Comments on: My Chinese New Year’s Dinner http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/ A peculiar hybrid of personal journal, dilettantish punditry, pseudo-philosophy and much more, from an Accidental Expat who has made his way from Hong Kong to Beijing to Taipei and finally back to Beijing for reasons that are still not entirely clear to him... Wed, 22 May 2013 12:51:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Desperately seeking fewer China blogs » The Peking Duck http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-111808 Desperately seeking fewer China blogs » The Peking Duck Wed, 19 May 2010 01:31:20 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-111808 [...] feel really make a difference (I hope) for the reader are never about current events, but about my personal experiences in China and the people I meet [...] [...] feel really make a difference (I hope) for the reader are never about current events, but about my personal experiences in China and the people I meet [...]

]]> By: Courtney http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-102341 Courtney Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:23:05 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-102341 Wow. Incredible, Richard! Having stayed with my best friend who lived in Shanghai, I understand what you mean about making do with so little. Really makes me wonder why in the U.S. so many feel they need so many things around them (myself at times included!). Empty things, that truly don't make us happy. Yet being with people we care about, showing hospitality, caring for one another regardless of where they are from or how well they pronounce the language--that is true happiness. I love your words: "One that I know, should I ever have to leave China, I will always look back on with a pang in my heart and a renewed sense of love for the people here, and a renewed faith in the fundamental beauty of the human spirit." The beauty of the human spirit. Sounds like you truly experienced it that Chinese New Year. Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece... Courtney Wow. Incredible, Richard! Having stayed with my best friend who lived in Shanghai, I understand what you mean about making do with so little. Really makes me wonder why in the U.S. so many feel they need so many things around them (myself at times included!). Empty things, that truly don’t make us happy. Yet being with people we care about, showing hospitality, caring for one another regardless of where they are from or how well they pronounce the language–that is true happiness.

I love your words:
“One that I know, should I ever have to leave China, I will always look back on with a pang in my heart and a renewed sense of love for the people here, and a renewed faith in the fundamental beauty of the human spirit.”

The beauty of the human spirit. Sounds like you truly experienced it that Chinese New Year.

Thank you for sharing this beautiful piece…
Courtney

]]> By: “No danger PRC Internet cops will shut Peking Duck” » The Peking Duck http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-93811 “No danger PRC Internet cops will shut Peking Duck” » The Peking Duck Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:27:58 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-93811 [...] this site has been blocked in China since June, and that it criticizes and questions (and sometimes even praises) China on a fairly regular [...] [...] this site has been blocked in China since June, and that it criticizes and questions (and sometimes even praises) China on a fairly regular [...]

]]> By: Amoiist (Peter Guo) released from jail - “Let the evil go to hell!” » The Peking Duck http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-90221 Amoiist (Peter Guo) released from jail - “Let the evil go to hell!” » The Peking Duck Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:46:34 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-90221 [...] strangers. And finally my third friend, this one a real friend who I knew well and who took me to the Chinese New Year dinner I wrote about six months ago. He was at home one morning not long ago when the police knocked on [...] [...] strangers. And finally my third friend, this one a real friend who I knew well and who took me to the Chinese New Year dinner I wrote about six months ago. He was at home one morning not long ago when the police knocked on [...]

]]> By: Conscience http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-83646 Conscience Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:09:19 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-83646 "I will always look back on with a pang in my heart and a renewed sense of love for the people here, and a renewed faith in the fundamental beauty of the human spirit. " I am really touched by this beautifual story, Richard, you move us to tears.God bless you. :) “I will always look back on with a pang in my heart and a renewed sense of love for the people here, and a renewed faith in the fundamental beauty of the human spirit. ”

I am really touched by this beautifual story, Richard, you move us to tears.God bless you. :)

]]> By: markxing http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-79963 markxing Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:43:03 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-79963 Great Richard ! Thanks for you story Great Richard ! Thanks for you story

]]> By: chunzhu http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-79743 chunzhu Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:12:34 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-79743 Hey Richard, I haven't been reading your blog (since I thought you stopped writing), but upon my first visit in about half a year, I come upon this wonderful post. One of my friends in China, a foreign teacher, would tell me all these stories about how random Chinese people who stop and talk to him in the street and end up inviting him to all these events. I'm actually really jealous that you are able to have these kinds of experiences. A lot of foreigners in China complain about getting stared at or ripped off, but as a Chinese American in China, I just get ignored and criticized for speaking weird putonghua. Then again, during the Spring Festival, I get red envelopes from all my aunts and uncles, so I guess that somewhat makes up for it... but yeah, once again, great post and I hope to read more about these kinds of experiences in the future. Hey Richard, I haven’t been reading your blog (since I thought you stopped writing), but upon my first visit in about half a year, I come upon this wonderful post. One of my friends in China, a foreign teacher, would tell me all these stories about how random Chinese people who stop and talk to him in the street and end up inviting him to all these events.

I’m actually really jealous that you are able to have these kinds of experiences. A lot of foreigners in China complain about getting stared at or ripped off, but as a Chinese American in China, I just get ignored and criticized for speaking weird putonghua.

