2009年1月26日

今週の漢字: 比べる

Compare:
Once again I’ve been busy. This time it isn’t work related, but I’ve been eating out a lot and organizing little gatherings. I’ve also been exploring more cultural things in Japan, which I’ll share with you all in another post. For this post, I want to compare and contrast Japan, China, and add in the states for some.

Temples: There are many different religions in Japan, so temples tend to be very different. I’m not so sure about China, but a lot of the Chinese layout was very similar to each other when I visited the temples in Shanghai. As for differences from Japanese temple buildings, Chinese temples have more pronounced arches. The Japanese temple roof edges tend to be more straight. Also, Chinese temples are decorated with a lot of red and gold. Japanese temples may have gold, but the walls and pillars tend to be black or just very dark. It was interesting also watching rituals people undergo, but again, the religions of China and Japan aren’t the same.

Churches: I saw some churches in China, but they were mainly Catholic and most seemed to be closed. I hear that Chinese Christian churches are more underground rather than in your face. I suppose it’s better than in Japan, where the sole purpose of most church buildings is for weddings. When I first came to Japan, I was surprised by how many churches I spotted despite knowing only about one percent of the population is Christian. Then I found out about their only function. I don’t fully understand why Japanese people hold Christian weddings when most people are neither religious (in any religion) nor know anything about Christianity and its significance in “western weddings.”

Manners: Boy, this is a fun one. When I arrived in Shanghai and experienced all the pushing, shoving, shouting, and arguments on the street, I felt like I was with my people. Is that a bad thing? It’s something I have experienced before in Chinatown, and I was fully aware about it before going to China. Of course queues are nonexistent. On the other extreme, Japan is very orderly. I’m fine and dandy with orderly, but something in me really likes the chaos in Shanghai. I wonder how other parts of China are like. The US is nicely in the middle. There are times of pushing, but it’s only in extremely crowded situations. Arguments run rampant maybe in some cities. I surely witnessed my fair share of street arguments in New York and Miami.

Shopping: China is all about bargaining. I already knew it, but it’s worth mentioning. Of course, it’s also the land of piracy done extremely well, meaning sometimes it’s hard to tell if something is fake or real. If you had to guess, it's safer to assume it's fake. Japan doesn’t really have any bargaining. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone bargain. In many places that see a lot of foreigners, stores may even have signs saying, “No bargaining!” The US is again nicely in the middle.

Food: China had a nice variety, but it still wasn’t as plentiful as the states. I think it makes sense why considering America is a melting pot. Anyway, I wish Japan had more variety. It’s painful sometimes when I just want to eat something from Europe or more authentic Chinese. Luckily, desserts are usually really good in Japan.

Clothes: China is closer to the states in terms of fashion. Let me rephrase; Shanghai is closer to the states in terms of fashion compared with Japan. I don’t know how it’s like in other parts of China, but Japan is just crazy. A lot of fashion for women is a mix of so many ideas. Usually, Japanese fashion is ridiculously busy. It certainly wouldn’t fly back in the states. The most eccentric fashion choice I noticed in Shanghai was how so many people wore hats similar to my green Mickey hat I bought in Tokyo DisneySea last year.

I hope you can picture all that I am writing about. If not, it’s fine. You should go to China, Japan, and if you don’t live in the states, go there too. I think it’s great to really observe and try to gain an understanding of different locales.

Before I leave you be, today’s the Lunar New Year, and it starts the year of the ox. I’m excited because it’s my year. Yes, so this year I will turn 24, but I’m perfectly happy with it. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

恭喜發財
萬事如意

En français:
Je parlais avec mes amis au sujet du Jour de l’An Chinois. (Je ne sais pas si cette phrase en français est correcte.) Quand j’avais 12 ans, j’avais peur d’avoir 24 ans. Maintenant, je pense que c’est bien. Le trou de 36 ans à 48 ans est plus horrible, mais le plus horrible est de 48 ans à 60 ans.

今週の聖書の詩: “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
- John 17:25-26 (NIV)

今週の写真: Shanghai Part 2: Pictures 1-4 -- Nanjing Road (day and night); Pictures 5-6 -- Pearl Tower and area from the Bund (also with my friend, George); Pictures 7-12 -- Old Shanghai Road











2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year to you too bro!

Sorry for the late post.

Hope all is finding you well.

~ Jay

Anonymous said...

Even without reading and translating your French part...i have an inkling that you might be discussing the seeminngly big gap between 24 and 36...and how super terrifying it can be?

Oh i guess you changed your mind...not 36-48 and 48-60 is worse?

Anyways, pix 5-6 is a really nice skyscape of the city.

-curtiss