Beneath the veneer of modernity in this world-class metropolis lurks the hua ren manager who remains traditional in heart and soul, still needing the security blanket of Chinese folk practices to ensure his success and prosperity.
The hua ren corporate environment presents a huge challenge to the Western-educated Chinese replete with its share of frustrations and, tickles. The writer, a corporate communications manager discovers a unique brand of decision-making and aesthetics. Her experience lends credence to the adage “We live and learn！”
Qi yue, yi jiu jiu qi nian - “Juliana is not Chinese！” screams my colleague through the office e-mail. She scheduled our book launch during qi yue（July）。
“I didn't choose the date”, I protest, “Our guest of honour chose it after checking his travel schedule.”
My protest falls on deaf, un-believing ears. Half a minute later, however, a more accommodating e-mail message reads： “It's OK, you can proceed. It is the last day of qi yue and our geomancer says it is auspicious.”
The consultation process for corporate materials never fails to evoke gems of wisdom like “No green, please. Qing （raw） numbers are not ripe enough to strike！” “No blue either, it is a mourning colour！” and “Don't use rust red 'dried blood' wreaks of death！”
At day's end, yellow seems to be the only recourse. Never mind that it is pale. It represents gold and wealth.
We produce cute clip clocks as corporate gifts, but we are careful not to present them. “Cannot song zhong！”
We do a double take to overcome the problem. We invite potential recipients to indicate their interest. When they ask, the taboo is lifted and we are no longer “song zhong'ing”。
Black and white objects strike terror in the hearts of some. Someone ventures with great conviction that black-and-white photographs appeal only to the Westernized.
Never dawned on him that Chinese calligraphy is all black on white and that the more colourful Chinese art such as the Qing wares emerged only after the advent of the Italian monks.
I survey Western art history to trace “black-and-white” artists find two - Kline and Pollock both of whom found inspiration in Oriental art！
How ironic！
I wonder if my colleague is justified in branding me “non-Chinese” because of my oblivion to Chinese folk practices.
Fortunately, equally bemused Chinese Studies graduate colleagues who find the taboos beyond belief provide a source of vindication.
I suppose that there are different brands of Chinese-ness depending on dialectal origins, education and professions.
Lynn Pan's Encyclopaedia of Chinese Overseas reveals that “hua ren” around the world observe festivals differently from the mainland china and from each other.
We launched another book the following qi yue. This time, the geomancer advised in all his wisdom that “If you have never consulted the almanac, it is best not to start now.”
Yes, I agreed. “It is best not to start！”
Next year, we shall depict a riot of flowers on our calendar. I already hear voices in my head……
“No frangipanis, please！ We are Chinese！”
東方與西方,并非黑白那么分明
林珠麗
在我們這個(gè)外表看來(lái)非?，F(xiàn)代化的都會(huì)里,一些華人經(jīng)理卻仍然保留著根深蒂固的傳統(tǒng)觀念。遵循華人的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣,給他們一種安全感,也讓他們覺得可以確保生意興隆。
本文作者是一家公司的公關(guān)經(jīng)理。她在工作中體驗(yàn)了一種獨(dú)特的決策過(guò)程和審美觀。她的經(jīng)驗(yàn)印證了一句格言：活到老,學(xué)到老！
一九九七年七月——“林珠麗不是華人！”一個(gè)同事通過(guò)辦公室的電郵驚叫,“她把我們的新書推介儀式安排在農(nóng)歷七月?！?。
