Last Post on This Blog - 此博客最后博文

Dear readers:

Thank you for having supported this blog.

Though I believe that the theme of "此岸，彼岸 ... - This Shore, that shore ... " is going to continue to generate discussions and debates, I have concluded that I simple spend enough time and energy to sustain a meaningful dialogue on this platform.  There are many engaging websites and blogs devoting to the landscapes of the U.S. and China and the comparison and contrast between these two cultures and I hope you will continue to pay attention to this important issues, for a better future and understanding.

I will continue to write on my main blogs: Matthew Felix Sun - Art · 文化 · Kunst - a website dedicated to art scenes, including my own works and announcements. 

You may also find the portal to my blogs via my website: http://www.matthewfelixsun.com/blogs/

Again, thank you and best wishes,

Matthew Felix Sun


亲爱的读者：
感谢您支持这个博客。 虽然我相信我的主题 “此岸，彼岸 ... - This Shore, that shore ... ​​” 会继续引发讨论和辩论，我认识到我没有足够的时间和精力，在这个平台上维持一个有意义的对话。有很多网站和博客致力于放映美国和中国的风景和这两种文化的对比和反差，我希望您能继续关注这一重要问题，为一个更美好的未来和理解努力。

我会继续写我的主博客：Matthew Felix Sun - Art · 文化 · Kunst - 一个致力于艺术文化的网站，以及展示我自己的作品和公告。 您也可以通过我的网站到达我的博客： http://www.matthewfelixsun.com/blogs/

再次感谢您和良好的祝愿，

Matthew Felix Sun


 

Liberation Road / 解放路 / Befreiungstraße

Oil on Canvas
18" x 24"
Completed in 2010

出差报销和公款吃喝 Business Trip Reimbursement and Public Funds for Food and Drinks

最近看到中国关于公款喝茅台的争论 - 有人竟提出“不喝茅台喝什么”。可见，中国的公款吃喝让美国望尘莫及。

加州大学，和其他加州公共机关一样，对出差人员的报销数额有严格规定。每人每天， 旅行，住宿和通讯之外，目前每人每天有$64的饮食定额。住宿旅馆开销也有规定，特殊情况，比如会议旅馆是唯一可行的选择，即使超标，经特别批准后，也可以报销。$64的饮食报销不能包括含酒精饮料。出差人员可以饮酒，但酒类开销要从报销单中除掉。

公务接待允许有限度的公款吃喝 -

早餐 - $26
午餐 - $45
晚餐 - $78
点心 - $18

当然， 酒类不能报销。

这些规章不仅存在，而且第三者审计公司定期抽查加州各大学账目。如果公务人员违规，他们不但要受惩罚，而且会因此丢掉工作。

干杯！




Mark Bussinger (photographer)


Recently I read the debate in China, on drinking Maotai with public funds -  actually someone even posed such challenging "If not Maotai, then what?". Maotai, is an iconic hard liquor produced in China and is extremely expensive, and is distilled from fermented sorghum and now comes in different versions ranging in alcohol content from the standard 53% by volume down to 35%. Obviously, using public funds on food and drinks in China is a tall order for the U.S. to match.

University of California, as other California public institutions, has strict regulations on the amount of reimbursement of the travel staff. Besides the costs for traveling, accommodation and communications, the current per diem limit is $64.  Accommodation hotel should not bee too expensive; under special circumstances, such as the conference hotel is the only viable option, by special permission, one can stay in an expensive hotel. The food/drink reimbursement of $64 should not include any alcoholic beverages. If a person chose to drink, he/she must cross out the cost of alcohol from reimbursement request.

It is also allowed to provide some food and drink during official receptions using public funds with such limits:

Breakfast	$26
Lunch	$45
Dinner	$78
Light refreshment	$18

Of course, alcohol can not be reimbursed.

These regulations not only exist, a third party auditing firm periodically inspect the accounts of the University of California. If public servants violated regulations, they will not only be punished, and might lose their jobs as well.

Bottom up!

善待服务员 - Treating Service People Nicely

Recently, a Chinese couple was asked to leave the airplane from Guam heading Shanghai, because the female passenger refused to allow the stewardess to re-arrange her luggage in the bin, while her husband told the stewardess to "shut up" multiple times.

It is a common practice in the US that customers treat service people humanly.  To command them like slaves, often seen in mainland China, is not a practice received nicely, not only the servers, but other customers as well.

In the airplane, the crew member should not fly if he or she feels he or she is not up to task, due to any reasons, while the plane cannot take off without a full crew.  Under such circumstances, the captain almost always back his crew member up.

In the past, even a very famous American operatic soprano had been asked to leave the plane when a crew member was upset by her alleged maltreatment.

Of course, that's extreme case.  But even in a restaurant, when a diner treats server rudely, it would embarrass his/her companion(s) and would invite hostile looks from other diners.

In the US, people do try to treat others nicely. 


