Last Post in Year II

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2004-09-10 23:26 · Blogging

This is the last blog of Wangjianshuo’s Blog in the Year II. Well. Relax, relax. This is not the last post - I know some of my frequent readers are alarmed to see the title, as Carroll did when she read my article To Continue or Not? Confusing in China Blogsphere. I am not abandon this blog. The news I am going to deliver is, I am stepping to the third year of Wangjianshuo’s Blog from tomorrow.

Here are some experienced I got in the last 731 days.

12 Comments
Happy Anniversary Eve, Jian Shuo! What a laudable accomplishment :-)
— Carroll · 2004-09-11 01:11
Carroll, I mentioned your name at an interview by China Radio International. This si the report.

http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/1857/2004-8-18/14@143131.htm

Check the last two sentences. The "old lady from California" is you. It is a pity that the editor didn't put your name on the article, but I did want to thank you for your comments and your care of my and Wendy's life. In the interview, I also told CRI that I really appreciate readers like Carroll to give me courage to continue.

FYI, CRI is the national radio station broadcosting to around the world.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-09-11 02:04
Happy Anniversary, Jian Shuo. Keep up the good work!
— WilliamW · 2004-09-11 08:49
"Old lady"???!!!!????!!!! (Grumble!!!) Hmmph! Kids today just don't have the respect they used to for their "elders"! I'm kidding, of course, Jian Shuo. :-) I think it's great that you appreciate my participation in your blog enough to mention it in an around-the-world forum. Good thing my name's not there, though. If my kids (who are about your age) ever saw that they'd tease me unmercifully. I remind them constantly that I'm only "middle-aged" not "old" (yet) and anyway it just means that I'm wiser than they are (so there!). Heck, through the miracle of Lady Clairol, I don't even have grey hair yet ;) It's a great article though, and a wonderful picture to go with it too. Congratulations again on your three years of success with this endeavor!
— Carroll · 2004-09-11 10:44
Maybe they are just seeing the comments on the forum and guessed.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-09-11 12:09
Ahh, I see. Ok then. As long as *you* didn't refer to me as an "old lady" all is forgiven :) But being "young at heart" is all that really matters in the end anyway, and part of my point about why I enjoy reading this blog is that when I *am* old (a very very long time from now, I hope) this is the sort of thing that will keep my mind sharp and my interests focused on the world around me. Heh -- of course by then, you and Wendy will be middle-aged! Hard to believe, isn't it? :)
— Carroll · 2004-09-11 13:07
:-)
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-09-11 16:36
Random thoughts:

In China, addressing someone (of any age) an old lady or old mister is a courteous way, which shows the speaker's respect. This might be due to the cultural customs that elders and seniors are (were) the revered ones in a family and in any social circle.

I the U.S., the customs are quite the opposite. Calling any lady old would seriously offend her. Saying an older lady might be acceptable, but never an old lady.

In China, if you boast being old in front of anyone slightly older or even about the same age as you, their reaction might be; “How dare you claim the senior status in front of us, who the heck d'you think you are?”

In the U.S., calling oneself old is going to be regarded as either being joking or being overly modest, or crazily modest.

In China, if you see someone not feeling well, you’d say, “oh, you look tired and sick to death” and that shows that you are concerned. He or she would say “Thanks so much for caring about me but I’m ok really. I just need to sit for a minute.”

In the U.S., I once saw a friend (an older lady) who appeared to have some health symptoms so I flattered her: “Pat, you look so pale, are you ok?” Immediately she became visibly mad with my “rude” comment, because she thought that I was implying a criticism over her makeup or appearance. She almost slapped me in the face. I think she might have done just that if she had not been actually weak from her conditions.
— bigbro · 2004-09-13 13:35
Very excellent points, bigbro, and I certainly have enough Chinese acquaintances of my own that I should have considered that possibility. Yet another example of how helpful this blog can be in fostering better understanding of each others' cultures!
— Carroll · 2004-09-14 22:49
Ops. Carroll, I didn't know the word in the report means anything bad or rude in American culture. I didn't see anything wrong when I first saw the report so I posted it here for your reference. "Old Lady" in Chinese word may mean some respectful lady. This is the difference of culture again.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-09-14 22:57
No worries, Jian Shuo -- I understand it completely now thanks to bigbro's astute reminders about the cultural differences at work here. This is one of those difficult "opposites" -- here in the US, it is definitely considered rude or dismissive to call someone "old lady" or "old man" (Examples would be "Oh, don't pay any attention to what she has to say -- she's just an old lady" or "Get out of my way, old man!") But in your country, if I was a friend of your family, or your next door neighbor, I think you might call me "Auntie" or "Old Auntie" as a sign of respect and affection. I certainly know how you feel about me, no matter how you say it, so that's really all that matters :-) And besides, I think it's kind of cool to visualize a *really* old lady (like around 80 or so) sitting at a computer in California, chatting away with young people she considers to be her friends in China. Hopefully that **will** be me one day!
— Carroll · 2004-09-16 10:19
Jian Shuo, remember this (and it demonstrates how serious this American cultural phenomenon is). When that day comes and you are interviewed again, you should say that Lady Carroll of California is 80 years young, not 80 years old.

The astute further wishes to be anal. Here is an expansion to one of my previous examples: In the U.S., calling oneself old is going to be regarded as either being joking or being overly modest, or being mentally imbalanced (depressed or suicidal). So there is a small chance that, if you go: "Gosh, I am ooold," your concerned friend might reply: "Are you OK? Perhaps you ought to go and see someone," meaning to visit a psychiatric doctor or counselor and he's not joking.
— bigbro · 2004-09-16 12:35