“日期不是我選的,”我*,“是我們的貴賓查了他的行程表之后決定的?！?BR> *無(wú)效。沒人聽,也沒人信。半分鐘后,我收到一個(gè)令我感到安慰的電郵：“沒問(wèn)題,你可以按照原定計(jì)劃進(jìn)行。那是七月的最后一天,風(fēng)水師父說(shuō)是個(gè)吉祥的日子?！?BR> 在公司事務(wù)的磋商過(guò)程中,總不乏智人慧語(yǔ)。例如：“青色不好。青（生）的號(hào)碼還沒有熟,不會(huì)是中獎(jiǎng)號(hào)碼！”：“藍(lán)色也不好,是服喪的顏色！”：“也別用紅褐色,像干了的血,使人聯(lián)想到死亡?！?BR> 最后,黃色似乎是的選擇。雖然暗淡了一點(diǎn),卻象征黃金和財(cái)富。
我們生產(chǎn)了一些可以扣著的時(shí)鐘,作為送給客戶的小禮物。但是,又不太敢隨便送出去。因?yàn)椤安豢梢运徒K（鐘）！”
為了解決問(wèn)題,我們邀請(qǐng)客戶自行選擇。如果他們選擇時(shí)鐘,那就不是我們“送終”了。
有些人非常忌諱黑色或白色的東西。一位同事斷言只有洋化的人才會(huì)喜歡黑白照片。
他怎么沒想過(guò)中國(guó)的書法都是黑白的？比較具有色彩的中國(guó)藝術(shù),例如清朝的陶瓷器,是在意大利和尚到了中國(guó)之后才出現(xiàn)的。
我審視了西方的藝術(shù)史,找到克萊恩和波洛克兩位“黑白”藝術(shù)家,而且兩人都曾經(jīng)從東方藝術(shù)得到靈感！
真具有諷刺意味！
就因?yàn)槲也欢靡恍┤A人的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣,我的同事就把我歸類為“非華人”,我不知道這理由是否充分。
幸好,有些在大學(xué)里修讀中文的同事對(duì)這些禁忌也是茫然不知和覺得難以置信,證明我不是的“非華人”。
因?yàn)榉窖?、教育和職業(yè)的不同,我覺得華人的特性會(huì)表現(xiàn)于不同的方式。
根據(jù)潘翎的《海外華人百科全書》,全球的“華人”慶祝華人節(jié)日的方式都和中國(guó)大陸不同,也有異于彼此。
一九九八年的七月,我們又推出一本新書。這一次,風(fēng)水師父以充滿智慧的口吻忠告我們：“如果你從來(lái)沒有查閱過(guò)通書,那不要去查看它?！?BR> 我完全同意,“別去翻看它！”
明年,我們的日歷將會(huì)有五彩繽紛的花朵。不過(guò),我腦子里已經(jīng)聽到有人在說(shuō)……
“不要雞蛋花！我們是華人！”
The hua ren corporate environment presents a huge challenge to the Western-educated Chinese replete with its share of frustrations and, tickles. The writer, a corporate communications manager discovers a unique brand of decision-making and aesthetics. Her experience lends credence to the adage “We live and learn！”
Qi yue, yi jiu jiu qi nian - “Juliana is not Chinese！” screams my colleague through the office e-mail. She scheduled our book launch during qi yue（July）。
“I didn't choose the date”, I protest, “Our guest of honour chose it after checking his travel schedule.”
My protest falls on deaf, un-believing ears. Half a minute later, however, a more accommodating e-mail message reads： “It's OK, you can proceed. It is the last day of qi yue and our geomancer says it is auspicious.”
The consultation process for corporate materials never fails to evoke gems of wisdom like “No green, please. Qing （raw） numbers are not ripe enough to strike！” “No blue either, it is a mourning colour！” and “Don't use rust red 'dried blood' wreaks of death！”
At day's end, yellow seems to be the only recourse. Never mind that it is pale. It represents gold and wealth.
We produce cute clip clocks as corporate gifts, but we are careful not to present them. “Cannot song zhong！”
We do a double take to overcome the problem. We invite potential recipients to indicate their interest. When they ask, the taboo is lifted and we are no longer “song zhong'ing”。
Black and white objects strike terror in the hearts of some. Someone ventures with great conviction that black-and-white photographs appeal only to the Westernized.
Never dawned on him that Chinese calligraphy is all black on white and that the more colourful Chinese art such as the Qing wares emerged only after the advent of the Italian monks.
I survey Western art history to trace “black-and-white” artists find two - Kline and Pollock both of whom found inspiration in Oriental art！
How ironic！
I wonder if my colleague is justified in branding me “non-Chinese” because of my oblivion to Chinese folk practices.
Fortunately, equally bemused Chinese Studies graduate colleagues who find the taboos beyond belief provide a source of vindication.
I suppose that there are different brands of Chinese-ness depending on dialectal origins, education and professions.
