the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

She sounds very naive, maybe its her fist time overseas in another culture.
Sounds like she has issues, hope shes able to resolve them otherwise shes going to have a
tough time adjusting to living in another culture.

it is extremely difficult for expats to secure Chinese citizenship, so most are forced to leave as soon as their employment visas expire. China’s non-Han residents are members of the country’s indigenous minorities, who are almost always darker-skinned than their Han neighbors.

Why should it be easy. Why would one be allowed to stay past their visa China is not the US nor the UK. China enforces their laws.
Lived and worked in Korea, Thailand, Singapore, China, now a living in Taiwan as a resident.
They all have similar view points regarding themselves and other.

Chinese attitudes towards race and ethnicity may become major sources of friction

why ?

In other news, the Pope is Catholic and bears *do* shit in the woods! Sounds like this is the first time the author has stepped outside her Western, English-speaking PC bubble.

Yes, Chinese (and other East Asians) have very strong racial stereotypes. However, I would be careful with thinking that that is the same as racism as encountered in the West, the stereotypes can actually work to people's advantage, especially if you are a White Westerner or Jewish. Chinese people tend to have great respect for Jewish people, as they view them as a people in many ways similar to the Chinese: long history, clever, good at business, etc.

Although there is a strong stigma attached to being dark-skinned, violence against darker-skinned people purely on the basis of skin colour is almost unheard of in China. When compared with what happened / still happens in the US, arguably a black US American would still be treated better in China than in his own native country (depending on where in the US he is from I guess).

The urge to look down on dark skin always comes with the perception that lighter is better. The perception that darkness is ugly comes with the prevalence and popularity of skin lightening creams, surgical operations, and other forms of body modifications that illustrate a poor self image. It doesn't just happen to Chinese. American drug stores have entire aisles full of bleaching and tanning products.

Afa friction, if someone starts making fun of "slant eyes" or or difficult to pronounce names, there might be some heat. But, accepting American stereotypes isn't racism. Not in the sense of the US Jim Crow south. Get a group of people together and someone will pick on someone. Northerners will make fun of Southerners.

windwalker wrote:She sounds very naive, maybe its her fist time overseas in another culture.
Sounds like she has issues, hope shes able to resolve them otherwise shes going to have a
tough time adjusting to living in another culture.

Seen too many foreigners here(China) especially newcomers that are not prepared or don't even understand it's quite a different place than their home country, many of those go around almost radiating negativity against China and Chinese and thus attracting negativity to them self. Many seem not to understand that "exotic culture" mean more than old buildings with funky roofs and a somewhat exotic cuisine

Steve James wrote:Get a group of people together and someone will pick on someone. Northerners will make fun of Southerners.

Don't know how it is now, but in my younger days I some time heard from "northerners"(Stockholm area) the epithet "second hand Danish" where placed upon us locals of southern Sweden(scania)>:(

The same things that the Chinese say about 'black and brown peoples" are the same things that Americans say about Chinese! So the pot calling the kettle black (fill in your own words) ugly, they age quickly, etc are the karmic results of actions. Of course, we know that decency and respect are higher values despite the lack or presence that it is upholded by x culture guided by 'superior beliefs and standards

Tom wrote:

nicklinjm wrote:. . .

Although there is a strong stigma attached to being dark-skinned, violence against darker-skinned people purely on the basis of skin colour is almost unheard of in China. When compared with what happened / still happens in the US, arguably a black US American would still be treated better in China than in his own native country (depending on where in the US he is from I guess).

Very good point.

How can the comparison be valid in the US as a demographic they make up 13% of the population.

Thomas Sowell , has argued that blacks have achieved the most of any place in the world in the United States.

One might ask could a non-chinese become president of China

. In my travels and living in Asia I have found the people generally see you as a foreigner and treat you with the respect that one would give to a guest until proven otherwise. .

The Chinese have a very different perspective of group versus individual. Even Chinese born overseas Nationals of other countries will still be seen as Chinese by those in China.

The Chinese are no different. But, really Sowell, I'd say that White people have done better here than anywhere else in the world.

Steve James wrote:The Chinese are no different. But, really Sowell, I'd say that White people have done better here than anywhere else in the world.

Then you should argue it with him.
He talks of Western values originating with European countries as the basis of the founding of the u.s..

My point was the comments made about American blacks in the US vs those in China was not a valid comparison

Then Sowell's comments are irrelevant. You're right that one can't compare the stereotypes about darker skinned people in China to racism in the US. However, Europeans have exactly the same types of stereotypes about each other, whether it's the English making fun of the Welsh, or the Lombardi making fun of the Sicilians, or the Norwegians joking about the Finns. It's not a European phenomenon. In Africa or Afghanistan, you'll find the same.

Oh, and American northerners make jokes about Southerners, and southern city dwellers laugh at their more rural neighbors. I think it's always undeserved. No matter what Sowell says.

nicklinjm wrote:Although there is a strong stigma attached to being dark-skinned, violence against darker-skinned people purely on the basis of skin colour is almost unheard of in China. When compared with what happened / still happens in the US, arguably a black US American would still be treated better in China than in his own native country (depending on where in the US he is from I guess).

Maybe a comparison could be made between PRC and USA in regards to violence against ethnic minorities if you compare how the Communist Party and Han Chinese treat Tibetans and Uiyghurs to how blacks are treated in America.

Did you know of a black American from Chicago who lived in Shanghai and had a popular youtube channel called Loser Laowai? He thought his life was better in China, married a local woman, but he eventually moved away from Shanghai to some university on the outskirts of Hangzhou in order to do what pretty much everyone in China does if they can, which is avoid public exposure.

Michael wrote:Did you know of a black American from Chicago who lived in Shanghai and had a popular youtube channel called Loser Laowai? He thought his life was better in China, married a local woman, but he eventually moved away from Shanghai to some university on the outskirts of Hangzhou in order to do what pretty much everyone in China does if they can, which is avoid public exposure.

Good he learned something. Namely conforming to the culture and understanding
what happens when you don't.

In other words he assimilated.

I've found in China and here they very much respect skill, regardless or who or where the skill derives from.
In teaching whats more or less my own CMA style "Tsang-Lu” 蒼 鷺, I've been encouraged and recognized
for the skill by others also practicing CMA.

The OP seemed to me to be written by someone expecting everything to be their way, and then wondering why it wasn't
when living in another culture.

As to cultures based on ethnicity's, American Iranians, and Koreans, Chinese ect. often find out how much
they are regarded as part of the ethnicity of those countries which they hold up in the US as being part of and recognized as such,
but suddenly proclaim they are Americans when say N-korea or Iran decides to hold them accountable to something based on it
when they decide to go back for a visit.

some thoughts on China


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHwuEqb ... e=youtu.be

What I found most interesting about teaching male teenagers in China was that they almost all idolized NBA stars who happened to be black.

I worked with a teacher from Africa and he didn't see the Chinese as racists as much curious. He heard people say that the Chinese were racists but his belief was that they were not really racist as much they just don't know what to think of other cultures.

Saying that I do recall that some of my students told me that Osama Bin Laden was their hero so if I were a white American living there I would not be waving my passport around believing it gave me diplomatic immunity. Sure no one is going to hit you over the head with a brick but in a moment's notice the tide could change.