Amanda McGuire

Confucius Chinese Winter Camp - 2017

Is West, Best? : The Effect of Western Culture on Chinese Trends

30 Years Ago, Chinas ports and doors were closed off to the world. Believing that they could

and would continue to create everything they could possibly need for themselves. Their culture was

contained tightly within their almost continent-wide walls. Since, Western brands and ideas have

exploded in the past decade, as economic boom expanded the countrys middle class (McLaughlin,

PBS).

This winter, 18 University of South Carolina Students had the opportunity to travel alongside a

teacher and handful of language partners and guides on an adventure through Beijing and Shanghai.

Having the opportunity to experience college-campus life and city life, we were actively able to observe

similarities and differences in our home culture and the culture we had been placed in. Of course a

tourists perceived culture can be far from the reality, I believe our interactions with local students and

people allowed us to get a more humble glimpse.

Our primary resources for information and question inquiry were our student guide, Rachel,

USC/Confucius teacher, Mr. Zhang, guides, Kevin and Jane, a Shanghai tour guide, teacher, Bing Bing,

and a dinner with language partners from the Beijing Language and Culture University. Each offered a

unique experience and set of information; each as curious about our home life, as we were theirs.

There are many elements that effect a countrys trending culture, each having their individual

influence on daily life in a society. In our experience, we noticed that entertainment, fashion and

transportation seemed to have been effected most by western culture, where cuisine and spirituality is
less affected. Each of the above despite the level of influence, still contains elements unique to Chinese

people and culture.

Lying in bed, sick one evening, I turned on the hotel television as a source of entertainment. To

my surprise, an American movie and television show were translated and served as two of my eight

channel options. Another highlighted musical artists, many Chinese, but also included Celine Dion and

Justine Bieber. I didnt expect to see as many familiar faces as I did. Thinking back to conversations with

our language guides, many of their favorite shows included American TV shows that they found online.

We compared our latest binge similarities as well as old favorites China was just discovering. Our guides

did state that television was a great way to learn English/practice. This may have been why it seemed so

many people were watching American TV shows. They stated that even though they all had good English

knowledge, many of their friends watched the shows and movies as well, just with Chinese captions.

China also has created their own versions of The Bachelor and Americas Got Talent. Several more

conversations and instances proved to us that western entertainment culture has had a great effect on

Chinas.

Besides electronic entertainment, Chinese people also enjoyed the night club scene as much as

most Westerners. It was fascinating to us tourists that we were able to get into night clubs simply

because we were western. We were handed free drinks, frequently asked to dance, and watched as

western dancers entertained the masses. Western presence was so glorified that clubs were willing to

go to great lengths to ensure rooms were filled for the evening.

You could not cross the street without spying a Chinese citizen in an extended puff coat, usually

branded with seemingly random English words. Fashion continued to surprise the group as we ventured

into malls and markets. The Chinese-knock off market is well known to many Americans. However, I was

surprised to see entire stores in malls that intended to intimate popular brands such as Polo, at a lower
price. Athletic brands such as Nike, New Balance and Adidas have made popular strides in China, as well

as some luxury brands like Luis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. made their appearances. My largest shock was

that people did not seem to really care/fully understand what their clothing said, as long as they were in

English words. Shirts stated jumbled slogans of verbs and animated noun sweaters. Our language

partners verified the fact that these slogans were ignorantly popular. Chinese traditional clothing was

reserved for tea ceremonies and holidays. In fact, one of my favorite Museum exhibits that we saw was

one dedicated to the different traditional outfits of Chinese minorities. I learned that there are over 50

nationalities in China alone, a fact I would have never guessed. I am positive that clothing varies in

different places in China. However, the cities we encountered were largely westernized.

Transportation proved globally influenced, Chinese elite would drive around in their shiny Audis,

BMWs, Teslas, and Lexus cars. Where many were western car brands, some also featured Asian car

brands. Wealth seemed to be a clear factor between those more and less westernized. In order to even

obtain a license plate for your car is an expensive lottery system. Chinas airports and train stations were

decorated with English signs and showcased western food chains such as Starbucks, McDonalds and

KFC. China has recently created a high speed rail system, transporting passengers quickly between major

east coast cities. Where western culture did differ was in the number of bicycles and mopeds present.

Every individuals moped clothed in weather protectors and sweaters. It will be interesting to see hoe

China develops their transportation infrastructure in the future.

Perhaps the least effected by Western culture, cuisine was relatively homogenous. Whereas

discussed prior, there were a couple well-known western chains that had made their way to large

Chinese cities. We dined at Pizza Hut, McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and 7-11. Each

however had their own adaptations to our well-known favorites. Pizza Hut did not offer the simple

toppings I was accustomed to in the states, only specialty pies. McDonalds showcased Asian inspired
sauces and sandwich options. Despite these fast food franchises making their appearances, general

western food was not frequently consumed, and rarely preferred by consumers. Breakfast foods

featured pasta, rice, savory meats and occasionally egg. Dinners were often created and served to share,

portions were family style. Many of the international options featured other Asian cuisines; Korean,

Thai, Japanese. Where I enjoyed all of the meals we had, my stomach being accustomed to meals from

every corner of the earth, on my individual plate, served to be a difficult transition. The homogeneity of

meals seemed frustrating to some students. Cocoa-Cola products proved sweeter than what we were

used to, and water had to be requested, and was always served warm. As food is a large comfort item

for many people, and comfort usually stems from tradition, I was not surprised by the traditionalism of

our dining experiences.

