China

We have had enough of natural disasters: Typhoon in Burma, Earthquakes in Sichuan and Japan, Floods in the US & South China and then Typhoon again but this time in the Philippines.

I have recently been occupied both with work and the news on the TV, specially those disasters in our birth country, China. Anthony and I were overwhelmed by images on the television, yet we felt helpless except to donate money and pray.

China have had a lot of bad luck. She seems to be always full of hardship and trouble. Chinese history tells us that the land has from time to time suffered from outside invasions and natural disasters, yet I would say the resulting damages have often been caused by negligence and ignorance.

But would many country not make similar mistakes? It's easy to understand that the rest of the world can hold bias views of China.

There're people who would like to impose their ideas and values from their own culture on China. There's no doubt that we all wish China could have a better political system and a better human rights record. Yet it seems unrealistic to expect China to change overnight (in historical term). Modern west choose to detach itself from the past in order to advance even it means losing their traditions. I see this won't happen to China because unlike western societies, Chinese people could not easily abandon their traditions.

To understand China, we have to refer to her history. For instance, most of her old customs don't make sense to some developed countries e.g. superstitious worship of ancestors and the use of traditional Chinese medicine. However these customs have shaped the lives of Chinese people for thousands years. By nature most Chinese would be more comfortable with gradual change rather than a drastic departure from tradition. This applies to both politics and culture.

I believe the only way to understand China or any other culture is to have an open mind and open eyes.

This song is to encourge the Mainland Chinese, may they open up themselves to be loved as God loves them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHEPVBhem5c&feature=related