Chinese Sterotypes of Americans

[pazu]

SMith, I should use the word "Han Chinese" instead of just "Chinese" in my previous post. I should be more careful.

Anyway, Kulong, I really doubt it if you have ever stayed in Xinjiang, Tibet or Yunnan, and still didn't encounter any biased view of Han CHinese to the minorities. For a tourist eye, yes, they live in harmony, but if you just talk to them instead of just seeing what the government want you to see, you know what I mean.

When you go to Lijiang, e.g., you see Naxi and Han Chinese live in the same place quite comfortably, but then in many occasions I heard Han Chinese classified the Naxi people as lazy and dirty, or as inferior, you see many cafes or restaurants reluctantly employ Naxi people out of this belief, and the only reason for them to hire Naxi people is just to fulfill the county's rule on investment.

But Lijiang isn't a really good example of saying this. The best ever example of those silly biased views uttered by Han Chinese was what I heard in a 48-hour trip by train from Urumqi to Beijing (hard seat, good place to chat, and overhear!), I just couldn't believe my ears that people kept saying Uighur were pigs! The Han Chinese (most were businessmen) said Kazak were good "because their minds were simple and their money were easy to cheat!"

I don't mean to be generalize, generalization can be dangerous, okay, but when you overheard people talking those same altitude in different places at different times quite frequently, you think it had some significance.

[Guest Anonymous]

When you go to Lijiang, e.g., you see Naxi and Han Chinese live in the same place quite comfortably, but then in many occasions I heard Han Chinese classified the Naxi people as lazy and dirty, or as inferior, you see many cafes or restaurants reluctantly employ Naxi people out of this belief, and the only reason for them to hire Naxi people is just to fulfill the county's rule on investment.

Hmm... doesn't that sound familiar for those of us living in the United States? There are numerous stereotypes for blacks, Latinos, and Asians and also many minorities, mostly blacks and Latinos are admitted into schools or employeed at different offices because of affirmative actions. Again, this is an universal trend, not just a "Chinese thing". However, that doesn't mean China should just overlook this problem but these kind of things do take time. It's been over a 150 years since the blacks were freed from slavery, yet, racism is still at large in America. Ethnic minorities just "came on the scene" about 50 years ago when the Communist took over. Just be glad that no ethnic minorities have been lynched in public or were made into slaves.

But Lijiang isn't a really good example of saying this. The best ever example of those silly biased views uttered by Han Chinese was what I heard in a 48-hour trip by train from Urumqi to Beijing (hard seat, good place to chat, and overhear!), I just couldn't believe my ears that people kept saying Uighur were pigs! The Han Chinese (most were businessmen) said Kazak were good "because their minds were simple and their money were easy to cheat!"

I'm not at all surprised that racism exists in China. It still exists even in the United States, a country with the most number of minorities from different cultures that have much greater differences than the ethnic minorities in China. However, as I've mentioned earlier, from my personal experience, I don't believe it's fair to say *ALL* Han Chinese are prejudice against ethnic minorities just like not *ALL* white Americans hate black Americans.

I don't mean to be generalize, generalization can be dangerous, okay, but when you overheard people talking those same altitude in different places at different times quite frequently, you think it had some significance.

It's good that you realize you have been generalizing and it's understandable. Your experience seems to have been negative and opposite of mine. But I do admit, when I visited Xinjiang and Yunnan, I was on a tour. But I know what I saw and if *EVERYTHING* I saw was staged by the Communist government then they did a damn fine job at making me believe that ethnic minorities get along with Han Chinese perfectly fine.

I did have some "real" experiences with ethnic minorities though. When I was studying in Beijing and Shanghai for a month each, I made some Uighur and Tibetan friends as I've mentioned in another post. They were friends with other ethnic minorities and also Han Chinese. When we were together, I didn't feel like there were any boundaries between us. Or maybe the Chinese government bought them out just to try to make me believe what I was experiencing.