Curious about China? Let me tell you what you want to know.

[wyq614]

Hello, pals.

I learned that many westerners know little about China, although more and more. And still many have prejudice about China. As a native Chinese, I would like to tell you about what you want to know, what you don't know, or what you have misunderstood, about China.

Take a look at this:

- Many Chinese are now more practical and less politics-influenced. We seldom shout political slogans now, and nor will I do it here.
- Not every Chinese knows Kung-fu (martial arts), nor do I know.
- China is no longer a poor country. We enjoy much better economy than Africa. Don't ALWAYS believe what western media say about China.
- Here ALL questions are welcome.

[Ptarmigan]

Here is what I know about China.
-China is home to 56 ethnic groups.
-Han are the majority in China, which make up 92 percent.
-Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in China.
-Sino-Tibetan, Altaic-Ural, Austroasiatic, Austronesian, and Indo-European are the language family spoken in China.
-Cantonese is spoke in southern part of China.
-Urumqi is the most landlocked city in the world. The nearest ocean is the Bay of Bengal which 1,400 miles (2,252 kilometers) away.
-China is heavily populated on the eastern half, while western half is sparsely populated.
-Mt. Everest is the highest point in China at 29,029 feet (8,848 meters), while Turfan Depression is 508 feet (155 meters) below sea level.

I am Korean and to understand Korean and Asian history, you have know Chinese history first.

[HURAKAN]

Last May I met a group of 10 Chinese Meteorologists and I had a lot of questions. Of course, the first was, how do you guys learn History in school since you have more than 3000 years of history? It sounds funny but to me it was very interesting. They knew enough English to be able to communicate and all of them were really nice people.

By the way, all the prejudice develops when you don't know that person or that group of persons. I never pay a lot of attention about the prejudicial remarks that people say about others of different ethnic groups. We're all humans and that's what should put forth in the future. I think different nationalities, color, language, patriotism, and other characteristics just pull persons apart and not allow them to see that at the end we're all humans and equal on the inside.

[southerngale]

Last May I met a group of 10 Chinese Meteorologists and I had a lot of questions. Of course, the first was, how do you guys learn History in school since you have more than 3000 years of history? It sounds funny but to me it was very interesting. They knew enough English to be able to communicate and all of them were really nice people.

By the way, all the prejudice develops when you don't know that person or that group of persons. I never pay a lot of attention about the prejudicial remarks that people say about others of different ethnic groups. We're all humans and that's what should put forth in the future. I think different nationalities, color, language, patriotism, and other characteristics just pull persons apart and not allow them to see that at the end we're all humans and equal on the inside.

I agree that we're all equal on the inside, but supporting and loving my country doesn't make me think I'm a better person than someone from another country.

[HURAKAN]

Last May I met a group of 10 Chinese Meteorologists and I had a lot of questions. Of course, the first was, how do you guys learn History in school since you have more than 3000 years of history? It sounds funny but to me it was very interesting. They knew enough English to be able to communicate and all of them were really nice people.

By the way, all the prejudice develops when you don't know that person or that group of persons. I never pay a lot of attention about the prejudicial remarks that people say about others of different ethnic groups. We're all humans and that's what should put forth in the future. I think different nationalities, color, language, patriotism, and other characteristics just pull persons apart and not allow them to see that at the end we're all humans and equal on the inside.

I agree that we're all equal on the inside, but supporting and loving my country doesn't make me think I'm a better person than someone from another country.

Also completely agree. Unfortunately most people only see the physical differences.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Only thing about China that concerns me if that I have read that in their professional journals, top military leaders seem to believe a war with the US is inevitable, and they are gearing up the military for a war with the US, eventually. Further, the one child policy, combined with the fact that sons traditionally care for elderly parents, has created a population mis-match, such that there are many excess males. And as Tianmen Square showed, the leadership of the Chinese do not seem to have the Western style respect for the value of the lives of their own citizens.


