ASIAN OUTLOOK November 2018 Vol. XXXV, Issue 2
» Introducing Urdu Language at Binghamton » Traditional Chinese Medicine in the United States
ASIAN
Volume XXXV, Issue 2
contents OUTLOOK 2 ASIAN OUTLOOK
featured 4 | Introducing Urdu Language at Binghamton | Asma Begum and Mushtaq Bilal 16 | Traditional Chinese Medicine in the United States | Tao Jiang
arts & entertainment 6 | Hyuna & E’Dawn: Selfish Lovers or Heroic Matyrs? | Justin Roman 8 | Blood Diffusion: How Mixed Martial Arts Spreads Cultures | Michael Messina
opinions 10 | From Summit to Summit | Dayne Feehan 12 | The Island of South Asia | Shivani Tambi 14 | China’s Re-education Camp | Alice
conscience 20 | Grandma | Claire Choi 22 | Natural Family | Haoran Zhi 23 | Fool’s Gold | Ghost
In Loving Memory of Albert Cruz
letter from the editor... Asian Outlook (AO) lives and dies by the community. Without contributors, we are without content. Without readers, we are without purpose. Unfortunately, the AO / ASU / PAL community has suffered a tragic loss recently, as our dear friend Albert Cruz has passed away unexpectedly. I have often likened Albert to the Great Gatsby and I will do so again as I believe it to be the perfect parallel. Albert would go out of his way to make anyone and everyone feel comfortable, at home, a part of the family. To quote F. Scott Fitzgerald, he “smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.” The week of his passing, a candlelit vigil was held in his honor, his memory. Stories were told as we reminisced together. The tone was not unlike funerals for relatives I have attended in the past, yet there was an uncanny familiarity to the experience. There weren’t distant relatives you barely recognize. Looking around, you saw the faces you see everyday, your contemporaries, your best friends: a heartbreaking reminder that the person we had lost was a face we saw everyday, a contemporary, a best friend. Seeing THESE people breakdown and cry was a uniquely devastating sight to behold. But, the most powerful takeaway from this world shattering event was the idea of continuing Albert’s legacy, leading our lives the way he would lead his. . . with indiscriminate love for those around him. And so, as we move forward to issue XXXV-2 of Asian Outlook, let us not forget the incredible people who make this platform possible, from the writers to the editors to the layout team and so on. Within these beautiful pages are stories of morally bankrupt and inhumane reeducation camps, eastern medicine, the obligatory US - North Korea relations editorial, an art piece challenging traditional notions of family, and so much more. This is a time capsule, a snapshot of today’s current events and sentiments, imbued with the spirit of friends present and past reaching out to friends of the future. So, from all of AO to all of you… we hope you enjoy. In Solidarity, Michael Messina President / Editor-in-Chief
ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD FALL 2018 Editors-in-Chief Vice President Secretary Treasurer Publicity Manager Copy Editors
Conscience Editor Layout Editors Videographer Interns
Michael Messina Camille Guo Brandon Li Brandon Ng Tao Jiang Dayne Feehan Thomas Hur Benny Louie Michelle Tan Kylie Wen Tram Duong Michelle Pao Jessie Yang Mengshu Ye Claire Choi Sherry Dang Emma Shen
EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine at the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefne, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matters contained within these beautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submission. All submissions may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com.
CONTACT POLICY Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is strictly prohibited. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com. E-mail us at:
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Vol. XXXV, Issue 2
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Introducing
Urdu Language at Binghamton
By Asma Begum and Mushtaq Bilal
Photo via amazon.in.
About the authors: Asma Begum holds a Master’s degree in Pakistan Studies from the University of Karachi, Pakistan. She has taught at various colleges in Pakistan for ten years before moving to Binghamton in 2017. She will be teaching Urdu 101 starting next semester. Mushtaq Bilal is a Fulbright doctoral candidate at the Department of Comparative Literature and the author of the book Writing Pakistan: Conversations on Identity, Nationhood and Fiction (HarperCollins 2016).
