Thank you, Hsiaomei and Yanan, for providing our program with the opportunity to visit Beijing, Luoyang, and Xi’an to learn about China’s rich history and past/present culture this past week. The students at Zhuhai No 9 Middle School are unique. Zhuhai is unique. Guangdong (the province in which Zhuhai is located) is unique. But prior to this trip, I did not believe that I had a true understanding of our grater host community: China. In my opinion, this educational and cultural enrichment trip was an integral aspect of this program that truly grounded me in this program’s host country.
Throughout this past week, I expanded my knowledge of Chinese history far beyond the depths of what human geography and history classes provided me. For example, the Terracotta Warriors Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an, I learned about how China’s first emperor, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, unified the seven warring kingdoms in China at the time (221 BC). I learned that his successor, which was actually his 18th son and not his not eldest son (long story short: the prime minister and eunuch forged documents for Emperor’s Qin Shi Huang’s eldest son, Fusu, to commit suicide and ordered his 18th son, Hu Hai, to become emperor as Hu Hai would be easier to eventually overthrow), was not as successful, which caused the death of the Qin Dynasty just two years after the death of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. By visiting the site of the warriors who protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s burial tomb, I can now appreciate and understand the historical significance of this relic. I felt as if I were situated in the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago, viewing the successes of the emperor and the dynasty’s eventual fall myself. This was an eye-opening experience.
The story is the same for the other historic sites that we visited. For example, at the Luoyang and Xi’an city and national museums, respectively, I learned about the differences between the battlefield tactics, standards of beauty, cultural practices, and art of the early Qin, Western Han, and Tang dynasties (among many others). At the Forbidden City in Beijing, I learned about the traditional architecture, political importance, and religious connections of this royal palace in the later China dynasties, specifically the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. At the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, I learned about feng shui, a traditional Chinese practice that focuses on establishing balance between individuals and nature, and about the 100,000 buddha statues that reside on the mountain, many of which were beheaded during World War II and sold for profit. At the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, I learned about the spread of Buddhism from India to China and about the first Buddhist Temple in China… and the list goes on.
My growth in understanding and appreciation of China’s 5,000 history came mainly from the organized enrichment trips to historic sites. However, my understanding for Chinese culture, both past and present, came from exploring the 胡同 (alleys) in Beijing, Luoyang, and Xi’an. While the tall buildings provide a snapshot of the urbanization that has occurred in more recent times, the small alleyways provide a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people who live a simpler life among the hustle and bustle of the city. It is at these times, in which I fully immerse myself into the culture, that I wish that I spoke Chinese more than ever. I wonder what it would be like to ask a local about the history of the alley, about their family’s history, and about the growth of the city over time. I can only learn so much through observation. I hope to have the opportunity to return to these cities in the future, with a better understanding of the Chinese language, to fully understand and appreciate the local culture that make each of these cities unique.
I am beyond thankful for this experience to directly engage with China’s history and culture, and I hope that future DukeEngage Zhuhai programs will have this same unparalleled opportunity. :)
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Group Dynamic…
This week was the first time in a few weeks that the Duke students did not return home to their host families at the end of every day, but rather lived in close proximity and spent every moment together. This proximity was inevitably accompanied by more conflict than normal.
On Tuesday night, we had another group meeting at which individuals openly talked about anything that had been troubling them. It was a productive conversation that led to growth among the individuals in the group and the group as a whole. Thank you to everyone for participating and for your honesty. For me specifically, this group meeting reinforced two important principles: 1) communication is key (as it is in any relationship), and 2) it is not possible (nor healthy) to please everyone.
In terms of the first principle, all the small troubles within the group could all be traced to a lack of communication, whether it was not communicating plans or intentions, or not notifying others when help was needed. During the rest of the trip, we all focused on improving our communication with the group, which greatly reduced (maybe even eliminated) the troubles that had bothered the group before!
Regarding the second principle, I have an (unhealthy) habit of trying to please everyone I encounter. So, I was ultimately upset immediately following the group discussion. I was not upset at myself or anyone in particular, but I was upset that some members of the group were not pleased by the conversation. Although it may not have been my fault that they were upset, I put the blame on myself. I thought: “What can I do to make them feel better?” As I thought about it, I realized that there was actually nothing that I can say or do to make others feel better sometimes. That was just the way it was, and I needed to accept it. “Letting go” of conflict has always been difficult for me, as I want there to be a clean resolution before proceeding any further. This group discussion showed me that this is not always possible, and that this is not a healthy mindset. Throughout this past week, I have worked to distance myself from this mindset of always working to please others. It is difficult, if not impossible, to ensure others happiness all the time. So, I will continue to not attempt to please others at the detriment of my own happiness.
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(Host) Family…
Although I was away this past week, I grew even closer to my (host) family. I would like to thank Hsiaomei and Yanan again for working their own magic to place me with this family. Words cannot describe how happy they make me. For example, before the enrichment trip, I planned to call my host family on Wednesday night (halfway). However, my brother gave me a call the first night and wanted to hear all about my experiences. I was so touched that night, and I was even more touched when he called again the next night. I talked with my brother, sister, and mother (via my siblings or my limited and broken Chinese) each night during the trip. I truly missed them. I was also moved when I arrived home very late Saturday night to a “welcome home” sign on my door with a flower. My mother has told me that “Chinese mothers will do anything for their children”… and I do not know if this generalization is true for all Chinese mothers, but I fully believe it to be true for mine. Thank you, Ted, Telly, Mom, and Dad… for everything.
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Ideas of the week…
I would like to give a shout-out to Yanan for always having the most spontaneous and theoretical conversations with me. Thank you for challenging my perspectives and sharing your wisdom with me. :)
Here are a few questions that I discussed with Yanan, other Duke students, or just thought about this week:
1) Why do humans follow religion in general? Why specific religions?
2) Why do religions evolve over time?
3) Can our present lives be framed as a “reincarnation”: a cycle of learning and re-learning the same lessons and evolving over time?
4) Is it harder to unlearn things than to learn new things?
5) Why do we enjoy art? Can this be explained by neuroscience?
I will not discuss these questions in detail here, but I would love to talk with you more about my opinions on these ideas in person!
Thank you for taking the time to read about my thoughts from this week. I am thankful for the enrichment trip to learn more about Chinese history and culture, my relationship with my host family, my relationship with the Duke students, my relationship with the No. 9 students, and my relationship with my family/friends/loved ones back home. I truly love you all. Until next week… :)
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