In this essay I am going to talk about foreign influence in China, in the early 19 centuries, during the World War II; foreign influence in Adeline Yen Mah’s childhood by living in that period; and what are the foreign influence on myself as well.
During the Second World War, many foreign countries have ruled over some cities in China. In 1842, China lost the Opium War, and Britain took over Hong Kong and Kowloon. In 1895 Japan conquered Taiwan and Manchuria from China and in 1973, Japan declared the war on China and conquered Beijing and Tianjin. Most of the port cities on China's coast such as Tianjin and Shanghai fell under foreign control (such as Britain and European counties). The areas called foreign concessions, were within the areas there are only citizen rules and national law acts on. Outside the concession, Japan was ruling over the Tianjin. On the other hand, Hong Kong was controlled by Britain.
During this time, the Chinese's traditional values were disappearing from the areas which were a consequence of foreign countries. Most of the are areas, the native Chinese people don’t allow to go expect they are their children's maid, they started the discrimination against Chinese people. How sad for native Chinese people have to experience a harsh life in their land (sounds like Australia history). Most students whom parents can afford to send them to a better school, they send them to Catholic School, where they learned English and other foreign languages. Is it some sense also beneficial for Niang, so no stepchildren can speak or write Chinese. So, she could understand everything. Foreign influence especially American influence was high on Tianjin, including Hollywood, solders food and foreign restaurants and entertainment and development in the young generation.
Adeline lived in Tianjin, in the French concession. On the French concession, only French law will act. Even in her house, her stepmother was half-French and holding on to French culture and that’s the reason his father likes her and always introduced her as French. These two reasons indicate that form the childhood Adeline have lived in China but under French law and have adopted a foreign culture from childhood. In kindergarten, she went to a French missionary school, she is learning French and English by Catholic nuns. This will have an immense impact on Adeline lives because schools have an immense influence on someone’s lives. In school, she is learning a foreign language, in a foreign environment. These foreign influences can cause her to forget her own culture, which she did slightly.
Adeline also received foreign influence from her friend Wu Chun-me, and she was born in the United States and got a great American accent and amazing athletics.
When they go back Tianjin in Catholic boarding schools and then when she comes. She was very influenced by Britain and French that she also forgets her Chinese language.
Foreign influence on myself, I came to Australia which represents the most significant foreign influence, I have on my entire life. I have learned a new language. I adopt a new culture, I got a new lifestyle. In a new lifestyle, I have forgotten my language. I have forgotten reading and writing in it but I still have the values and traditions. I feel like right now I am in the feet of Adeline when she returns from Tinging and she told her grandfather she only wanted to learn English to become success full and I am forgetting my traditional language. In the Adeline childhood era, it was firm for them to hold on to their culture because of all the wars influences. If I had a life like Adelin, I genuinely won’t have that much strength to fight with all these internal family issues. I will typically do as Adelin did, I will study intensely and construct a better life for myself.
References
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=5933759aebb54282a9bff0fcae225f8b
https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/how-world-war-ii-affect-china-504342
http://mcnarychinesecinderella.weebly.com/uploads/2/1/4/7/21471922/chinesecinderella_full_text.pdf