American Students' Di Zi Gui (弟子规) appraisal 美国学生的弟子规读后感 #3

Appraisal #3:
KMY, 11th grader

            The focus of society on the elders if very different in Chinese and American cultures, and this is seen prominently in弟子规. Although in America we do respect our elders, we focus more on the importance of youth. Our focus on youth causes us to occasionally disregard the actions of our elders. On the other hand, respecting elders is a main component of Chinese culture. Although much of western culture is “youth-centric”, from弟子规we are reminded to respect our elders in the most simple to the most extreme ways.

            Although the degree in which elders are respected differs, both societies still do show elders respect. In both America and China, it is expected that younger people are polite to older people, especially if said older person is in your family, it is expected that children will listen to and respect the things their parents and their teachers say and put forth. These, and many more, similarities are present, but in America, although being respectful is expected of the young, they often don’t uphold their responsibilities in terms of this, while in China the responsibilities of respecting one’s elders are upheld.

In American society, although we respect our elders to an extent, simple but respectful actions occasionally get overlooked. Actions such as responding to your parents as soon as they call, or simply doing things that parents ask of you are among these. Most of us mean well, but, because respecting our elders is not a fundamental aspect of American society, respect of the elders is often a lower priority than personal entertainment.

As opposed to in American society, in Chinese society, elders are extremely respected. In fact, almost everything one does is to either respect, please, or honor their parents. It is not only expected that one does what their parents ask, “父母呼，应勿缓；父母命，行勿懒” but it also important that have a stable home and career so that their parents do not have to worry, “居有常，业无变.” Not only are you expected to respect your parents, you are expected to respect all elders by treating them as you would treat your family, “事诸父，如事父；事诸兄，如事兄.” In China, elders are respected not only because it is part of Chinese culture, but also because it is the right thing to do.

In conclusion, the main difference in actions comes from the different attitudes of the Chinese and the Americans. In “youth-centric” America, one may not feel shame after not showing elders proper mistakes, while in China it would show an inferior character. In China, if you openly disrespect an elder, it is understood that you should be ashamed of yourself, and others should be ashamed of you and for you, while in America, disrespecting an elder in unfortunate, but it doesn’t condemn you as it does in China. 

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.