Do you sell etiquette watches?
by Vida Zhang Fargis
I was caught off guard when a gentleman asked me this question recently. I was at a social gathering in the SF Bay Area and trying to explain what the CAEA – Chinese American Etiquette Association is all about.
“Etiquette? What is etiquette?” He asked.
I translated the word of “etiquette” into Chinese after I failed in my first attempt to explain it in English.
“Ahh, I see. You sell gift items and provide Miss Etiquette (an equivalent of Miss China) to people who may have a restaurant grand openings.” He said with his head nodding.
“Do you sell etiquette watches? I need one for my daughter’s graduation.” He added..
Sadly, many of my mainland Chinese peers living in Silicon Valley, have the same mind set. The word etiquette conjures associations with beauty contests and cheap trinkets. Well, how can I blame their naiveté? This is what my nation promotes at large. The Ministry of Culture is behind the nation-wide competition: “China Etiquette Culture Competition” our mainland version of Miss America. As always, we still have a long way to go.
I am just wondering how the international community would comment on this “China Etiquette Culture Competition.” I suppose it is a fascinating point of discussion onto itself. During the Cultural Revolution, women like Liu Shao Qi’s wife were attacked for wearing “rocket shoes” with pointed toes, or necklaces and the like. Today, the “China Etiquette Culture Competition” could be seen as a form of progress. But to me it a grinding reminder of how far we have to go.
My question is how much this mind set is going to be changed as China emerges as an economic powerhouse? The 2008 Olympic has injected a big motivation for Chinese government calling for a “Manners Movement” with $2.5 million in funding for an etiquette campaign in Beijing. Despite the Movement’s purpose of saving global face, it is a step in the right direction.
“Manners Movement” will, to some extent, improve a basic etiquette understanding i.e. no spitting, no littering, no more slurping of soup, no coughing, belching or passing gas at the table etc. This all get my vote! This can certainly be improved among the general public in China. But incorporating a set of etiquette rules into one’s daily living and internalizing the etiquette value with one’s life has its own challenges in China.
Comparing those who can enjoy a free etiquette education in China, many of our Chinese fellows in the US have been left out and hanging around somewhere in between China and the US with no one to turn to for an etiquette guidance. As a result, they lack of a basic understanding of what etiquette is. This might be very true in the Chinese engineering community in the Silicon Valley.
Of course, there are some exceptional people out there in the community. Just two days ago, I struck up a conversation about etiquette with Max Hwang, who works at Baynote, at the Huayuan event of “The Art of Peak Performance in Public Speaking”.
“That’s really important part of self development.” Max said after I explained what CAEA stood for CAEA.
“I am just curious, how did you learn about this etiquette concept?” I asked.
“My CEO is really into it. He incorporates etiquette value into our company culture. As a matter of fact, I am here today attending the event because of him. He said I should come and it’s worthwhile.” Max said.
It turned out Max’s CEO is Jack Jia at Baynote. And Jack is currently the President of Huayuan. I’ve attended at least two events where Jack was a keynote speaker and was very impressed by his articulation for his version and leadership. He definitely stands out as someone who is very polished in giving a public speech and poses the leadership skills and mind set in the community.
I am curious to see how Jack would inject the etiquette culture and value into Huyuan. Under his leadership, I’ll definitely receive fewer questions about “etiquette watches.”
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I was caught off guard when a gentleman asked me this question recently. I was at a social gathering in the SF Bay Area and trying to explain what the CAEA – Chinese American Etiquette Association is all about.
“Etiquette? What is etiquette?” He asked.
I translated the word of “etiquette” into Chinese after I failed in my first attempt to explain it in English.
“Ahh, I see. You sell gift items and provide Miss Etiquette (an equivalent of Miss China) to people who may have a restaurant grand openings.” He said with his head nodding.
“Do you sell etiquette watches? I need one for my daughter’s graduation.” He added..
Sadly, many of my mainland Chinese peers living in Silicon Valley, have the same mind set. The word etiquette conjures associations with beauty contests and cheap trinkets. Well, how can I blame their naiveté? This is what my nation promotes at large. The Ministry of Culture is behind the nation-wide competition: “China Etiquette Culture Competition” our mainland version of Miss America. As always, we still have a long way to go.
I am just wondering how the international community would comment on this “China Etiquette Culture Competition.” I suppose it is a fascinating point of discussion onto itself. During the Cultural Revolution, women like Liu Shao Qi’s wife were attacked for wearing “rocket shoes” with pointed toes, or necklaces and the like. Today, the “China Etiquette Culture Competition” could be seen as a form of progress. But to me it a grinding reminder of how far we have to go.
My question is how much this mind set is going to be changed as China emerges as an economic powerhouse? The 2008 Olympic has injected a big motivation for Chinese government calling for a “Manners Movement” with $2.5 million in funding for an etiquette campaign in Beijing. Despite the Movement’s purpose of saving global face, it is a step in the right direction.
“Manners Movement” will, to some extent, improve a basic etiquette understanding i.e. no spitting, no littering, no more slurping of soup, no coughing, belching or passing gas at the table etc. This all get my vote! This can certainly be improved among the general public in China. But incorporating a set of etiquette rules into one’s daily living and internalizing the etiquette value with one’s life has its own challenges in China.
Comparing those who can enjoy a free etiquette education in China, many of our Chinese fellows in the US have been left out and hanging around somewhere in between China and the US with no one to turn to for an etiquette guidance. As a result, they lack of a basic understanding of what etiquette is. This might be very true in the Chinese engineering community in the Silicon Valley.
Of course, there are some exceptional people out there in the community. Just two days ago, I struck up a conversation about etiquette with Max Hwang, who works at Baynote, at the Huayuan event of “The Art of Peak Performance in Public Speaking”.
“That’s really important part of self development.” Max said after I explained what CAEA stood for CAEA.
“I am just curious, how did you learn about this etiquette concept?” I asked.
“My CEO is really into it. He incorporates etiquette value into our company culture. As a matter of fact, I am here today attending the event because of him. He said I should come and it’s worthwhile.” Max said.
It turned out Max’s CEO is Jack Jia at Baynote. And Jack is currently the President of Huayuan. I’ve attended at least two events where Jack was a keynote speaker and was very impressed by his articulation for his version and leadership. He definitely stands out as someone who is very polished in giving a public speech and poses the leadership skills and mind set in the community.
I am curious to see how Jack would inject the etiquette culture and value into Huyuan. Under his leadership, I’ll definitely receive fewer questions about “etiquette watches.”
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posted by CAEA @ 1:17 AM
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