Chinese vs Chinese American vs Mixed

[tonado]

Cantonese speaking Chinese and Mandarin speaking Chinese do have a bias between them.

[lostinblue]

This is what I have learned from dating my first chinese girlfriend. She lived in Toronto and it has a large chinese population. She said that the chinese are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. There was a great deal of hostility towards the mainland chinese. Looked as 2nd class persons.She has gone to a Chinese church in the United States and they sit in sections according to what country they are from EXCEPT if they are professionals like a Doctor or lawyers. They all sit together.

[SirLancelot]

This is what I have learned from dating my first chinese girlfriend. She lived in Toronto and it has a large chinese population. She said that the chinese are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. There was a great deal of hostility towards the mainland chinese. Looked as 2nd class persons.She has gone to a Chinese church in the United States and they sit in sections according to what country they are from EXCEPT if they are professionals like a Doctor or lawyers. They all sit together.

 

This is no different than the Texans grouping together to form their clique and the Californians banding together and even the Southern Californians banding together to form their own clique verses the Northern Californians. When there is an external threat, all Chinese will band together (be they HK/Taiwan or Mainland) just as when Americans visiting overseas will often band together even if they don't like each other very much when if they were in the US.

 

Even within the greater Christianity, they break down in sects along financial status. The top being Episcopalians and the bottom most likely Southern Baptists.

 

And it breaks down within China as well. Beijing and Shanghai residents certainly think they are the cream of the crop and think all the other cities and provinces are second class. But when all is said and done, the Chinese still considers all ethnic Chinese to be Chinese--even if born and raised in the US or Canada or Australia.

[david_dawei]

This is what I have learned from dating my first chinese girlfriend. She lived in Toronto and it has a large chinese population. She said that the chinese are from Hong Kong and Taiwan. There was a great deal of hostility towards the mainland chinese. Looked as 2nd class persons.She has gone to a Chinese church in the United States and they sit in sections according to what country they are from EXCEPT if they are professionals like a Doctor or lawyers. They all sit together.

 

This is no different than the Texans grouping together to form their clique and the Californians banding together and even the Southern Californians banding together to form their own clique verses the Northern Californians. When there is an external threat, all Chinese will band together (be they HK/Taiwan or Mainland) just as when Americans visiting overseas will often band together even if they don't like each other very much when if they were in the US.

 

Even within the greater Christianity, they break down in sects along financial status. The top being Episcopalians and the bottom most likely Southern Baptists.

 

And it breaks down within China as well. Beijing and Shanghai residents certainly think they are the cream of the crop and think all the other cities and provinces are second class. But when all is said and done, the Chinese still considers all ethnic Chinese to be Chinese--even if born and raised in the US or Canada or Australia.

Your arguing Chinese ethnocentricity vs citizenship, state loyalities, regional preferences, religious affliations, denominational allegiances, city fevor, and country rivalry...

 

I'v lost sight of your original point.. (was there one) in all this self-contradictory debate.. there seems to be contagion on this board...

[kangjie]

I wonder how chinese view second or third generation Chinese.

 

I will leave commenting upon all your other questions to others but I would like to make a few remarks on this one.

 

Many times, Asian cultures are pretty similar--at least as compared to western cultures--but on this aspect, the Chinese are distinctively different than the Japanese or Koreans. Both Japan and Korea think of Japanese Americans and Korean Americans respectively as not Japanese or Koreans. Generally speaking, they think less of them. You can read numerous articles on the plight of war babies (American GI sired children in Korea) and how they are generally shunned in Korea. Japan and Korea both think of ethnic Japanese and Koreans born abroad as outsiders, not true Japanese or Koreans.

 

On the other hand, the Chinese generally consider all ethnic Chinese to be Chinese. They mostly embrace all ethnic Chinese people as Chinese and will forever think of them as Chinese, no matter if the Chinese is a Chinese American, Chinese Canadian or Chinese French. This is a distinctive difference between China and Japan/Korea. Even if the Chinese American is born in the US, if the person goes back to China for a visit, the Chinese people will consider this American as Chinese because that Chinese American is Chinese by blood and ethnicity.

 

When I say Chinese above, I mean the culture and the people, not the Chinese government. Obviously the Chinese government doesn't consider Chinese Americans born in the US to be Chinese nationals.

 

Of course this is a generalization. There will be some who may disagree, but this definitely holds true as a broad generalization.

 

So how would the normal Chinese person view mixed Chinese children you think?. Would they view them as Chinese or mostly whatever other ethnic group they are ?. I'm asking you to speculate about the views of a billion people I know, its stupid but...I had to ask. I'm curious.

 

I'm part Indian by birth(a very little bit) but enough to be a card carrying member of the Choctaw tribe(Oklahoma) but not considered Indian by most indians. Never been to a sweat lodge or an Indian school or know anything about the lanquage, don't look indian at all. You get the point. Most indians avoided being Indians whenever they could until about the 1960's.

I can tell you some generalizations about them that have some validity good and bad.

 

Some body asked why I even care about these questions or at least I think it was directed at me.

