Asian Outlook | Spring 2019 Issue #2 by Asian Outlook

ASIAN OUTLOOK May 2019 Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2

•The Land Where Women Rule •Old Friends, New Ties: Kim Goes North •Eastern Western Gender Culture •Made in China: Formal Institutions

Volume XXXVI, Issue 2

contents ASIAN OUTLOOK 2

ASIAN OUTLOOK

opinions 12 | Bai-San: Ancestral Worship | Emma Shen 14 | Box of Mysteries | Alison Wang

Front cover photo by Jessie Yang (conscience editor).

letter from the editor... Dear Readers, Thank you. Please indulge me as I briefly expound about my life experiences thus far… Not only was I one of the few Asian students in my High School, I was the only Asian in my household. Luckily, my family introduced me to Tae Kwon Do at a very young age so as to provide me with some semblance of connection to my heritage. Yet my time as an Asian American adoptee, a Korean in an Italian family, still left an unmistakable gap between my family and my DNA. As I round out my sophomore year, scarcely avoiding a mid-college crisis and significantly altering my major and projected career path, I also find myself taking emotional and philosophical inventory of my 19 years thus far. Few thoughts bring me to tears, yet my time within the Binghamton AAPI community has forced me to carefully consider the meaning of family. Now, the thought of my roots, my friends, my family, both actual and biological, enters the upper echelons of my mental list categorizing that which may bring me to tears. I believe you will be able to read more about my experience two years from now in XXXX-2, when I will likely be revisiting this topic in the form of an article with the emotional perspective of a departing senior. A few days ago, Richard Tang, Vice President of the Society of Asian Scientists Engineers (SASE), commented on the cyclical nature of opinions. SASE’s executive board a few years ago held opinions diametrically opposed to those held by current executive board. Perhaps the world works in similar fashion. Similar to my experience pondering heritage, much can be learned by examining the present through the lense of the past. You can find that theme throughout this issue of Asian Outlook. “Box of Mysteries,” “Bai-San” and “Eatern Western Gender Culture” connect us to the bloodlines of our past. “Well” performs a deep introspection of past personal experiences. “Ink Render of ‘Meguro Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill’” is a modern update and recontextualization of a Japanese classic. Dayne Feehan and Eun Woo Kim juxtapose, not only past and present, but fiction and reality blending current events with historical fiction. So, as I personally prepare to officially depart from Asian Outlook, I look forward to the bright future AO’s eboard is about to usher in. Thank you, thank you, and thank you to the best team in the business. I know for a fact that everyone in AO has grown tremendously in various capacities; I can only hope that some of that may be attributed to your experience here. Osu.

In Solidarity, Michael Messina President / Editor-in-Chief

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2019 Editor-in-Chief Vice President Conscience Editor Secretary Treasurer Copy Editors

layout editors

Event Coordinator Videographer Publicity Chair Interns

Michael Messina Camille Guo Jessie Yang Rina Weng Brandon Ng Dayne Feehan Michelle Tan Kylie Wen Emily Lin Michelle Pao Lily Tang Isabella Weiner Mengshu Ye Thomas Hur Claire Choi Tao Jiang Sherry Dang Emma Shen

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter 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 submissions. All submissions may be submitted as e-mail attachments 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. XXXVI, Issue 2 3

the land where women rule. By Kylie Wen

IVING IN A LUSH VALLEY KNOWN COMMONLY AS ‘THE LAND WHERE WOMAN RULE’ LOCATED IN THE HILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS BY LUGU LAKE, THE MOSUO PEOPLE HAVE UNIQUE SEXUAL PERSPECTIVES COMPARED TO OTHER CULTURES: THEY ARE ONE OF THE ONLY EXISTING MATRIARCHIES IN THE WORLD. In Judith Stacey’s article, ‘Unhitching the Horse: From the Carriage: Love and Marriage Among the Mosuo,’ Stacey visited the Mosuo people and conducted an observational study learning about them and their unique culture. She observed that the Mosuos separate sexuality and romance from domesticity, parenting, caretaking, and socioeconomic ties. Sex life is solely voluntary and nocturnal. Starting at the young age of thirteen, girls will undergo a “flower ceremony” where she will receive a sleeping room of her own and can accept or reject visits from any men that may come at night. Mosuo men practice tisease which means that the man “goes back and forth;” they live, eat and work with their maternal families but at night, they can seek entry into the flower chambers of any women they want and these visits can either establish one’s relationship or entail no obligations between the two parties which means that men bear more of the pressure to achieve sexual and romantic relationships. In this matriarchy, women enjoy more equality and autonomy. They don’t suffer from the pressures and double standards regarding their sexual and procreative lives that women in other cultures experience. For example, these women are not pressured to marry, have sex and give birth to a male heir (although for socioeconomic reasons, it is preferred that each generation gives birth to at least one daughter but no woman is compelled to procreate nor is she individually responsible to care for her children).

