What Does It Mean to Be Chinese?
When Gary Locke was nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to China, many Chinese were overjoyed, because Locke is a Chinese-American. Viewed as “one of us,” he was expected to have a better understanding of the concerns and interests of his ancestral country, and hence to play a more positive role in the bilateral relationship.
Yet from the day of his arrival in Beijing in August 2011 until his departure in early 2014, Locke apparently never really felt “at home” among his Chinese compatriots. The image of a humble and frugal American official — at ministerial rank by Chinese standards — who bought his own Starbucks coffee and carried his own luggage at airports, throws into sharp relief the privileged — and usually corrupt — lifestyle of many Chinese officials. Locke not only made PM2.5 a household word in China, but also had the misfortune of getting intimately — though unexpectedly — involved in Chinese domestic politics, when first the former police chief of Chongqing and then a blind lawyer named Chen Guangcheng sought political asylum from the United States.
Just two days before Locke’s departure, the state-run China News Service published an opinion piece entitled “Farewell, Gary Locke.” The author was undoubtedly inspired by one of Mao Zedong’s most famous works, “Farewell, Leighton Stewart,” which was a damning criticism of U.S. China policy during the Chinese civil war in the 1940s. In the article, Gary Locke was conveniently referred to as a “banana,” that is, white/American inside but yellow/Chinese outside. “But the skin of a banana will eventually rot, exposing the white inside, which will also rot and turn dark,” wrote the author, extending the metaphor. The article contends that Locke’s humble lifestyle as reported by the Chinese media was deliberately staged to embarrass Chinese officials and to incite discontent among the ordinary Chinese. “Unable to read his ancestral country’s language and ignorant about Chinese laws,” the author claimed, “Mr. Locke is nevertheless particularly fond of messing up with Chinese domestic politics.” The closing line of the article reads: “Goodbye smog, goodbye evil spirit. Farewell, Gary Locke.”
This opinion piece certainly doesn’t represent the views of the average Chinese, but it is nevertheless an illuminating case through which one can get a good sense of Chinese perceptions of Chineseness. Born, raised, and educated in the United States, Gary Locke is by all means an American. But just because his grandfather was a Chinese, Locke is also viewed as a Chinese, though he can utter only a few simple Chinese words and can hardly read the written language. By contrast, his predecessor, Jon Huntsman, is fluent in Chinese and even has an adopted Chinese daughter. The irony is that Huntsman was hailed as one of the best U.S. ambassadors to China because he displayed more “Chineseness” than the Chinese people would expect of an American, while Locke ended up being viewed as an “evil spirit” because he apparently had much less “Chineseness” save for his Chinese face.
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Get the NewsletterBack in 1782, John Crevecoeur, a French immigrant who was naturalized in New York, published his classic Letters from an American Farmer. “What then is the American, this new man?” he asked. His answer was that “individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men,” hence the melting pot metaphor for the United States.
What does it mean to be a Chinese then? This is a soul-searching question for both the Chinese government and the Chinese people, especially at a time when many foreigners — of various skin colors and religions — are coming to the Middle Kingdom to seek employment and business opportunities as a result of China’s growing global presence and influence. Can China become another melting pot, in which foreigners and the Chinese are melted into a new race of men?
Probably not, because Chineseness — or Han Chineseness to be more accurate — has been defined almost exclusively by racial features. The descendants of the dragon, as one popular Chinese song goes, “have dark eyes, dark hair, and yellow skin.” Thus most foreigners — whites, blacks, and Indians, for example — are automatically disqualified even if they speak perfect Chinese or behave just like the Chinese do. Moreover, this racially-based definition also excludes a number of ethnic groups in China that have slightly different physical features, distinct written languages, and unique religious beliefs, though these groups have been subsumed under “the Chinese nation” since the 1911 revolution led by Sun Yat-sen. In this sense, Chineseness is more of a political construct than of a cultural construct, a manifestation of what Benedict Anderson called “official nationalism.”
If Chineseness continues to be defined in racial features, ancestral lineage, and linguistic proficiency, and if Chinese laws make naturalization extremely difficult, then an increasingly cosmopolitan China — in the sense of more foreigners living in the country — will not become a melting pot any time soon. Foreigners may be treated politely and nicely, but they will forever remain strangers in their adopted land.