General spirituality surprised me when it was first discussed with our language partners. Where

the Chinese culture is rich with tradition of legends, years of dynasty rule, lessons of respect, and more,

religion was something I found to be missing in the cities we visited, or at least in the minds of the

young. Before visiting I assumed that most of the culture was Buddhist. Buddha proves himself an

illustrious figure in society; however most people proclaim themselves as atheists. This differs from

western culture as Christianity has a large hold on the hearts and minds of westerners. I had a couple

opportunities to discuss the idea of religion with natives and it was fascinating how their religious

voids are filled with history and tradition otherwise. Chinese historical palaces served as popular tourist

attractions, while in the west, churches stand as popular tourist destinations. This observation may be

more applicable in the modern areas of China then the older; however, my sources were mostly

modern Chinese citizens.

Another stark reality for us students was the control over the internet. Common applications for

us such as Facebook, Instagram and even Google were not available on Chinese servers. Bing assumed
the role of Google, and the We-Chat application was a one-stop shop for every other common

application. A renowned concept if you ask me. We-Chat combines texting services, social media, the

opportunity to order food or transportation, and developed a unique QR Code to pay at most accepting

retailers. Part of me wished that America would adopt such an app, everything was convenient and well

protected. Maybe we will assume some eastern culture in the coming years.

Besides my observations of the effects of Western Culture on Chinese modern society, there are

many articles online that allude to this shift in trends. Many discuss how the government feels about the

changes and how Chinese culture is choosing to modernize.

PBS News Hour did an interview entitled, Why Chinas Youth Find Western Culture Attractive

in February of 2012. The interviewee, Hou Xiazhou, began by speaking about skateboarding and the

idolization of American skateboarders. Kathleen McLaughlin, Beijing Correspondent, covered the story.

As I noticed, American TV is extremely popular in China. However, Now the government is

pushing back. President Hu Jintao says Chinas culture is being infiltrated by hostile Western forces. And

the government has set new limits on Chinese mass media. First, they issued edicts that killed some racy

and wildly popular TV shows and pushed others out of prime time (McLaughlin, PBS). Bans similar to

this one stated have also begun to effect social media availability. Where the government believes that

the introduction of western themes and culture can be dangerous, many citizens see both cultures as

valuable. Positive fusion has allowed for fast food chains and popular television to succeed in the

country.

The current battle between the government and peoples desires makes regulations somewhat

difficult. McLaughlin writes That contemporary culture may be precisely what the government is

worried about. Over the next two years, China will change power at the very top and get a new

president. The last thing it wants during this rare and secretive transition is the kind of freewheeling
discussion thats now happening online with its Internet users (McLaughlin, PBS). Where we as a

democratic nation, focused on freedom and individualism view Chinese bans as extreme, we have to

understand that their culture is way more established than our own, with different practices and values.

I dont believe that westerners should try and influence their decision on what is allowed. China is

currently aiming to modernize and develop quickly. I am hoping this is not at the expense of their

tradition, morals and beliefs.

Despite the good, the bad and the ugly of Westernization on Chinese culture, I truly enjoyed my

Chinese experience. Everyone we met was hospitable. I have made countless friends, I plan on

remaining in contact with, and I have seen sights I hadnt dreamed of. Seeing daily life through the eyes

of another is always rewarding for me. I believe the flow of the trip allowed us to feel established and

comfortable while allowing us to be tourists and engage in activities intended for those just passing

through. I appreciated the campus aspect of the trip, making even a short study-abroad trip seem like a

college experience.

Our teachers were amazing! Bing Bing made us passionate about learning Chinese. She went

above and beyond explaining why characters looked the way they do. She ensured that I mastered my

numbers and general greetings. She never made us feel silly for pronouncing something wrong, or

making a mistake. She treated each of us with care, and we were all genuinely excited about each

lesson. In addition, her introduction of one of her current students was great. He spoke to us about

never giving up, the importance of language and power and being in ambiguous situations. It was

definitely a speech I will never forget.

I appreciate the tea ceremony class and painting lessons. Each teacher was so knowledgeable

about their craft and interested in teaching us correctly. Each of these we have continued to boast
about, even in the states. More of these specialized classes would have been enjoyable. Tai Chi was an

amazing experience, so relaxing and a great way to stretch after a day of travel!

The adventures to tourist attractions were wonderful. We hit all of the traditional spots, as well

as some fascinating markets less known. Beijing was a great balance of sights and markets, while

Shanghai proved to be a lot more markets. Possibly something to tweak for the future, but I did like

trying all of the different foods and shopping for souvenirs.

I thank you for letting us find the balance between freedom and dependency. All of the

accommodations far surpassed my expectations. The trip as a whole was a dream come true, despite

the smog, but an opportunity that I would not of had without BLCU and the Confucius Institute. I am

grateful for our tour guides, friends and mentors throughout the trip. I have nothing but positive stories

for my peers at USC and family at home. I hope students in the future have the opportunity to study in

China and witness what I was able to.

Last but not least, Rachel- our trusted guide and friend. You are amazing! She was always

prepared, willing to help beyond her call of duty, always interested in sharing a meal, or in a good

conversation. The trip would not have been the same without her. She grabbed the hearts of each of the

students, and we will never forget her. Thank you for answering out millions of questions, helping us

study for HSK and spilling your gallons of knowledge upon us at each stop. If I ever return, I will certainly

we-chat her.

Heres to a great adventure! Hopefully a little of our western love and culture made an impact

on China, as its did so gravely on us South Carolinians.