Chinese Customs and Values

End of Dialogue Project Paper


Chinese culture is very evident in their literature because through stories and legends, people passed down values and culture to the next generation. In the different pieces of literature that my dialogue partner, Ting Ting, sent me over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to read Chinese folk legends to experience different forms of Chinese literature that has given me a deeper understanding of my own culture.

There were many times in the different stories where values were expressed. For example, in the story of Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo, the values of love and respect are very evident through the dedication and perseverance of the two lovers. Although this story is very similar to that of the Romeo and Juliet story written by Shakespeare, this Chinese folktale version heavily reflects Chinese culture due to the different details in the story that represent the Chinese customs of marriage and gender issues. Another reason why I believe the Chinese values were evident in this story was the commitment of the two for the sake of love. In the beginning of the story, Zhu was committed to go to school so she dressed up as a boy. At the end of the story, Liang was so sorry that Zhu married another person that he died. Therefore, it was very evident to me in this story the level of commitment and dedication the two lovers had for each other.

I felt that the Chinese customs and values were also evident in another story because this legend exhibited the fact that this story could have been true and not just a folktale. In the story with the Qin emperor, I could sense the values of respect and commitment evident through the entire story. In the beginning of the tale, there was a very realistic sense about the story because of the fact that the great wall of china was being built at this time and also because there were indeed large masses of people that were gathered up to help build the great wall. So the beginning of the story made me feel that this story was indeed a real story.

It was also interesting and cultural to learn that if the girl’s skin was seen by a man then she was forced to marry her. On a side note, this reminded me of the Taliban women and their burka to cover their skin from the men so that they do not become tempted. So when the man was captured to build the great wall, I felt the sadness of the girl within me as I read the story. I thought that this was also interesting maybe because I am Chinese and I therefore could possibly relate to the poor girl’s grief.

I believe that this story was especially good in showing Chinese values because the situation in which the main character was in became so realistic in my head. For example, I felt that the value of respect was great in this story because of the fact that the first order of the girl was that the Qin emperor take the husband’s ashes back to bury. This is a very important sign of respect for the Chinese (we go back and celebrate/remember the ancestors every year) to honor those who have passed on. Another way that I saw respect in this story was the fact that the girl felt so tied to her husband that she killed herself at the end of the story because she did not have any respect for the Qin emperor who was so barbarous to her husband in the first place.

Overall, each of the three pieces of literature that Ting Ting sent to me was very reflective of Chinese values and culture. Being brought up as an American with Chinese roots makes me realize that although I may not live in china nor speak Chinese, I will always remember my Chinese ancestry and the values and culture that have sustained through the generations.