When people asked me about my ethnicity, I would automatically say “I’m Chinese”. Although I was not born in China (I am embarrassed to say that I have never even set foot in my own country) and have been raised in Americanized surroundings, I am still very familiar with my culture. Ever since I was young, I lived with my grandma, who was very adamant in teaching her grandchildren everything she knew about our nation. Even now, when we are all grown up, she would sit us down after dinner, and tell us about the most wonderful aspects of the Chinese culture, from the different styles of martial arts, to the great leaders we’ve had. Had it not been for her, I would have been completely ignorant about my own race.
Living in such a diverse state such as New York, it gets hard to live solely by the “standards” of my own culture. For example, Chinese people are usually very conservative, which is a great contrast from the more open and friendly lifestyle of typical Americans. Even something as simple as greeting someone…Americans would hug each other or give a quick peck on the cheek. The Chinese, however, ( like my grandma) would find those gestures “more than necessary”. I find myself leaning more towards the American style. Now, when people ask me about my ethnicity, I would say “I’m Chinese-American”. Although I was raised by strict Chinese values, living in the United States for so long has made me an American just as much as I am Chinese.
One thing that our culture emphasizes very often is “family”. “Family” is one of the things that makes our country so strong. I’ve once heard the quote, “Regulated families bring about well-governed states.”I think these words are the epitome of our family oriented culture. The first thing I was taught as a toddler was to respect my elders at all times. The second thing was that there is nothing more important in the world than your own family. My parents have always told me to put my family members first, because at the end of the day, they are the ones who are always there to support and love you no matter what.
I’m able to relate to this painting because I’ve grown up with a very big and harmonious family. This picture expresses what is most important to me and shapes our culture very well. I hope that years from now, I would have a family of my own, just like the one in the painting and teach my children the values of both American and Chinese cultures.
