One Child Policies : Not Everyone is Concerned

There are several things we think we know about China, but that we in fact do not understand well. The One-Child policy is one example. I am bringing this topic up as recently various events prompted my interest.

A few days ago, a worker came to our house to fix our table. As usual, our conversation topics, limited by my failing Mandarin skills, turned around my son. After answering the regular set of questions, I prompted him with similar ones. I was very surprised to hear that he had two children of different ages (thus not twins). My curiosity aroused, I asked him if he had two wives. He laugh and went on a long explanation that I could not understand fully.

So I conducted my own personal research about the One-Child Policy and its implementation.

Introduced in the late 70's to control the rising numbers of the Chinese population. It was intended to alleviate social, economic and environmental problems that would only increase if the population was allowed to grow at its original pace - which was of about 5 children per women. The Chinese government said it has since prevented more than 400 million birth. Its critics are saying that it is responsible for the high girl abortion rate, force sterilizations, and the population's gender imbalance.

The policy is mainly enforced by heavy fines based in relationship to the families income. In addition, the government carries out inspection and registration work (subtext here reads as in some instances you might have to present certificate of non-pregnancy, or be obliged to disclose contraceptive measures used). Families can choose to brake the rules of the policies, but the costs, not only financial, are enormous for a middle class citizen. Parents who are civil servants will most likely loose their jobs and titles. The family has to pay for the education of the child, but also for the health care of all the members of the family. Children born illegally, who are not registered will be denied a Hukou (family registration), education, a national ID and probably many more things a regular Chinese citizen might need to make his way into life. The Hukou determines what and where a person can do in life.

As I was asking questions around, and reading here and there, I came to realise that the One-Child Policy does not always apply. Supposedly, as per the information provided by the Committee of the One-Child Policy, only 35,9% of the Chinese population is concerned by the restriction.

There are several different types of exceptions. Families issued from one of the 26 official minorities are granted exceptions from that rule. Tibetans, Uyghurgs, and many other less known minorities can benefit from this exception. In most rural areas, families who have as first child a daughter can have a second child. For example, Henan is a province with such exception. Second children are subject to birth spacing (usually 3 or 4 years apart). This came as a possible solution to the massive girl abortion and girl orphan rates in the rural areas. These rates are specially high as a boy is not only the heir of the family but also a social insurance for the old age of the parents (as opposed to a girl who will go live with her in laws). The second-child exception was also proposed as the practice of the adult child taking care of its aging parents and grandparents was becoming difficult to bear by one single individual. Indeed, the one-child policy leaves the older generation with more of a dependency on retirement funds or charity, as the state welfare is limited and sometimes failing.

Recently, in the regions affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, families who lost their child, or those who were disabled or severely injured were given exception from the policy. It is a specially significant policy, as more than 23 000 children went missing after the earthquake. Recently, children both issued from a single child family are now allowed to have two children. Finally, children returning from abroad are not subject to the policy. And children born abroad from Chinese parents and not seeking Chinese citizenship are also excepted. Since early 2007, there was some talk in the PRC to abolish the one-child rule or to at least soften it to a two-children policy.

We can think of several consequences due to these policies. They are not all bad, neither all good. The deep core of the issue is related to the control of the population, and comes with negative connotations. But we might want to ask ourselves how could such a large country, with such a large population, could alleviate most of its citizens from poverty over three decades, if not partially thanks to its population control?

On the other hand, today kids are treated like "little emperors"... Already at the root a family centered society, in the single child family, the child easily become over-indulged or spoiled. For us, our experience of life in Beijing has translated as an easy one, where our child is surrounded, appreciated, and given attention as we would never have expected. Despite all this attention and the criticisms of a spoiled generation, as the first generation of one-child policy children (born in the 1980s) reaching adulthood, it is difficult to see that they are less equipped for life in general.

As for us, now that I am pregnant again, I see envious glances in our direction. Family values are still running high. Old ladies congratulate us proudly for taking on an extension to ours. They even ask us for when would be the third one!!! Until I give birth, we can only offer them a smile, feeling blessed by our freedom of choice.

Noam is (almost) 2! Let's celebrate!

We are about to leave for a few months, and we are expecting to be busy on Noam's birthday, on Sept 27. We thought it would be more fun to celebrate his birthday here in Beijing with some of his best friends (and ours too!). The program was great: the kids made their chef hats, prepare their pizza, ate them and then played some games. And of course there was a cake! Here are a few picts so you can share the moment with us!
Happy Birthday big boy!

Pregnant Brain... Oops!