近日，一对中国夫妇被要求离开从关岛前往上海的飞机，因为其中的女乘客拒绝允许空姐重新安置她在行李箱的行李，而她的丈夫多次告诉空姐“闭嘴”。

在美国，客户常常对服务员很人道。在中国大陆经常看到的，把他们像奴隶一样吆喝，不但招服务员不满，也惹其他客户生气。

在飞机上，机组成员如果他或她觉得因任何理由不能完成任务，他或她则不能飞，而没有全部机组成员，飞机则不能飞。在这种情况下，船长几乎总是支持他的机组成员。

在过去，曾有过一个非常著名的美国歌剧女高音被要求离开飞机，也因为一名机组成员认为被她恶言相待。

当然，这是极端的情况。但是，即使在一间餐餐馆里粗暴对待服务员，这也会让他/她的同伴（们）难堪，并会招致其他食客的白眼。

在美国，人们总试图善待他人， 包括服务人员。


 


--

Follow up:

Just saw a video - waiter spilled beer on the back of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who took it very graciously.



跟进：

刚看到一个视频 - 服务员上酒洒了德国总理安格拉·默克尔的后背，她处事不惊，非常客气。

Governor vs. President 州長对總統

The picture of Arizona Governor Jane Brewer's pointing finger at President Obama has raised eyebrows and generated much talks both domestically and internationally, such as reported by People's Daily in China.

She was in the airport to greet President Obama, however the conversation didn't go smoothly therefore the finger-pointing.

In regardless what triggered this confrontation and how serious it was, the very fact that a governor can point her finger at the president much seem very impossible to imagine for many Chinese people.

Yet, once you learn that in the U.S., a governor is not appointed by President and was elected by voters in her/his state alone, you can see that not much direct impact would only to her, unless voters in Arizona feel her behavior unacceptable.  A president cannot punish, let alone remove a governor.  A governor cannot even remove a mayor, who usually is elected by voters of that city.  That is simple how things are in the U.S.

亞利桑那州州長簡 布魯爾的手指指点奧巴馬總統的圖像让人有点惊叹, 引起國內和國際很多评论，如中國人民日報的報導。

她是在機場迎接奧巴馬總統，但显然談話並不順利。

無論在什麼引發争执，或争执是否嚴重，州長布魯爾可以手指指点總統, 似乎让很多中國人無法想像。

然而，一旦你了解到，在美國，一個州長不是由總統任命，並是由她/他的州選民選舉產生，你可以认识到，这件事不会給她带来太大的直接影響，除非亞利桑那州的選民覺得她的行為不可接受。美國總統没有权力懲罰，更不用說免掉州長。州長也不能免掉市長，因为市長通常是由該城市的選民選舉產生。在美國事情就是这样。

Wiener Großer Musikvereinssaal – Viennese Music Association The Golden Hall 维也纳金色大廳

I have been intrigued by the exceptional pride some Chinese people took in the fact that popular folk singer Ms. Ziying Song had performed a solo concert or recital at the Wiener Großer Musikvereinssaal (The Golden Hall at Viennese Music Association) in 2003.  To them, Ms. Song's concert there was a proof that Chinese art and artist have reached the pinnacle of artistic achievement and duly acknowledged by the ultimate arbiter in the field.

A little online search told me that Ms. Song indeed sang in the Golden Hall.  But it was not a part of the regular program of the Musikverein or its associate.  Instead, her concert was presented by Austrian-China Cultural Exchange Association in Austria.  I was able to include a video below.



One can see, for example, at 2'33, the hall is about about half-full.

It was obviously not a pure musical event, rather, it was a cultural exchange event. Ms. Song relied on two program announcer which also struck a wrong gesture.  In the west, when the serious musicians perform recitals, they do not rely on announcer(s) to inform the audience of the program. The programs would be printed and if there is any encore, either the performers announce them or no announcement at all. With there two announcers on stage, the performance took an air of a circus.

It is not insignificant that the Cultural Exchange Association presented Song in the Golden Hall but it was definitely a testament of her artistry.  Even in a exulted hall as this, it can still be rented by presenters as long as the program is not going to do damage to the reputation of the concert hall.  Presenters organize the show alone and rented the venue, and other musicians and crews. The audience who came to the concert did not came for the love of music (alone).  This event did show that Ms. Song had strong backing and fans from Chinese government, who saw her as the good fit as cultural ambassador.

And that's that.

我一直对中國民謠歌手宋祖英女士維也納音樂協會金色大廳獨唱音樂會（2003年）引起的一些中國人人的特殊的驕傲感到好奇。對他們來說，宋女士的演唱證明，中國藝術和藝術家的藝術成就已達到巔峰，並获得該領域的最終仲裁者的正式承認。

網上搜索告訴我，宋女士確實在金色大廳演唱。但那不是金色大廳或其聯營公司的常规节目計劃的一部分。她的演唱會是由奥地利奥中文化交流协会推出的。

从以下視頻人們可以看到，在2'33时，大廳約半滿。它顯然不是一個純粹的音樂會，相反，它是一種文化的交流活動。宋女士依靠兩個报幕員也打了個錯誤的手勢。在西方，嚴肃音樂家演奏時，不靠报幕員告知觀眾节目, 而是打印的节目单。如果有任何返场演出，或由表演者宣布，或沒有公佈。使用兩個兩個报幕員，带来一個馬戲團的气氛。

奥地利奥中文化交流协会主办的金色大廳演出并不是微不足道，但它不能證明宋女士的藝術水准。即使在這个声明显赫的大廳，仍然可以被租用，只要节目不會使音樂廳的聲譽受損。主办人可租用場地，和其他音樂家及音乐厅工作人员。來演唱會的觀眾並不单纯是出于對音樂的熱愛。演出事实证明，宋女士有中國政府的堅強後盾，把她视为非常適合的文化大使。

一切就是這樣。

Libraries in the US - 美國圖書館

Libraries in the U.S. are very different from their counterparts in China.  In the U.S., libraries collect large quantities of books, audio and video materials, with few duplications.  Their collections are usually free of charge for local people to use, either in the libraries or at home.  Borrowing materials from libraries is very easy.  Once one proofs his local residency, he can obtain a library card almost immediately.