“...Mosuos

separate

sexuality & romance from domesticity, parenting, caretaking, & socioeconomic ties.” Photographed by Luo Yang.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

“

Sex life is solely voluntary... starting at the young age of thirteen, girls will undergo a ‘flower ceremony’ where she will receive a sleeping room of her own and can accept or reject visits from any men that may come at night.

”

Photographed by Luo Yang.

Musuo culture does not promote the idea of female chastity, nor does it judge women for their sexuality and compare it to that of men. Both genders equally learn traditional courting songs and are encouraged to desire, pursue, enjoy sex and fulfill their sexual desires. The culture further promotes freedom for women because it is not expected that women are individually and solely responsible to take care of their children. Lactating sisters share the responsibility of breastfeeding as well as other childbearing tasks. Interestingly, Musuo people stray away from the restrictive reproductive laws and ideologies that existed during the Confucian and Chinese Communist times and were able to practice a large degree of sexual freedom. It is an anomaly that the Musuo people practice a different set of values compared to their Chinese counterparts; however, the ideology of women having more sexual freedom and power in a society should be adopted, not only to other regions of Asia, but to parts of the Western world as well. Broadly. (2016, February 25). The Land Where Women Rule: Inside China’s Last Matriarchy. [Youtube Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_l9D7tEixc&t=428s Stacey, J. (2009). Unhitching the Horse From the Carriage: Love and Marriage Among the Mosuo. Journal of Law and Family Studies, 11(2), 239-272.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 5

OLD FRIENDS, NEW TIES: KIM GOES NORTH

By Dayne Feehan and Eun Woo Kim

ITH THE UN-HISTORIC HANOI SUMMIT BETWEEN THE U.S. AND DPRK SHOWING NO RESULTS AND A WHOLLY INEFFECTIVE MEETING BETWEEN TRUMP AND SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN ON APRIL 11TH, PROGRESS ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA HAS SEEMINGLY ALL BUT FROZEN OVER. However, Kim has another world power to turn to: Russia. This past week, Kim met with Putin in Vladivostok. It has been eight years since a meeting between these two countries have occurred, and this was the first between Putin and Kim. As previously mentioned, this summit marked the first meeting between Kim and Putin, but it is certainly not the first time the two countries have come together. After WWII, Northern Korea fell under the USSR’s sphere of influence, while the Southern half became subject to oversight by the United States. The USSR was the body that

decided Kim Il Sung, who would come to be the Eternal President of the DPRK, would be the first person to take the role as the effective head of the government. The following article is written as a historical fiction primary document, depicting a representative of the USSR government urging the U.S. to take actions to prevent the breakout of the Korean War, which ravaged the peninsula from 1950 to 1953. Perhaps if this author had once truly held this position, then history would have turned out differently. Keep in mind as you read that someday it could be you, writing memo after memo to your superior, that could make all the difference. It is easy to boil state interaction to “the” United States or “the” DPRK, but when it comes time to get things done it generally comes down to a few men in a conference room. And so, it is in this way that just a few people in the right positions at the right time can make big things happen.

