Waxing Poetically: Addressing Culture with a Twist of Poetry

Love
When you think of China, what comes to mind? You might think of something well-known or partially stereotypical such as fried rice or kung-fu, even acupuncture. But did any of you think of eight- minute speed dating? Did any of you think of a romance course? Well if not, the video below may surprise you.

The video below is a documentary on the romantic struggles of single Chinese men and woman who just want to find a good mate. I found this clip while checking my Youtube account this morning and I thought that you, my adoring public, (as I say that with my tongue nestled firmly in my cheek) might enjoying watching it and probably noticing that although the world’s cultures may be oceans apart at times, love is something that any one of us can relate to no matter the distance that separates us.

When watching, keep in mind that the Chinese, as with many Asian cultures, live in the humble traditions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism among others. Therefore, self-control, and restraint of impulsive actions is preferred over the outgoing, carefree approach to dating prevalent in the West. Chinese often rely on their ability to pick up nuance rather than express too much emotion and this makes dating a tough task. Couple this with the booming economy and late work hours and the chances to meet that special person become even fewer.

Overall, this video opened my eyes to thinking about Chinese culture in a new way. I felt as if the people in it could be my friends and that we’d get along fairly well. On a side note, I noticed that while China’s communist government may not allow free elections, civilian life is still very free.

Watch the video and feel very free to leave a long comment or two. This one may surprise you, but moreover it may even cause you to wax poetically!

(Watch the video).

Trackback URI | Comments RSS