Lynn Pan's Encyclopaedia of Chinese Overseas reveals that “hua ren” around the world observe festivals differently from the mainland china and from each other.
We launched another book the following qi yue. This time, the geomancer advised in all his wisdom that “If you have never consulted the almanac, it is best not to start now.”
Yes, I agreed. “It is best not to start！”
Next year, we shall depict a riot of flowers on our calendar. I already hear voices in my head……
“No frangipanis, please！ We are Chinese！”
東方與西方,并非黑白那么分明
林珠麗
在我們這個(gè)外表看來(lái)非?，F(xiàn)代化的都會(huì)里,一些華人經(jīng)理卻仍然保留著根深蒂固的傳統(tǒng)觀念。遵循華人的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣,給他們一種安全感,也讓他們覺得可以確保生意興隆。
本文作者是一家公司的公關(guān)經(jīng)理。她在工作中體驗(yàn)了一種獨(dú)特的決策過(guò)程和審美觀。她的經(jīng)驗(yàn)印證了一句格言：活到老,學(xué)到老！
一九九七年七月——“林珠麗不是華人！”一個(gè)同事通過(guò)辦公室的電郵驚叫,“她把我們的新書推介儀式安排在農(nóng)歷七月?！?。
“日期不是我選的,”我*,“是我們的貴賓查了他的行程表之后決定的?！?BR> *無(wú)效。沒人聽,也沒人信。半分鐘后,我收到一個(gè)令我感到安慰的電郵：“沒問(wèn)題,你可以按照原定計(jì)劃進(jìn)行。那是七月的最后一天,風(fēng)水師父說(shuō)是個(gè)吉祥的日子?！?BR> 在公司事務(wù)的磋商過(guò)程中,總不乏智人慧語(yǔ)。例如：“青色不好。青（生）的號(hào)碼還沒有熟,不會(huì)是中獎(jiǎng)號(hào)碼！”：“藍(lán)色也不好,是服喪的顏色！”：“也別用紅褐色,像干了的血,使人聯(lián)想到死亡?！?BR> 最后,黃色似乎是的選擇。雖然暗淡了一點(diǎn),卻象征黃金和財(cái)富。
我們生產(chǎn)了一些可以扣著的時(shí)鐘,作為送給客戶的小禮物。但是,又不太敢隨便送出去。因?yàn)椤安豢梢运徒K（鐘）！”
為了解決問(wèn)題,我們邀請(qǐng)客戶自行選擇。如果他們選擇時(shí)鐘,那就不是我們“送終”了。
有些人非常忌諱黑色或白色的東西。一位同事斷言只有洋化的人才會(huì)喜歡黑白照片。
他怎么沒想過(guò)中國(guó)的書法都是黑白的？比較具有色彩的中國(guó)藝術(shù),例如清朝的陶瓷器,是在意大利和尚到了中國(guó)之后才出現(xiàn)的。
我審視了西方的藝術(shù)史,找到克萊恩和波洛克兩位“黑白”藝術(shù)家,而且兩人都曾經(jīng)從東方藝術(shù)得到靈感！
真具有諷刺意味！
就因?yàn)槲也欢靡恍┤A人的風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣,我的同事就把我歸類為“非華人”,我不知道這理由是否充分。
幸好,有些在大學(xué)里修讀中文的同事對(duì)這些禁忌也是茫然不知和覺得難以置信,證明我不是的“非華人”。
因?yàn)榉窖?、教育和職業(yè)的不同,我覺得華人的特性會(huì)表現(xiàn)于不同的方式。
根據(jù)潘翎的《海外華人百科全書》,全球的“華人”慶祝華人節(jié)日的方式都和中國(guó)大陸不同,也有異于彼此。
一九九八年的七月,我們又推出一本新書。這一次,風(fēng)水師父以充滿智慧的口吻忠告我們：“如果你從來(lái)沒有查閱過(guò)通書,那不要去查看它?！?BR> 我完全同意,“別去翻看它！”
明年,我們的日歷將會(huì)有五彩繽紛的花朵。不過(guò),我腦子里已經(jīng)聽到有人在說(shuō)……
“不要雞蛋花！我們是華人！”