Photo from The Straits Times. Jeffry A. Frieden. 2006. “Global Capitalism”. New York, NY: W.W. Norton. Berger, Morroe. “How the Molotov Plan Works.” The Antioch Review, vol. 8, no. 1, 1948, pp. 17–25. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4609251. Lankov, Andrei. “The Real North Korea”. Oxford University Press, 2015. “Soviet Atomic Program - 1946.” Atomic Heritage Foundation, 5 June 2014, www.atomicheritage.org/history/soviet-atomic-program-1946. Oberdorfer, Don. The Two Koreas. 3rd ed. , New York, 2002.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Policy Memo

DATE: 25 MARCH 1950 TO: SECRETARY OF THE STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAN G. ACHESON FROM: MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE SOVIET UNION, VYACHESLAV MOLOTOV SUBJECT: NORTH KOREA’S ANTICIPATED AGGRESSION IN THE KOREAN PENINSULA

IM IL-SUNG’S FREQUENT VISITS TO MOSCOW RECENTLY INDICATED HIS EAGERNESS TO ‘LIBERATE’ THE KOREAN PENINSULA THROUGH VIOLENT MEANS. Stalin rejected the last two of Kim’s proposals for invasion; yet, he is deeply considering the approval of Kim’s latest petition. The reason why Stalin is willing to give in is unclear, but a few things are certain: recently, we have successfully tested our nuclear arsenal (RDS1), and in your speech two months ago, South Korea was excluded from the U.S. defensive perimeter. Such exclusion gave enough incentives in Moscow to give permission because it seemed like the West wasn’t as interested in the Korean Peninsula as we had worried. Yet, here are my reasons why the U.S. should include South Korea into its defensive perimeter, and thereby prevent military offensives in the Korean Peninsula: 1) it is for the best interests of both the U.S. and the USSR to focus more on reparations at home and in the Western/Eastern Europe, 2) the Great War was extremely costly and any potential conflicts will be inefficient and disastrous, and lastly, 3) the USSR now possesses a nuclear arsenal and further worsening of diplomatic relations between these two superpowers will pose a huge threat to international peace. In the aftermath of the Great War, both the U.S. and the USSR had promoted their own plans for the reparation of the damaged economy as well as reconstructing a devastated Europe. The Marshall and the Morgenthau Plan in the West, and COMECON and the Molotov Plan in the East are such examples. This shadows our common goal, which is to recover from our own war casualties as soon and efficiently as possible. Moreover, the U.S. has its own national issues, such as emerging questions regarding what to do with veterans coming back home and rising civil movements. The Soviet Union, too, has its own problems because, among the war nations, our war casualties are considered one of the most devastating. Therefore, it is for our best interests to focus on reparations at home and Europe; concerns regarding East Asia, specifically the Korean Peninsula, can be dealt with later as long as the U.S. includes South Korea into its defensive perimeter. Kim had induced Stalin to believe that he can end the war

in only three days. If Stalin approves and the war breaks out, South Korea will be taken over swiftly and any American citizens and soldiers who are currently there will inevitably get involved. Also, since the West is primarily concerned with the Soviet Union’s expansionism, U.S. intervention in the Korean Peninsula is very much anticipated. For Stalin, the U.S. intervention will be thought of like a challenge and will thus further aid North Korea. Even China, since it shares its border with North Korea and has a decent political relationship with Kim, will feel threatened about the involvement of the West and willingly devote itself to the conflict. Another clash of superpowers through violent means will, at the toll of astronomical Photo from The Telegraph. costs, only manifest disastrous outcomes. On the 29th of last August, the Soviet Union had successfully tested their first nuclear arsenal, RDS-1 (otherwise known as “the First Lightning”).4 Even though the U.S. had a monopoly on nuclear arsenals until recently, that is not the case anymore. As the weapon’s destructive capacity was fully tested on Imperial Japan at the verge of the war, any sparks of conflicts that might lead to another Great War should be avoided at any cost. Kim’s invasion to liberate the Korean Peninsula might pull the trigger for another Great War, except that it involves nuclear weapons this time. Cooperation to prevent potential conflicts is necessary more than ever in the Korean Peninsula. Considering all the aforementioned benefits and costs, it is indeed for the best interests of both countries to include South Korea into the U.S. defensive perimeter. Even though those interests may be dichotomous, there is an equilibrium in which the hostile diplomatic relationship may be alleviated or at best, prevented. If the Korean War breaks out, our intervention to aid each side of the peninsula seems inevitable. Only if South Korea is included in the defensive perimeter, Stalin will reconsider Kim’s invasion. In the past, right after Korea’s independence from Japan, the Soviet Union had a chance to take over the whole Korean Peninsula. Yet, the reason why that had not happened was that we respected agreements previously made with the U.S. Therefore, I kindly urge you to include South Korea into the U.S. defensive perimeter as soon as possible.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 7

Images from 51yuansu.