 

I think these are valid questions to ask for anybody thinking about having a child with there chinese spouse. My question is why wouldn't you think about it ?

 

There is this interesting book called YELL-oh girls by Vickie Nam. There are several Asian teen age women writing short essays about various things ,but some about there lives growing up and how they fit in this world and the other one across the sea.

 

Lots of stuff in there I would have never thought of.

 

I was thinking it would be neat to be a young kid right now with connections in China and America, just for the economic oppurtunities alone. 18 years from now this kid may try to make his way back to Asia. You never know.

Edited February 24, 2007 by kangjie (see edit history)

[hakkamike]

If someone can speak the local language and learn the customs and culture, then he/she won't be treated differently.

 

Yep, Tony said it and he is from China, Next Topic

[SirLancelot]

 

 

I'v lost sight of your original point.. (was there one) in all this self-contradictory debate.. there seems to be contagion on this board...

 

Life is box of contradiction.

 

 

So how would the normal Chinese person view mixed Chinese children you think?. Would they view them as Chinese or mostly whatever other ethnic group they are ?. I'm asking you to speculate about the views of a billion people I know, its stupid but...I had to ask. I'm curious.

 

I specifically didn't comment on mix-blood children above because it can get very touchy. I think in this regard, the Chinese are like everyone else in the world. When something good has been done by the mix blood person, the Chinese will claim that mix blood person to be Chinese. If something bad is done by the mix blood person, they will denounce the mix blood person as belonging to the other ethnicity/race.

[phantom1949]

I wonder how chinese view second or third generation Chinese.

 

I will leave commenting upon all your other questions to others but I would like to make a few remarks on this one.

 

Many times, Asian cultures are pretty similar--at least as compared to western cultures--but on this aspect, the Chinese are distinctively different than the Japanese or Koreans. Both Japan and Korea think of Japanese Americans and Korean Americans respectively as not Japanese or Koreans. Generally speaking, they think less of them. You can read numerous articles on the plight of war babies (American GI sired children in Korea) and how they are generally shunned in Korea. Japan and Korea both think of ethnic Japanese and Koreans born abroad as outsiders, not true Japanese or Koreans.

 

On the other hand, the Chinese generally consider all ethnic Chinese to be Chinese. They mostly embrace all ethnic Chinese people as Chinese and will forever think of them as Chinese, no matter if the Chinese is a Chinese American, Chinese Canadian or Chinese French. This is a distinctive difference between China and Japan/Korea. Even if the Chinese American is born in the US, if the person goes back to China for a visit, the Chinese people will consider this American as Chinese because that Chinese American is Chinese by blood and ethnicity.

 

When I say Chinese above, I mean the culture and the people, not the Chinese government. Obviously the Chinese government doesn't consider Chinese Americans born in the US to be Chinese nationals.

 

Of course this is a generalization. There will be some who may disagree, but this definitely holds true as a broad generalization.

 

So how would the normal Chinese person view mixed Chinese children you think?. Would they view them as Chinese or mostly whatever other ethnic group they are ?. I'm asking you to speculate about the views of a billion people I know, its stupid but...I had to ask. I'm curious.

 

I'm part Indian by birth(a very little bit) but enough to be a card carrying member of the Choctaw tribe(Oklahoma) but not considered Indian by most indians. Never been to a sweat lodge or an Indian school or know anything about the lanquage, don't look indian at all. You get the point. Most indians avoided being Indians whenever they could until about the 1960's.

I can tell you some generalizations about them that have some validity good and bad.

 

Some body asked why I even care about these questions or at least I think it was directed at me.

 

I think these are valid questions to ask for anybody thinking about having a child with there chinese spouse. My question is why wouldn't you think about it ?

 

There is this interesting book called YELL-oh girls by Vickie Nam. There are several Asian teen age women writing short essays about various things ,but some about there lives growing up and how they fit in this world and the other one across the sea.

 

Lots of stuff in there I would have never thought of.

 

I was thinking it would be neat to be a young kid right now with connections in China and America, just for the economic oppurtunities alone. 18 years from now this kid may try to make his way back to Asia. You never know.

 

I met an American teenager who was graduating from high school this year. I think he was a WASP but had a wealthy family and had traveled the world. He seems ot have feel in love with China and been there a few itmes already. The world is shrinking.

 

As for heritage, people seme to use it or forgetit based upon need or interest. A friend was part indian (I do not remember which tribe) but as her son was applying to Medical School he wanted every advantage and applied as an American Indian.

 

My son who is up in the DC area jus tlet me know that he is joining some Jewish Study groups to get back into his heritage....

[phantom1949]

 

 

I'v lost sight of your original point.. (was there one) in all this self-contradictory debate.. there seems to be contagion on this board...

 

Life is box of contradiction.

 

 

So how would the normal Chinese person view mixed Chinese children you think?. Would they view them as Chinese or mostly whatever other ethnic group they are ?. I'm asking you to speculate about the views of a billion people I know, its stupid but...I had to ask. I'm curious.