In the U.S., libraries also provide many social activities, such as story times for children, etc.  Usually, there are several computers people can sign on to use for free.

Libraries in the U.S. are open to the public and requires no endorsement or recommendations from other organizations for one to borrow books, unlike in China, that libraries there often require people to produce some "introduction letters" from their workplaces or resident committees before they were allowed to use the facilities.

The openness of the U.S., libraries and their service orientation make them very valuable in people's life.  In China, even highly educated people like my parents almost never use any library after their college days.


圖書館在美國与在中國的非常不同。在美國，圖書館收集大量的書籍和音頻, 視頻材料，很少有重複。它们的藏品通常是免費為當地居民在圖書館或在家使用。從圖書館借用材料是很容易的。一旦證明居住情况，居民可以得到幾乎立即一個借書證。

在美國，圖書館還提供了許多社會活動，如兒童故事時間等等。通常情況下，圖書館有幾個電腦供人们免費使用。

在美國的圖書館向公眾開放的， 用户不需要任何其他組織的贊同或推荐来借閱圖書，不像在中國，需要有從他們的工作場所或居民委員會开给圖書館的“介紹信”。

美國圖書館的開放性和服務導向，确立了美國圖書館在人們的生活的重要性。在中國，即使受過高等教育的人如我的父母也从他們的大學毕业后幾乎從來没有在中國用过任何圖書館。

 
Berkeley Public Library - 伯克利公共图书馆
Courtesy Steve Masover

Costs in University of California - 加州大学的费用

Recently, many students occupied campuses to protest the ever-rising costs in University of California, such as Berkeley and Davis.

The products of these excellent public universities are a great deal for sure, but the fast rising prices are becoming a heavy burden to the families.

The costs in the ten campuses of the University of California (UC) vary a bit, but in general, are in the similar range.

For example, Collegedata.com website listed the costs at UC Berkeley as:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $32,635 Out-of-state: $55,513
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,835 Out-of-state: $35,713
Room and Board	$14,990
Books and Supplies	$1,202
Other Expenses	$3,608

In UCLA, the costs listed on Collegedata.com are:

TUITION AND EXPENSES

Cost of Attendance	In-state: $31,554 Out-of-state: $54,432
Tuition and Fees	In-state: $12,686 Out-of-state: $35,564
Room and Board	$13,979
Books and Supplies	$1,506
Other Expenses	$3,383

For the perspective, we should keep in mind that the California State Median Income for FFY 2011/2012 for a 4-person family is $78,666 [source: US Department of Health and Human Services].


最近，很多學生佔領校園，如在伯克利和戴維斯，抗議美國加州大學不斷上升的费用。

這些優秀的公立大學的产品仍然是一個很上算，但過快上漲的價格正成為家庭的沉重負擔。

在美國加州大學（UC）的十個校园成本各不相同，但大体上是在類似的範圍內。

例如，Collegedata.com網站列出加州大學伯克利校园的费用为：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $32,635 外州学生: $55,513
学杂费	本州学生: $12,835 外州学生: $35,713
食宿费	$14,990
书和用品	$1,202
其他费用	$3,608

在加州大學洛杉磯，在Collegedata.com列出的费用是：

学费和费用

在校费用	本州学生: $31,554 外州学生: $54,432
学杂费	本州学生: $12,686 外州学生: $35,564
食宿费	$13,979
书和用品	$1,506
其他费用	$3,383

對於角度來看，我們應該記住，加利福尼亞州的四人家庭的FFY2011/2012估计平均收入為 78666美元 [來源：美國衛生與人類服務部]。



Students protesting at UC Berkeley 学生在加州大学伯克利抗议

Emergency Medical Help - 医疗急救

中国佛山的小悦悦是如何被汽车碾过和被过路人忽略，最后是由拾荒人帮助，但最终死亡的故事在中国引起了很大寻找灵魂的反思。

然而，当我看了这个事故的录像，也被那个善良的女人是绝对错误的帮助方式吓坏了 - 她没有试图检查小女孩是否已受伤，直接拉她的手臂，试图让她站起来。

帮助人的最好的办法是，首先确保受伤或生病人的安全，然后打电话叫专业医疗救援，并陪同与受伤或生病人，直到医务人员到达。 移动伤者和病者，往往加剧伤情或病情，并导致更多的损害。