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FTER WE ARRIVED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES LAST FALL AS CULTURAL EXCHANGE VISITORS FROM PAKISTAN, we kept thinking about what we could do to introduce some aspects of Pakistani culture to people here in Binghamton. After a few discussions, we realized that one of the ways of familiarizing people with not only Pakistani but also South Asian culture could be to introduce an Urdu language course here at Binghamton University. So, we reached out to the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies (DAAAS) and met with the chair of the department, Professor Ji-Song Ku. Professor Ku thought it was a great idea to offer a beginner-level Urdu language course under the auspices of DAAAS. Urdu is one of the most spoken languages in the world behind only Mandarin and English. It is one of the official languages of India and the national language of Pakistan. Interestingly, Urdu and Hindi are mutually intelligible languages that are spoken the same way but are written very differently. Urdu is written in Perso-Arabic script while Hindi is written in Devanagari script. Additionally, Urdu-Hindi is the unofficial language of Bollywood, one of the biggest film industries on the planet. The US Department of State considers the learning and teaching of Urdu “critical to national security and economic prosperity” of the country. Urdu is one of the “critical languages” included in the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program, which is sponsored by the Department of State and funded by the US government. Urdu 101, which Asma will be teaching next semester, is a course designed to introduce students to Urdu alphabet, phonetics and grammar. The course will enable students
to acquire the basics of listening, speaking, reading and writing in Urdu. By the end of the course, students will be able to introduce themselves in Urdu, engage in simple daily-life conversations with native speakers, read simple texts written in Urdu, and write a brief paragraph about a familiar topic in Urdu. We strongly believe that any successful teaching model should not only focus on the process of learning but should also make the experience of learning enjoyable. Learning, no doubt, is important but we are not huge fans of funless learning. So, we decided that in addition to the use of textbooks and various other written materials, Urdu 101 will make extensive use of Bollywood films and Pakistani TV shows to acquaint students with the contemporary cultures of India and Pakistan. Apart from offering an exposure to a vibrant South Asian culture, learning Urdu also increases one’s job prospects, especially if one is planning to follow a career in academia, foreign service, armed forces, government or the United Nations. At present, there aren’t too many American students who know Urdu despite the fact that there is a sizeable Urdu speaking population living and working in the United State, therefore, having a language like Urdu on one’s résumé can make one stand out. Since Urdu is written in Perso-Arabic script, learning Urdu also provides a very useful point of entry into a whole family of languages like Arabic, Persian, Punjabi, Pashto and Sindhi all of which use the same script. Alternately, if one is familiar with a language like Arabic or Persian, learning Urdu becomes a lot easier. By introducing the Urdu language, our intention is to contribute, in our own humble way, to the immense cultural diversity that Binghamton University has to offer.
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HYUNA & E’DAWN SELFISH LOVERS OR HEROIC MARTYRS? SELFISH LOVERS OR HEROIC MARTYRS? By Justin Roman
Photo by Cube Entertainment via sbs.com.au.
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018 HAS BEEN A HUGE BREAKOUT YEAR FOR K-POP IN THE UNITED STATES. SM Entertainment’s NCT 127 performed on the Jimmy Fallon Show, Girls’ Generation member Tiffany Young walked the red carpet at the American Music Awards just this October, and global superstars BTS sold out an entire baseball stadium. As a K-pop fan, it’s awesome to see how much mainstream attention K-pop is getting and the popularity some groups have achieved. While the world is finding out how amazing K-pop is, I knew there would come a time when the world would also get to see K-pop’s “darker” side. This time came just last September with the explosion of what is arguably the biggest K-pop scandal of the decade. Hyuna, one of the most popular female solo artists in Korea, and E’dawn, a popular rapper from the boy group Pentagon, went public about their 2-year long relationship. This shocking reveal completely went against their agency’s (CUBE Entertainment) statement that denied alleged dating rumors and caused the internet to lose its collective mind. CUBE made a statement saying, “we have come to the conclusion that it will prove difficult for us to rebuild the broken loyalty and trust between these two artists, HyunA and E’Dawn; so their removal has been decided.” After a board of directors meeting, CUBE ended up officially terminating Hyuna’s contract with the company and Pentagon promoting their new mini album without E’dawn. Watching this all unfold over the last month I noticed the distinct difference in international fans’ opinion versus Korean fans’ opinion. Korean fans were split between those who believe Hyuna and E’dawn are innocent and those who blame Hyuna for ruining the younger E’dawn’s career. Meanwhile on the international side, I’ve still yet to find someone who thinks the pair did anything wrong. I’ve found that most non-Korean fans would protest on CUBE’s doorstep if they could. This incident showcases how while music is universal, the way the industry works is not the same in every place. In America, Hollywood and music scandals are a daily part of life. In the entertainment industry, artists and celebrities profit off the ridiculous drama they cause
because of all the extra attention. Relationships, divorces, and drug abuse cases come and go on a weekly basis. However, in Korea the business model is completely different. Companies try to create the illusion that the idol has a personal relationship with each fan and make sure that they maintain the onscreen character they portray. An idol dating anyone else would break the illusion and therefore be less profitable to the company. This brings up the bigger question which is “Is it morally okay for agencies to use a business model that nearly controls an idol’s entire life?” In my opinion, having harmful health restrictions like extreme dieting is not morally correct, but having TEMPORARY dating bans so that the group can flourish and succeed is not a bad thing. If international fans want something to protest about, it should be injustices about payments of the idols and the debts that they are forced to pay. Hyuna and E’dawn took a stand against the system and at the moment it seems as if they might have won. The biggest loser of this whole situation is CUBE, who admittedly did this to themselves by going this far and punishing their artists so heavily. They lost their 3-member group Retro Future (which consisted of Hyuna, E’dawn, and PENTAGON Member Hui), Hyuna, who being the flagship artist of the company and, ironically, the trust of fans. The undeserving loser of this whole ordeal would definitely be PENTAGON. After PENTAGON released Shine in early 2018 they exploded in popularity, and when I saw them at KCON NY this summer, they received one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night. To me, it seemed as if the group was well on its way to its first music show win, but after losing one of their most prominent members it’s unclear what the future holds for them. Their comeback without E’dawn was good but it was a far cry from the success that they had achieved with him. E’dawn made a statement saying he continuously talked to the members about the decision to make his relationship public and seemingly got their blessing which would show how supportive and selfless his group members are towards him. In the end, this situation has had many pros and cons, but I’m curious to see if Hyuna and E’dawn will go down in K-pop infamy or be considered heroic martyrs for bigger change in the industry.