 

I specifically didn't comment on mix-blood children above because it can get very touchy. I think in this regard, the Chinese are like everyone else in the world. When something good has been done by the mix blood person, the Chinese will claim that mix blood person to be Chinese. If something bad is done by the mix blood person, they will denounce the mix blood person as belonging to the other ethnicity/race.

 

That's true - Look at Vietnam and the Ameri-asian children.....

[hakkamike]

This is too funny of a thread, I am wondering now what the kid says when he or she finds out they are half Peckerwood

Edited February 25, 2007 by hakkamike (see edit history)

[homer j]

Chinese class system goes:

 

1.) Chinese American

2.) Hong Kong

3.) Taiwan

4.) The big cities, Shanghai

5.) Rural area

6.) All the hundreds of other minorities group in china.

 

Also, the chinese american women look down on you if you go to China to find a woman. They think you're just looking for a sex and household slave. I'm chinese american and the chinese woman(and the white woman) think I'm crazy going to China to marry when there are so many here! Of course, they fail to mention that because I don't have a a MBA and make over $100k, I'm not marriage material.

[tonado]

Chinese class system goes:

 

1.) Chinese American

2.) Hong Kong

3.) Taiwan

4.) The big cities, Shanghai

5.) Rural area

6.) All the hundreds of other minorities group in china.

 

Also, the chinese american women look down on you if you go to China to find a woman. They think you're just looking for a sex and household slave. I'm chinese american and the chinese woman(and the white woman) think I'm crazy going to China to marry when there are so many here! Of course, they fail to mention that because I don't have a a MBA and make over $100k, I'm not marriage material.

 

I think the Chinese class system is based on wealth and professions. If you are a doctor, people will respect you no matter if you are from China, HK, rural area, or whatever. If you want a younger wife, then you have more chance in China.

[phantom1949]

Chinese class system goes:

 

1.) Chinese American

2.) Hong Kong

3.) Taiwan

4.) The big cities, Shanghai

5.) Rural area

6.) All the hundreds of other minorities group in china.

 

Also, the chinese american women look down on you if you go to China to find a woman. They think you're just looking for a sex and household slave. I'm chinese american and the chinese woman(and the white woman) think I'm crazy going to China to marry when there are so many here! Of course, they fail to mention that because I don't have a a MBA and make over $100k, I'm not marriage material.

 

That's a shame.

[kangjie]

Chinese class system goes:

 

1.) Chinese American

2.) Hong Kong

3.) Taiwan

4.) The big cities, Shanghai

5.) Rural area

6.) All the hundreds of other minorities group in china.

 

Also, the chinese american women look down on you if you go to China to find a woman. They think you're just looking for a sex and household slave. I'm chinese american and the chinese woman(and the white woman) think I'm crazy going to China to marry when there are so many here! Of course, they fail to mention that because I don't have a a MBA and make over $100k, I'm not marriage material.

 

When you say minority groups do you mean like Hakka chinese? I think my girl is Hakka(called something like Keija).

I have heard this before by all kinds of men. I think the reality is men want Chinese women from China simply because the have been raised outside of Western Culture and are very attractive.The more westernized China becomes the less difference there will be. You are seeing something like this go on in Russia now.

I simply say I am pro-choice when it comes to women.It is really the only leverage a guy has in this day and age.

All women that I have talked to have thought(green card,household maid) or if there American just the fact that they are slim.

 

I have the right to pursure Life, liberty and happiness. My pursuit took me to China

Besides, since you have free flow of capital and labor from country to country, free flow of spouse hunting soon follows. I am free to sell my product in another market if I can not get a fair price in this one.

I said this once to an expat white lady in Japan while chatting(no dates in 6 years there) attractive by American standards. She was complaining about how well expat guys do over there compared to expat girls. The market is oversaturated, seek new markets or lower the price.

[Dennis143]

Chinese class system goes:

 

1.) Chinese American

2.) Hong Kong

3.) Taiwan

4.) The big cities, Shanghai

5.) Rural area

6.) All the hundreds of other minorities group in china.

 

Also, the chinese american women look down on you if you go to China to find a woman. They think you're just looking for a sex and household slave. I'm chinese american and the chinese woman(and the white woman) think I'm crazy going to China to marry when there are so many here! Of course, they fail to mention that because I don't have a a MBA and make over $100k, I'm not marriage material.

 

I think the Chinese class system is based on wealth and professions. If you are a doctor, people will respect you no matter if you are from China, HK, rural area, or whatever. If you want a younger wife, then you have more chance in China.

Good point, Tony. It really has much to do about preceived status from wealth (and aren't all cultures that way?). I see the class distinction among my many Chinese friends. Taiwan being a richer country (and HK too), persons from those areas tend to be wealthier. Mainland Chinese often feel in a lower class. Within the Asian community here in LA, Taiwanese have their own communities (Rowland Heights) where they live and shop. They purposely isolate themselves from mainlanders due to strong cultural, language and class differences.

 

My wife states that her status has risen among her friends and coworker by simply being married to an American man. She says that she is awarded much respect, because of who she is married to. There are notions that a white American is of higher status, due to skin color, income and knowing and using the laws to their advantage.