A Brief Introduction to Chinese Culture

in America

Brief History of the Chinese in America

The Chinese were the first large group of people from Asia to immigrate to the

United States. Most of the immigrants worked in fruit orchards, on the

transcontinental railroad, or in coal mining.

Chinese Exclusion Act Because of the competition for jobs with

American settlers, the United States passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, forbidding any Chinese to enter the United States legally, which was in effect until about 1946.

Immigration Act of 1965

Not until 1965 with the passage of an Immigration Act did the Chinese once again have large scale immigration to the United States.

Chinese and American Culture

• Many Chinese Americans, like Jace in the story, have assimilated into the American culture while still retaining the values and traditions of their Chinese heritage.

In the Story

Jace was born in China, and his parents immigrated to the United States when he was young. With each passing generation, the Chinese culture and American culture become more and more intertwined. For example, Jace speaks both English and Chinese, while his grandfather, still in China, only speaks Chinese.

Ist Generation versus 2nd or 3rd Generation Chinese Americans

First generation Chinese are the immigrants who migrated to America. The second generation are their children, and the third generation are their children’s children.

Comparing American and Chinese Beliefs

Conception of Self

• Chinese are collectivist. They place a higher value on group cooperation and individual modesty.

• Americans are individualist. They place a higher value on self-reliance and freedom from external constraints.

Identity

• The Chinese identity is rooted in the idea of being part of a group, a family. The family provides an individual with a frame of reference, personal identity, and emotional security.

Social Relationships

• In China, leadership is centralized. Thus, the Chinese have a formal, hierarchical social ladder, where they feel comfortable with their position and the behaviors appropriate for their situation.

• Americans form more informal relationships. They feel comfortable with their social equals, but the importance of social rankings is minimized.

Role of Rules and Regulations

• Chinese generally have more faith in personal relationships than in written rules regarding interactions.

• Americans presume that written rules apply to everyone and are assumed to produce fair, reasonable decisions.

In the Story

• Jace explains to K.T. “There are no individual freedoms, no property rights. The government owns everything, so you have to get permission for everything. That’s why so many people are being forced to move where the government chooses. That’s why my grandfather could never return to his rural home, why my parents decided to emigrate. If some local government official saw me take this treasure, he could make me give it back”.

• The government in China owns everything and makes all the rules. According to this law, the Jade Dragon is not Jace’s to take. However, he believes it belongs to his family.

A Person’s Status

• In Chinese traditional society, a person’s status was based on the inherited characteristics of age, gender, and family lineage.

• Americans believe that a person’s status is based on their own achievements, level of education and level of success in line of work.

Change

• However, in contemporary Chinese society, the previously static social hierarchy is changing to reflect the ideology of a capitalist society, like the United States.

Harmony versus Truth

• The Chinese are concerned with maintaining harmony, avoiding direct confrontation, open criticism, and controversial topics.

• Americans are willing to confront directly, criticize, and press personal opinions on what they consider is the truth.

Maintaining “Face”

• The Chinese have a unique cultural trait called “saving face”. The idea of saving face stems from the idea that shameful or improper behavior affects not only the individual; rather, the entire family lineage.

Time

• The Chinese generally pay more attention to the past and focus on the long-term future.

• Americans have less interest in the past, and are normally focused on the short-term future.

Attention to the Past

The Chinese attempt to preserve their past has worked so well that many links between the China of today and of ancient times have not been broken.

Chinese Rituals

The most important Chinese ritual is that of ancestral worship. The main idea is if a living person wants to be worthy of the glory of their ancestors, they must pay constant respect to their ancestors in various ceremonies.

Importance of a Ritual

• It may seem from a Western perspective that a "ritual" is superficial, on the outside, but the secret of Chinese ritual is not just in the outward display, but the inner feeling which animates the person.

How it Began

Confucianism, the predominant religion or philosophy in China, is centered around ancestral worship, or offerings to the dead.

Basics of Confucianism

• Philosophy that emphasizes peace and order.• Ideas of Confucianism are based on strict moral

principles and social rules.• In 206 B.C. Confucianism became the religion of

the empire. Even today it is Confucian ideology that still molds the character of China.