Kind of scary. I'd hope the new generation of leadership will give more freedoms to the people to match the economic freedoms they have been slowly gaining, and view the US as a potential ally instead of a potential enemy.

[JTD]

Well there's a lot that I could say but I won't except to say this:

Remember the thousands of innocent college students that were massacred by a totalitarian regime desperate to hang onto power in Tinnamen Square in 1989.

I don't blame you for it though. The Chinese people i've met have been some of the most hard working, intelligent people and kind as well. They could show us North Americans some work ethic! Welcome to storm2k friend.

Your government, on the other hand, is anathema to everything I believe in.

[Ptarmigan]

Well there's a lot that I could say but I won't except to say this:

Remember the thousands of innocent college students that were massacred by a totalitarian regime desperate to hang onto power in Tinnamen Square in 1989.

I don't blame you for it though. The Chinese people i've met have been some of the most hard working, intelligent people and kind as well. They could show us North Americans some work ethic! Welcome to storm2k friend.

Your government, on the other hand, is anathema to everything I believe in.

Tiamenan Square was a massacre. I despise the Chinese government. I know a lot of Chinese too and they are good people who have suffered horribly.

[arkess7]

All I know is that I LOVE CHINESE FOOD!!!!!!!! spring rolls, wonton soup, moo goo gai pan, chinese veggies........shrimp lo mein.....pork fried rice......sweet n sour pork....and the list goes on and on and on.......

[Coredesat]

All I know is that I LOVE CHINESE FOOD!!!!!!!! spring rolls, wonton soup, moo goo gai pan, chinese veggies........shrimp lo mein.....pork fried rice......sweet n sour pork....and the list goes on and on and on.......

You are aware that most Chinese food served in American restaurants isn't authentic Chinese food (rather, it's Chinese-style food adjusted to fit what's regarded as American tastes), right?

Not sure what the point of the flag smiley was, either.

[arkess7]

WOW CHILL OUT! 1st of all sorry i dont have the cash to go to China and taste "authentic" food! and 2nd the smiley is cause i love chinese food and 3rd the flag is cause I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND SO DO SOME CHINESE PEOPLE! SO CHILL THE FRACK OUT!

[Ed Mahmoud]

WOW CHILL OUT! 1st of all sorry i dont have the cash to go to China and taste "authentic" food! and 2nd the smiley is cause i love chinese food and 3rd the flag is cause I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND SO DO SOME CHINESE PEOPLE! SO CHILL THE FRACK OUT!

I have gotten drunk in Hong Kong before the Communist take-over.

[Coredesat]

WOW CHILL OUT! 1st of all sorry i dont have the cash to go to China and taste "authentic" food! and 2nd the smiley is cause i love chinese food and 3rd the flag is cause I LOVE MY COUNTRY AND SO DO SOME CHINESE PEOPLE! SO CHILL THE FRACK OUT!

But was there a point in acting like this here? All you're doing is validating a stereotype; that kind of behavior is generally viewed as shallow. This is a thread about China, not the United States.

[wyq614]

Ok, let me answer your questions:

1. How can we learn a history of 3000 years?

Well, we don't learn that much all in details. We just learn about a headline about the history before 221 BC, when China became reunified under Qin Shi Huang, the emperor in whose reign built the Great Wall. What we do learn in detail is the history after 1840, when the Upium War occurred. Why? Because the history between 1840-1949 just told you that a communist regime was inevitable, only the communists were able to keep China from the invasions of imperalists as well as fully terminate the feudal system. That's a kind of brainwash.

2. Inevitable War against the US?
No, in fact, we tend to believe that we'll have an inevitable war against Japan.

Why must we trigger a war against US? Most probably because of the Taiwan issue, we do strongly believe that Taiwan is not an independent country, but a part of China. However, nowadays more and more Chinese think that if we launch a war against Taiwanese authority, the US would not intervene. Because US government is a practical one. A war between the US and China just for Taiwan will make no benefit for both countries.