最近，我目睹了在一家美国咖啡馆里的标准救援工作。 一个下午，不拥挤的咖啡馆里。一个她二十出头的年轻女子，突然失去了知觉了。幸运的是，她先倒在柜台上，然后才跌倒木地板上。在她旁边一个女人立即检查她的呼吸和明显的伤害，并要咖啡馆工作人员拨打紧急帮助电话。几分钟后，女孩恢复了意识，帮助的女人不停地问她问题，她的状况，并要求工作人员给她一杯水。 数分钟后，救护车赶到，帮助的女人走开，让专业人士来照顾年轻女子。医务人员询问了更多的问题及她的病情。 其间，她再次失去了知觉。因此，医务人员决定带她到医院，以作更多的检查。 担架带进来，但他们不是把她从地上抬起来，而是轻轻地把她滚到侧身躺着，然后把担架滑向她身体下方，然后把她滚回来，躺在担架上。之后，他们进行她抬走了。

中国，除了集体的反省，还需要教育人们如何帮助，同时避免造成更大的伤害。


Dirge / 輓歌 © Matthew Felix Sun

The heart wrenching story of how Little Yueyue of Foshan, China was hit by cars and ignored by passers-by and finally was helped by a rubbish collector and eventual death has generated much soul searching in China. 

However, when I watched the video of this story, I was also horrified by the way the kind-hearted woman's absolutely wrong way to help - she tried to lift her up by her arms to make her stand up, without checking if the little girl had been injured or not.

The best way to help, is to ensure the safety of the wounded or the sick, then call wait till professional medical help, and stay with the the wounded or the sick and wait till the medics arrive.

By moving the wounded and the sick, it often exacerbates the problem and causes more damages.

I recently witnessed a model rescue effort in a cafe.

It was in the afternoon and the cafe was not crowded.  A patron, young woman in her early twenties, suddenly lost consciousness and fell.  Luckily, she fell on the counter first and then on the wooden floor.  A woman next to her immediately checked on her breath and obvious injury and asked the staff to call emergency help.  A few minutes later, the girl regained her consciousness and the helping woman kept asking her questions regarding her conditions and asked the staff to bring a glass of water.

A few more minutes past and the ambulance arrived and the helping woman moved away so the professionals could tend the young woman.  The medics asked more questions regarding her condition and then she lost consciousness again briefly.  Therefore, the medics decided to take her to hospital for more check up.

A stretcher was brought in.  Instead of lifting her from the ground, they gently rolled her to her side and slid the stretch underneath her and then rolled her back onto the stretcher.   After that, they carried her away.

China, beyond its collective soul-searching, needs to educate people more on how to help without causing more damage.

Chinese Name - 中文名字

One thing Chinese people insist on knowing from anyone of Chinese descend is his or her "Chinese Name".   It is also quite true that many Chinese Americans sport two names - one English and one Chinese, and these two often don't match since they are not phonetic transliteration at all, which is the way Chinese people use for people of not Chinese lineage, such as Kennedy, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama.  Walking near Chinatown and one is confronted with numerous flyers for mayoral candidate for San Francisco, flaunting their Chinese names, which means absolutely nothing to me, since I only know them by their official (English) names and cannot match their coded Chinese names at all.

One thing Chinese mainlanders need to be aware is that many Chinese Americans have no Chinese names at all, such as the children of one of my college friend.  Or some people preferred to be known by their English names, or someone, when naturalized, have given up their Chinese given names and adopted a new name, thoroughly western.

To insist on calling them with their discarded name is rather disrespectful.  People need to be more sensitive.

More than once I had to tell the custom officers in China what my "Chinese name" was, even though I do not officially have one.  I have one name, which is western sounding and the "Chinese name" should be its phonetic transliteration.  But they would have none of such argument and I had to move the name I used when I was in China from the column of "Former Name" to "Chinese Name".  It felt rather being forced upon and unpleasant.


中國人总想知道華裔的“中國名字”。的确，许多華裔有兩個名字 - 一個英語和一個汉语名字，他們往往互相对不上号，因为他们不是拼音音譯，就象中國人民提及沒有中國血統的人的方式，如肯尼迪，里根，布什，克林頓和奧巴馬。在唐人街附近的散步会遇到眾多舊金山市長候選人傳單，炫耀他们的中國名字，但這些名字意味于我毫无意义，因為我只知道他們的官方（英文）名字，而这些名字和他们的中國名字对不上号。

中國大陆人需要注意一件事情，許多華裔美國人沒有汉语名字，如我的一個大學朋友的孩子们
。还有一些人只乐意用他们的英语名字，或有人歸化时，放弃其汉语名字, 采用徹底西方化的英文名字。

要堅持用他們放棄的名字来称呼他们是不尊重的。人們需要更敏感些。

不止一次，中國的海關人員要我告訴他们 我的“中文名字”，即使我事实上已沒有这样的名字。我的名字是西方化的名字, 它的对应的“中文名字”應該是它的拼音音譯。但是他們听不进這種論點，因而我不得不將我的“曾用名”，挪到我的“中國名字”一欄。这是强迫的和不愉快的经历。

Travel Books - 旅游书

Years ago, when my parents visited me they saw many tour books in the bookstore and when my dad learned that I know a couple who worked for a major tour book publisher, my father was intrigued and when he returned to China, he mentioned the connection to his friends in the government and they proposed to me to invite the couple to my home province and hopefully by treating them royally, they'd win their friendship and they'd write favorably about my home province, so as to spur the tourism.  Of course, I talked my father out of this - things are not done here that way.  Tour industry reviews are to be independent, without interferences.