ONCE ASKED MY MOM WHY OUR BUDDHA STATUE WORE A DRESS. Her reply was simple. It wasn’t a dress. She’s right, of course. Buddhist robes are significantly different from dresses, but when you’re six years old, it doesn’t seem like they are. If something had a shared hole for your legs to come out of, it was either a skirt or dress. Simple. Growing up, clothes were simple. If it’s for a girl, it’s pink. If it’s for a boy, it’s blue. Pair of pants? For my brother. Skirt? I had to wear it. And yet, within my own house, there were so many paintings of old, bearded men in dresses, so many little Buddhas in dresses. I didn’t really get it; why didn’t my brother, (then nine years old,) have a beard and dress too? I could understand even back then that it was because we lived in America. But if we lived in America and had to dress a certain way because of

ASIAN OUTLOOK

that, then how come almost none of our relatives in Vietnam or Cambodia or China dressed in their own clothes? It would be simple to say that those are just reserved for special occasions or holidays, that those are just our traditional and cultural clothes. But it’s not that simple and it’s not just that. It’s not just because we live in a Western country; it’s because the world has been Westernized. With such a long, complex history and such a large amount of land that encompasses various ethnic minorities, each with their own traditions and customs, it would be inaccurate to say that all of China has a singular set of traditional clothing. However, by limiting the pool to clothing that has been recorded for almost three millennia, we get to the hanfu, literally translating to “Han (Chinese) clothing.” There are several different garments that go into creating a complete traditional hanfu attire,

Eastern Western

Gender Culture By Michelle Tan including both skirts (裳, chang) and pants (褲, ku) for women and men. They didn’t necessarily wear both at the same time, but going off of paintings from various dynasties, it wasn’t uncommon to do so, especially considering more layers meant more warmth during the wintertime. Men also wore the shenyi (深衣), a full body garment that, in the simplest and poorest phrasing, is a dress that sometimes also has an extra skirt worn on top. Across Asia, as the West began to colonize and westernize the East, the hanfu and other traditional, “feminine” clothes disappeared out of everyday wear and were replaced by Western suits and dresses. The flowing fabric that had been worn ubiquitously by both men and women (and those in between or otherwise) was now deemed fit only for women. It’s not all terrible though. Yes, our traditional clothes are only worn for special occasions now. But that rarity, like a warm day in Binghamton, really does make it all the more special.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 9

Made in China: Formal Institutions

By Tao Jiang

HINA IS LOOKING TO CATCH UP WITH RIVALS LIKE THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY IN HIGH-END TECHNOLOGY, MAKING A MAJOR PUSH WITH A “MADE IN CHINA 2025” STRATEGY THAT IDENTIFIES 10 KEY SECTORS, INCLUDING ROBOTICS, AEROSPACE AND CLEANENERGY CARS. President Xi Jinping is the reason why there is such an intense and aggressive trade relationship between China and the United States. Washington is apprehensive that Chinese companies backed up by the stated would take over the United States’ tech titans. There are various formal institutions in the “Made in China 2025” strategy. The definition of a “formal institution” is represented by laws, rules, and regulations. One example of a formal institution is the Communist party in China. The Communist Party in China is an example of a formal institution because the government in China sets economic growth goals and controls their investments in different industries. The Communist party sets the rules of the game on how the country is governed. The government led by Xi Jinping wants to tighten the Communist Party’s control over the economy, which could result in a future trade war. They have the power to control what is imported and exported. To make the Made in China movement possible, the government is choosing to reduce imports of foreign goods so that most of the goods are completely made in China. President Trump has plans to take action to prevent this movement from happening because it would most likely impact foreign economies such as the United States.