[wyq614]

Only thing about China that concerns me if that I have read that in their professional journals, top military leaders seem to believe a war with the US is inevitable, and they are gearing up the military for a war with the US, eventually. Further, the one child policy, combined with the fact that sons traditionally care for elderly parents, has created a population mis-match, such that there are many excess males. And as Tianmen Square showed, the leadership of the Chinese do not seem to have the Western style respect for the value of the lives of their own citizens.


Kind of scary. I'd hope the new generation of leadership will give more freedoms to the people to match the economic freedoms they have been slowly gaining, and view the US as a potential ally instead of a potential enemy.

Further, the one child policy, combined with the fact that sons traditionally care for elderly parents, has created a population mis-match, such that there are many excess males.

You're right. In 30 years there will be more than 30 million males that cannot have a spouse.
However, such excess of male merely occur in the cities, but is very severe in the countryside, where people's thoughts are more conservative and traditional. In Chinese cities, now more and more couple prefer a girl than a boy, even prefer to be a DINK. So in big cities, for example Beijing, Shanghai, Qingdao, etc. The matches between male and female are becoming more and more reasonable and balance. But in the country, mis-match are, and will be more severe. Now you can often see slogans in the countryside, saying "Boys and girls are the same"

About one-child policy, I'd like to say, it seems a little dumb, but in fact, for China, it is necessary. Countries like US, Canada as well as Australia have a great area but relatively few people. So they sees no necessity to control their population. However, although China has an area of 9.6 million sq km, only less than 12% is arable and less than a half has residents (Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as wide area of desert cannot allow people to live in). 1.3 billion people has been too many... And we cannot launch a war in order to reduce the population.

Sex mis-match is by no means a consequence of one-child policy, but a consequence of false traditional thought. Now China changed its policy: If both husband and wife are sole children, then they can have two children.

[wyq614]

Well there's a lot that I could say but I won't except to say this:

Remember the thousands of innocent college students that were massacred by a totalitarian regime desperate to hang onto power in Tinnamen Square in 1989.

I don't blame you for it though. The Chinese people i've met have been some of the most hard working, intelligent people and kind as well. They could show us North Americans some work ethic! Welcome to storm2k friend.

Your government, on the other hand, is anathema to everything I believe in.

Tiamenan Square was a massacre. I despise the Chinese government. I know a lot of Chinese too and they are good people who have suffered horribly.

Western media has exaggerated the death toll of Tian'anmen incident in 1989 for political intentions. However, the army force really left a considerably number of college students dead.
Chinese government used to define the incident as a "counterrevolutionary act", but now, government has stopped define it like that, however, they still refuse to believe that the incident, as well as the western-styled democracy, is acceptable.

Today's China is a strange country: We're develop a relatively-capitalism economic system, but the system is called "Chinese-characterized socialism", While economic system is relaxing, political restrictions remain tight, and since 2003, a bit tighter.

ps: More questions are welcomed.

[Cyclenall]

Here is a question, how much talk of Global Warming and climate change is there in the media and everyday life in China?

[wyq614]

Here is a question, how much talk of Global Warming and climate change is there in the media and everyday life in China?

As China's suffering from Global Warming, too. We've been paying more and more attention to climate change. We've witnessed the influence of Global Warming, e.g. Increased number of typhoons as well as more extreme weather; sea-level rising threatening Shanghai, the biggest city of China, as well as other coastal cities. So we believe it's time for us to act.

[Dionne]

I want to hear about the lead in the paint on childrens toys?

Why have the Chinese done that to our children?

[Chacor]

中国“金盾工程”对大多数人有很大的影响吗？
对你来说呢？比如，你没办法进入美国联合台风警报中心的网站？

Does China's "Golden Shield Project" (aka Great Firewall of China) have a big impact? Also, for you personally, as a weather tracker, for example you've said before, the JTWC is blocked?

Also, much more importantly...
Are there any risks you're taking by coming here or starting this thread?