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BLOOD DIFFuSION HOW MIXED MARTIAL ARTS SPREADs CULTURES By Michael Messina
I
T SEEMS AS THOUGH THE AMERICAN MAINSTREAM STRUGGLES TO REPRESENT MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND THE LGBTQ+ OF THE WORLD. However, one audience of roughly 2 million fans has no choice but to cheer on a character belonging to all three categories, and the answer isn’t what you’d expect… Can you picture it? A group of trashy biker-dudes pounding beer cans and watching near-naked bodies beat each other into unconsciousness: the stereotypical mixed martial arts (MMA) fan. But let me tell you, there’s more to it than that. It’s a complex mix of history, tradition and culture. This game of “extreme problem solving with dire, physical consequences” forces athletes to search for effective techniques regardless of where they are found: culture diffused by way of bloodsport. But before we get into that, here’s a little backstory to orient any unfamiliar with MMA.
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A Brief History of BJJ and the UFC Japan has been synonymous with martial arts since the existence of, well, martial arts. Karate? Japanese. Aikido? Japanese. Judo? Japanese. Jiu Jitsu? You guessed it: Japanese. However, Jiu Jitsu wasn’t for everyone, especially Helio Gracie, a feeble Brazilian man of modest strength and stature. Ever-crafty, Gracie was able to modify the fighting-system with such ingenuity as to warrant a new name: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Gracie and the rest of his family had continued to train and refine their style before partnering with American entrepreneur Art Davie, director Campbell McLaren, and TV host Bob Meyrowitz to promote their martial art, and what better way to promote than a no-holds-barred fighting tournament? Enter: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). What started as a mix of competing martial arts (with the Gracie name dominating challengers) eventually evolved into mixed martial arts. Competitors from around the world were no longer learning one style, but travelling the world to gain experience with a variety of combat strategies and methods. Today, the UFC has grown to amass an extremely large fan base as well as propel several media darlings into the spotlight, most notably Rhonda Rousey, an American champion of Japanese Judo, and Conor McGregor, an Irish fighter with a knack for western boxing and eastern kicks. The UFC, whose history traces back to Japan, has influence radiating back eastward with the rise of Singapore’s ONE Fighting Championship recently gaining major popularity following the success of the UFC. From east to the west and back again. Looking around at the some of the biggest names in the UFC reveals an incredibly diverse cast of characters. Michelle Waterson: a bubbly, proud Thai-American with a Japanese Karate style looking to A few seconds into the first round become the first mother to don a championship belt and Conor McGregor, an Irishman, in UFC history. George St.-Pierre: the heavy-hitting, French-Canadian legend who can be seen donning launches a powerful round kick traditional eastern garb as he walks out to compete straight from Thailand against before revealing his prominent Kana chest tattoo. And finally, Francis Ngannou: the African-native who his opponent, Dagestan’s Khabib worked his way up from the impoverished sand quarries Nurmagomedov. The Russian of Cameroon to the boxing rings of Paris to the MMA responds with a Grecco-Roman community of Las Vegas to the world stage of the UFC. Let us conclude with the fighter who made me realize wrestling takedown before utilizing just how accepting of a place the MMA community can his Russian-Japanese Sambo style be: Amanda Nunes. As of this writing, Amanda is the to control Conor in the UFC octagon, reigning, undisputed UFC bantamweight champion of a stage set forth by a notorious the world. She is dating fellow fighter Nina Ansaroff. She proudly addresses crowds in a thick Brazilian Brazilian family and American accent. . . and her fans love her. She exemplifies the entrepreneurs and media experts. progressive, accepting and pure nature of this sport, 80 days? We just went around the which brings us to an inevitable conclusion: this sport taps into something deep, something primal. After all, world in a 5-second exchange! every one of us is connected to a warrior-ancestor. We all have had a history of persevering. Perhaps fighter Cat Zingano puts it best: “I need to know… That be in nature, I need to know what would happen… who gets the bone?” That grit, that perseverance, that is pure. That transcends cultures. That is woven in human DNA. MMA allows us to realize that, although saturated with beautiful diversity, no two human lives are that different.
