A Cultural Revolution

I'm back...well, from Tokyo at least. Devon, Jim, John and I got into Beijing Sunday night after almost missing our flight...I'll get to that later. What can I say? I really, really, really liked Tokyo. I am pretty sure I liked it more than Hong Kong, but then again, Hong Kong was an amazing city with great opportunities. Japanese culture is very different from Chinese culture. In fact, to be honest, I loved the Japanese lifestyle. Let me do a quick compare and contrast from what I've been experiencing here, and what I experienced in Japan. China is a very traditional country. For the most part, they have strictly controlled who comes in and out of their country, who they trade with, where they invest and who they invest in. This has had profound effects on Chinese culture. Because the government regulates so many parts of Chinese life (TV, radio, newspapers, businesses, post offices, health care, electricity, water, trade, transportation, etc.), the Chinese are limited in their exposure and expression of pop culture.

From what I've seen, there are limited TV shows that are broadcasted that aim directly at the Chinese youth. Comparatively, the youth in America are pulled in every direction when watching TV and have the option of watching any type of TV show with various subjects, whether they are considered good or bad, conservative or liberal. Futher, turning on the radio, the music streaming from the speakers ranges from urban hip-hop, R&B, oldies, rock, pop, and so on. The commercials alone, on any station, have enough force to influence American youth. I feel that in China, these influences are by far not as powerful or widespread. Chinese youth, although shifting more towards Western influences, are still considerably more conservative and traditional than American youth. Take for instance my previous blog post about the college life of a Chinese student.

Japan on the other hand, after having six years of allied occupation (I believe occupation began after WWII in 1945 and the allied nations included the US and Britian), was exposed to Western influences far before China. China, in fact, loosened its foreign trade policies in the late 1970s, while Japan was forced to open trade during occupation. Today, Japanese culture has evolved into a Western like culture while still retaining many of its old traditions and ideology. The youth of Japan have uncomparable freedom to choose their lifestyle compared to Chinese youth. They have J-pop, a plethora of Japanese pop artists that, much like the entertainers of Hollywood, influence fashion, music preferences, and other pop culture. Japanese youth are bombarded with name brands. Photos of their favorite celebrities are plastered on billboards and the radio is constantly playing the newest jams. Unlike the Chinese youth, many of which focus on school rather than keeping up to date with pop culture, Japanese youth are listening to music, watching TV, going to the movies, heading out to the clubs, buying the newest iPod, upgrading their cell phones, tracking current events, and making the most of their young years.

I'm not saying that I don't love Chinese culture. It has obviously interested me enough to keep me wanting to come back to see more, speak more, and learn more, but I can't help thinking to myself how much more fun the Japanese have. They have a culture that is as distinct as and is as much a part of their society as American culture. People don't know America until they come to America, just as the Japanese culture needs to be experienced first hand. They are much more than Anime cartoons and sushi, although they do have plenty of both, and they are still as traditional as the Chinese. They wear masks when they are sick, they are very polite and kind, and they bow as a sign of respect. I could go on about all the differences between Japan and China, but my main point is that I wish China could capture their culture, put it in a machine, and make it fresh, fun and accessible, so that the Chinese youth have something to harness and take off with. If China is about to enter into the 21st century, they need to get with the times, and the times call for big screen TVs, blaring music, and self-expression. The Chinese youth are inching towards this notion, little by little (and pushing the envelope of the government at the same time), but those that stand out in music, fashion, and ideology, are still few and far between. I'm sure within the next 10 years, China's pop culture will have sprouted, and with it will be a wide variety of options for the youth to take on.