Ryu2.mind

Shanghai is without a doubt, the most cosmopolitan and expat-friendly city on the mainland, and a lot of the fun in being here is just meeting and hanging out with new people from all over at various venues -- sometimes friends of friends, but sometimes even strangers, sharing about our lives, homes, and stories to an extent I never did during the US.

Almost always the question of 'why China', or similarly, 'what brought you here?' comes up during these conversations. It's a question where the answer has several layers... the reflexive responses of 'business', 'school', 'holiday', etc. being the topmost one.

Of course, from there, the second 'layer' naturally follows: of all the places in the world to do whatever it is that you're doing, why China in particular? For most, it's more or less because of China's prominence as a growing (for now at least) business and cultural powerhouse. Additionally, it's a fascination with the whole Orient thing (especially for non-Asians) as well as the contrasts and variety inherently present in a country developed and developing at the same time.

Additionally, for those of us who are overseas born Chinese, the whole "returning to the motherland" bit and the fact that it's (hopefully) not a complete culture shock is an admittedly big draw.

And then for a number of us, there are certain other personal reasons why we feel called to China... but pretty much in a nutshell, no matter what your occupation or nationality, one's presence here has something to do with China's status of an growing player in the world.

Mainland China is great, but it's certainly not the only place in the world satisfying the above criteria. And I'd certainly enjoy living and working in plenty of other places as well... why the mainland and not Hong Kong or Taiwan? Or for that matter, Japan, or Mongolia, or Singapore, or Thailand, or Australia... all places I considered at some point in time?

I've been thinking about this on and off since coming here, and I realize that while I never conciously thought of it as such... the modern history of the People's Republic since the 1940s parallels my own life story in many ways.

Going through struggles of identity. Dealing with internal conflict and strife. Slowly and cautiously opening up to outsiders. Acceptance into the international community. Finally being recognized and beginning to flourish in some areas, and more importantly, realizing the need for further change and reform in others.

Perhaps -- just perhaps -- on a tertiary subconcious level, this is why I feel connected with the PRC, and why I largely empathize with the government's current push to be a contributor to the international community in so many ways (e.g. Olympics, Expo, WTO membership, manned space program, 6 party talks...). Ultimately for them, it's about achieving face, and being recognized as an equal amongst peers in the community... just as it was for a long time for me as well.

In a way, I identify and am fascinated to some extent with the themes that come up in China's modern history, especially the diplomatic aspect... for they are in many ways, the same themes of what I've dealt with for years, and even now, older and wiser, still wrestle with here and there in my own imperfection.

Deep down, perhaps this subconcious "connection" helps sustain my interest in all things China, even as they change all the more during this time.