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FROM
SUMMIT SUMMIT TO
Moon Keeps the Door Open for Peace on the Korean Peninsula By Dayne Feehan
A
T THE THIRD INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT HELD IN PYONGYANG THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-In outlined detailed actions for improving relations between their two nations. The two leaders closed the three-day summit by traveling to Mount Paektu, taking pictures atop one of the crater lakes with their wives. During the summit, Kim and Moon agreed to relax military tensions, hold more family reunions, and make a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics. Additionally, Kim agreed to make the voyage to Seoul for their next summit, which would make Kim the first North Korean leader to travel to South Korea. With Moon’s patient dedication to improving inter-Korean relations and Kim’s desire for economic and political change, North-South relations are perhaps the best they’ve ever been. For North and South Korea, this is great news. However, Seoul’s patience regarding North Korea’s denuclearization is much greater than Washington’s. While the interKorean peace process has found some steady ground, denuclearization has largely been at a stalemate. The buzz of the Singapore summit has largely died down and the vague details that came out of the summit have kept true “progress” in limbo. Trump quickly made concessions for unclear “promises” from Kim, including but not limited to the cease of large-scale military drills with South Korean forces. The results of the summit have largely been a stalling
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Illustration by Michael Tsang.
on either side with sending a message of, “no, you first,” and recent talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stumbled on without expressing any tangible denuclearization plan. The fact of the matter is denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is contingent on the success of an unorthodox love triangle between the U.S. and the two Koreas. The status of all three distinct relationships, North-South, U.S.-North, and U.S.-South, will influence the possibility of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. While the North and South make active and tangible advances on inter-Korean peace, progress in U.S.-North relations is stalling out. Moon has expressed interest in creating ties with North Korea that are difficult for the U.S. to accept and/or support, such as establishing closer economic and political ties, a formally ending the Korean War, and planning future summits. For South Korea, the threat of military action is a greater threat than North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons. Because of this, the United States and South Korea have slightly different goals when dealing with North Korea. The divergence of goals between the United States and South Korea has driven a wedge in their diplomatic relationship. This wedge is not a cause for alarm just yet. Moon has proven himself to be a talented mediator between Washington and Pyongyang. Moon served as mediator when Trump abruptly canceled the first Summit, which later was reinstated. Moon also fawned Trump with compliments, giving him all the credit for the disarming tensions on the Korean peninsula. While the denuclearization stalemate continues, Moon remains paving the road for peace.
A denuclearized Korean peninsula is a possibility, although it may be more distant than many in Washington realize. Moon’s patience and persistence with North Korea have proven successful in gradually improving inter-Korean relations. Improved North-South relations will give Moon a stronger platform to advocate for denuclearization. Patience and flexibility in Washington will likely yield to a continuation of slow progress; if Washington grows restless, U.S.-South Korean relations will likely suffer. The outcome on the Korean Peninsula is of significant importance to all parties and the extent to which the tension on the Korean Peninsula impacts the international stage is not to be underestimated. U.S. relations with China, Japan, Russia and, of course, North and South Korea will be impacted by this outcome, for better or worse. One thing to keep in mind is that the history shared between these leaders differ for each relationship. Moon and Kim both acknowledge that the work they are doing is important; they share the heritage of thirteen centuries of a unified Korean Peninsula and are tasked with the objective of restoring peace. Meanwhile, Trump and Kim are meeting on the platform of their nations having over 70 years of untrusting relations. It is clear in the rhetoric, and even the body language between leaders, that Moon and Kim are a much more comfortable pair than Kim and Trump, or even Moon and Trump. It appears as though Moon is in the better position to lead the way for inter-Korean peace, but the key question remains: does Washington have the patience?
Photo by Pyeongyang Press Corps
Vol. XXXV, Issue 2 11
The Island of
south asia By Shivani Tambi
I 12 ASIAN OUTLOOK
did not consider myself Asian until I entered college. Not Asian, like the best friends I have had since second grade: Korean, Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese. Not Asian, like the food their parents made for me when I visited, fragrant with spices that I had never experienced. Not Asian, like the foreign languages they spoke, mouths forming so differently than what I was used to. I was Indian. Not Asian, not in the way they were. My white friends told me I was Asian. My Asian friends told me I was not. My Asian friends insisted I was Asian. My white friends refuted that I was not. And so it went, other people telling me who and what I was. This was not new. This was being an immigrant. Thus, just like several other anecdotes ending with “the immigrant experience,” it comes down to a question of identity. Did the “south” in South Asian remove me from the entitlement to an Asian identity? Even more pressing: did it matter?
