Actually, you don't understand the Cantonese people: Picture album for collection

Author: Ye Shuming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: This book is quite necessary and timely. Guangdong culture certainly deserves high attention and in-depth research. It adopts a rather forceful tone to refute some distorted and belittling views on Guangdong culture prevalent among outsiders, which is entirely justified: to set things right, it is never too forceful. – Ye Chunsheng, Director and Professor of the Folklore Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University
This book introduces the highlights of Guangdong culture in a rhetorical question, which is quite interesting. Guangdong has always felt wronged being called a "cultural desert." But I think deserts aren’t so bad, after all, they have oil underground. There’s no need to be (ashamed) about it. Misunderstandings are never sophisticated; they are always superficial and temporary. – Huang Tianji, Professor of Classical Literature, Sun Yat-sen University
The essence of this book lies in its ability to spark further discussion and serve as a starting point for cultural dialogue. – Huang Weizong, President of the Pearl River Culture Research Association and Professor of Sun Yat-sen University
From a practical perspective, focusing on Guangzhou’s urban culture is extremely important; from an academic standpoint, it involves examining the growth of Guangzhou’s modernity and the complex evolution of local cultural elements in the context of globalization, which offers ample room for exploration. – Tan Tinghao, Deputy Chief Editor of the Southern Daily Press Publishing House
The typical character of Guangdong people is vividly portrayed here. They didn’t complain endlessly or engage in frantic arguments. Instead, amid a chorus of criticism, they silently fought against the SARS virus, actively shared "anti-inflammatory" experiences with other affected regions, and did not blame fate. Work continued, school went on, streets remained bustling, and life proceeded in an orderly manner. On the other hand, the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress quickly passed legislation requiring "citizens to cultivate civilized and hygienic eating habits, avoid excessive consumption of wild animals, and prevent the spread of diseases from animals." This is Guangdong’s answer to the entire nation. Mutual blame cannot solve problems. It’s better to do something useful than to vent anger like damaging the ozone layer. Guangdong people understand this principle.
However, despite this, the criticism of Guangdong people has not stopped but has instead led to even more furious demands: Why is the legislation not about "not eating wild animals" but just "not eating excessively"? "Not eating excessively" is not a precise legal term—it’s as if nothing has been said. Are Guangdong people still stubbornly refusing to change after SARS, continuing to eat wild animals? A netizen raged online: "It’s all because of Guangdong people’s excessive consumption of wild animals that brought this terrible disaster upon us. They still refuse to repent. They brought this upon themselves—may they die or live as they deserve. Don’t drag the entire nation down with them!"
Amidst this onslaught of criticism, Guangdong people were subjected to relentless attacks. Guangdong’s choice to use "not eating excessively" instead of "not eating" reflects a pragmatic attitude. Claiming to never eat wild animals again is pure self-deception—sea fish are also wild animals, can you say you’ll never eat them again? From a legislative perspective, if both "prohibition" and "not eating excessively" are difficult to enforce, it’s better to adopt a defensive "not eating excessively" rather than an aggressive "prohibition." This aligns more closely with the spirit of legislation and better protects existing rights and order.
The 2003 SARS incident is not only of high research value in medicine but also serves as a classic case study in social culture. From it, we can observe the differences between northern and southern cultures, the unique ethnic character of Guangdong people, and their psychological resilience and spiritual state.