Overseas Filipino

When a Westerner studies Chinese history or a Chinese language, an understanding of culture is essential to every lesson as Chinese culture differs significantly from any Western culture. Therefore, it must be studied more, in order to gain mastery in social situations and to fully understand China. In my studies, one of the more noteworthy things I have come across in Chinese culture is how inextricable the concept of face is from nearly every quirk and nuance of Chinese culture. Face is the…

Revealing the Chinese-American Hidden Struggle: A Comparative Analysis of The Shadow Hero and “No Name Woman” Since the birth of the United States of America, minority groups have had to fight for equity and equality. Chinese immigrants, as well as natural-born Chinese-Americans, have always been actively involved in this fight, yet there is a hidden struggle that these individuals face every day behind closed doors: cultural assimilation or integration. This is a major concern because…

During the Period of the Warring States, from 403 B.C.E. - 221 B.C.E., political confusion aroused in China. During this time, many thoughtful people sought to restore political and social order by reflecting on the proper roles of human beings in society. As a result, three philosophical schools of thought emerged: Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism. Although all three of these philosophies were formed to restore order to China, each one had very different ideals about how to cure the ills of…

I am a Chinese-American. Before I was born, my parents traveled from China to America to pursue their studies and dreams. Being Chinese is as much my identity as my hobbies, my interests, or my talents. It is an aspect of my life that has defined who I am and how I grew up. As a Chinese person, I experience the unique culture and community built by my ancestors. I learned to understand the unity of a community as well as loyalty to others as I spent time with my grandparents and extended family…

Amy Tan wrote a short story, “Two Kinds”, about a Chinese immigrant mother and her 1st generation American born daughter. Centering around the mother and daughter’s relationship during her childhood in Chinatown, SanFrancisco and into her adulthood. This story is written in the daughters Jing-Mei ‘June’ perspective. Specifically the time when her mother signed her up piano lessons. It had all started because, Suyuan, her mother, wanted her to have a better life than she had in China, because…

Do you know who you truly are? That is the question that Gene Luen Yang tries to explain in his graphic novel “American Born Chinese.” The story follows three different characters and their journey to knowing who they are. Each journey is different, but each is linked by the central theme of self identity. These three characters all have to go on a Hero’s Journey. A concept that explains a single character's arc in the story. The Hero’s Journey starts with a call to action. The hero is presented…

Xenophobic isolationism is the isolation of a country due to their dislike or prejudice against foreigners. Xenophobic isolation is often related to ethnocentrism, which is the evaluation of other cultures by comparing it to one’s own culture, which often causes the belief that one’s own culture is superior to others. Xenophobic isolation can be found in China before and during the Opium War. For example, foreign trade was restricted in China by the government because the Chinese government…

In the Disney movie Mulan, Mulan was a young beautiful young woman and waited for a man to marry, according to the Chinese culture. Later on her life her father died in war and Mulan was so divested and had so much anger she wanted to avenge him and decided to disguise her self into a man to enter the Chinese army. In Chinese culture woman wasn’t suppose to be in war nor work only be a housewife and have kids. Instead all she wanted was to become a warrior, but as we all know the army general…

In the novel The Bonesetter’s Daughter Amy Tan focuses on three main characters, who are all introduced to the readers in a reverse chronological order. The first is Ruth, who is a Chinese born in America. The second is her mother LuLing, who was born in China, but later emigrated to America after the World War II. The third is Precious Auntie who is the daughter of a bonesetter.The main theme throughout The Bonesetter 's Daughter is the importance of communication in relationships, and how…

Although food can be considered one of the cultural markers that reflects one’s ethnic or cultural orientation, its connection with Chinese American literature has not received the critical attention it deserves. However, with the introduction of Jade Snow Wong's representation of food in her search for identity in Fifth Chinese Daughter, it is hoped that new insights will be found like how food binds her family ties, and how it stimulates her quest for identity. This chapter explores the…