Questions and Answers

Question: You have lived in a number of different countries across the globe. Which country/city do you think is the best?

Answer: It all depends on which criterion you use. If the climate is high on your scale, Australia, especially the city of Sydney, is probably the best. I remember we would go barbecuing almost every weekend in very nice weather conditions. There are blue skies most of times, with very clean air especially in suburbs. If you want to live in a country where the people are friendly and nice, Sweden is probably the best country. Everyone I met there was soft spoken and well mannered. They are so nice they would litereally hold the elevator door for you no matter how long they have to wait, which is not common in other countries. If you want to live in a place comfortably when you get retired and not to worry about anything, Vancouver is probably the best place to be. It is a beautiful city with lots and lots of trees and green spaces/parks where you can relax, plus plentiful social welfare programs for the elderly. If jyou want to live in a place where you can have dreams and you can very likely realize your dreams, New York City is definitely the best place to go to. It is a beautiful city, of couse. But the opportunities it offers to people, especiall young people, are many and in every possible way, which can only be rivaled by Shanghai or Beijin in China nowadays. Finally, it goes without saying that I love China as my birth country. I love China for another good reason -- its rich culture, long history, and delicious food is unparalleled in the world.

Question: You were born and raised in the Chinese culture, but you have lived in the West for many decades. You are now teaching American students. How do you explain to them the different outlooks and values of Easterners and Westerners, based on your observation?

Answer: To answer this question, I'd like to copy and paste one passage from my book "Random Thoughts in Philosophy", which I think perfectly fits in here.

If you are a student taking a philosophy course in a Western country such as the United States, it is possible that your professor talks about Western philosophy most of the times and only spends a little time, if any, introducing Eastern philosophy. Such a western approach is understandable because you are living in the West after all. But you should never assume that philosophy has only existed in the West. Eastern philosophy is just as profound, if not more, as Western philosophy. They are similar in some ways and different in others.

Their similarities lie in one major aspect. Both deal with the most fundamental question of what it means to be a human being. After all, the purpose of philosophy everywhere is to discover meanings in our lives, whether you live in the East or West. Take Confucius and Aristotle for example. Although the former was born in Ancient China and the latter in Ancient Greece, both of them believed that virtue was the highest goal a person could achieve. Both insisted that the best rewards should be given to those who put virtue above material possessions.

Of course, there are more differences than similarities. And these differences are due to various factors, such as different ways of life, and different attitudes towards life in general. Western philosophy as we understand it today originated from Ancient Greece. By contrast, Eastern philosophy is based mainly in Asia, particularly China. Western philosophy takes its roots from the Ancient Greek philosophy and developed along the lines of Greco-Roman culture and Christianity. Eastern philosophy, on the other hand, is mostly from Chinese culture, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, plus ideas that originated from Hinduism.

Furthermore, Western philosophy is both the cause and result of individualism that is so well known in the West. For many Westerners, the life is to be enjoyed right here and now. Self is always put at the center of thinking and action. The word “I” is always spelt in capital letter in the English language, for example. Westerners tend to think of themselves as independent from other people. When they look at the landscape, they focus on the central objects more than their surroundings. On the other hand, Eastern philosophy focuses its attention much more on groups and society. The meaning of individual life is to be found in relation to community. In Eastern philosophy, consideration of community always comes before the individual. It is “We” as opposed to “I”. When Easterners look at the landscape, they pay more attention to how surroundings contribute to making the central objects outstanding. As a result, the main principle of Eastern philosophy is harmony and unity of society. This unity is both the starting point in the journey of individual life and its finish line as well. Eastern philosophers teach people how to live a life in harmony with others and with nature. In contrast, the main concern in the West is individual happiness and freedom. Philosophers in the West teach people how to pursue happiness and obtain freedom in his or her own way.

Finally, for Easterners, satisfaction with what you already have is the key to happiness. By contrast, Westerners are encouraged to pursue more. More is better. Eastern philosophy thrives on virtues. Society would be harmonious and unified when everyone possesses good virtues. Western philosophy, on the other hand, focuses on following rules. When everyone obeys rules and they are equal in front of rules, social stability and justice is guaranteed. In one word, Eastern philosophy is more about the spiritual while Western philosophy is more of a hands-on style.