Though there are over 50 ethnic groups recognized in China, the country is rather homogenous. Difference is quickly recognized and, as Lou Jing discovered, not always welcome. Jing is the daughter of a Chinese mother and a African American father. She has not met her father; he left China before she was born. She grew up alone with her mother in Shanghai. Her story hit the news last year when she was a contestant on a popular Chinese talent show, Go Oriental Angel.
Before the show, Jing lived a ordinary life and didn’t feel any different when she was young. Though she did wonder why she looked different, her classmates did not make her feel like an outcast. To the contrary, together they came up with creative reasons for why she looked the way she did, like eating too much chocolate or soy sauce. Though these answers were sufficient for children, the Chinese public demanded she explain her personal history.
Jing’s mother submitted to the producers pressure to reveal her daughter’s heritage publicly on the show. This sparked interest in the news media, but it was the netizens who contributed to much of the controversy surrounding her racial heritage. The national exposure revealed more than just her personal life, it revealed a general attitude held by many Chinese. Comments like “She should never have been born!” and “Get out of China” may have hurt more than just Jing and her maternal family. Few countries want to be viewed as having racial issues.
Perhaps this is why negative comments were challenged swiftly and with authority. Raymond Zhou, a columnist at the China Daily, came to Jing’s defense stating that it was "high time [we] introduced some sensitivity training on races and ethnicities if we are going to latch on to the orbit of globalization." Perhaps the most beautiful contribution Lou Jing provided in this contest was a teachable moment, one that challenged the historic perception of race in China.
At the turn of the 20th century, Chinese intellectuals translated “race” as “zhong zu.” This word combines “zhong,” which means “seed,” with “zu,” a term used to describe extended patrilineal families. This translation illustrates how race is imagined as extending beyond the parents to connect to the national identity. This might explain the dramatic significance of Jing’s stage presence. If she had won, she would have stood as a representation of China.
Yan Sun, a professor of political science at the City University of New York, adds another layer to the complexity of race in China. “If Western racism is about genetic dispositions, Chinese prejudices and racism are more about achievements and standing in the world as applied to individuals or groups.” The editors of The New York Times pose a relevant question regarding this standing. “As China expands economic ties with the rest of the world — including Africa, where it has considerable investments — how might increased immigration alter Chinese perceptions of race?”
Whether perceptions change as a result of immigration, or in response to Lou Jing’s global exposure, China seems to have a race issue that should be addressed for it’s own national health.
This need is not unique to China alone. Race is still a debatable issue in the United States, as the 2008 presidential campaign revealed. Yet, perhaps the argument can be better resolved by focusing on an individual’s achievements and personal character, rather than her racial composition. Since “achievements and standing in the world” are the two criteria that determine whether or not an individual or group is embraced as their own, China may have a good head start towards a healthier acceptance of difference.