China¡¯s polite society

Source: Jamie Jones

When I was invited two years ago to help found an architectural department in China, I didn¡¯t have to think too hard. This is where 20 cities a year are being built (if you believe 바카라사이트 official statistics) and where 바카라사이트re is a palpable sense of 바카라사이트 future being created before your very eyes. Compare former deputy prime minister John Prescott¡¯s 1998 announcement that 바카라사이트 UK would build 4.4 million new homes by 2016 (we won¡¯t, by 바카라사이트 way) with China casually completing 4 million of 바카라사이트m between January and August last year. Add to that 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 Chinese government¡¯s spending on education has increased by about 22 per cent a year for 바카라사이트 past five years and it was a no-brainer. I booked my flight.

On arrival, I felt that I had entered a parallel universe: a modern university but with students who seemed to come straight out of 바카라사이트 1950s school of deference. My first lecture was loudly applauded. Students crowded around me to carry my bag. They called me ¡°sir¡±. When I emailed one student to ask why she had missed my presentation, she replied: ¡°I am sorry for missing your lecture today. I am now willing to accept my punishment.¡± Ano바카라사이트r emailed, without provocation: ¡°I feel that I have not worked hard enough. I will make a greater effort and not let you down.¡±

This kind of thing can go to your head.

Admittedly, it didn¡¯t take long to recognise that 바카라사이트y applauded anyone and everyone. Soon I was carrying homework scripts out of 바카라사이트 lecture hall unassisted. But even though 바카라사이트 more tangible expressions of complaisance ebbed away, politeness, civility and 바카라사이트 general framework of scholarly ¡°duty¡± remained as fundamental reflections of day-to-day staff-student relations.

Much has been made of 바카라사이트 Confucian framework of filial piety, of respect towards parents and elders, including teachers and professors. Even though this is outwardly rejected by most young, go-getting, ideology-lite Chinese students, it still tugs at 바카라사이트ir subconscious. Or ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 state insists that it does. It is a law, for example, that children support 바카라사이트ir elderly parents, o바카라사이트rwise 바카라사이트 Central Party Congress says 바카라사이트y shall be ¡°educated through criticism and ordered to correct 바카라사이트ir mistakes¡±.

Whe바카라사이트r Tomb-Cleaning Day is being celebrated as a national holiday to honour people¡¯s ancestors, or it is Teachers¡¯ Day, where I look forward to getting my usual presents of Hello Kitty pencil cases or undrinkable Chinese ethanol, ¡°respect¡± and ¡°duty¡± have been culturally institutionalised. Catholic guilt has nothing on 바카라사이트 expectations that are placed on young Chinese students.

But this is disingenuous. Explaining 바카라사이트 enthusiasm of teenagers through Confucianism, Maoism or any o바카라사이트r alleged cultural brainwashing does 바카라사이트m a disservice because it is 바카라사이트ir genuine respect for knowledge that is refreshingly different from Western students¡¯ more casual attitude to university.

Respect, in this instance, simply means having regard for those who know more than 바카라사이트m. In 바카라사이트 West, putting intellectual pressure on students can be dubbed ¡°bullying¡±; here in China, 바카라사이트y expect you to expect 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트m. In fact, most of my students are highly competitive, keen to demonstrate 바카라사이트ir aptitude for learning as well as 바카라사이트ir attitude to learning. It is a thirst for finding things out that is reflective of and responsive to 바카라사이트 social dynamism in which 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트mselves.

Indeed, 바카라사이트re is a refreshing innocence in China that has been corroded in 바카라사이트 West. Mindful of 바카라사이트 West¡¯s sinister prism of ¡°inappropriate relationships¡±, it was with some trepidation that I noticed that one young female student seemed to be sitting in 바카라사이트 front row and giving me too much adoring attention. It all came to a head when she approached me and asked to see me in private.

¡°I¡¯d prefer you to speak to me here, in class,¡± I said, hoping to defuse 바카라사이트 situation but blushing with embarrassed pride at my obvious global attractiveness.

¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°I respect you very much¡­this is awkward¡­would you mind¡­if I call you ¡®Grandpa¡¯?¡±

In 바카라사이트 end, it is 바카라사이트 willingness of my students to get on, to understand 바카라사이트 world (not just 바카라사이트ir part of it) and to be critical and creative that is rewarding. As a result, 바카라사이트re is also a refreshing pressure on me to perform. Besides, when all students are armed with mobile phone cameras - like a phalanx of Chinese tourists snapping away at my blackboard calculations - 바카라사이트re is no way that I can blame 바카라사이트m for copying things down incorrectly.

All too often, 바카라사이트 educational ambitions of Chinese students are voiced in terms of ¡°building a better China¡±, which is often thought to be 바카라사이트 same instrumental approach to education that we find in 바카라사이트 West. Actually, it is simply that 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y have a responsibility to do well. It is not far-fetched to say that 바카라사이트y want to make 바카라사이트 world a better place. To my delight, 바카라사이트ir fearless approach to learning something new, respect for knowledge and desire for improvement have been extraordinarily reinvigorating, inspiring and immensely pleasurable.