I think my most hormonal thing for this pregnancy has been me loosing my memory - or mind... not sure!... I am not yet 8 months, and so far I have lost the following:

One cell phone, 2 handbags (both retrieved, one thanks to my husband running behind a cab, the second because of a nice cab driver who returned it to me - since I guess I had nothing of importance in it), one umbrella (I went back to where I left it and the store owner had kept it for me), paid at least 50$ in late fees for library loans, misplaced and found a bit later one credit card, lost it again a few weeks later, lost also a debit card, misplaced my (too) expensive sun glasses... There are probably more things, but I can't remember them now...

Also I have twice gone to meetings, either with friends or for work, on the wrong day. I have order things and forgot to go pick them up, and was still billed for them.

What else?

I even forgot once about a class I am teaching over the weekend and showed up 10 min late because of that. Worst? the next week completely forgot it - completely - and the class had to be cancel. My boss thought I had got myself into an accident as I did not answer my phone - which I had forgotten home... Thanks god I have not lost my job because of that!

The Art of Diplomacy - A Chinese Perspective

Chinese Letters...

I just completed the reading of a very interesting book: "Lettres chinoises - Les diplomates chinois découvrent l'Europe (1866-1894)" by Feng Chen-Shrader [Chinese Letters - Chinese Diplomats Discover Europe (1866-1894)].

I found this book very enlightening.

In the second half of the Nineteenth Century, two years after the end of the Second Opium War, the Tianjin Treaty impose some diplomatic legations to Beijing. In 1866, for the first time in its history, China must send emissaries in Occident. At the time, it was perceived as a sign of submission. Furthermore, Europe, as a region ignoring confucean values, was perceived as barbarian. To become a diplomat was not a desirable position, and the mandates of the first Chinese diplomats was mostly limited to recording their observations of the European society.

Feng Chen-Shrader has studied and analysed the correspondence of these first diplomats mandated by the Middle Kingdom. The Europe they discover is told with a very different perspective and very different principles than those of the Europeans themselves. Their correspondence puts some historical perspectives on the cultural perception Chinese might have of us, and on some stereotypes that might still convey today despite the time that has elapsed since the writing of the diplomats letters.

For example, it is really interesting to read how the diplomats perceive the notion of democracy. The use of the Chinese language seems to add confusion to their comprehension of it, as if there would be no real appropriate word to describe this notion without putting some negative connotation to the concept. Moreover, the notion of a democratic Parliament headed by a Queen, such as in England, seems to be also creating some bewilderment. How can a Queen obey to the people? At the same time, the concept of a democracy headed by a monarch (as opposed to one that is entirely elected) leaves the Chinese diplomats more confident that such system could eventually be applied to China, since a system without a monarch does not seem to be feasible for them.

Also it is really interesting to read how these men were sent without much of a role except the one of observer, as if China did not want to involve itself in the diplomatic exercises played in Europe, by fear of showing a position of submission towards other countries. Because of that, the Chinese diplomats reported to their country in an almost anthropological way of Europe and its customs.

The book gives us many details of various elements surprising to the diplomats. For example, Paris night lights and wide streets, its sewers, as well as London's cleanliness, its public parks and its public buildings, its postal services and various other public services created to facilitate the life of the population were all pleasant discoveries. The notions of public welfare and public services never reached such extent in China, and the European city and its public services was perceived in such a positive way that most diplomats conveyed it back to their home country. By their descriptions, the diplomats give us an idea of the city in China, which at that time was still a maze of lanes, with not public services, no postal services, no public transport. In fact, it is also noted that Chinese cities were mostly administrative centres, where scholars families are not always inhabiting, and were a mostly rural population is still living. Furthermore, the divide between the Chinese city and the country side remained indistinct as the major commercial wealth of china is not of urban origin but of rural origin.

On other topics, the diplomats are also surprised by the women desire to adapt their wardrobe to fashion, by the notion of gallantry, by the foods and table manners, among other things. These are new concepts to them. Notions such as celibacy were new to the Chinese, as well as all the courtship predating a marriage were surprising to them. Furthermore the diplomats were surprised to see how much space is given socially to women, which is not even possible for a Chinese person to imagine. It creates genuinely complicated situations, such as when a Chinese diplomat asked to bring along his wife to a formal evening did so, and later was recalled to his country, as in China such exposure of a women is considered indecent.

One of the diplomats summarize his surprise to several aspects of London daily life: "In England, everything takes the exact opposite of what applies in China. In the political domain, the people goes before the monarch. For birth parents prefer having a girl rather than a son. A the dinner table, it is the host, and not the guest, who occupies the honour seat. The writing goes from left to write. To read a book, we start from the end and go the the first page. During a meal, dishes are put forward the wine. All this is explained by the fact that England is at the exact antipodes of China. The sky above this country is in fact under the earth. Its customs and traditions are completely the opposite of those we know in China."

