Return of the diaspora - A personal experience

 

The early powerless China during the era of foreign invasion and under 毛泽东主席 was so poverty-stricken that there was no seeing of light at the end of the tunnel.  Chaos and starvation were rampant...  All that were left for the badly battered China was humiliation and a shattered country without money to pick up the pieces.  Impoverished Chinese set sail for the far horizons literally seeking for survival rather than fortunes.

I know this distressing dark chapter in history including the Japanese occupation of Singapore because they were passed down to me by my parents many times over.  I may be born many years later after these catastrophic events, it however did not give me a sense of ignorant to bypass such horrendous human cruelty.  The pages of precious story will forever ingrained in me till eternity.  The values instilled in me were strong foundations to build my self-confidence to able to appreciate and feel proud of my identity.  To many, it's strange that I have this weird yearning to search for my roots (寻根) and to study Chinese in China.  Perhaps it is wistful thinking but it remains my heart's greatest desire.

Having said that, I have completely failed to comprehend why there are so many Chinese desperately rushing to embrace and worship white foreigners by forsaking their ethnic identity.  They have lost their sense of identity and have no confidence about themselves.  Feel ashamed about their roots, not interested to know about their forefathers.  They cast away their Chinese name and proudly adopt Western or European names, dye their hairs and what else?...  I am not surprised they must be dying to expunge their DNA too.  I describe such group of people as shameless and pathetic 崇洋媚外 (chóng yáng mèi wài), 六亲不认 (liù qīn bù rèn), 数典忘祖 (shǔ diǎn wàng zǔ).

Many years back, when I chanced upon your blog, I was surprised to see your romanised Chinese name.  I thought this is a rarity when people generally are abandoning their own name and use alien name to boost their self-esteem.  It's so good to know that there are English speaking people out there like you and Southernglory1 who are feeling proud of their identities and share a keen interest in China.  I wish to thank you and Southernglory1 for the meaningful and well-articulated pieces.

The latest attack on China with the American mafia ganging up with his obeying no substance stooges cause me to think of the 八国联军 invasion of an unprepared China.  But they surely have gravely mistaken today's China..., no longer a hapless and helpless country to be trampled upon at will.  China is like a phoenix rises from the ashes, from strength to strength, constantly scaling new heights and is unquenchable.  The white gangsters are green with jealously, filled with rage and fear but unable to contain the super giant from soaring.  It's time for the dreamers to consign their rusty cannons to the scrapyard, save the previous space of the museum.

伟大的中国再接再厉吧，国外的华人同胞都在为您加油打气。衷心祝中国鹏程万里，前程似锦。(How I wish I could shout “我的祖国”, but it's not appropriate as I was not born in China.)

Mingfeng

PS. This is the first post by Mingfeng, a Singaporean that has rediscovered and reconnected with her roots and the Chinese Civilisation. More and more of the diaspora would be reawakened to reconnect with their roots when they understand where they were originally from and would want to be a part of this ancient Civilisation again.  Redbean