This reminds me of Chinese people's amazed and favorable reactions to the simple and cheap meal Vice President Biden and his entourage had in Beijing, and to the fact the new American Ambassador to China Gary Locke arrived in Beijing with family on coach and carrying their own luggage like any touring family.

In China, officials look and act like officials.

Things are very different in China and in the US.

幾年前，當我的父母，来美国看我, 他們在書店裡看到許多旅遊書籍。當我爸爸知道我认识一對為一個主要旅遊圖書出版商工作的夫婦，我的父親很感興趣，當他回到中國，他向在政府的朋友们提到这对夫婦，他們向我提议邀請这对夫婦到我的家乡省，希望通過款待这对夫婦贏得他們的友誼，这样他們會寫对我的家鄉省有利的评论，以推動旅遊業發展。當然，我劝说父親不要参与 - 在美国事情不是这样一做的。旅遊行業的評語是獨立的，不受外界干擾。

這使我想起中國人对两件事的驚訝和良好的反應，一为副總統拜登和他的隨行人員在北京吃的簡單和廉價的膳食, 及美國駐中國新大使駱家輝乘普通舱抵達北京，與家人和自己攜帶行李, 像任何旅遊的家庭一样。

在中國，官員的外觀和行為总是像官員。

在中國和美國, 事情有很大的不同。


Journey © Matthew Felix Sun

(Wedding) Gifts Registration （结婚）禮品登記

In America, people give gifts in many occasions, such as graduation, birth of a child, or a wedding.  For big occasions like wedding, many engaged couples register with department stores, listing the items they would need in their married life.  Friends and family who can choose their gifts from the list, which usually have different price levels to suit people's varied ability to pay for gifts.  Of course, people still can send gift they deemed more appropriate not included in the gift registries.

For a wedding, the gifts can be brought to the wedding or separately, usually with identifications so the bride would know whom to thank for the gifts her spouse receive - it's a custom that bride should write thank you card to the people who send the gift within reasonably time frame.

在美國，人們有很多送禮場合，如畢業，孩子出生，或者婚禮。對於重大的場合如婚禮，許多未婚夫妻在百貨公司登記，列出他們在他們的婚姻生活需要的东西。朋友和家人可以從禮物表里選擇禮物，它们通常有不同的價位，以適應人們的不同支付能力。當然，人們仍然可以送他們認為比較合適的，不包括在禮品登記内的禮物。

就婚禮而言，禮物可以拿到婚禮或另送，通常包含​姓名​標識，讓新娘知道感謝誰的禮物 - 習俗是新娘應該在合理的時間框架内给送的禮物的亲友寫感謝卡。


"Red Flowers" - Oil on Canvas © Matthew Felix Sun

Buying Books and Paintings from Friends or Asking for Free

Recently I read some comments online saying that amongst Chinese people, when one has a book published, many friends and acquaintances would ask for a free copy.  The comments saying that in the West, people recognize the time and energy authors put into the work and usually would not ask for such free copy.

The comment was, though a bit sweeping, more or less on the mark.  Indeed, recalling my life in China, I remembered that many people I know who had published something usually gave free copies.  It would be insulting to ask friends to buy one of the books.

This is the same as painters, mostly in Chinese style water color on rice paper, and calligraphers.  People would make great efforts to ask accomplished painters and calligraphers to give them something.  Considering the execution time in that style is rather short - they practice hours upon hours to perfect a stoke, usually they would oblige, after some deflection.  This kind of obligation is very hard not to comply.

In order not to devalue their commercial works, usually they would state explicitly on the painting or calligraphy that the work was given to such and such exalted person and that little statement usually greatly dent the price of this work if it ever reached market.

In the US, I did give something away to great friends but not often.  My family members and friends insist on paying me for my labor.  I have attended book-signing events when my friends had books published and we  buy a copy of the book at full price and have our published friends sign the books.  Nowadays, even have a book or two published doesn't improve one's financial standing.  It's also our humble way of supporting our friends. 






最近我看了一个網上評論說，一旦中國人有書出版，許多朋友和熟人會讨要一個免費書籍。该評論說，在西方，人們承认和尊重作者投入的時間和精力，通常不會讨要求免費書籍。

这个評論，雖然有點太笼统，或多或少击中目標。回顧在中國我的生活，我記得很多人赠送他们出版的書籍，很多人也主动索取。要求朋友購買的他们的書籍是对朋友的侮辱。

畫家也一樣，尤其在中國式的宣紙畫家，和書法家。人們會問下大力氣求有成就的畫家和書法家給他們一些作品。畫家和書法家通常花大量時間练习，以致精湛，但他们实际操作時間则相當短，因而這種義務很難推却。

為了不让他们的商業作品貶值，他们通常會在繪畫或書法上列明，這个作品赠给某位贵人的。如果有人日后想卖它们，这样的語句通常使该作品價格大打折扣。

在美國，我的确给过好朋友一些东西，但很不經常。我的家人和朋友堅持要為我的勞動付出代价。我曾參加我的朋友們的書籍出版的簽售活動，我們以全價買下書，然后请我們的朋友簽名。如今，有一兩本書出版並不能改善作者的財務狀況，這也是我們支持我們的朋友的卑微方式吧。

Medical Records Protection 保护病例资料

In the much publicized Murdoch bugging scandals, one thing was perhaps quite lost to Chinese people
was the significance of the story reported by ABC News: "The Sun [one of the newspapers owned by Murdoch family] went much further when it allegedly stole Brown's family's medical records."

