The quest for modernization is at the expense of age old Chinese identities and heritages.

How far do you agree with this statement?

After the opening up of China in 1978, there has been an influx of modern and western influences
into the country. While they have overridden and superseded some age old Chinese traditions and
heritages, paradoxically, they fortify some of the traditional Chinese roots. This essay seeks to study
the contradictory impacts modernization has on the traditional Chinese identities and heritages as well
as some of the unevenness within the process of modernization. No doubt there has been an
increasing acceptance of foreign values and cultures; CCP has been ardently trying to revive some of
the traditional Chinese roots. Whether the quest for modernization is at the expense of age old
Chinese identities and heritages or not will depend on the success of CCP in reviving these
traditional cultures even as the country continues to modernize. Moreover, the Chinese society is
highly heterogeneous and diverse and the extent of impact modernization has on Chinese cultures
and identity will vary across the different regions of China.
Quest for modernization, which led to the opening up of China, has resulted in the influx of foreign,
especially western, values that undermined Chinese traditions. Divorce and cohabitations have become
commonplace among the Chinese. Pre-marital sex is no longer frowned upon and abortions performed
in the country due to pregnancies outside wedlock amount to tens of millions each year. Adult-themed
talk-shows and dramas which used to be taboos to the Chinese society are also popular. The Chinese
are also embracing more liberal social attitudes. Thriftiness is no longer a virtue for the younger
generations. The infiltration of global luxury brands into China's highly brand-conscious cash-rich
market is a testimony of this. Couples nowadays prefer to have nuclear families over extended ones.
Unlike the old
China, women are also travelling overseas away from their hometowns to work and support their family.
Exposed to western ideas like freedom of expression and human rights, unquestioned loyalty and
reverence for the authorities are also quickly evaporating with tens of thousands of protests happening
every day all around China.
Chinese living in the modernized cosmopolitan coastal cities are seeing themselves as global
citizens, adopting lifestyles that differs from their traditions. Household fast food names like
MacDonald, Subway and KFC are quickly changing the dietary habits of Chinese. Visiting pubs and
karaoke lounges instead of drinking tea and dim sum has become the favorite pastime of many
Chinese. Pop culture from the West,
Japan and South Korea as well as some other foreign societies has gained wide popularity in China.
This is exemplified by the variety of music the younger generations listen to, their fashionable dress
sense and the assimilation of western storylines into the movies they watch. Chinese dramas and
variety shows are now styled after those form Hong Kong, Taiwan and other societies. Relaxation of
official control aided by the influx of oversea religions has also resulted in an insurgence of foreign faith.
Official figures state that there are now 15 million protest ants and 6 millions Catholics in China.
Accompanied by the banning of syncretic cults like the Falungong and Yiguandao, traditional faiths are
on the decline.
Many Chinese heritages, both physical and spiritual, are destroyed to make way for rapid
urbanization and quest for economic development. Spurred by the advent of modernization,
traditional infrastructures have been replaced by modern architectures and urban centers.
Coupled with

governmental repudiation of religions and traditions during the Cultural R evolution, hectic and
mindless pursuit of materials in the post Maoist era has created a largely atheistic society.
Commercial advertisements, product packaging and structural styles of modern residence are often
modeled after foreign designs. Besides this, values and lifestyles of many, especially those living along
the coastal cities, have become more westernized. Improvements in transportation and
communications due to the building of highways and railroads have also aided the insurgence of
modern values and entertainment into the rural areas.
However, social modernization after 1978 has led to the revival of Chinese identities and heritages
much of which are those that have been destroyed previously by prior Maoist campaigns. Incidentally,
strong nationalistic pride as a China's rising global status has renewed Chinese interest in their
historical and cultural roots. The Chinese New Year, ancestor-worship, Qing Ming festival and Moon
cake festivals are now practiced under official encouragement. Bestsellers in China are books on
Chinese culture, philosophies and history. Chinese culture, philosophies and history are telecasted to
record viewership each week. Confucianism has been revived with the symbolic placement of
Confucius' statue near Tiananmen in 2010. Historical Daoist and Buddhist temples are repaired and
designated as treasured national heritage sites. Traditional festivals are officially public holidays. The
Chinese government also sponsored the purchase lost Chinese artifacts from oversea auctions. Wellto-do parents are eager to send their children to schools offering enrichment programs on Chinese
Classics.
Strong national interest has also saved traditional Chinese identities and heritages from being
overwhelmed by foreign influences. As a common inheritance for Chinese all over the world, traditional
identities and heritages are useful in pursuing national interest of the country such as reunification with
Taiwan. Emphasis on harmony over confrontation and unity over division by tradition is also helpful
in creating a "Harmonious Society''. Age old Chinese traditions could spearhead China's projection on
its soft power. Traditional ideology like Confucianism justifies CCPs rule by paternalistic
authoritarianism. Traditional values could also provide the moral compass for the many who are
intoxicated by the lure of materialist gains. Reservation of traditional Chinese heritages is essential
for the promotion of a common Chinese identity that is based on nationalism. Pride in Chinese
identity that is founded upon traditional culture also gives rise to greater national prestige.
Even as many become westernized in habits and lifestyles, their self-perception and values remain
grounded in Chinese traditions. Despite the emergence of many cosmopolitan coastal cities and the
success of its market reforms, Chinese society is steeped in its traditional thinking. Many things in
China, including official matters and business, are achieved by knowing the right people and through
"Guanxi" instead of contractual relationship. The notion of "Mianzi" is an important social
preoccupation. Hierarchy and hence authority continues to be a hallmark of modern Chinese cultures.
Chinese families remain paternalistic. Most individuals are committed to familial obligations and the
upholding of the family's reputation. Discrimination of the feminine gender and the emphasis on
perpetuating one's family surname are commonplace, especially in the countryside. Working
children are expected to support their aged parents and younger members of the family would wait
for their elders to begin a meal. Chinese parents consider the upbringing of the child incomplete
until he becomes a university graduate.
In conclusion, the statement is only partially true as modernization is a two way process.
While it is true that old traditions and cultures have to go to make way for the new, there
are entrenched remnants of Chinese identities and heritages. On the other hand, social
modernization has also led to a cultural identity crisis for the Chinese, prompting many to
seek the revival of their traditions. Therefore, it can be seen that despite the influx of
foreign influences, modernization has the reverse impact of heightening the awareness
of the traditional roots of the Chinese. With the growth of this awareness in tandem
with the forces of modernization, the quest for modernization will never be at the

expense
of
old
Chinese
identities
and
heritages.

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