Image by Wu Yi on Unsplash.

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Another example of a formal institution is the United States planning to “impose 25% tariffs” on goods from China. The country has the ability to do so because of its enforceable laws when it comes to trading internationally. The regulatory pillar, which deals with norms, cultures, and ethics, also makes this possible since it gives each government the power to impose their own set of laws. There are governmental officials whose job is to implement and communicate regulations like this to the public. Even though the Communist government in China differs from the Democracy found in the US, both are examples of formal institutions governed by strict laws. This tip-toeing on the line leading to a trade war is a very dangerous activity for both countries to continue towards since both would suffer greatly without the support of the other. The third formal institution is encompassed by the laws and regulations China has put in place in order to subsidize their technology manufacturers. One example is the large number of subsidies that China provides to its electric vehicle manufacturers. Foreign governments argue that China is unfairly rigging the market with these subsidies because they are using them to protect their manufacturers and give them the means to acquire their foreign competition. These companies are receiving aid simply for being Chinese manufacturers, rather than subsidizing in order to promote buying electric cars to protect the environment. These subsidies allow China to target specific markets for growth in order to better prepare for China’s future as they aim to be almost self-sufficient relying on their own companies rather than having to import foreign goods. These formal institutions are the main pillars that are damaging the trade relationship between China and the United States. In order to foster a better relationship and Image by Yu Kato on Unsplash. continue trade, both countries need to negotiate effectively. The only way to peace is through diplomatic relationships, not aggressive trade tactics.

“The only way to peace is through diplomatic relationships, not aggressive trade tactics.” Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 11

Bai-San: Ancestral Worship

By Emma Shen

HIS PAST MONTH WAS CEMETERY SEASON FOR MANY ASIANS, SPECIFICALLY CHINESE HOUSEHOLDS. It’s informally called Bai-san (“worship mountains” in Cantonese), also known as ancestor veneration during the springtime. The time of the month when we have the opportunity to visit our ancestors and follow the strong rooted rituals full of customs and tradition to communicate with the dead. The official name of the holiday in China is Qingming Festival which translates to Tomb Sweeping Day or Pure Brightness. All family members and extended family come together to celebrate the passing of loved ones. As you prepare the ceremony with a whole plain boiled chicken, siu yuk (crispy pork belly), fresh oranges, incense, paper money, paper houses, paper clothes, and several other items that brought sentiment of and is meaningful to the person. We pray inside our heads as we bow and shake the burnt incense facing the headstone and think of good thoughts. I’ve always been fascinated by the death rituals of the Chinese. It’s like we are part Egyptian, or part ancient Mesopotamian giving offerings to the afterlife. I am proud of the long held traditions and beliefs of my culture. From the funeral ceremony to the yearly visits to the grave and even praying at the shrine at home. The culture flourishes and shows that the Chinese stay close to their roots. Strong traditional familial values, beliefs, and respecting of the elderlies are deeply ingrained in Confucianism and filial piety. First is the special funeral ceremony for the passing of a loved one. In Chinatown or even on the highway, the unique experience of witnessing a whole line of black cars pass one by one, fully in unison and personally escorted together, gives a sense of unity and strength. A large colorful bed of arranged florals placed with the family’s name next to the casket car is eye-catching and brings beauty to the ceremony. It’s meaningful as you see the picture of the person’s face and remember who the ceremony is all for. That’s why funeral homes have also been notable in my mind. I’m the type of person to do what I’m not supposed to do, out of pure curiosity - willing to face the consequences to unveil the unknown. As such, not being allowed to go to BaiSan when I was little intrigued me. That little kid left in the car felt an even greater admiration for the customs and traditions from which she was excluded. I remember when I was little, my cousins and I would drive upstate where my grandfather’s grave is. I would sit still in the car as the grown-ups would go outside to participate in all the rituals led by my grandmother (pau-pau) - I couldn’t wait for Image from @natchyshw on Unsplash. the day that I could join in and

