The Exclusive Exclusion of Chinese Bi jade
As cultural artifacts, bodily adornments manifest expansive historical narratives. When they are worn en masse, they are able to effect the convergence of common cultural identities. Due to their naturally conspicuous and distinctive properties, such items powerfully signify cultural difference to outsiders who do not partake in such traditions. This understanding and perception of cultural difference is governed by prior cultural associations. However, this is not to say that such associations always exist, as signifiers can be culturally isolated. The culture of Chinese jade jewelry especially attests to this; while jade has been prized for several millennia among the Chinese, its invisibility overwhelmingly persists elsewhere. The obscurity of cultural signifiers may be highly valued where anonymity is valued for the purpose of evading cultural discrimination or as a means to strengthen a common identity.
Interactions between outside observers and wearers of a cultural signifier often lead to a “mutual othering”, predicated …show more content…
This is because outside observers can certainly still perceive the physical difference or “otherness” in Bi jade regardless of whether they have cultural knowledge regarding it. However, such inferences can only be wildly speculative. For instance, the inclination of observers to believe that it is candy rather than a gemstone which hangs from my neck is one representation of a complete misinterpretation arising from an attempt to assimilate novel stimuli under familiar categories. This does not necessarily threaten cultural discrimination upon wearers of Bi jade; cultural discrimination must be informed and compelled by the perception of cultural difference. The perception of physical difference alone is insufficient for directing this kind of calculated action against the
As cultural artifacts, bodily adornments manifest expansive historical narratives. When they are worn en masse, they are able to effect the convergence of common cultural identities. Due to their naturally conspicuous and distinctive properties, such items powerfully signify cultural difference to outsiders who do not partake in such traditions. This understanding and perception of cultural difference is governed by prior cultural associations. However, this is not to say that such associations always exist, as signifiers can be culturally isolated. The culture of Chinese jade jewelry especially attests to this; while jade has been prized for several millennia among the Chinese, its invisibility overwhelmingly persists elsewhere. The obscurity of cultural signifiers may be highly valued where anonymity is valued for the purpose of evading cultural discrimination or as a means to strengthen a common identity.
Interactions between outside observers and wearers of a cultural signifier often lead to a “mutual othering”, predicated …show more content…
This is because outside observers can certainly still perceive the physical difference or “otherness” in Bi jade regardless of whether they have cultural knowledge regarding it. However, such inferences can only be wildly speculative. For instance, the inclination of observers to believe that it is candy rather than a gemstone which hangs from my neck is one representation of a complete misinterpretation arising from an attempt to assimilate novel stimuli under familiar categories. This does not necessarily threaten cultural discrimination upon wearers of Bi jade; cultural discrimination must be informed and compelled by the perception of cultural difference. The perception of physical difference alone is insufficient for directing this kind of calculated action against the