Imagine the following:
A major catastrophe has almost completely
devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has
decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated
to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are
among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no
input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are
told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own,
and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that,
in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you.
You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your
family culture.
 | |
| Chinese dictionary |
The three items that I
would choose are a Chinese Dictionary, a Chinese knot and a pair of chopsticks.
In the Chinese dictionary, it includes the Pinyin/pronunciation, the meaning
and the usage of each Chinese character, which is very useful for learning
Chinese. The Chinese knot is made by using only one piece of thread; It can be
in a variety of figures. Chopsticks are a pair of about pinky-finger-sized sticks
with the length of around 23cm and can be made from bamboo, wood, metal and
china.
 |
| Chinese Knot |
Chinese characters have been
existing for more than 7 thousand years, which represent our literacy, our
culture, our civilization and our intelligence. I would like to take a Chinese
dictionary with me because I want my next generations to talk, read and write
in Chinese, thus maintaining our civilization. The Chinese knot means unity and
happiness in China, which my parents always advocate for and is part of my
family culture. The Chinese knot would give me courage and hope when I was in the
host country. Chopsticks are a typical part of the food culture in China and a
lifestyle for our family as Chinese.
 |
| chopsticks |
If I was told that I had to
give any of these items, I could not imagine how my life would be like because
I would lose who I am, what I believe in and the ways I live as a Chinese. I
would feel get lost and not completed because these items are part of me.
I think the daily items,
the daily behaviors and the ways how I live are my culture and my family
culture, which become who I am and are inseparable of self. Just as NADIYAH
TAYLOR said, "Everything that we do, I think, is related to culture. You
know, the gestures that we make, how we make eye contact or don't make eye
contact, the way we hold our bodies, how we perceive the world, all of those
things for me are cultural, and so I think it's really just our way of being in
the world and very personal." (Laureate Education, 2011)
Reference:
Laureate
Education (Producer). (2011). Family cultures: Dynamic interactions [Video
file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
I like how you chose the Chinese Dictionary. Not only does it hold meaning for you now but you are also thinking of its significance for the future and your next generations. Language is such an important part of family culture and a book can help restore that in many ways.
回复删除I agree with you that it is those daily items we use in daily behaviors that hold a lot of meaning. It makes me think about what I items I use today that might hold significance to my later generations. Maybe my necklace I wear everyday, my earring collection or my compact mirror?
Hello Xiaowan,
回复删除I love the three items you chose. The dictionary and knot sound so interesting. I like that you chose the dictionary to continue your literacy and learning and such, and I did not know about the knot. We lived in Japan for several years when my daughter was young. She learned to use chopsticks rather than silverware and still prefers them. She and her sister have ordered them out of different materials and treasure them. We have no Asian ethnicity, however we picked up much of the culture, especially the enjoyment of the foods, while there. Thank you for sharing!
Bonnie
Hello Xiaowan,
回复删除I always enjoy reading your blog posts and this one was just as enjoyable. I think that bring the Chinese dictionary is such a great idea and I understand the importance of preserving your native language. When you try and share the dictionary with people in your new country how will you share its importance with them? I found that it was hard for me to think of ways to communicate the deep and personal connection I have with the items I selected. Again, your post was insightful and made me reflect on what other items I might have brought.