Home » Opinion » Foreign Views
Ships go with the flow but rocks resist change
By Morgan |
July 26, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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DEAR editor,
I enjoy reading Shanghai Daily. On July 22, a question was raised: Do Chinese who take English names lack confidence in their own culture?
This is part of a larger debate about the fundamental question of preserving culture. In my view, the elements of any culture that match the needs of modern people will not require any special protections.
Focusing on foreign names, the first thing I'd like to point out is that Chinese rarely use English names unless they are interacting with foreigners in some way. There is no point in using an English name if your situation offers no advantages for doing so.
On the other hand, those Chinese who have foreign teachers, bosses, colleagues, or friends should probably make some effort to bridge the culture gap. For instance, foreigners can more easily remember you when the sound of your name is not completely alien to the language centers in their brain.
Additionally, if you adopt a Western name because you sincerely want to have successful interaction with your Western associates, that's a good sign that you might be a good partner.
Let me give a personal example. In China, when I introduce myself as "Morgan," this is sometimes remembered as "Norman," "Morten," or even "Michael." When I use Chinese pronunciation and tones to introduce myself as "Mogen," I am never forgotten and it's easier to make friends when people can clearly see I'm trying to adapt to my surroundings.
When we enter foreign cultures, some adaptation is required, and as we know, surroundings rarely adapt to us.
When foreign companies come to China, they generally improve their success rate by making some effort to adapt to the local culture. Correspondingly, when Chinese join these international companies, as employees, they tend to adapt somewhat to the foreign culture within their company as well.
With few exceptions, Chinese who use English names will typically use that name on a part-time basis. A young Chinese man might be "Willy" at work or at school, but to most of his family and friends he's still "Wang Wei," and the fabric of Chinese culture remains intact.
There are a few Chinese who use their new English names even with their old friends and family. I understand this.
Integration
They're trying harder than most to more fully integrate with foreign cultures. Integration has it's benefits while isolation and a closed mind are poor alternatives.
I don't think it's any kind of insult or a lack of confidence in my own heritage if I try harder to adapt to Chinese culture and start using "Mogen" permanently as my own name. Such a move on my part would simply mean I'm trying harder to adapt to very real influences around me.
Most of my friends and colleagues are Chinese after all. I don't work for a Chinese company, and I don't have Chinese classmates, but if I did, I'd probably use the name "Mogen" exclusively.
It's worth mentioning that McDonald's does not mind going by the name of "Mai Dang Lao" while in China, but they still use their Western name back home.
Which one of us is a rock that can withstand endless waves of cultural impact? Being made of stone seems to have some advantage, but who really wants to be so hard and unyielding?
I'd rather be on a ship moving with the wind and waves to explore the wonder of a foreign world. Is it because immobile rocks are jealous of the traveler's adventures that they spend eternity wishing for a chance to rip a hole in the ship's keel?
History shows us many cases of cultural pride leading directly to ruin. In contrast, I can't think of any examples where the purity of ancient traditions brought peace and prosperity to the people of any land.
It is the openness of China including the government, business, and the Chinese People that helps to promote the spreading of Chinese culture in the world.
Adaptation is a two-way street. China's influence in the world would be less if Chinese were not willing to make some changes. China's prosperous future will speed the spread of Chinese culture most successfully if no Great Wall of Culture is built.
(My name is Morgan. I don't use a family name. I'm American. I've lived in China for the last four years. I work as a training manager for a European company that is deeply integrated with China.)
I enjoy reading Shanghai Daily. On July 22, a question was raised: Do Chinese who take English names lack confidence in their own culture?
This is part of a larger debate about the fundamental question of preserving culture. In my view, the elements of any culture that match the needs of modern people will not require any special protections.
Focusing on foreign names, the first thing I'd like to point out is that Chinese rarely use English names unless they are interacting with foreigners in some way. There is no point in using an English name if your situation offers no advantages for doing so.
On the other hand, those Chinese who have foreign teachers, bosses, colleagues, or friends should probably make some effort to bridge the culture gap. For instance, foreigners can more easily remember you when the sound of your name is not completely alien to the language centers in their brain.
Additionally, if you adopt a Western name because you sincerely want to have successful interaction with your Western associates, that's a good sign that you might be a good partner.
Let me give a personal example. In China, when I introduce myself as "Morgan," this is sometimes remembered as "Norman," "Morten," or even "Michael." When I use Chinese pronunciation and tones to introduce myself as "Mogen," I am never forgotten and it's easier to make friends when people can clearly see I'm trying to adapt to my surroundings.
When we enter foreign cultures, some adaptation is required, and as we know, surroundings rarely adapt to us.
When foreign companies come to China, they generally improve their success rate by making some effort to adapt to the local culture. Correspondingly, when Chinese join these international companies, as employees, they tend to adapt somewhat to the foreign culture within their company as well.
With few exceptions, Chinese who use English names will typically use that name on a part-time basis. A young Chinese man might be "Willy" at work or at school, but to most of his family and friends he's still "Wang Wei," and the fabric of Chinese culture remains intact.
There are a few Chinese who use their new English names even with their old friends and family. I understand this.
Integration
They're trying harder than most to more fully integrate with foreign cultures. Integration has it's benefits while isolation and a closed mind are poor alternatives.
I don't think it's any kind of insult or a lack of confidence in my own heritage if I try harder to adapt to Chinese culture and start using "Mogen" permanently as my own name. Such a move on my part would simply mean I'm trying harder to adapt to very real influences around me.
Most of my friends and colleagues are Chinese after all. I don't work for a Chinese company, and I don't have Chinese classmates, but if I did, I'd probably use the name "Mogen" exclusively.
It's worth mentioning that McDonald's does not mind going by the name of "Mai Dang Lao" while in China, but they still use their Western name back home.
Which one of us is a rock that can withstand endless waves of cultural impact? Being made of stone seems to have some advantage, but who really wants to be so hard and unyielding?
I'd rather be on a ship moving with the wind and waves to explore the wonder of a foreign world. Is it because immobile rocks are jealous of the traveler's adventures that they spend eternity wishing for a chance to rip a hole in the ship's keel?
History shows us many cases of cultural pride leading directly to ruin. In contrast, I can't think of any examples where the purity of ancient traditions brought peace and prosperity to the people of any land.
It is the openness of China including the government, business, and the Chinese People that helps to promote the spreading of Chinese culture in the world.
Adaptation is a two-way street. China's influence in the world would be less if Chinese were not willing to make some changes. China's prosperous future will speed the spread of Chinese culture most successfully if no Great Wall of Culture is built.
(My name is Morgan. I don't use a family name. I'm American. I've lived in China for the last four years. I work as a training manager for a European company that is deeply integrated with China.)
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