Differences Of Chinese And Western Culture
An interview with Li Lin, author of the book "Blond hair blue eyes looking at China"
"One afternoon in July, the hottest day at 38 degrees centigrade this summer, I came to a villa on Xinhua Road in Shanghai, a historic architecture built in the 1930s, with a plate that records the achievements of the designer.
Catarina Lilliehook, her Chinese Li Lin, a Swedish writer and author of the book "Blond hair blue eyes looking at China”, lives in it. With a fountain in the front hall and tall trees in the back garden, it was not sultry in the room. Although outside temperatures reached 38 degrees centigrade, yet air conditioners were not turned on in the room. Lilliehook said it was not hot inside and using air-conditioners was not favourable to environmental protection.
She describes the big differences of Chinese and Western culture in the book by means of her three years of experiences in China. The book has aroused the interest of both Chinese and foreigners.
In early 2000, she came to China Languages University for study. Her Chinese was very poor. Because the school had too many foreigners, she found it unfavourable to her studies and decided to transfer to Beijing Normal University.
Lilliehook graduated from Stockholm University, majored in international politics and used to be a journalist, editor, a health-care coach, a freelancer and a chief editor. She has toured the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and many Southeast Asian countries. In China, she has visited more than 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions. Her special experiences have provided abundant materials for her writing.
Heroes in her book are mostly common people, including teachers, students, workers, farmers, barbers, cobblers, old men and women, and children. She describes their kindness, honesty and sincere friendship. But sometimes, she felt embarrassed when asked some awkward questions, such as her marriage and income.
Workers in the canteen would always ask her age and tourists hoped to take a picture with her. All this shows the differences of Chinese and Westerners in the way of culture and customs. Her book aims to help Chinese know more about how foreigners think, let foreigners know more about China and vice versa.
Chinese
As the book was published she has become known to China and has been interviewed by more than 40 Chinese and foreign media. A publishing house in Sweden has contacted with her, asking her to write a book in Swedish with the aim to let more Swedish know about China.
For the task, she has given up her job and stays home to write. The book is expected to be published next year. "I am confident that China has become a focus of Western media," she said. "More foreigners want to know this oriental country that has such a fast economic development. I am proud to be a messenger of Oriental and Western culture."