The Han Dynasty (1/3)

August 3, 2010

In this three-part series you will take a tour of Xuzhou, which was the capital of the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 219 AD) and is situated between modern day Shanghai and Beijing. In the third century BC, The Roman Empire was at its peak. At the same time, China’s Han Dynasty was more powerful than Rome.

Xuzhou in northern Jiangsu province is one of China’s best showcases of the art and historical relics of the Han Dynasty. At its height, the Han Dynasty stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Central Asia and as far south as Vietnam. Its culture had a great influence on Central and Southeast Asia. 

In the center of Xuzhou on top of a mountain stands the famous horse-training terrace where the first Han emperor trained his troops. At age 23, Emperor Gaozu (202 – 195 BC), then known by his common name Liu Bang, fought the Qin and defeated China’s first dynasty.

To honor the first emperor of the Han dynasty, China rebuilt his palace in Xuzhou with many ancient Han stone sculptures displayed.

See The First Emperor: The Man Who Made China

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

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Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Piety’s Flaw

August 3, 2010

I’ve heard that it was Confucianism that caused China to fall victim to Western Imperialism in the 19th century, and the reason Mao started the Cultural Revolution his last decade was to correct this imperfection.

However, I believe that the collective culture created in China by Emperor Han Wudi (156-87 BCE), considered one of the most influential emperors in Chinese history, is the reason that China’s civilization survived for thousands of years without suffering the fate of Europe after the Roman Empire collapsed.

Han Dynasty 100 BC

The problem is not from Confucianism but a flaw in the way an element of Confucianism has been interpreted over the centuries.  In fact, this flaw is buried so deep in the Chinese psyche that Mao’s disastrous Great Leap Forward and the tragic Cultural Revolution were not stopped because of it. 

There were powerful individuals in the Communist Party who did not agree with what Mao was doing but did not speak out when they could have. Some of those individuals even suffered during the Cultural Revolution but still kept silent due to the power of piety.

It wasn’t until after Mao’s death that those same people acted and Deng Xiaoping came to power stopping the madness of the Cultural Revolution.

To criticize an elder in China, even when that individual is power hungry, senile or maybe a bit crazy, is considered similar to Christian heresy during the Spanish Inquisition. Piety means elders must be treated with respect as if they can do no wrong. There must be a way to find a balance.

See China’s Capitalist Revolution

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

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Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Education and Cultures Collide in the US (5/5)

August 3, 2010

Another example may be found at Nogales High School, where I taught. When I was there, seventy percent of the student population was Hispanic/Latino and less than 5% of my students turned in the assigned homework or did the reading. However, most of my Asian students did the homework and the reading—they were among the 5%.

Percentage of Students Scoring at Proficient or Advanced for English-Language Arts at Nogales High School:

Hispanic or Latino 36%
African American 37%
White 52%
Filipino 60%
Asian 70%

California High School Exit Examination Results by Student (ethnic) Group

Hispanic or Latino 37.5%
African American 40%
White (no data)
Filipino 65.5%
Asian 85.7%

Some will say, as my foolish “old” friend will argue, that it is the teacher’s responsibility to teach the kids. My reply is that “few” teachers can teach a kid who won’t cooperate, refuses to read daily for thirty minutes to an hour and will not do homework. After all, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

What kind of teacher was I? Click here to find out out about Lloyd Lofthouse as a teacher. Make sure to scroll and read everything on this page.

The success of China’s civilization and culture for several-thousand years is due to the value the Chinese put on an education, which appears much higher than other cultures. The home environment and the parents are the difference.

Return to Education and Cultures Collide in the US (4/5)

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

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2 Comments | America, American culture, China, Chinese Culture, cultural differences, education | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Education and Cultures Collide in the US (4/5)

August 2, 2010

Swan, who would be classified Asian American, graduated from high school and was accepted to Stanford University. She always did her homework. At home, the TV was off Monday through Saturday with only an hour or two allowed on Sunday. Swan read “many” books while growing up and did her homework without a fight. Visiting the library weekly was common.

In fact, if all parents created a proper learning environment at home, doing schoolwork and reading follows close behind.

Most kids who attend public schools in the US have as many as 80 teachers before graduating from high school, but only have one or two parents. If the parents learn to say “no” and set the standard for learning, kids will learn—even kids like me, who was so dyslexic when I was six, my mother was told I would never learn to read. Today, I’ve written two award-winning novels and I am this Blog’s host. I’ve also edited and published two books written by other authors.

Return to Education and Cultures Collide in the US (3/5)

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

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2 Comments | America, American culture, China, Chinese Culture, cultural differences, education | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

Education and Cultures Collide in the US (3/5)

August 2, 2010

The second school I selected was Richmond High School, in Richmond, California. After you arrive at that Web site, scroll to the Accountability Report halfway and find the Standardized Testing and Reporting Results by Student (ethnic) Group – Most Recent Year

Since the formats for these Accountability Reports are not standard, focus on the English-Language Art Percentage of Students Scoring at Proficient or Advanced where you will see the percentage of those who passed.

Hispanic/Latino 20%
African American 16%
Filipino 41%
White/other 47%
Asian American 40%

Although the numbers are lower than Las Lomas High School, the white, Filipino and Asian Americans have numbers that are twice that of the two remaining ethnic groups.

People who live by the rule of self-esteem and speak and think in politically correct language may find my opinion offensive.

Too bad! The truth hurts and reality often bites fantasies.

Return to Education and Cultures Collide in the US (2/5)

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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too. 

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Posted by Lloyd Lofthouse

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