In the U.S., when a person takes medical leave, he or she even does not need to tell supervisor what troubles him or her, while in China, illnesses are openly discussed and commented upon and there is hardly any concern for privacy, not just amongst families and friends, colleagues are usually informed of every details of the ailments.

This is not to say that an illness is automatically concealed in the U.S.  People often choose to share certain information to let their immediate colleagues to understand their issues but usually it was expected, implicitly or explicitly, that the information should be kept confidential and it would up to the patient to choose what they want to disclose and to whom.  Medical records are very personal and private as well.

Therefore the Sun's behavior so unacceptable in the west and rather not an issue in China.

在廣為谈论的默多克竊聽醜聞中，有一个故事的意義也許令中國人很不解。

美國廣播公司新聞報導：“太陽報 [默多克家族擁有的報紙之一] 走得更遠時，涉嫌偷了布朗的家庭的醫療記錄。”

在美國，當一個人需要请病假，他或她甚至不需要訴上司煩惱他或她的是什麼，而在中國，人们公開討論和評論疾病，幾乎沒有对隱私的尊重，而这不僅僅限于家人和朋友，同事通常也会被告知疾病的每一個細節。

這並不是說，在美國病人會自動隱瞒疾病，人们往往會選擇某些信息，讓他們同事了解他們的問題。但或明或暗，這些信息應予以保密，並由病人來選擇他們想要的什么透露給誰。病歷也是非常個人的资料。

因此，太陽報的行為，在西方是不能接受的，而在中國则不是一個問題。

 

Cheese in Asia 奶酪在亞洲

I just read some story about the rise of the cheese consumption in Asia, propelled by American food chains with their offering such as cheese sandwiches and pizzas. 

最近我读到一些故事講述美國食品鏈與他們的產品，如奶酪三明治和比薩餅，推動了奶酪消費在亞洲的增长。

Cheese is the best thing I learned to enjoy in the U.S.  In China, the dairy product I ever had was milk and whipped cream.  In the U.S., particularly in the food-crazed California, we have huge varieties of cheese, with all kinds of textures, hardness and creaminess and flavors.

奶酪是我在美國學會了享受的最好的食品。 在中國时，我吃过的乳制品只有牛奶和掼奶油。在美國，特別是在讲究食品的加利福尼亞州，我們有极多品種的奶酪，拥有各種材質，硬度，奶油度和风味。

The only Chinese food I can think of to compare is dumplings.  The most famous dumpling restaurant in my home city, Shenyang, 老边饺子馆 (Old Bians' Dumpling Restaurant), boasts several dozens kinds of fillings.


唯一可比的中國菜是餃子。我的故乡沈陽的最有名的餃子館，老邊餃子館，擁有幾十種品种。



Cheese can be a tough sell to Asian countries where pastures are not widely available and dairy productions are not daily staple food.  Its distinctive flavor and smell can put off some people and maybe even upset someone's stomach - someone claims that Asians lack a certain enzyme to digest cheese.

奶酪可能较難推銷給沒有很多牧場的亞洲國家，那里奶製品不是每天主食。奶酪的獨特的風味和氣味让人排斥，甚至可能造成消化问题 - 有人称亚洲人缺乏消化奶酪的酶。


I fell in love with cheese immediately and appreciate good cheese very much, but am not shy away from cheesy food generally offered in fast food chains. Quality not quantity.

我从一开始就愛上了奶酪，并学会了欣賞优质奶酪，同时我迴避快餐連鎖店提供的一大滩奶酪的食品。质量而不是数量。

When my parents visited me from China about ten years ago, I was a bit concerned with their ability to appreciate it cheese or even to be able to digest it, particularly my mother who does not like taste of butter much.  However, they enjoyed the good Parmesan cheese I served with pastas very much and I felt confident enough to serve them more varieties of safe (less smelly) kind cheese. 

大約十年前，當我的父母從中國来看我，我有點擔心他們肯不肯吃奶酪，能不能消化它，尤其是我的不喜歡奶油的味道母親。然而，他們很喜欢我加在通心粉里的乾酪，我有信心让他們尝试了更多品種的安全（味道不重的）的奶酪。
 
I don't doubt that some Chinese and other Asian people have trouble in digesting dairy product but many don't and they can learn to appreciate good cheeses just as well as westerners.

我不懷疑，一些中國和其他亞洲人有困難消化乳製品，但很多人没有这个问题，他們可以學會和西方人一样欣賞好的奶酪。

中美物价 - Is the Price Right?

There is a well-read article circulating online, comparing the prices in China and in the US and UK.  The zest of the article is that the prices in the developed countries are much lower than those in China.  Many Chinese readers expressed their frustration over this "fact". 

However, the prices quoted in the article are often skewed or simply wrong.  There are many facts were not known to the author of the article who admitted that he only spent two weeks in the US to investigate the prices.

1) Many prices prices listed are inaccurate. Many prices quoted were seen in shops and restaurants operated by Chinese, or in open market, while prices quoted in China were often in the department stores.  The article mentioned $0.99/pound pork or ribs.  Meat costs that low is extremely hard to find in the US if not impossible.  The quality of the meat must be miserable as well.  In the US, pork costs usually in the range of $5-8/pound.   The article even mentioned the price for BMW Z4: $21,000.  I did a quick search and found the sticker price of $43,655 - $57,500 ( http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/BMW_Z4/ ).