The word “Asian” is contested often. Put simply, Asia is vast. Attaching cardinal directions to regions is useful for the sciences, the humanities, and history. However, used socially, the term melts and bends to whichever way the population pleases. “Asian” sits in the mouths of the American people with intention. In the United States, “Asian” is synonymous with East Asian. We have associated an entire continent with a select group of people, when even that group itself is as diverse as the Asian continent. This association of “Asian” and “East Asian” is not found worldwide. Consider, for example, the United Kingdom. Across the Pacific ocean, South Asians comprise 4.9% of the United Kingdom’s total population. Not a large number, but substantial nonetheless. However, the term “Asian” in the UK is widely understood to refer to South Asians. If you need proof, look up British Asians on Wikipedia and you’ll find an article solely dedicated to South Asians. And although Wikipedia might not be the most credible source for information (although even this statement is refutable), one only needs to simply Google the term “British Asian” to be bombarded with several articles and images almost exclusively involving British South Asians. It’s clear that the definition of “Asian” can be what we choose. Perhaps the British should consider East Asians (and West Asians, Central Asians, Southeast Asians…) in their own interpretation of the term. In America, the image the term evokes has been both beneficial and detrimental. Ultimately, the way that “Asian” has been represented in the US has caused an unnecessary schism. I still find myself hesitating when checking the “Asian/Pacific Islander” box on forms. Many of my fellow South Asians feel the same way. When questioned about the matter, one friend said, “legally I’d have to put Asian, but I’m not happy about it. And I don’t identify with Asian.” This unhappiness may stem from the strange purgatory of not having an identity. If we consider ourselves exclusively South Asian, then not having our own box on a government form seems unfair. It’s irritating. We drift off further onto the island created by our own hands, taking on an exclusive identity to give us some kind of recognition so that we don’t get lost in another sea of stereotypes and assumptions. Admittedly, if we are to operate under the American definition of “Asian”, there is a great difference between South Asian and East Asian. South Asians and East Asians have significantly different cultures; this is okay to recognize and accept. We don’t need to identify as Asian purely to homogenize ourselves into an all-encompassing ethnicity group, but we do need to include South Asians in the general Asian dialogue to provide unity. On a larger scale, there are many instances in which the Asian-American community has been inclusive in its dealings with South Asians. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund has a program solely dedicated to aiding immigrants who were faced with discrimination post 9/11, with most of these immigrants being “brown.” Therein lies an example of the progress that can come from joining forces. On the island of South Asia, the birds sing a dissonant tune. The multitudes of ethnic groups, religions, and nations often create an environment of mental borders and prejudice. South Asians share such a deep, rich culture, but political lines separate them with no end in sight. Yet, in America, we cling to one another with pride. Refer to each other as the color of our golden skin and revel in our similarities. This is because we are South Asians in America. Asian-American. Just like a Korean-American, a Chinese-American, a Vietnamese-American and so on. Everyone knows this by now: our identities are morphed by a hyphen. There’s been much said about the unity that the second half the hyphen brings; it makes it easy to forget that the first part –Asian– can provide solidarity too. In order to move forward in an ethical and effective way, there needs to be a change in how South Asians perceive themselves, and how the rest of America perceives South Asians. Creating an all-inclusive Asian discourse will bring new issues and solutions to light. This extends to the rest of Asia as well, as bringing more groups in to a larger dialogue allows for growth and results. Categorizing people into boxes has proven to be appealing to most of humanity, and sometimes these boxes are rewarding. It feels good to be part of the ingroup, to find comfort in those similar to you. Widening the definition of Asian will not take this away. It will not remove the specific identities the people of Asia embody. We can be South Asian –Indian, Pakistani, Nepali, Bengali, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, etc.– but that does not need to remove us from the Asian status; they do not need to be mutually exclusive. Never forget that many immigrants and children of immigrants are constantly redefining themselves. We create identities that are malleable yet firm, with room for change and growth while being unapologetic in who and what we are. Open, confident.
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Photo by Tracey Nearmy / AAP via theconversation.com.
F
CHINA'S RE-EDUCATION CAMP
ROM THE OUTSIDE, CHINA MIGHT SEEM LIKE A HOMOGENEOUS NATION. It is true if we look at China’s official data of ethnic groups residing in the country: 92% of the total population is made up of Han Chinese. Under this impression, it is very easy to overlook the remaining ethnic groups and their experiences living in China as minorities. Xinjiang is a province located in northwest China, home to more than one hundred billion Uighur people. Sadly, a large piece of this population, Uighur Muslims, are experiencing horror in their homeland right now. One million people have been sent into reeducation camps. A supporter of said camps commented, “These Uighurs are being treated like drug addicts who are going through rehab.” These reeducation camps are trying to reinforce “mainstream social value and culture,” which includes speaking in Mandarin Chinese instead of the native Uighur languages (which are more related to Turkish languages, hence making Uighurs more Turkish than Chinese), learning the values of the Chinese Communist
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By Alice
Party, and instilling the philosophies of China’s current Head of State Xi Jinping, also known as Xi Jinping Thought. Anything related to Islamic religions are viewed as dangerous and therefore oppressed; Chinese flags and propaganda signs are shown everywhere to increase nationalism. Reeducation camps are an extreme form of brainwashing that attempts to program the minds of other ethnic minorities to behave in a more Han-like fashion. The relationship between Xinjiang and the Chinese central government in Beijing has never been peaceful. Resistance and oppression are constantly at war with each other. Although Chinese textbooks and modern media outlets have claimed that “Xinjiang has always been an inseparable part of China since ancient times,” Xinjiang was in actuality conquered during the Qing dynasty in the 19th century, hence its history under China’s control is relatively short. Calls for Xinjiang’s independence have existed for a long time now, even before the recent atrocities of the reeducation camp program.
Photo by Emmanuel Dunand / Agence France-Presse.
