.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: An Adventure in the World of Chinese Food, by Jennifer 8 Lee

Are you curious why the author's middle name is "8"? Do you want to know the teal origin of fortune cookies and restaurant delivery services? Do you want to find out why Ms. Lee's passion is so strong that she devotes an entire book to expose the differences between real and fake Chinese food? In my experience, the students learn tidbits about Chinese culture and Chinese American experience from this book.

At 25, undramatic and grateful

It is getting hard to remember that I'm actually a quarter-of-a-century old already, while memories are still fresh when I eagerly counted the number of candle sticks on my birthday cakes as a child. I saw a blog post of a friend a few days ago who exclaimed equally "alarmingly" that she, like me, as reached an age that media likes to portrait as a period of uncertainties and crises. "As first I was just reading aimlessly at a report saying many 25-year-olds are encountering identity, job, and relationship problems," she wrote in her post, "until I realized, Bam, that I am one of those 25-year-olds!" Time seems to progress faster than we realize, especially when life has not seemed to have changed dramatically for my friend and me at 25. In many aspects, we are still who we were when we were a few ages younger, and therefore, our 25s seem a lot less dramatic than those in the papers.

But even though my 25 seems rather bland, it is probably still an important turning point in life. Even though no changes has happened suddenly at the juncture of 25, changes have happened gradually that I am quite a different person than the 22-year-old "me." I have a job that I enjoy, and I learn something new professionally every day. I have a boyfriend who treats me as the apple of his eye, and I learn how to better express my love every day. I have a comfortable rental property that I call home, whose space I define every day with a new decoration, a new recipe, or a new mark on the carpet. These are the things that have changed for me in the past few years and are continuing to change me. In addition, my bonds with my parents continue to deepen, and I continue to develop new goals for the future. Compared with many 25s who are in papers or around me, I feel truly lucky and grateful.