A SOCIAL INTERVIEW OF THE PEOPLE IN GUANGZHOU1

XCE-RSS Verbiest 2
Xavier China Experience – Reading and Social Studies

A SOCIAL INTERVIEW OF THE PEOPLE IN GUANGZHOU

I. OBJECTIVES OF THIS
RESEARCH
The purpose of this research is to
prove that the statement below is
true:
Culture is an adaptive
mechanism.
The following practices will be
discussed to prove the above-
mentioned statement:
a. Eating of Noodles
b. Using of Chopsticks as an
Eating Utensil
c. Riding of Bikes as a Form of
Transportation
A group of people who live in
TianHe City, in GuangZhou District,
in GuangDong Province, in the
People’s Republic of China.
GuangZhou is one of the wealthiest
and progressive districts in China.
Along with Macau and Hong Kong,
GuangZhou is also a Cantonese-speaking district. They have stable lives as
businessmen and farmers.
II. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES
The following tools and procedures were used in this social research:
A. Observation
B. Interviews
Pictures of the interviewees and actual objects being discussed are included in
this paper.
III. A SET OF DATA COLLECTED
The interviewed people are
from the population of South China
Normal University. We have
interviewed locals.
Culture is an adaptive mechanism.
Man is able to survive in his given
environment through culture.
The GuangZhou people have
to use chopsticks, eat noodles and
ride bikes to survive their given
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environment.
1. The Chinese use chopsticks because that is the only traditional way to
eat. They also find eating with chopsticks more convenient because chopsticks
are readily available here in Guangzhou. They find eating with chopsticks more
comfortable with a chopstick more than the western spoon and fork because they
are already used to it. They also believe that the chopsticks are a symbol of the
Chinese because China is the country who started the use of chopsticks. They
believe the use of chopsticks may have begun in the Han dynasties. This makes
China a symbol of chopsticks.
2. Aside from rice, the
GuangZhou people also consider
noodles as their staple. For them,
noodles would symbolize long life
because the lengths of noodles are
also very long. It is also very
convenient for them to eat because
noodles are found everywhere and
they come in a very cheap price. For
some other Chinese, they believe
that eating noodles would help
increase the balance of Yin and Yang
levels. They also believe that it
neutralizes bad effects in the human
body. During winter, GuangZhou
people like to eat noodles because
they believe it will make them
warmer. They also
believe that noodles expand in their stomachs,Oriental
so they
serving
Chinese Noodle Soup. A generous
will feel
of shrimps, squid,full
someeasily.
vegetables
and chestnuts in hand made noodles.
3. The GuangZhou people like to use bikes. Bikes are one way of
transportation for the GuangZhou people. They also believe that by using
bikes, they will be able to help preserve the environment while not wasting non-
renewable source of energy like oil. They also believe that it is good for the
health because it makes you exercise.
IV. ANALYSIS
Culture is used by man
to be able to adapt to a way of
life in relation to his
environment.

For the people here in

Guangzhou, they use
chopsticks to adapt to their
surroundings. For them, the
using of chopsticks is an
integral part of their lives
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because for them it is the only traditional Chinese way to eat. If a Chinese
doesn’t know how to eat using chopsticks, he is discriminated. They have to use
chopsticks so that they may feel like being in a community. They were able to
adapt to their surroundings since the use of chopsticks is very easy to learn
because almost everyone in China knows how to eat chopsticks. They learn from
these people. It is a tradition passed on from generation to generation.

The Chinese people of Guangzhou also have to adapt to their surroundings by

eating noodles. For them, noodles are considered one of their staples. Without
noodles, they will not feel full after eating. Also, during cold weather like
November to February, noodles are considered one of their sources of warmth. It
is one of the cheap foods that the
poor people could enjoy so as
not feel cold. They adapt to their
climate by eating noodles.

Bikes are one of the

unique traits of the district of
Guangzhou. They are one of the
cities who have the most number
of bikes. Here, they adapt to their
surroundings by using bikes.
Since cars here are three times
more expensive than a car in the
Philippines and motorcycles are
banned by the local government,
they are forced to use bikes. For
then, bikes are not only a way of
transportation but also a way of
preserving the environment.
They are forced to use bikes so
as they may be transported from
one place to the other because
of the environment around them.
A man riding a Bike. A bike is so widely used
The abovementioned practices show how a man in China survives here inthrough
China that itthe
isn’t strange anymore to
see bikes everywhere.
practices of his parents or ancestors have been doing and have taught him.
V. FINDINGS
The set of data gathered through observation and interview of some people in
GuangZhou confirm the big idea that man uses his culture in order to survive a
given environment.

VI. Sources
 Man Eating Noodles, retrieved from
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41470000/jpg/_41470880_chopsti
ckman_203ap.jpg at Dec. 14, 2008 at 9:27 pm.
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 The other pictures were taken by Patrick Wee.

 28 Interviews of locals in GuangZhou

陈月星 吴马理
Chen YueXing Wu MaLi
“Andre” “Ayi”
Salesman Security Guard

王成功 李
丽美
Wang ChengGong Li LiMei
“Ayi”
Security Guard Teacher

黄努力 陈
跌尔
Huang NuLi Chen
DieEr
Office Officer-in-
Charge
Assistant for
the XCE

黄燕娜 前
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生源
Huang YanNa Qian ShengYuan
Office Assistant Chef

韩晶 戴主人
Han Jing Dai ZhuRen
Chinese Supervisor and
Teacher OIC for the XCE

小潘 许认真
Xiao Pan Xu RenZhen
Technician Security Guard

周有福 秋勤劳
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Zhou YouFu Qiu QinLao

Professor Office Assistant

王平安 此清廉
Wang PingAn Ci QingLian
Cleaner Chinese Teacher

白聪宇 黄小
零
Bai CongYu Huang
XiaoLing
Technician
Bystander

政状小 五千笑
Zheng ZhuangXiao Wu QianXiao
Student Bystander
李白云
Li BaiYun
Student
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上金河 孔志惠
Shang JinHe Kong ZhiHui
Student Student
翻快马
Fan KuaiMa
Student

靠照辉 陈
美美
Kao ZhaoHui Zhen MeiMei
Student Teacher
菜永安
Cai YongAn
Student

吴真真
Wu ZhenZhen
Parent

Submitted By: Patrick Sheldon Ko Wee and Justin Lu

Group Name – Team Number: Verbiest - 2 Date: December 16, 2008

COMMENTS AND GRADE BY THE SUPERVISOR

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