Following the author's analysis, we get to understand that the Chinese have a important resistance to change, even more to change coming from abroad. Before the presence of the first diplomats, there was little credit given to Europe and its development. When they land in Europe, the diplomats see how much there is to be learned from Europe, on so many level. They are amazed by the existence of civilization other than the Middle Kingdom, and to see that it can no longer be considered barbaric. Their many attempts to understand Europe are limited by their political perspective by which they must affirm the Chinese pre-eminence. They bring everything back to a possible Chinese source or reference. It leads to some interesting comments.

For example, the concepts brought on by Christianity are compared to a Chinese philosopher, Mo Di, who encouraged simplicity and universal love, as well as the cult of Heaven before filial love. The reasoning here is that Christianity must be a simplistic version of the more ancient and profound Confucianism, another reason why European civilization must be indebted to the Chinese culture. Of course, little is discussed regarding the sacred character of the religion. In fine, the world, for the Chinese, seems to still be divided between orthodoxy (Confucianism) and heterodoxy (all foreign religions or ideas)...

Similarly, notions of democracy are discussed as originating from a specific period in the Chinese history, the Xia period, between XXI-XVI Century BC. At the period of the Three Dynasty, (XX to III Century BC) there is also mention of the Mencius Dogma, which says that the people must be placed before the emperor. This is what is similar to the regime holding in England and in Italy at the time of the diplomats. They are trying to reassure themselves with some kind of parental link with what they are seeing in Europe. Despite their analogies, these eras were some brief windows of democracy in China, long gone since, first eliminated by the Xin Dynasty with an totalitarian government (211-207 BC), and followed with various similar imperial or one-party models.

Finally somewhere in the book, the author brings on the comment of one diplomat, who acknowledge the time spent by the Chinese youth while trying to learn their language, studying and practicing calligraphy, while the occidental youth learns all sorts of practical knowledge to master completely a field of knowledge. This is not to say the Chinese are less intelligent, and that there is a need to feed an inferiority complex or orgueuil. This is said in reference to the development and the strenght (puissance) of Occident, and the refusal of the Chinese scholars to follow their exemple. The diplomat goes on saying that this attitude is really not worthy of a great country such as China. I have to admit that I smiled while reading this portion of the text - Oh! Do I find that the time spent on learning this language is endless!!!

To conclude this was a very interesting journey into the mind of the first Chinese diplomats, both discovering their political ideas and their representations, but also the European culture, which from their perspective can be indeed quite strange and fascinating.

Goodbyes

My grandma passed away last Tuesday, after living a full life. 98 years of love.

Here is the eulogy I presented at her funerals. I spoke not only for myself but also on behalf of my brother and all my cousins.

Victorienne, Grand-Maman, Vic,

Adieu Vic, adieu Grand-Maman, un siècle s'envole avec vous. Tel le grand fleuve de votre nom, votre amour a coulé en nous, et continuera de suivre le flot de nos vies. Votre amour si grand, semé de sucre à la crème, de cipailles, de petits tricots, nous a enveloppé depuis notre enfance.

Comme votre cœur, votre maison a été ouverte à tous, elle fut un lieu de rassemblement et de célébrations. Nous, avec nos chants, sketches et petits récitals, voulions vous épater. En flashback : parties de cachettes au sous-sol, jardinage au soleil, armoires où il faisait plaisir de découvrir quelques trésors, réveil matinal et petit déjeuners au gruau, après-midis près de vous à tenter d’imiter votre main au pinceau…

Et ces pinceaux, ces tubes de peintures à l’huile. Vos toiles sont les ébauches de nos vies. Vous saviez voir en chacun de nous l’artiste et le peintre, vous saviez lire nos sensibilités. Vos encouragements nous ont poussés à nous dépasser. Vos murs n’étaient pas assez grands pour vos nombreux tableaux, les photos de nous tous, les souvenirs récoltés lors de vos pèlerinages. Chaque chose qui vous entourait était un peu comme votre cœur, mis de l’avant.

Grand-maman, les souvenirs foisonnent, les mots ne seront jamais assez justes pour vous remercier d’avoir tant donné.

Vous avez su nous inculquer un amour de la famille, un sens du travail bien fait, un respect de la nature, un mysticisme sincère, une philanthropie profondément humaine et généreuse. Vous nous avez offert le goût de la musique et de l’art, le sens du partage et de l’accueil vers l’autre. Vous nous avez passé le gène de la mère aimante, de l’artiste, de la bénévole, de la voyageuse. Vous avez semé en nous toutes ces beautés, toutes ces bontés.

Après tant de vie, après tant d’amour, vous étiez prête à partir depuis un moment, le nez tourné vers la mer, vers le large. Allez le retrouver, votre bonhomme, il a patienté assez longtemps ! Il vous attend pour une nouvelle partie de 500. On vous imagine déjà tous les deux mains dans la main, le sourire sur le cœur, comme à votre cinquantième. Pour votre centenaire.

