Distilling Chinese Education into 8 Concepts

Learning in China is mostly based on memorization and repetition, which may work well with mathematics and penmanship. Nevertheless, in other subjects, the information, if not properly organized into concepts, will not make sense. For example, in America students are taught to reduce, reuse, and recycle in environmental science. Due to the nonalphabetized nature of the Chinese language, memorizing the same phrase in Chinese will not make sense for purposeful learning.

Avoid giving scissors and clocks. Scissors and other sharp objects, such as knives or letter openers, are cutting instruments, and they are bad for building or reinforcing relationships. The Chinese words for “giving clocks” sound like “paying funeral respect.” The gift of a clock could be misinterpreted as an end to the partnership, as in a funeral. Look at the gift, and compliment it suitably as a sign of admiration and appreciation.

There followed a series of entertaining games. Everything started out lightheartedly, and each team took turns winning at a variety of friendly competitions. One of the last races required the teams to use chopsticks to carry a raw egg across a finish line. Players had to transfer the egg from one person to the next without touching or dropping it.
During this particular event, the jovial atmosphere of the game changed dramatically due to its extreme challenge. The teams giggled at the idea of the American faculty team even having a chance to win with the chopsticks. The race started, and the American faculty team quickly took the lead by a long stretch. The cheerful laughter subsided, and the teams even stopped cheering. Finally, the runner-up teams struggled for second place in awkward silence.
At the end of the race, some of the students congratulated the American faculty team. Interestingly, none of the Chinese teachers said a word. One Chinese faculty member finally explained that the American faculty team had caused the adults to lose face not just by winning but by defeating them by a wide margin. Another Chinese student expounded that the Americans were not supposed to be good at using chopsticks, simply because that was perceived as an exclusively Chinese skill.

The increasing number of opium addicts alarmed the Chinese government, which took decisive action to suppress and halt the opium trade. In 1839, Viceroy Lin Zexu (see appendix) arrested opium merchants, confiscated and destroyed chests of British opium, and later blockaded the sea port from European ships. Given no alternatives, the British decided to open China by force. In 1840, the British launched what would turn into the Opium Wars against China, and the long isolation of the Middle Kingdom began.
The war ended with the Treaty of Nanking in 1842 and the surrender of the island of Hong Kong to Britain. The Chinese deemed the Treaty of Nanking unequal because it gave Britain no obligations and was far from mutual.

Macartney brought with him from Britain gifts such as clocks, telescopes, air guns, and other technological marvels of the Industrial Revolution. Macartney had every reason to believe that the emperor of China would be interested in all these amazing gadgets and flattered by the well-staffed delegation of diplomats, scientists, musicians, painters, priests, and more. He could not imagine that the emperor would not view his gifts as precious. It did not take Macartney too long to find out that the Qing emperor was not impressed. He was infuriated by the gift of clocks. Why? Chinese do not give clocks because the Chinese pronunciation of “giving/sending clocks” is the same as “paying tribute to the dead”; therefore the gift of clocks is seen as a deadly curse.

In 1793, George Macartney was the first British envoy to visit China, opening the first official contact between the Lion and the Dragon in modern history. The Macartney mission was prompted by restrictive Chinese trade regulations and the British demand for tea, porcelain, silk, and like merchandise from China. In return for these products, the Chinese government wanted payment in silver. A trade deficit slowly developed due to the business aspects of supply and demand. To address the deficit, efforts were made to find something that could be sold to the Chinese. That something was tragically opium, an addictive drug for recreational use.

Would you believe that Chinese students may face up to seven years in prison for cheating on the gaokao? The punishment may not fit the crime, but Chinese law enforcers believe that only harsh punishment will stop the undesirable behavior immediately. The Chinese idiom “Kill the chicken to scare the monkey” is fitting here because it suggests making an example out of one cheater to warn other cheaters. Sometimes you wonder how the rest of the world deals with the same problem if cheating on the gaokao in China is a criminal offense.

Jinshicandidates were further distinguished with receipt of more celebrated titles, as in the Western world. Zhuangyuan, meaning “top thesis scholar” in Chinese, was a highly honored and rewarded person who ranked first in the national-level civil examination. The bangyan, meaning “eyes on the side” in Chinese, came second, and the tanhua, meaning “flower searcher,” came third. Figure 6.1 summarizes the imperial degree hierarchy.

Candidates who passed the imperial palace examinations at the highest level, jinshi, meaning “advanced scholar” in Chinese, joined the top elites in China’s educated class. They went on to become important members of the Chinese bureaucracy. As an interesting custom, a stone flagpole would be erected in the front yard of the jinshi’s home to indicate his much-admired status.

candidate who passed at the provincial level became juren, meaning “recommended man” in Chinese, and joined the important provincial elite, with power in the provincial government. Some juren degree holders could be summoned to central government service, though this was not automatic.