Then again, during the Spring Festival, I get red envelopes from all my aunts and uncles, so I guess that somewhat makes up for it… but yeah, once again, great post and I hope to read more about these kinds of experiences in the future.

]]> By: Mark Anthony Jones http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-79676 Mark Anthony Jones Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:35:32 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-79676 By far your best post to date on this site, Richard. I enjoyed reading it very much, as it reminded me of countless similar experiences that I had throughout my five years in China. Many of your descriptions brought back for me vivid memories: "There was a tiny little collapsible table that supported a big slab of wood," you write, "about the size of a door, which would be our dinner table. Around it were seated seven guys, each sitting on those tiny plastic stands, maybe 8 inches high. The kind where you sit down and your knees are almost hitting your face. There was no other furniture. No stereo or decorations." I experienced this very scene so many times while I lived in China, and like you, I was always deeply moved them. Some of my experiences, similiar to this one of yours, I detailed in my book, because, as you say, they are indeed "beautiful" and "precious", and are worth sharing. I hope you will compose (and post) at least a few more snapshots like this one - which I find far superior in quality to your usual, more politicised commentary - a commentary that generally reflects a liberal neo-Enlightenment response to the complexities of today's China. You might like to consider instead more pluralist assessments of China, which are fairer, though you have, over the last year or two it seems, been gradually developing a more nuanced understanding. From my arrogant perspective, that's good to see! By far your best post to date on this site, Richard. I enjoyed reading it very much, as it reminded me of countless similar experiences that I had throughout my five years in China. Many of your descriptions brought back for me vivid memories: “There was a tiny little collapsible table that supported a big slab of wood,” you write, “about the size of a door, which would be our dinner table. Around it were seated seven guys, each sitting on those tiny plastic stands, maybe 8 inches high. The kind where you sit down and your knees are almost hitting your face. There was no other furniture. No stereo or decorations.” I experienced this very scene so many times while I lived in China, and like you, I was always deeply moved them. Some of my experiences, similiar to this one of yours, I detailed in my book, because, as you say, they are indeed “beautiful” and “precious”, and are worth sharing.

I hope you will compose (and post) at least a few more snapshots like this one – which I find far superior in quality to your usual, more politicised commentary – a commentary that generally reflects a liberal neo-Enlightenment response to the complexities of today’s China. You might like to consider instead more pluralist assessments of China, which are fairer, though you have, over the last year or two it seems, been gradually developing a more nuanced understanding. From my arrogant perspective, that’s good to see!

]]> By: Richard http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-79653 Richard Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:02:56 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-79653 Thanks Si and Random. I talked about this with a friend who posts here from time to time, and we agreed - there's no reason to let HX and the like ruin threads with irrelevant comments echoing their reflexive "two wrong make a right" response. I'm going to be a lot less magnanimous. This week saw a new record in malicious comments, some of them staggeringly evil, and I'm not going to be nice to these guys anytime soon. If I have to start pre-approving comments before they show up I'll do so, painful as that would be. Thanks Si and Random.

I talked about this with a friend who posts here from time to time, and we agreed – there’s no reason to let HX and the like ruin threads with irrelevant comments echoing their reflexive “two wrong make a right” response.

I’m going to be a lot less magnanimous. This week saw a new record in malicious comments, some of them staggeringly evil, and I’m not going to be nice to these guys anytime soon. If I have to start pre-approving comments before they show up I’ll do so, painful as that would be.

]]> By: Si http://www.pekingduck.org/2009/02/my-chinese-new-years-dinner/comment-page-2/#comment-79649 Si Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:44:00 +0000 http://www.pekingduck.org/?p=5753#comment-79649 @random well said. the reason why anyone can turn this into a mudslinging match in such a crass fashion is because hong xing and ferin are themselves crass, boorish, rude and, worse of all, utterly tedious in a deeply predictable manner. the sad thing is that their behaviour would be horrifying to the great sages of chinese culture (which they appear to think they are defending from the onslaught of the honkys) who stressed moderation, thoughtfulness and well tempered argument - virtues which are of course utterly alien to them. @richard it is a shame that your blog at times does become fly paper for such dullards. i think that the bores simply appear to have more energy and time on their hands than those who wish to make a positive contribution and say something original and thought provoking. even though i rarely comment, i just want to say please keep up the work. i can assure you it is much appreciated. @random

well said.

the reason why anyone can turn this into a mudslinging match in such a crass fashion is because hong xing and ferin are themselves crass, boorish, rude and, worse of all, utterly tedious in a deeply predictable manner.

the sad thing is that their behaviour would be horrifying to the great sages of chinese culture (which they appear to think they are defending from the onslaught of the honkys) who stressed moderation, thoughtfulness and well tempered argument – virtues which are of course utterly alien to them.

@richard

it is a shame that your blog at times does become fly paper for such dullards. i think that the bores simply appear to have more energy and time on their hands than those who wish to make a positive contribution and say something original and thought provoking. even though i rarely comment, i just want to say please keep up the work. i can assure you it is much appreciated.

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