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take part in the ceremony. In high school, whenever my mom’s side of the family would go to Bai-San I would eagerly agree and want to participate. I was able to go in my second year of college because of how spring break aligned with Qingming Jie (Chinese tomb-sweeping holiday). I get excited every time I have the opportunity to go. The nice hour drive up to the peaceful and beautiful nature filled memorial, high up on mountainesque greenery. Higher and higher we drive up the curvy road to finally reach the nicely kept grave in our section. It especially feels welcoming when we see other families there at the same time. We are blessed to be apart of the Yenping Association, which is a village my grandfather (goong-goong) is from (close to Toisan). The closeness of the village is filled all around as you see common last names Fung, Ng, Yu etc. One year when I went, I remember there were many firecrackers being blown loud and endless under windy conditions. The wakening of the dead was loud and proud that day: a sight to remember. The tradition still amazes me. The burning of paper objects in a cylinder metal pot atop rocks picked from the side of grass. My Pau-pau cleans the tombstone as all aunts and uncles help set up. They follow silently as my pau-pau is focused and has her particular ways in setting up everything. We place a giant newspaper in front of the grave and place rocks on the corner to prevent anything from flying away. Three small red wine cups are placed. After Bai-San the family eats together. We either eat somewhere by the cemetery if we are really hungry, snacking on the drive back or drive home to a place where everyone can eat together such as my pau-pau’s house. At my pau-pau’s home the shrine is set up nice and clean. The red cups and chopsticks are aligned in front Image by James L. Walpole on Unsplash. of the red ancestral tablets and incense burn. I remember my goong-goong’s photo hanging on the wall. http://www.religionfacts.com/ The root of all these practices is cultural and religious beliefs. The Chinese have chinese-religion/venerationancestors a strong belief in Confucianism and Taoism. In many households, may it be your grandparents’ home, the Chinese supermarket, or any place of business, you may https://www.ancient.eu/article/1132/ ancestor-worship-in-ancient-china/ recognize a red altar/shrine with fruits, signs in Chinese caricature, burnt incense, https://www.dignitymemorial. and statues of gods. One article mentions the division of Christianity and the com/support-friends-and-family/ qingming-festival continuation of this practice. Because when you are visiting your ancestors you are worshipping them as if they are a God which conflicts with Western ideals of https://www.washingtonpost.com/ news/post-nation/wp/2018/04/06/ Christianity. However, I believe that it’s not just a religious ceremony, it’s a way culture-clash-asian-americansthat Chinese people are able to express and celebrate memories of passed loved balance-christianity-and-culturein-rituals-honoring-theirones and has many cultural meanings and significance. So it is respectful if you visit the cemetery and choose not to participate in the ceremony, but there’s so ancestors/?noredirect=on&utm_ term=.cc6a0f28a138 much beauty in maintaining your culture despite converting to another religion. http://www.chinesefamilyhistory. I think it’s really important to be able to hold on to your roots. My grandparents org/ancestral-village-research.html https://www.nationsonline.org/ moved from China to Hong Kong at a young age so family and culture was all oneworld/Chinese_Customs/ they knew to keep. And to come to America to restart their lives and start from taoism_ancestor_worship.htm the bottom, culture and family which are core values and familiarity was what https://ancientcivilizationsapwh. brought them joy. The practice includes food. Chinese people show their love and weebly.com/ancestor-veneration. html hold on to their culture through food. A family meal is significant to family unity. https://www.karliewu.co.uk/Bai-San