When resistance, protest, and calls for independence occured, efforts quickly began to be associated with terrorist groups and religious extremism. Nationalists criticize Xinjiang for trying to divide China and disrupt the harmony of Chinese society. However, the harmonious portrayal of different ethnic groups existing in China together peacefully is a questionable picture. The truth is the domination of Han culture is approved and supported by the government. It is much too common that Chinese people don’t realize the vast superiority Han culture wields over every aspect of ancient and modern Chinese society as well as the fact that it is invading the culture of other ethnic groups who have existed in China for many eons. Uighurs living outside of Xinjiang are often rejected by landlords from renting housing, facing extra security checks in airports, and being criticized online for not adhering to Hanbased customs. For example, a prominent Uighur actress posted on the Chinese social
media website Weibo during the Spring Festival saying that even though she doesn’t celebrate it, seeing the festivities made her miss home. This led to mass criticism for her not seeming to follow the ways of Han people. Another method the Chinese government uses to monitor Uighur people and other Muslim minorities is sending civilian workers to villages to enter their homes. These state workers will stay with assigned families, teaching them government approved “culture” lessons and observe these family members’ loyalties to the country and report back to the Beijing government. Anything that seems suspicious is going to be noted and reported. Things that could be recorded include talking in Arabic or Turkish, praying or fasting, possessing a copy of the Quran in the home, and so on. From the looks of it, the extreme similarity between what is happening in these villages and those of the Chinese Cultural Revolution is frightening. Villagers are scheduled a routine every day, including singing patriotic songs, learning the vision of “New China,” attending flag-raising ceremonies and speaking only in Mandarin. Similarly, in the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong’s philosophy was heavily enforced by his Red Guards onto the Chinese population which included singing songs of his praise, memorizing his speeches, and pledging loyalty to Maoist thought. Although the era of Mao is long gone, its spirit lives on through similar practices designed to beat Uighur people into Han submission.
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Photo via yogin.sk.
Traditional Chinese Medicine By Tao Jiang
in the
United States
16 ASIAN OUTLOOK
In the winter of 2018, New Yorkers were hit hard by the flu. In a desperate attempt to stop cold symptoms, residents opted in taking Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). One TCM product called Pipa Tangjiang, a cough medicine, has swept the city by storm, as it has been publicized for its effectiveness by influencers such as Wall Street Journal. Pipa Tangjiang, which is sold for six dollars at Chinese pharmacies, has been sold for seventy dollars on sites like Amazon. In the past century, TCM was greatly replaced by Western medicine, but its influence is now on the rise as it has been reported that in 2016 “42 percent of people were surveyed to use herbal medicine.” Yet TCM does not come without faults. As many Chinese immigrants and groups such as the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are advocating for the advancement of TCM in the United States, mandating stricter medicinal labeling and increasing regulations for further research would not only be more beneficial for public health but also for its advancement. With a legacy of over two thousand years, TCM is one of the oldest methods of medical treatment. TCM is based on many stories, old science, and traditional thoughts and ideas. Chinese people believe in an inner energy called “chi,” the force of life. They also believe that when “chi” is disrupted, illnesses arise. Moreover, TCM encompasses a wide range of practices including but not limited to, acupuncture, cupping, tai chi, and herbal medicine. Focusing mainly on Chinese herbal medicine, it is the strategic combination of
“herbs, minerals and animal extracts which are taken in the form of teas, powders, pills, tinctures, or syrups.” Its many applications have popularized it in the United States. Due to its many benefits, the market for TCM in other countries has increased within the past several years. In the East, TCM plays a significant role in the healthcare system. For instance, the Chinese government has pushed for its growth by “signing 91 TCM agreements with over 70 countries and, in 2016, investments in TCM has reached US$770.5 million.” Similarly, in the West, the desirability of TCM has increased. In 2015, the U.S. spent approximately “$7.6 Billion [U.S.] on TCM products and in Europe approximately $2 Billion [U.S.].” 40% of American physical therapists have been recommending monthly acupuncture. There are approximately 10,000 Chinese clinics in the United States and the number is rising. Clearly, The rise of TCM is imminent in the West. Within the West, advocates of TCM adhere to the practice, arguing for its many benefits. During the Rio Olympics in 2016, Michael Phelps was seen with purple dots on his body from a Chinese practice known as cupping. Dr. Lauren Warner, a sports therapist from Fort Wayne, also supports cupping in sports, as it helps by “bringing up the tissue [and] getting rid of the lactic acid.” Another benefit is that TCM is cheap and accessible. A pack of cold and fever medicine called Gan Mao Qing Pian and a tube of antiinflammatory toothpaste known as Yunnam Bai Yao costs under five dollars in Chinese pharmacies in Chinatown, New York. In addition, sites such as eBay and Amazon carry these products in bulk for those not living within an Asian community. However, unfavorable health consequences of TCM certainly exist. Herbal-drug interactions, the interactions that occur when herbs are taken with the Western pharmaceutical drugs, are potentially harmful. These interactions may not all be negative, but when they are, they can be deadly. For example, a Chinese herbal formula containing the drug warfarin was used to treat prostate cancer, which resulted in severe bleeding for a 62-year-old man. Although some
