My Family Culture

Three items that I choose for representing my family culture are:

Item 1: Chinese-English Bilingual Bible

Bilingual Bible

The Chinese-English Bilingual Bible is the Bible written in simplified Chinese and English. A minister gave it to me when I joined the Bible study of her church as a free gift after I became Christian. I have read and studied with my personal English teacher for years. I am still reading and studying it daily. I have written a lot of notes and made a l lot of marks in it since. It is a food for my spirit and is as important as my life. By it I live daily. For Bible teaches: "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of GOD."

Item 2: Silver chopsticks

Chopsticks

Chopsticks are the tradition food tool in China. It is as commonly used to transport food by Chinese as spoons and forks which are used by Westerners. The silver chopsticks are made in Yunnan province located in the bound of west-southern of China. Silver is one of the popular precious metal products in that province of China. My husband and I bought them in a jewelry store where located within 10 minutes walking distance from where my daughter was born. It is a monument of forming the new family, and I would keep them for coming generations as a family inheritance.

Item 3: Dark-red enameled pottery

Dark-red enameled pottery

The Dark-red enameled pottery or “Yixing clay teapot” is a traditional Chinese tea tools that is commonly used to brew tea originated in China and was developed around the 15th century. It is made from clay produced near Yixing of Jiangsu province located in Eastern China. “It absorbs a tiny amount of tea into the pot during brewing. After prolonged use, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavor and color of the tea” (Wikipedia, 2013). I bought it at Yuewang Miao near the West Lake of Hangzhou when I moved to Hangzhou from Kunming, and brought it to America when I moved to Atlanta from Hangzhou. Tea represents the drink culture of China. In my family, we used it to entertain guests by serve tea as the traditional Chinese greeting for gatherings. The teapot represents my family culture.

If I am able to keep only one item, I would have to keep the one whatever God allows me to keep. I thank God that the other two can be used by other people. However, keeping the Bible lets me feel that God is with me. This culture is one I adapted after I came to America and became Christian. This item is the most important thing among the three. The Chinese character still keeps me connected to my dominant culture and the word of God keeps me connected to the biblical culture. I would feel comfortable.

Reference

Wikipedia. (2013). Yixing clay teapot. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yixing_clay_teapot