If one took a poll in China of late, those expressing positive sentiments toward the U.S. would certainly not be many. The reason why is common knowledge; the problem lies mainly with the U.S. and not China. These past two days, however, friends and family have come to me one by one and said, “Did you see the American First Lady’s campaign speech? It was pretty good!”
Chinese people have always held little interest in how the U.S. chooses its presidents, as that is their own business; they are even more disdainful of how candidates often turn red shooting their mouths off and mudslinging for the sake of winning votes. But this time, First Lady Michelle Obama, not only Americans, but Chinese people are truly praising your speech.
Americans commented that if you look closely at Michelle’s speech, it actually did not hold too many surprises, as the majority of what was said consisted of stories from home. However, it was probably exactly these ordinary stories from home that allowed everybody listening in to relate. For example, when speaking of her school career and taking out student loans, Michelle said, “we were so young, so in love and so in debt.”
What do we admire? We admire the love for family and country in your speech.
When she said that “[President Obama] wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like or who we love. And he believes that when you’ve worked hard and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity… you do not slam it shut behind you… you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed,” we joined in the applause.
When she said that “he’s the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew,” we were also moved.
When she said, “…When the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming — or even impossible — let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation… it’s who we are as Americans… it’s how this country was built. And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us… if they could raise beams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon and connect the world with the touch of a button… then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and grandkids,” we were also inspired.
This applause, this sympathy and this inspiration is all because these words do not only reach Americans, but also touch upon the love for family and country deep in the hearts of the Chinese people.
In China, this love for family and country is unending.
There is a plethora of sayings and aphorisms that comes to mind: “cultivate yourself, bring order to your family, govern the people and bring peace to all under heaven” (the Analects of Confucius); “the beacon fires [of war] have been lit for three months straight, and a letter from family is worth ten thousand gold pieces” (Du Fu); “I often think of going forth with no regard for myself and dying for my country in its time of need” (Sima Qian); “be a hero in life and a martyr in death” (Li Qingzhao); “let us ride our chariots and break through the Helan Pass, where we shall feast on barbarian flesh and laugh as we drink the blood of the Xiongnu” (Yue Fei); “as I die, I realize that nothing is real, but I only grieve that I could not see the land united. On the day the Emperor’s army goes North to reclaim the central plains, do not forget to tell this old man at his tomb” (Lu You); “no man has ever escaped death, but my loyalty will be reflected in the annals of history” (Wen Tianxiang); “that I did not die fighting the Japanese and lived to this day is my shame. As the country is thus broken, how can I begrudge this head” (Ji Hongchang); “I offer my blood to the Yellow Emperor” (Lu Xun)…
In volumes upon volumes of history books, between the lines can be found the words “family and country.”
There are many differences between China and the United States, but there is one principle that is the same: “I love my country, and I love my family.” There is one feeling that is the same: “Why do tears often well up in my eyes? It is because I deeply love this land.”
The Chinese also belong to a great and irreplaceable people. One of the spiritual resources that has solidified our great and enduring country is also that unfailing love for family and country.
People share this same heart; our hearts share this same principle.
We all have our virtues, and we can share in and celebrate them together.
The author is a special correspondent for the People’s Daily and Vice President of the Academy of Chinese Culture.
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