SimpleBusiness.org

When a Singaporean use the term "chin-na" to describe chinese-like, it usually has a demeaning connotation.

Consider style, the javanese, balinese, thai style are hip, stylish and in while the chin-na style stood out as being "obiang" - meaning untrendy or downright lack of taste. Dare a Singaporean to deco his home chin-na style, he might rather be homeless.

Style aside, the term encompass more just "look" but also "feel" - the behaviour, way of doing things.

Strangely, despite being chinese by race, most Singaporean chinese are quick to distance themselves from the mainland chinese. Admittedly I belonged to this camp, especially during the school days.

Now, more then a year now since I first set foot and stayed in China, I think otherwise.

Agast! I am getting more and more like a China man. I suspect friends will soon start commenting on my chin-na hair style, chin-na clothes, china-na speech, chin-na behaviours…

I had grew sympathetic, or even to appreciate the chin-na way. Underneath the unrefined behaviourism is a civilisation proud of its thousand years heritage. Still, to the "cilivised" foreigners, many of the Chinese behaviours are just that, uncilivised.

With the rapid growth and the eagerness to enter this country, the chinese might just get away with it. Horrors of horrors, the danger lies herewith. Simply by its vastness and populousness, China is assimilating foreigners before the foreigners can impress on theirs. "Thank you very much foreigners, we will just take what’s beneficial and do it the Chinese way."

It is like swimming against a torrent. Me? I’m keeping afloat. I selectively be chin-na while holding back the undesiables influences. I believe after the torrent is the sea of tranquility. China is a jade being craved and polished. Before the brilliance can shine through, the rough and the undesiable had to be smoothen and chipped away.