herbal-drug interactions do pose some benefits, as in the case of garlic and aspirin, these benefits do not nullify the risks. Additionally, TCM is less effective or often ineffective in treating diseases or symptoms, despite claims stating otherwise. TCM lacks scientific evidence. Although there have been studies published in China that show TCM’s effectiveness, some, such as those analyzed by the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, have been deemed faulty. Researchers like Junwen Wang of the Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing deemed 54 of 805 TCM studies too simplistic. Although a relatively low ratio, it is important that reviews are without flaw to guarantee the safety of those who may use it. While there are a lack of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of TCM herbs, there are studies showing that TCM “works” due to the placebo effect, a fake treatment that is sometimes effective because patients expect it to be helpful. In other words, a placebo has a psychological effect as opposed to a physical one. Aijing Shang et al. analyzed TCM trials and Western medicine trials, finding that only ten out of the 136 trials excluded placebo effect to prove the effectiveness of TCM, further disproving TCM’s efficacy. TCM is often left unregulated in the United States market. Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes TCM as dietary supplements,which are classified as “safe unless proven otherwise,” TCM is not thoroughly checked. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) that was passed in 1994 has lessened the requirements manufacturers must get from the FDA. Due to this, the herbal medicines often contain tiny amounts of “allergens, toxic plants and heavy metals” that can cause severe health problems. Additionally, many of these products lack instructions for the dosage or the amount of each ingredient. With a lack of such critical information on the packaging of these TCM products, consumers do not have any solid instructions to rely on. Another issue with the lack of regulation is that product
Vol. XXXV, Issue 2 17
packaging often has mislabeled information on it. A Taiwanese man was reported to have experienced realgar poisoning after consuming an herbal medicine with a well-known toxin, arsenic sulphide, under the name of “Xiong Huang”. Within a couple of days after consumption, the man “. . .develop[ed] loss of appetite, dizziness, abdominal discomfort, and itching rash and skin scaling.” A solution to this is to change the labeling of TCM from a dietary supplement to a drug. In the U.S. , animal experiments are performed to achieve a better understanding for diseases while TCM uses the consumption of animals to treat illnesses. As a Chinese farmer states, while holding a bag of yellow bile from bears, “Some Westerners say [killing bears for TCM] is cruel - but I think the bears are contributing to mankind.” It is commonly believed that bear bile treats fevers, cleanses the liver and improves vision. The differences in animal treatment in medicine between the United States and China is due to varying cultural beliefs. TCM, however, is shrouded by the presence of a placebo, so it is unreasonable for the Chinese to use animals as medicine. The United States is more concerned about the well-being of the animals; therefore, views the killing of animals in TCM as unethical. With the contrasting perspective in animal welfare and the previous establishment that most of the TCM trials are consistently inaccurate due to the placebo effect, Americans view TCM as unreasonable to bestow detrimental pain upon living organisms to produce spurious medicine. In any case, regulations would allow for ethical treatment. There must be regulations placed on TCM, such as more precise research on substances and efficacy. New and continuing research should be supervised and checked for accuracy, especially in regions where research can be easily falsified or misconducted, as has been the case with China. Scientifically sound studies will give consumers proper information, helping push for its acceptance in the West. In addition, more research would lead to an optics shift from that of a dietary supplement to that of a bona fide drug, leading to stricter regulations. Strengthening the FDA involvement would also decrease the risk of products containing seriously harmful ingredients. The prescription of Chinese herbs should also keep healthy herbal-drug pairs together while avoiding those that are unsafe. China’s Ministry of Agriculture should take action and pass laws that regulate the distribution and use of pesticides on TCM herbs. This would decrease pesticide runoffs and pesticide exposure on TCM herbs. According to North Carolina State Agriculture Director Robinson, this could be easily achieved by having frequent inspections. Thus, these regulations would be able to sustain the growing market for TCM without sacrificing the environment. With the many ailments and increasing cost of conventional medicine, TCM seems to be a promising alternative. Yet with little research and regulation, TCM presents many safety concerns. In order to advance adequately, TCM must comply to scientific research and regulations regarding the environment and animal treatment. Now, this is not easily achievable since the Western and Eastern hemisphere have different values culturally and socially. As of now, unregulated TCM has detrimental effects of the health of users, involves the unethical treatment of animals , and has damaging effects on the ecosystem. However, with proper scientific funding and research, TCM could be accepted as a safe, and healthy alternative within the United States. This change would include giving proper labels to TCM from FDA oversight, increasing scientific research on the production of artificial animal compounds, and regulating pesticide distribution. If these solutions are enforced, TCM would be able to enhance the field of medicine and help improve the overall health in society. Only then would TCM be considered as a safe alternative to Western medicine for public use.
...the herbal medicines often contain tiny amounts of “allergens, toxic plants and heavy metals” that can cause severe health problems. Additionally, many of these products lack instructions for the dosage or the amount of each ingredient. With a lack of such critical information on the packaging of these products, consumers do not have any solid instructions to rely on.