2) there are historical reasons for price differences.  US is a fully developed country and the percentage daily costs are lower than the developing country as China.
3) There are many costs in the US unknown to many Chinese, such as personal income taxes.  A textbook in the US often cost $100-200 while in China they are printed on cheap paper and cost on the par of mass-market paperbacks.  In the US, medical insurance cost is very high and the article failed to mention that.
4) Many luxurious goods Chinese crave are luxurious goods to Americans as well, such as Coach handbags.
5) The low costs in the US is not sustainable.  It is supported by the huge national debts.  Relying on consumers for economic growth is like drinking poison to quench thirst.  The low tax for the rich is not a good example either.
6) The article mentioned that all the houses in the US can be called a villa.  It is not true.  The quality of American single family houses are quite low. 
7）Article also mentioned that in China, if one is well-educated, one needs to own a house (flat) otherwise he/she would not have any dignity.  Nonsense.  In the US, many house-owners take out 30-year loans and often re-finance down the road.  Once the houses are paid off, they are often near the end of the life.

In short, low prices in American have many political and historical reasons, but should not be copied.

Of course, from a consumer point of view, is unfair.

1）文章列出的好多美国物价不准确。华人的店， 基本是脏，乱，差，物价当然低。猪肉，排骨 0。99/磅， 除了赤贫，谁敢吃? 那个价现在在华人店也没有。猪肉一般是5-8 美元/磅。宝马Z4价格： $43,655 - $57,500， 不是文章说的$21000 （ http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/BMW_Z4/ ）。
2）中美发展水平不同，造成消费水准不同。发展程度愈高，日常费用比例愈低。
3）美国人有好多其他消费，文章没有提， 比如个人税收。美国的一本教科书，一般价格$100-200。医疗保险费用高。

4）好多中国人喜欢的，对美国人讲，也是奢侈品，比如 Coach 包。
5）美国人的低物价，造成美国国力衰退。美国人的低物价是中国买的美国国债支撑的， 而且持续不下去。靠消费引导经济增长是饮鸠止渴。美国富人的低税率也不可学。
6）美国的住房并不好。所谓别墅也不准确。你们看到美国龙卷风, 水灾的报道，也应该看到那些"别墅"。
7）30岁要有房，否则失去尊严？他们也太好面子了。美国人买房，大多要申请30年贷款。中途再贷。好多人房子付清了，一辈子也快过完了。

总之，美国人低物价是事实，有历史原因和政策原因，而且并不可学。

当然，从消费者角度看，是不公平。

Restaurant Menus - 餐馆菜单

In the food obsessed San Francisco region, many restaurants have very small menus and they change often, to reflect the fresh ingredients available during the season.

Over the years, I have learned to appreciate short menus, which often indicate the chef would pay close attention to every dishes on the menu.  This type of menu can be found most often in the so-called Californian cuisine restaurants but now even some Chinese restaurants are catching up the trend, and no longer offer those several dozens of cooking methods of entirely interchangeable pork, shrimp, chick or beef - unfortunately they still persist in many generic and lackluster restaurants, being everything and being nothing.

在講究美食的舊金山地區，許多餐館的菜單都非常短小，而且經常變更，以反映當前季節的新鮮果蔬。

多年來，我學會了欣賞簡短的菜單，這往往表明廚師將密切關注菜單上的每一道菜。這種類型的菜單經常出現在所謂的加州食品餐廳裡，但現在連一些中餐館，也已趕上潮流，不再提供幾十種烹調方法，完全可以互換的豬肉，蝦，雞或牛肉- - 但仍有一些通用和無光澤的餐館堅持使用那些，什麼都是，什麼都不是的傳統菜單。



Related blog / 相关题目: Ordering Food in Restaurants 点菜

Chinese College Graduates Abandon Pets 毕业生离校 大量宠物遭抛弃流浪校园

It has been reported by Chongqing Evening Newspaper that in universities, every year many pet dogs and cats got abandoned by their previous owners who graduated and moved away from campuses.

The picture below shows one of such abandoned cat in Southwestern Normal University.  The staff had tried to chase away some abandoned dogs, for fearing of attacks on students and some staff started to feed those lovely cats.

据报道, 每年一到学生快毕业的时候，学校的流浪猫狗就越来越多。近日，重庆晚报记者接到不少高校学生的电话，反映校园流浪猫狗越来越多。

下图是这样的一只被遗弃的在西南政法大学的流浪猫。工作人员担心流浪狗伤人, 曾赶走一些流浪狗, 而有的工作人员则开始喂一些可爱的流浪猫。


Source: People's Daily

Getting Up - 起床

Getting up in the morning is often hard for young people.  People who need to get up on time in order to go to school or work often find reliable means to wake them up.

In the US, independent people often use alarm clock to woke them up, while in China, young people often rely on their elders to wake them up.

Not only old people need to wake up their adult child(ren) who live with them, they are to wake up visiting nieces and nephews and their families.

As the manufacturer for the world, alarm clock can be easily bought in China and it won't cost much.  The dependence of the young people on their elders is rather unseemly.

