Japan is not Tokyo · A Chinese woman's in the East

Author: Wang Zi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: It is said that the lecherous nature of the Japanese is world-famous. Let's talk about the infamous mixed-gender bathhouses (honzoku, infamous) in Japan. Facing a large group of strangers, men and women of all ages, naked and chatting merrily in a pool, even the supposedly liberal Americans cannot remain calm. According to my American friend, "This scene feels too shameless." Sometimes, I often forget that Paris is French, New York is American, and London is British. Those places belong to the world, and it's hard to find a truly unique sense of belonging to a city there. Tokyo is not Japan; true Japan lies in the countryside. Life is made up of small, incremental moments, so these small chapters have accumulated over time. There's no deep philosophy, nor any grand joys or sorrows. If you enjoy flipping through them, we'll be friends, no matter how far apart we are.
In the book Japan Is Not Tokyo, Wang Zi, a Chinese woman who married into Japan, attempts to decipher why there are so many frictions and misunderstandings between Chinese and Japanese people—even between married couples who have become family. In her view, culture is the "culprit." She realizes that everything has a duality: the superficial bowing at a distance inevitably leads to later slightly intrusive patting on the back to compensate for the initial reserve, and then comes the lament that compared to bowing and hugging, a handshake is more in line with the Chinese philosophy of moderation. However, behind bowing and hugging lies a cold heart, while behind our moderation lies a warm and generous spirit. To say it another way, it's still our outstretched hand that carries a hint of warmth. Although sometimes this warmth is a burden, a pain, it remains something to cherish.