J’ai entendu dire que « les larmes sont parfois une réponse inappropriée à la mort. Quand une vie a été vécue vraiment honnêtement, vraiment avec succès, ou simplement vraiment, la meilleure réponse à la ponctuation finale de la mort est un sourire. » (Julie Burchill)

Grand-maman, nos sourires resterons illuminés par votre mémoire.

On vous aime grand-maman !

Breaking the Fire Wall

It has been over three months now that the Chinese government has censored a number of sites, namely Youtube (over a 3 minute video about Tibet). Recently more and more sites have been inaccessible from here, namely Blogger, Twitter, Flickr, even Hotmail (!). Even more recently there has been even censorship as we are approaching the remembrance date of June 4 1989, when Tiennamen Square was the stage of terrible incidents. 

For the last few days, in fear of more problems in remembrance of the event, news are blacked out a few minutes at the time, when references are made about the event. Fortunately yesterday, our censor was probably gone to the loo when the headlines ran, as I was able to see 10 seconds about a photographer who witnessed the events. I have been struggling to access some of these articles, but fortunately found ways around the Great Fire Wall... Read on about the events here or there.

At least I am proud to see that the Obama administration is taking a stand, asking for some accountability about these events from the PRC.  Still today, the exact number of causalities is not known, and some major figures of the movement leading to the event have disappeared. Of course the Chinese response is the usual: Mind your own business. What eles?! Today, journalists were blocked access to the square, people were monitored and nobody could really be filming openly. Former dissidents were in house arrest or ask to leave Beijing, while others have been unable to even enter Hong Kong (where freedom of speech is supposed to be guarantied). In fact Hong Kong is the only place in China where the commemoration of the event is tolerated. Another journalist reported playing an intense cat and mouse chase to meet former dissidents. What a shame. 

I have asked one of my language teacher about the events, to see what he knew, and what he might be thinking. As a young 25 year old, he has no recollection of the events that occurred when he was 5, but indicated that his parents and also one of his university teacher talked about it. However, he might be a bit of an intellectual. Several youths today show limited awareness about the event, and even disbelief about what happened. Over 20 years of non-information, or misinformation and of general belief that the West is only trying to shame China has fructified.  

With so much censorship, there is a lot of frustration in the expat community. How can we live without Youtube? 

But there are ways around this. For example, my readings have taken me to the French Cultural Center. With the status of a "cultural club", it is luckily not subject to the same censorship as some other places in China. Some titles here are from censored authors in China, and yesterday I found some interesting readings about "mass brainwashing in China", which I hope to eventually share with you in a later (uncensored) post.

To complete today's post, with some unusual cyber-contortions, I am now able to resume my my usual blogging.  From here I would like to direct you to some of these new entries (those in blue are just recently published, those not yet underlined will be publish soon). There are some entries about my parents' visit in March, and numerous of our little discoveries and day-trips, and of our trip to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors. Then there is a trip to Chengdu, DaFo and Emi-Shan. There is also Pauli's parents visit, and some good moments with Noam. Finally there are a few other entries, one about Noam's artistic talent, some about some small unusual surprises, some random thoughts about this language, and finally sharing some thoughts on some of my readings.

Enjoy my freedom of speech!

Artists at heart

For Children's day, on Monday, Noam school was off. Me and my good friend Jodi planned to do something fun and different. 

After a memorable taxi ride, where Kai and Noam tried their voices signing accapella, while I tried my Chinese to orient the driver to some remote studio, we arrived in what appeared to be an island of tranquility and creativity. A large compound of artist studios surrounds an open courtyard, where in a corner a wine covered pergola shades a set of garden chairs and tables, and where good coffee is served. 

Karen, a fellow Canadian, and Dawu, a sweet Chinese artist, share their creative passion with kids, with their project called Beijing Color Studio.  Dawu takes on the role of creative director and help the little ones unleash their art onto a canvas, while Karen takes care of the logistics.

Kai and Noam were the first arrived. Dawu and Karen later that day hosted more than 20 other kids. Easels were set, white canevas were awaiting the budding artists. As Dawu spread some color on the canevas, Kai quickly picked up at it, spreading it and enjoying the feeling of the paint on his hands. As he softly explored the texture of the paint, the colour covered the white square, leading to a very interesting effect. 

Noam at the opposite, did not quite get into it right away. As paint touched his fingers, he started panicking, and repeatidly saying "mains" (hands in French), is own way to ask for me to clean his hands. We tried various tricks, brushes, splashes, and funny faces, but we did not really succeeded in getting him to enjoy the act of spreading color onto the canevas. Then at one unexpected moment, he started to use a big brush on the raised canevas, and for fifteen minutes, we saw the artist at work.