China – Perspectives

To begin to understand Chinese Culture we must understand how some ancient traditions still rule decisions made by most Chinese people in business and personal life today. The following story was told to me by a life long student of Feng Shui. When I first heard it, I simply smiled in disbelief and disregarded the story as funny. However the story surfaced again as I met other people in China and I now feel compelled to write about it as yet another relevant point in understanding the Chinese culture.

Luo Pan Compass used in Feng Shui beliefs

First I want to show a brief technical description of Feng Shui as written in Wikipedia in an effort to set the stage for the story. Feng shui (traditional Chinese: ??; pinyin: f?ng shu?) is an ancient Chinese system of aesthetics believed to utilize the laws of both Heaven (astronomy) and Earth (geography) to help one improve life by receiving positive “qi” (chi). The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu literally: Tao of heaven and earth. The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English. Traditional feng shui practice always requires an extremely accurate Chinese compass, or luo pan, in order to determine the directions in finding any auspicious sector in a desired location or exact directions in which various objects, rooms, materials etc. are to be placed.

Map of China before 1921

I have not been able to verify or validate the geo-political truth about this story, but in a very funny way I am not surprised at all by the possibility of truth after some of my experiences of life and business in China.
According to this story up until 1921 China’s geographic map resembled a tree leaf similar to that of a Maple. The story goes on to tell that this is the reason why Japan whose geographic map resembles a silk worm kept attacking China and vying for control of it’s large land span. The story according to the Feng Shui belief takes root in the significance of shapes, position and the implication between geographic location and “astral plains”. The story depicts a green leaf regardless of it’s size as very vulnerable to a silk worm who must eat as part of it’s natural position in nature.

China - a green leaf and Japan a silkworm

The story tells that this is the reason why China was willing to let go of part of Mongolia in 1921. Again, I emphasize that this is a “funny” story and not a historical fact; but nonetheless it must be a lesson for us westerners in how Chinese think about many things. The story says that upon letting go of “outer” Mongolia, China’s geographic shape came to resemble that of a chicken… and yes you guess it! The Chicken can eat the Silk Worm, therefore the Silkworm became “neutralized”.

China - after 1921 separation of "outer" Mongolia

The story does not stop there, it goes on to say that the reason that China has never been willing to acknowledge Taiwan as an independent country is because the Chicken then would only have one leg and it would cause it to be unstable. The other leg being Hainan, the chinese Hawaii south west of Hong Kong. Interestingly, this story/theory can actually be easily translated to current socio-political implications between China and Taiwan. The Taiwanese with their American technology have become the leading edge of China’s technological development.

China - the chicken and Japan the silkworm

As a final topic, the story also addresses China’s unwillingness to let go of Tibet after many decades of it trying to succeed as an independent country, in-spite of the prevailing Chinese popular opinion that Tibet is nothing more than a wasteland full of poor people. Apparently Tibet is very important to China, according to the story if Tibet left China, then the Chicken would not have… a rear end, thus rendering the chicken unable to function.

China - Why Tibet can not be allowed to succeed

Again, the first time I heard this story I only smiled, but as I increase my understanding of Chinese culture is become evident to me that it is not important if the story is true or not. What is important about this story is the inside that it provides into Chinese culture and the justification for decisions and influences that affect daily life and business in China.