China’s Bi-Cultural Identity in Transition

1950s --21st Century

The Construction and Establishment of Individualistic Identity in Conflict and

Negotiations with the Traditional IdeologyJia Yuxin

Harbin Institute of Technology, PR ChinaJia Xuelai

University of Sydney, Australia

Abstract

This paper examines the 60-year journey of the conflict and negotiation in the sports world between the individualistic ideology and traditional ideology in China since the Republic was founded.

It examines how in the long years of uphill

struggle the individualistic identities have been avowing, asserting, reasserting themselves, and competing and struggling for their right, entitlement, and eventually establish their legitimate identity.

It discusses how the country has suffered and drawn from the long years of bitter experiences and at last realized that to achieve an all-round success in China, it is not only necessary but important to achieve a well-balanced development between the individualistic and the traditional collectivistic ideologies. The balanced development between these two opposing identities finds best expression in the exceptional success of 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

• At the unique Olympic Games, both individualistic values and collectivistic values are mobilized: On the one hand, the individualistic potential is brought into full play and on the other, the collectivistic efforts, which find their best expression in what is called “making the nation-wide efforts”( 举国体制 ), serve as the guarantee for the exceptional success.

• And in terms of identities, in the individuals, is found the co-presence of individualistic and collectivistic identities. The authors believe that what happens in the sports world mirrors social reality, as the saying goes, “A sports field is a small society and the society is a large sports field.” The discussion of the journey of the conflict and negotiation between the two opposing ideologies will be examined in four phases chronologically.

• Key Words: cultural identity, collectivism/collectivistic identity, individualism/individualistic identity, bi-cultural identity, balance

The First Phase (1950s - 1960s & 1970s): Collectivistic Identity Overrides Individualistic Identi

ty• The founding of People’s Republic of China ma

rked the beginning of “making the nation-wide efforts” (“ 举国体制” ) for the development of sports. However, it also marked the beginning of the long-term struggle, conflict, and negotiation between individualism and collectivism.

• The collective consciousness of collectivism overrides individualism. The emerging of individualistic orientation was killed in its cradle.

◆Individualistic Orientation is Crashed down in Its Cradle   

容国团：最令人扼腕的一次巨星陨落

◆ 中国破世界纪录第一人陈镜开 : 唯一信念为国争光陈镜开中国首个世界纪录

The Second Phase (1980s-1990s)

Ups and downs in the development of individualistic identities

The nation’s collective consciousness was immersed in (narrower) nationism.

• Gold Medals of the Olympic Games as symbols of glory and honor for the country and as symbols of heavy burdens for the individuals.

• Gold medals as huge motives pushing an individual to to fame overnight, but also as motives pushing an individual down into the abyss.

◆ 1981 年 11 月 16 日中国女排首次荣获世界冠军

郎平执教后，严格要求，一丝不苟

◆ 李 宁 : 创造世界体操史神话

The Third Phase: 1990s and the Beginning 2000s:

• The emerging and establishment of

individualistic identity in its conflict and negotiation with the traditional ideology.

• In the soccer world the emerging and construction of individualistic identity are in conflict and negotiation with the traditional ideology.

• The government encourages the development of individualism and thus there is space for the development of individualistic identity.

• Individualism or individualistic identity is expected to experience the best time, and the worst time as well.

◆ Sports Field is a Small Society and the Society is a Large Sports Field

Hao Haidong, No.1 football player in China asserted his identity through his voice and as a result, many people identified with him and many with the China Soccer Association, which represented the Government.

http://index.sports.sohu.com/person/plist-846.html

◆ Hao’s Attack on China Association

• 郝海东：就算被骂得体无完肤 也想接替谢亚龙

• 郝海东再抛“原子弹” : 不懂球的人毁了中国足球

• 郝海东再次炮轰足协：我愿意去当足协主席！

The Effect of Hao’s Attack

What is Wrong with Hao Haidong?

What happens reflects social reality:• The emerging of individualistic discourse is const

ructing and establishing itself through direct, confrontational, and assertive voices.

• This newly emerging discourse, however, is vulnerable in its beginning stage but it is vital and is sure to come into being.

• In 2004, the conflict between these two opposing discourses reaches its climax when China Olympic Team failed in its competition with the Philippine Soccer Team, which was considered to be the weakest team among all the Asian teams.

The Fans are Angry and Crazy at Last: Thundering Identification with Individualistic Ori

entation

Implications: • Soccer games mirror the collective

consciousness of the nation. It stimulates the growth of or awakens a new identity and promotes its development.

• The identification with the newly emerging identity comes to its prime when thousands and thousands of people in the sports field explode with crazy shouting, either lauding their heroes for their best performance or the shouting of “Step down” to the coach and the head of the Association.

• Humorously and ironically, the thundering “Step Down!” to Xie Yalong” ( 谢亚龙 : Chairman of China Football Association) traveled from football field to Bird’s Nest Stadium, where field and track events are held.

• And also ironically, almost at the same time, Hao Haidong is elected Chair of China Football Association on-line.

Long years of opening to and contact with the Western cultures have brought about the possibilities of changes.

The 4th Phase （ 21st century): Win-Win Development: the Development of

The Co-presence of Cultural Identities

• The values of individualism have been brought into play.

• This change results in “win-win” development of the two opposing ideologies or identities.

• The exceptional success of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is co-authored: on the one hand, the potential of individualistic identity was brought into full play;

• On the other hand, “Making the Nation-wide Efforts” ,which is the best expression of collective and governmental behavior serves as the guarantee for the success.

Beijing Olympic opening ceremony as Exceptional Success

• The well-balanced development of the opposing ideologies benefits both the individualistic and the collectivistic identies and it is the key to the exceptional success of the Olympic Games.

• Yao Ming, as the one who plays for his motherland and at the same time the one who plays for NBA.

• However, his journey to the great success is not plain-sailing. His joining in the NBA is not without setbacks and frustrations.

• Wang Zhizhi’s incident brings about a lose-lose situation in China.

南方网讯，中国球员王郅治拒绝回中国参加国家队的比赛

• With lessons drawn from the “lose-lose” case of Wang Zhizhi, as well as many other setbacks and frustrations in the sports world, both the individuals and the government have become smarter.

• The well-balanced development of these two opposing identities brings about “win-win” result.

• Yao Ming finds himself in the situation of two conflicting identities: individualistic and collectivistic.

• Perplexity:Should his personal interest and value be understood, respected, supported and protected? Or should he give up those individual pursuit?

• Yao Ming as a representative of bi-cultural Identities

• Yao’s basketball career is a juxtaposition of different fragments. On the one hand his personal value and commercial value should be realized and on the other, playing for the country is part of his life.

• The two opposing sides interdepend and complement each other and thus the success of his personal value.

Who & What are Next?

Conclusion:

More and more people will realize their dreams and demonstrate to the world their personal and commercial values.

An all-round balanced development between individualism and collectivism in China will take years to accomplish.

• The crazy thundering shouting of “Step down!” to Xie Yalong” traveled from the football field to the Bird-Nest Stadium (for track and field events) and the on-line election of Hao Haidong as the Chairman of China Football Association very humorously and ironically reflect that the two opposing ideologies/ identities are still in conflict and negotiation.

Balance between Individualism and Collectivism

• The meaning of harmony/balance:• Things accommodating each other on

equal terms is called blending of harmony, and in so doing they are able to flourish and grow…

• Opposing sides co-exist in active harmony. They are contradictory and opposed but at the same time, they are interdependent, connected and complementary.

Thank you!