AdvertisementThe Chinese government has an Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs, probably the only one of its kind in the world. The existence of such an office is another indication of the parochial nature of Chineseness: that Chineseness is easily identifiable and that the Chinese government cares about only the overseas Chinese community (but not the international community at large).
A global China needs an inclusive definition of Chineseness, one that is based on allegiance to a set of values that can be uniquely Chinese or universally valid or both. An inclusive Chineseness makes China not only a more attractive destination for foreigners, but also helps the multi-ethnic Chinese state to become a true nation.
How to Help Your Child Succeed at School
One easy way to invest in process is to set goals, both individually and as a family. Try to do this at the beginning of a new school year, the first of the month, or the beginning of a new season. Keep the discussion light and low-pressure. This process isn’t about getting better grades, it’s about supporting learning as a family.
Everyone (yes, that means parents, too) sets three short-term, achievable goals oriented around tasks and improvements under your control. For example, “I’m going to get all A’s this semester” is too broad and too difficult to control. Instead, try “I’m going to ask for help in math more often,” “I will plan one extra help session a week,” or “I will practice my multiplication three extra times this month.”
One of those three goals should be a challenge. We can’t hope to convince our children to be emotionally and intellectually brave unless they see us do the same, so set some goals that get you out of your comfort zone. Take guitar or dance or Spanish lessons, try an activity you have never tried before, or pick up a new hobby. This is, after all, how we expand our cognitive potential and make new connections in our brains that can help us become stronger, smarter and more efficient learners.
A few years ago, one of my sons’ goals was to make a few new friends, a goal that was both challenging and important to him.
Before you set new goals, take the time to assess how everyone did on past goals. Review these goals once a month or once a semester. If you fail to achieve your goals talk about why, and what you plan to do differently next time. If you succeed, celebrate that achievement!
Model: Watching a parent set a scary, ambitious goal and talk about the process of achieving it is the most direct way to teach children that learning and striving to be better are human goals, not just school goals.
The New Middle Age: What Is Middle Age and Does It Really Mean What We Think?
In 2023, “middle age” isn’t what you might think—now 40 to 50, middle age (in theory) is older than ever before—and everyone’s choosing their own path as we live longer lives. Gone are the days of hiding grays, being cagey about your feelings around Botox (one way or another), or believing bikinis are solely reserved for the 20-something crowd (just ask Elizabeth Hurley). In 2023, people are stepping up in middle age, and they’re proud of it. It’s not a one-size-fits-all experience, either. We asked psychologists, dermatologists, makeup artists, and more to help us paint a picture of middle age (in all its glory) with our package on Healthy Aging—including how we view middle age, what we still want to learn about middle age, and how to take care of ourselves in middle age, too.
People all around us are proof that age is merely a number. With 90-year-olds running marathons, 70-year-olds becoming kings, and so much more, life is full of possibilities.
Middle age has often been used to account for everything from surprising mid-life changes (like those chin hairs you’ve suddenly started sprouting decades after puberty has come to an end) to out-of-character choices (who hasn’t heard the joke about the person who surprisingly purchases a cherry red sports car).
However, Carrie Ditzel, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Baker Street Behavioral Health, says that middle age is best described as a time when people get a bird’s eye view of their lives and find themselves faced with a decision about what comes next. So what really is middle age? And with life expectancy constantly evolving, is it still what we think it is? Ahead, experts help us better understand the concept of middle age.
When does middle age begin?
Middle age is better thought of as a social term rather than a medical one according to Sonia Sehgal, M.D., F.A.C.P., geriatrician, UCI Health and clinical professor, department of internal medicine, UCI School of Medicine, since it’s mostly used to describe the transitional period between young adulthood and old age. “It is a time of reflection for many people as they think back on their life lived so far and then plan for the years ahead,” she adds.
While there is no specific number that defines middle age, most people consider it to begin sometime in their 40s to 50s, according to Dr. Sehgal. However, she advises against getting too caught up in those numbers. Not only does middle age shift as life expectancy increases, but not everyone agrees with when it starts. A 2015 study showed that the younger a person was the earlier they thought middle age would begin, with nearly 30,000 people involved in the study saying they thought middle age began as early as 30 years old (yeesh!). However, for older participants, that number grew higher indicating just how varied our perceptions of middle age can be.
People involved in one study thought middle age begun as early as 30 years old
For example, Katie Hill, M.D., CMO of Nudj Health, and board-certified psychiatrist says most people consider middle age to occur between the ages of 46 and 65 while some other health experts even believe that middle age spans from 40-60 (give or take 10 years). To use those numbers means to believe that middle age runs from 30 to 70! Which is the better part of a person’s whole life.
