Professor Explains China’s Struggles

MILWAUKEE – Approximately 70 people filled Curtin Hall on the campus of UW-Milwaukee on Friday to listen to Dr. Arthur Kleinman, an anthropologist from Harvard Medical School, talk about the struggles China has been through as well as their continued quest for happiness.

Kleinman came to UW-Milwaukee to talk about his new book titled “Deep China: Remaking the Moral Person in China Today.”

Some of Dr. Kleinman’s credentials include:

-Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University

-Professor of Social Medicine and Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

-Victor and William Fung Director of Harvard University’s Asia Center

-Author of six books

-Editor or co-editor of over 30 volumes and special issues journals

-Author of more than 220 research and review articles and chapters

Kleinman talked about the Chinese struggles with suicide and sexually transmitted diseases along with China’s quest for happiness and belonging.

“Compared to a 90-year-old American, a 90-year-old Chinese person has been through so much more.” Kleinman said while talking about the Chinese struggles.

Seven other authors helped Kleinman write the book, which is set to be released in September, 2011.

The Contents

In the book, Dr. Arthur Kleinman along with his colleagues, talks about the struggles of China along with the rise of optimism and quest for happiness in Chinese culture.

They talk about how early struggles have only made the Chinese stronger, and how the Beijing Olympics in 2008 may help the Chinese turn the corner.

Some of the major points include the rise of materialism in Chinese culture, the rise of sexually transmitted diseases, the alarming suicide rate, and the rise of a nation that has struggled through so much.

When talking about the rise of materialism, Kleinman got a few laughs out of the studious crowd when talking about the Chinese growing desire for things such as Gucci bags.

“If you go to New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and you go into the high end malls and the high end stores, the people buying the Gucci bags are not the French, not the Germans, not the Americans, but the Chinese,” Kleinman said with a grin on his face.

The mood became much more serious in a hurry, though when Kleinman talked about the rise in sexually transmitted diseases in China as well as the high suicide rate, especially among Chinese women.

“So high is the world suicide rate in China that female suicides in China account for about 40 percent of all suicides in the world,” Kleinman said.

Finally, Kleinman talked about the growth of Chinese culture. He explained how the Beijing Olympics in 2008 helped the Chinese gain a sense of pride and belonging.

In Kleinman’s chapters, he talks about certain “quests for meaning” the Chinese have.

The quests Kleinman lists are: Quests for happiness, quests for justice, quests for religious meaning, quests for respect, women’s quests for values status, quests to do good in the world, and quests for stability and order.

The Chinese culture has Kleinman’s respect, though. After spending six and a half years of his life there, Kleinman says the quest for happiness in Chinese culture is admirable.

“The quest for happiness is a remarkable change in China today and I think one of the most amazing examples of culture change anywhere in the world,” Kleinman declared.

At the end of his speech Kleinman addressed the ‘Three Day Problem’ that comes with writing a book about China.

The ‘Three Day Problem’ refers to an author going to China today, writing about yesterday, and coming back tomorrow with the book already being outdated.

Kleinman assured the audience that his book covers over 200 years of Chinese culture and probably will not be outdated anytime soon.

Question and Answer Session

After about an hour of talking, Kleinman opened things up for the audience to ask questions. About five questions were asked and Kleinman went into great detail answering each one.

The topics discussed included Chinese culture in general; Kleinman’s six and a half years spent living in China, the American fear of Chinese culture, a radically different era in Chinese culture, and two sided views of China.

The Reception

After the lecture, the audience was invited to a reception on the ninth floor of Curtin Hall to discuss what they heard.

Wine and cheese was served and the people in attendance also had a chance to meet with and talk to Dr. Kleinman himself.

Eric Herhuth, a student at UW-Milwaukee, said the lecture was informative and worthwhile.

“It was informative in a very, sort of academic way which helps provide some insight into what you hear maybe in the popular press,” Herhuth said while sipping on a glass of wine. “It gives you more context and understanding about social issues and what not.”

Anna Lemberger, another student at UW-Milwaukee, said she liked the lecture as well.

“It was very accessible, which I liked,” Lemberger said. “I learned a lot just about the dual ambiguity that can come when appreciating or learning about China from a social justice aspect and also current trends.”

Caryl Zaar, a middle-aged woman who attended the lecture, said the lecture gave Americans a different view of the world.

“It helps give us a perspective and gets us out of our own American narcissism to get a perspective and to understand others and to put a balance in the world,” Zaar said passionately.

The reception lasted for about an hour and the whole event was over at 6:30 pm.