China Reflection

This entry is another look back at those two years spent in Jiangxi, teaching some 800 Chinese students oral English and English writing composition.

“I will not play at tug o’ war,
I’d rather play at hug o’ war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
And everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
And everyone wins”

Shel Silverstein, “Where the Sidewalk Ends”

Tug o’ war is big in China. Group sports, endless class competitions, the uni-mind - you can find all of these things here, especially in Chinese schools. The idea of many acting and thinking as one is something that I have seen over and over, again and again during my years here. All too often individualism and creativity have to make way for the greater good. Social acceptance and harmony reign supreme. Sometimes doing what is acceptable for the group may come at the sacrifice of doing what is right for the individual; but then again, if “everyone wins,” who’s to say what’s right and what’s wrong?

It’s surprising to me how similar so many of my students’ writing compositions and answers can be. To give an example, I once gave an assignment for my students to compose and illustrate a short children’s storybook as a writing assignment. I gave this assignment partially because I know that, during high school, Chinese students have no opportunity to exercise their creative writing skills. Most of the education here is test-centered, and anything straying from textbook material-based content is hard to squeeze into their six day a week classroom schedule. When I gave this assignment, it was to be done in groups consisting of five students. I just had too many students to assign this assignment to individuals. Additionally, I knew that they would be more comfortable completing this assignment in small groups. I wanted them to collaborate to create their stories, using various creative writing techniques that we had been practicing in class. I made it clear that their stories should be original. When I received the results, I was shocked to find that five different groups in five different classes had the exact same story… almost word for word! It was as if they thought I was never going to read their stories and never realize that their stories were the same. Here I was trying to give them a chance to show their individualism and creativity, and they had fallen into the trap of following what others were doing instead. To cite another example, other groups simply copied their stories from children’s stories they had found on the internet. In one instance I found a story written about three trees who sacrificed their lives for greater causes. The last tree was cut up and made into a cross that was used to crucify Jesus. Based on the content of their story, and the fact that there were no English mistakes whatsoever, I immediately knew that the group had simply copied their story from an online version. Surely enough, within five minutes of searching, I found the exact same story on the internet. What Chinese student is going to “create” a children’s story about Jesus’ crucifixion? Granted, there were many other groups that had great stories that displayed their originality and creativity. While the English wasn’t perfect, the effort the groups took to think outside the box and stretch their imaginations was evident, and I rewarded them for their efforts.

In retrospect, I don’t blame the students for doing what they did when they cheated and copied. They were just doing what was socially acceptable, even if it conflicted with what they knew was wrong. All too often, originality and thinking outside the box are not rewarded; giving the “right” answer is… even if the “right” answer is not your answer. Cheating is common, and it’s all too often accepted. To give an example, most students must write a senior thesis in order to graduate from university, and all too often the students end up copying and pasting their entire content from the internet. Many of the teachers who read these thesis papers look the other way and let the cheating and copying slide. Better not to make a fuss - for the sake of a harmonious society. If the powers that be silently approve of the cheaters as they cheat, who’s to say what they are doing is wrong? “Everyone hugs instead of tugs,”… and “everyone wins.”

In America we tend to strive to be different, often times too much so. In a class of 30 students, you might hear 30 different answers for the same question. It’s common to say something different just to be “cool” and unusual. We want to show ourselves and our individuality. Harmony isn’t something that we strive for as much as we strive for our own personal goals, as harmony all too often conflicts with our own individuality and independent lifestyle. We want to be independent, we want to be different, and we want what’s rightfully ours. I realize I’m speaking in generalizations, and perhaps this approach is not fair. Still, I’ve gone this far. Why not go further?

I don’t know which view of the world is better: a harmonious society or a group of individuals making individual decisions. There’s a time and place for both, I think. As my students repeatedly told me, “every coin has two sides.” I like to believe that coins such as this issue are multi-sided, and I’ll continue to debate it in my little skull for years to come. Where do we find the balance between harmony and individualism? Shouldn’t we sometimes give up what’s ours in order for a greater social order? At the same time, isn’t it okay to go against the grain of society’s inertia and social mores when it goes against our own principles and morals?

“Jia you! Jia you! Jia you!” (pronounced “jyahh…yo”) I look out at my students as they pull at the thick rope in the tug o’ war contest. What they are yelling literally translates to “add oil, add oil, add oil,” but it basically means, “come on,” “let’s go,” “win,” “don’t give up,” and other such cheers that one would yell at a sporting event. In the West we might have cheerleaders doing flips and chanting new cheers that they have been practicing. They would flash their pretty legs at the boys in the audience, and the spectators would all but forget about the sporting event, instead concentrating on which side had the best, most attractive cheerleaders. They might even make cheers that poke fun at the opposing team. Not here in China. In China, at every sporting event I have ever been to, the only cheer I have ever heard has been the ubiquitous, “add oil, add oil, add oil,” driving both sides onward to the same glory.

The rope is locked in a dead heat, as two classes of students grip and tug, pulling on two ends of rope in two opposing directions.

“Jia you! Jia you! Jia you!”

The students move as one, their gravity angled in the same direction. The rope remains in its spot, as if anchored there by some gigantic spear sticking out of the ground. The faces on both ends of the rope grimace in concentration and effort.

“Jia you! Jia you! Jia you!”

Foreheads begin to perspire. Arms begin to ache. Legs start to give way. The rope starts to move. The students gasp in unison. Heads turn… and everyone wins.