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 13

of MYSTERIES

By Alison Wang

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E WERE CLEANING OUT THE HOUSE AND SINCE WE BOUGHT A NEW ONE, WE HAD TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THINGS. Room after room, crevice after crevice, we sorted everything until we came across a box tucked away in a closet, isolated in its own corner. I’ve seen the box before, but I never wondered what was inside. I yelled out to my sister to come and look at it with me. It was a whole box filled with handwritten letters and pictures that my mom had accumulated since coming to the states. We flipped through everything in awe. The letters were sent by her close friends back in Shanghai, China. The papers were so thin, fragile, and the Chinese characters were finely written. It was fascinating seeing all these letters, and a sobering reminder of the art that has been lost to technology. Until, I flipped through the whole box and at the very bottom, I found a packet of questions. I skimmed through it and some words were translated, but the rest was in English. It was a sample questionnaire for the naturalization process of becoming a U.S. Citizen. It was my grandpa’s. I didn’t know how to feel. How did he feel? For someone who had no education, as his family was very poor, he had to get the grind on and muster his courage to start a new life and come to the states; for his family, for the future, for us. Questions like, “When did you become a permanent resident?” and “When did your wife come to the United States?” struck me. It was typed July 6, 1983 and July 28, 1984 respectively. Just a week before coming back to school, I had found this, yet didn’t get the chance to question my grandpa about this. This was a perfect opportunity to dig deeper into this and get a statement from him. This all made me think of what life would be like without having my grandparents make the first move of coming to the states and how life would be if I were in China. I have always had a close-knit relationship with my grandparents and my family in general. I am very family oriented, and this only brought us closer. My grandparents felt desolate, leaving everything behind and not being able to bring anything back to the states, but the memories, a few pictures and some valuable items. They weren’t privileged enough to do all of this. They gave up everything to come to the states to build a better life for my mom and my aunt. My grandparents and I would always have a few exchanges when I teach them how to say a certain English word when they’re curious. Just the other day, I was on facetime with them for Chinese New Year and prior to ending the call, I said “I love you.” They said it back and I had the biggest smile on my face. It was so touching, and it made me miss home even more.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 15

Images by Daniel Hjalmarsson (right) and Ian Dooley (top).

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conscience

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 17

Artwork by incoming freshman, Anita Liu.

To Be Asian American 18 ASIAN OUTLOOK

Ink Render of Utagawa Hiroshige’s “Meguro Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill” By Michelle Pao

This piece is my render of Utagawa Hiroshige’s “Meguro Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill, No. 111 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo”, done for my Drawing 1 class. I chose this particular print because it reminded me of my daily trudge back to Mountainview. The original was a woodblock print, a technique widely used throughout East

Asia. In my copy, I used watercolor and ink. The amount of detail in this print is tremendous- it was a painstaking process to capture the fade of black to blue and the etchings that represented tree branches. Nevertheless, it was a great work to study. Feel free to compare the differences between the original and copy!

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 19

drift By Cindy Wong

Pick an eyelash from the page and call it magic Ah, fate it must be for the meager. But us, joined by our black-brown hair and the shallow -breathed need to be enough, nothing short of perfection. Were we fated to be broken birds? Clawing for wind to carry out unsung hymn

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Urban Light Trails by Verne Ho on Unsplash.

Huddle wingtip-to-wingtip in the nest, or Leap out into the murky unkown, alone? Complacence is certain death. But so is the intention to abandon what you came from. When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve glimpsed the taxi cab leather, come back Please. For fate has not launched you to the city, But lured with a seething pink poison, the promise Of enough. Land, to the view of remains. Bones cannot extend further than they already exist. Fanned towards the stars in skeletal fashion, A hand, shriveled and empty, reaching out.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 21

yellowness By Wyman Huang

my Popo is like a bruised banana brown speckles from aging and prolonged sun exposure my mother’s skin is painted gold she’s shimmering in the rice plantation as the sun roasts her back

tw or

itt ed

i have a daffodil colored complexion it’s a privilege in this country and I bathe in the sun

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L E W L

By Arianna Ravago

It’s kind of obvious that I’m losing my mind because now I’m constantly thinking ahead, and not being here.

I look back and see myself having sex then bursting into tears because I have to go back to college the next day, totally missing the point of having sex. Somehow I can say that I love my school and still dread every time I must go back. I dread going back to doing so much work to get a degree and a career that will make my parents proud enough to feel I was worth it.

I know all this isn’t for me; every time I reflect on what I’m working for, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s not something I care about in the slightest. I know what I want in life, and what things I’m passionate about, and engineering doesn’t cut it. I cannot look myself in the eyes and say that this is for me.

Images from Pinterest.

Vol. XXXVI, Issue 2 23

Looking for... • Contributing writers and artists • Copy Editors • Layout Designers • Publicity Chairs • Videographers • Audiographers

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Send a letter of intent to ao.editor@gmail.com