• Popular worship is centered around offerings to the dead.

History of Ancestral Worship

• The worship of ancestors became very fashionable during the Shang dynasty (1700-1100 B.C.) Bronze was found in royal tombs as well as the skeletons of about three hundred servants who were to accompany the king to the heavenly world.

History of Ancestral Worship

• Funeral tablets were kept in the front of temples and all rituals were carried out in their presence. These tablets were thought to contain the souls of the royal ancestors. Every royal event was announced aloud in the temples to inform the ancestors. In addition, the diviners often consulted the ancestors by offering sacrifices and reading the cracks of burnt bones.

Filial Piety

• But it was not until the period between 1100 to 256 BC, when filial piety was connected to ancestor worship, that the Chinese began to venerate their living parents and preserve the family lineage.

What is Filial Piety? The basic idea is that only through filial

love and care of one's parents, and loving kindness to one's children, is one better able to extend one's experience of living from the past to the present and into the future, forming an unbroken stream of life and expressing the continuity of the universe.

The Importance of Ancestors

Traditionally, it was the son’s duties to protect, preserve and represent the family. According to ancient belief, the son must bring offerings to the ancestors, and be responsible for the nourishment of the departed generations.

In the Story

Jace protected and represented his family by saving the Jade Dragon, the guardian of his ancestors.

Ancestral Worship

Ancestor worship entails praying for the family lineage. These dead ancestors are believed to play a role in a family's wealth, health, and success, and therefore, paying the proper respect means that the ancestors will bless the family.

Ancestral Worship

Conversely, misfortune that befalls on a family may be attributed to the ancestors' displeasure.

Why else worship ancestors?

• To celebrate the family heritage

• Binds a family together through numerous generations

• Have a strong belief in life after death

• Makes the loss of the individual easier to bear

Aspects of Ancestral Worship

• The ancestors, clearly still members of the family, required almost as much attention dead as they did when they were still living.

• The ancestors "continue to take interest in the affairs of the living”.

Aspects of Ancestral Worship

The ancestors are informed of any important decision that is to be made.  The living ask for approval on these subjects since they believe that the ancestors hear and can show their approval or disapproval for the decisions made by the living relatives.

Ancestors in Traditional Festivals

During traditional festivals, such as the The Chinese New Year, families set out tablets of the deceased family member and burn incense and tinfoil paper to express their respect.

CHING MING AND CHUNG YEUN

Ching Ming and Chung Yuen are two Chinese festivals where people pay respects to their ancestors. The family gathers in front of their ancestors graves, leaving fresh flowers and food and burn paper money, cars, and houses for use by the deceased person.

Importance of the Ancestral Worship for the Chinese Family

Ancestral worship has created a strong family bond throughout numerous generations.  It forces the Chinese to remember their ancestors and all they fought, struggled, and rejoiced for.  Not only does it preserve family lineage, but it also creates a powerful sense of family loyalty. 

THE JADE DRAGON

Symbolic Importance of Jade

• It was once believed to be the Stone from Heaven, with special powers to protect against evil, or a talisman against harm.

• In Chinese culture, jade symbolizes nobility, perfection, constancy, and immortality.

• Chinese jade jewelry is believed to bring longevity, good health and peace of mind.

Symbolic Importance of Jade

• According to ancient Chinese legend, the phoenix and the dragon are animal deities that were the life-source of family clans. For this reason, jade was often used as a material for carving phoenixes and dragons.

Jade and Ancestral Worship• Jade often accompanies the deceased to

comfort their souls.

• It is believed that jade's qualities of nobility, perfection, constancy, and immortality would prevent the physical body from decay.

Importance of the Jade Dragon

• In the story, Jace’s grandfather would rather have Jace save the Jade Dragon than get him medical attention.

• “He knew he was dying. ‘No need for that. Save the dragon,’ he said.”

Importance of the Jade Dragon

“It’s as light as the souls it guards and as heavy as the burden of centuries”.

• In the story, K.T. does not understand what Jace meant by this quote. Knowing what you do now, can you explain what Jace might be saying?

Questions

• How far back can you remember your ancestors? Do you know when your family came to America?

• Can you think of something important to you that has emotional, not monetary value?