Perhaps there are tiger-mothers and wolf-fathers in China, but they are, actually rare. 

年輕人早上起床往往很困難。需要準時起床上學或上班的人需要可靠的手段來喚醒他們。

在美國，獨立的人經常使用鬧鐘叫醒他們，而在中國，青年人往往依賴於他們的長輩來喚醒他們。

老人們不僅需要喚醒和他們住在一起的成年子女（们），他們还要喚醒來訪的侄儿侄女和他們的家庭。

鬧鐘可以很容易地在作為世界的製造商的中國購買到，而且也不會花很多錢。這種年輕人对他們的長輩依賴的是不體面的。

在中國有也許虎妈和狼爸，但它們實際上很少。

Grandma

© Matthew Felix Sun

Mother's Day in China - 母亲节在中国

Mother's Day, like Christmas, is a new fad in China.  Besides making or buying gifts for their mothers, Chinese kids were made to do something rather a bit strange.

It was reported that in a small town in Jiangxi Province, one hundred school pupils were rounded up, along with their mothers, to form a formation in the middle of school playing ground, and were required to wash their mother's feet, to demonstrate their love toward their mothers.

In Taiwan, a principle of a middle high school washed his 93-year-old mother's feet in public.

Many students did not feel comfortable in doing so.

The same news segment also reported that in a high school in Guangdong Province, 600 middle school students participated a so called Adulthood Ceremony, by kneeling down to their parents to receive a "Family Letter" to mark their passing into "Adulthood".

Facing some criticism regarding the kneeling, the principal countered that kneeling is the highest honor in China and if children don't knee to their parents, how could they express their gratitude towards their parents?

It's nauseating to see the demeaning of the young and lacking of dignities of all participants.

母亲节, 和圣诞节一样，是中国的一个新时尚。除了为其母亲制作或购买礼物，中国孩子们被要求做一些奇怪的事情。

据报道，在江西省的一个小城镇里，一百名小学生们, 连同他们的母亲, 被集合起来在学校操场形成一个方阵, 为他们的母亲洗脚，以证明他们对他们的母亲的爱。

在台湾，一个高中校长公开为他的93岁的老母亲的洗脚。

许多学生觉得这样做很不舒服。

同一个新闻还报到说，在广东省的一个高中，600名初中学生，跪在地上从父母手中接收"家书"，以通过所谓的成人仪式, 纪念 "成人"。

面对一些就下跪的批评，该高中校长反驳说，在中国下跪是最高的礼节荣誉，如果孩子不跪他们的父母，他们怎么能表达对父母的感激呢？

对年轻人如此贬损和所有参与者的尊严缺乏, 让人很恶心。

What (Not) To Bring As Gifts - （不）要带什么当礼物

While cleaning my drawers, I encountered some gifts I brought with me from China to the U.S. near twenty years ago.  I had never found an appropriate opportunity of giving them out.

They are quite proper gifts actually - small tea cups, fans, silk handkerchiefs, clay figurines, postcards, embroidered table decorations, etc.

In general, it is very hard to give gifts in the US, particularly those exotic gifts we brought from China -- they are often in appropriate, because of the style, taste or value.

In the US, people often give small gifts such as flowers, chocolate, etc. to show appreciation, and gifts from China often seem too serious.  For major events, such as wedding, brides and grooms usually register with department stores and list what they desire as gifts.

More over, the gifts with distinct Chinese flavor can be hard to sell - Americans who do like those exotic items are in clear minority.

I remembered that I tried to give my first academic adviser a set of Great Wall postcards (very cheap and appropriate) but still he declined after carefully and respectfully viewed all the postcards.

For any new comers to the US from China, I recommend bring several gifts, mostly little ones, beautiful but not screaming Chinese.  A few more distinguished gifts can serve in the right moments, which can only in many years' time.

Generally speaking, when you give gifts to people you are not familiar with or have higher social standing, often, you are making them embarrassed.

打扫我的抽屉，我翻出一些近二十年前我从中国带到美国的礼物。我始终没有找到了一个适当的机会把它们给出去。

它们其实是很适当的礼物 -- 小茶杯，风扇，丝绸手帕，泥人，明信片，绣花装饰表等

在通常情况下，很难给美国的礼物，特别是我们从中国带来的异国情调的礼物- 往往因为风格，品味或价值不适当。

在美国，人们常送鲜花，巧克力等，以展示赞赏或感谢, 但来自中国的礼物，往往显得过于庄重。对于重大的事件，如婚礼，新娘和新郎通常百货公司登记，列出他们希望得到的礼物。

进一步，具有鲜明的中国风味的礼物也很难出手 -- 美国喜欢那些外来品的确为少数。

我记得我试着给我的第一个学术顾问一套长城明信片（很便宜，很合适的），但他恭恭敬敬地仔细观看所有的明信片，仍然谢绝了礼物。

对于任何从中国到美国的新来者，我建议带几件礼物，大部分小礼物，漂亮却不尖叫中国特色。几件更出众的礼物也可以，在合适的时刻给出，通常在多年以后。

总之，当你送礼物给不熟的人， 地位比你高的人， 往往让他们很尴尬。

Red Flowers
Oil on Canvas

© Matthew Felix Sun
www.matthewfelixsun.com