18 ASIAN OUTLOOK
Photos via yogin.sk.
https://www.journalofchinesemedicine.com/ news/endangered/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/10730682 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-17188043 http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbalgram/issue86/article3527.html?ts=1540764121&signature=37222d3c661b9524f55525ec9aaf5594 https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2018/02/26/ a-cough-syrup-goes-a-different-kind-of-viral-its-stock-soars/
CONS CIENCE AO
Vol. XXXV, Issue 2 19
GRANDMA
할머니 20 ASIAN OUTLOOK
By Claire Choi
I hate my grandma. Whenever I go to visit All she brings up is, “Go to the top college, but pay the least amount of money.“ “Why the hell can’t you speak Korean. You’re Korean. Koreans should know Korean!—” I hate my grandma. As we sit at the dining table, the only sounds you can hear are the chewing and popping of our jaws no words can explain the lack of words there are We strain our necks not being able to communicate so to compensate for the empty conversations I begin to pick up the pace in my consumption my consumption of my 비빔빕 (bibimbap) is far ahead of my tongue, that tries to consume Korean my tongue that rejects every taste every syllable every intonation At the end of the day, I can’t digest my food nor my language I hate my grandma. So I fought back For 7 years perhaps Telling her that, —hey, you’re giving me indigestion Stop force-feeding me something that I had already detested— I hate my grandma. I went about my childhood with a slouched back. So she demands, “야, 어깨 피라고” (I told you to open up your shoulders) Well NO You are the reason for my stooped confidence If it wasn’t for you, I would be here smiling laughing trying to enjoy my existence as this by-product of cultural integration But because of you I’m having this identity crisis I hate my grandma. Keep me away from those straight A’s and no B’s Because I wanna Be who you don’t want me to Be. You see I see my future through a camera lens While you see it through a microscope This makes no sense— I hate my grandma I HATE YOU!! . .so much. Selfish for me to say, but one thing I don’t hate about my grandma is her food. Wait you know those leftover grains of rice on the bottom of the bowl Or that leftover 건데기 (gundaegi) at the bottom of the soup. . THAT’S MY KOREAN.
I left it behind but my grandma insists and urges me to finish She wants me to be full on everything that I have been given And worries that I am still hungry and tells me to keep eating… and when I do finish all my food until the bowl is wiped clean My grandma is proud of me tells me good job, and feels much more than just satisfactory She feels that her work is done To provide me with PLENTY, something she did not have growing up. Education was something out of her control She couldn’t cross that bridge unless she paid the toll So in the end school was just too far away and out of reach Had to stop at the 5th grade all so suddenly— since then, she has longed for her education every single bit. Oh shit Even her native tongue was something she had to quit. she wasn’t allowed to speak Korean even though Korea was the country she lived in she wasn’t allowed to speak Korean she couldn’t speak Korean she couldn’t speak Korean Korean was forbidden. you see This is the divide We do not see eye to eye or coincide with each other This is the generation gap. We are lost in translation Both through English and Korean And those messages in her words which are hidden. “공부 열심히 해” or “Study hard” translates to, “I wish the best for you, and I want you to lead a bright future.” “한국말 좀 해” or “Speak some Korean” translates to, “I want to become closer to you and share more conversations together.” What I thought to be nagging turned out to be caring. My grandma wants me to learn Korean so I can talk with her. As simple as that. My grandma tells me that education transforms you from a being that is human to a human being. My grandma says I am not American-Korean, I am Korean-American. If I take the first syllable of the name that I call you, it is GRAND and 할. GRAND: you are grand and you have conquered it all. 할, 할 수: “할머니, 할머니 다 할 수 있어요.” (Halmuni, you can do everything.) I love you grandma. I commend you for everything that you have gone through And I thank you, for everything that you have gone through for yourself, and for me.
Vol. XXXV, Issue 2 21
This poster was created at the workshop, hosted by Binghamton University’s Arts Department, with visiting graphic designer Saki Mafundikwa. In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, Saki asked us to create a poster base on one of the articles from the document. He emphasized that our posters can be in support of or against UN’s articles, since many years have passed and some of them might be archaic. I decided to challenge the idea of family of Article 16. The way it was written indicates that a “natural” family is consisted of primarily a man, a woman and maybe their offsprings. This article’s connotation reminds me of “Shoplifters,” a movie by an acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda which won the highest prize awarded at 2018 Cannes Film Festival. The film director, by questioning “what makes a family,” tells the story of societal outcasts united by love and fierce loyalty - not blood ties - to survive on shoplifting and provide care for a homeless and abused little girl. The contemporary issue of same-sex marriage also disputes this definition of a “natural” family. Another current issue questions whether same sex marriage also produces a “natural” family. These are challenging questions remain undefined by Article 16, that’s why I made this family photo with their identities unknown. The Chinese characters on the top and bottom translate to natural family.
Poster By Haoran Zhi
Article 16: Right to marriage and family (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution. (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses. (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
22 ASIAN OUTLOOK
Fool's Gold By Ghost
He cares about practice You care about perfection But perfection Is a fool’s gold You want grace in communication Truthfulness in conversation Acceptance in exploration Submission to domination Giving love and sex as a package deal To a man without a return policy To a man who keeps you around Because your smile reminds him of someone else To a man who cares about practice While you care about perfection But perfection Is a fool’s gold Because the person who cares less Has more power Photo via forgecreative.co.
Vol. XXXV, Issue 2 23
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