Fine China

The first time I realised I was greatly missing out on the cultures and stories of my nation was when someone questioned why I spoke my mother tongue. You've probably heard me retell this story countless times, but it is truly something that brings me grief. Often, I find myself thinking about who will tell the stories. Who will tell the stories that have Chinese nuances when I have children? Who will teach my children to read and write the literature of our country? Who will speak of the great heroes and mystical beings in Chinese folktales? But most importantly, who will tell the stories of the Chinese people, of my Chinese family, and if they do tell these stories, how will they capture the true essence of these tales if not in Mandarin? At first, I found it distressing to not be able to answer these questions, but at some point, I have found the answer: that even if stories can only be passed down in Western tongues, I am grateful to have experienced these stories firsthand. For the fine China, the language, food, culture, and places you brought me to, preserving the spirit of our nation in your daughter, I thank you. 我第一次意识到自己错失了太多本民族的文化与故事，是因为有人质疑我为何使用母语。你或许听我讲过无数遍这个故事，但它确实令我深感遗憾。我常会思索：未来由谁来讲述这些故事？当我有了孩子，谁来讲述那些蕴含中国神韵的故事？谁来教导我的孩子阅读与书写我们国家的文学作品？谁来讲述中国民间传说中的伟大英雄与神话生灵？但最重要的是，谁来讲述关于中国人民、关于我中国家庭的故事？即便有人讲述，若非使用普通话，又该如何捕捉这些故事的真正精髓？起初，无法回答这些问题让我倍感苦恼，但后来我找到了答案：即便故事只能通过西方语言代代相传，我也庆幸自己曾亲身领略过它们。感谢你，让我得以接触那些精美的瓷器、语言、美食、文化与各地风貌，正是这一切，在我这个女儿身上延续了我们民族的精神。