Does middle age really matter?
Just like beauty, the impact of middle age seems to lie in the eye of the beholder. “Middle age experiences differ vastly from person to person,” explains Dr. Hill. “Some people describe middle age as a time they feel their confidence increases as internalized experiences from young adulthood help them succeed in unexpected and new ways. Others begin to contemplate their values, prior experiences, transitioning responsibilities, and want to create change to have a more meaningful life.”
While she says this contemplation can sometimes result in that oft-mocked mid-life crisis, Dr. Hill says that those seemingly out-of-characteristic changes may actually be the result of a simple “desire for positive change” that prompts some people to go out and buy that sports car they’ve always wanted or to suddenly change careers.
Ditzel agrees that what outsiders sometimes view as a crisis may actually be a reassessment of what’s important. “For example, we often think of people who make a large purchase, quit a job, leave a marriage, or have an affair when we describe a midlife crisis,” she says, adding that those actions may actually be the results of someone who is struggling with their own bird’s eye view of their life.
Are there physical effects of middle age?
While some of us are quick to point to the passing pages of the calendar as the reason why our bodies are changing in new ways, Dr. Hill says those “middle age” issues may actually be in our heads. “Middle age is an area of active research, as a recent ground-breaking study showed that metabolism does not decrease in middle age as previously thought,” she says. “Instead, lifestyle changes such as decreased physical activity and poor diet choices are responsible for much of the development of chronic disease and resulting lower quality of life in middle age.” But, that doesn’t mean you need to cut out things you enjoy, simply partake in moderation.
Is middle age what we think it is?
Scientifically, the term middle age does not denote a specific period in the life cycle, according to Dr. Sehgal. “There are no specific biomarkers that indicate transition into or out of middle age,” she says, adding that it is still an important time to renew your personal investment in your health with a specific focus on preventative measures. “Preventive screenings (mammogram, colonoscopy), immunizations, lab tests for early detection of high cholesterol and diabetes are important to have done to initiate a treatment plan to prevent future complications.”
“There are no specific biomarkers that indicate transition into or out of middle age.”
That being said, Ditzel says it’s not unusual for people to start feeling a bit worse for the wear once they hit a certain age, both physically and emotionally. “Middle age can come with physical changes, like beginning to feel ‘aches and pains.’ However, it is psychologically significant because it can be a time where we become more resolute in our sense of self and feel more stability,” she says adding that the strong emotions and impulsivity of youth has begun to wane, which brings about a settling down period. “Research has noted that there may be a dip in feelings of satisfaction during these midlife years as we wrestle with this, but the struggle is typically followed by an increased sense of purpose and satisfaction—or what some call the ‘wisdom’ of later life.”
Additionally, Ditzel says some people may even find themselves entering a whole new chapter at that mid-point of life. “For example, children may be getting older and less dependent while the parents of middle-aged individuals are getting older and more dependent.”
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Leaning into middle age
Dr. Hill says that one of the wonderful parts of middle age is that most people have more autonomy and ability to make changes than at earlier life stages. “Leading a values-driven life has been shown to lead to more life satisfaction, health, and longevity.” To do this she suggests getting a bit morbid. She says to try identifying your own funeral and imagining what qualities you’d want to hear people celebrating about you. “Health, family, service, devotion, loyalty are all commonly cited as being important,” she says. “Once you have a values list, think about how you spend your time and who you spend it with: family, friends, work, hobbies, etcetera.” Dr. Hill says you should label your choices as leading you closer or further from those values. “Pick one area where you can make a change to move closer to your values.”
“Approaching the aging process with a positive outlook and hopeful spirit eases the transition.”
Of course, if your struggle with aging has less to do with the legacy you leave behind and more about what your future holds, Dr. Sehgal says it might be time to adjust your perspective. “Aging is a wonderful and natural part of the human life cycle,” she says. “To age well we must embrace the natural changes that occur in the mind and body. Approaching the aging process with a positive outlook and hopeful spirit eases the transition.” Doing this may even help you get to old age, as some studies have shown that people who have positive views about aging tend to live longer.
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Contributing Writer
Lauren Wellbank is a freelance writer based in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Martha Stewart Living, and more. She has three small children, a husband, and an over eager dog at home. When she’s not writing she likes to work in her garden with her family.