CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, March 19, 2021 | 17 LIFE Will Asian Americans ever be accepted as Americans?
Check any media outlet in the Asian Americans to be permanently board a flight to Guangzhou, I According to him, the way for However, the sentiment that Asian When I meet new people from United States and articles about injured, and some have even died. donned the mandatory face mask Asian Americans to avoid harass Americans are not “real” Ameri the US, they often ask me where I physical attacks and hate crimes But was it the virus that caused this that China was requiring. As I ment and assault was to prove their cans has always run deep and am from. The response “America” against Asians are being reported xenophobia? In my own experience walked through the airport, a wom “Americanness”. former president Donald Trump’s will almost always be followed up more than ever, especially since and also from speaking to others in an stood up from her seat, “We need to step up, help our rhetoric and racist remarks seemed with at least another question. COVID19 was first announced in the US, it seems the pandemic has approached me, stuck her finger in neighbors, donate gear, vote, wear to confirm this notion for his fol Where are you originally from? Wuhan, Hubei province. While only exacerbated and brought the my face and yelled, “F*** Chinese!” red, white and blue, volunteer, fund lowers. Where are your parents from? Why speaking to a friend uneasiness that was always there I was not fearful. I was angry. aid organizations, and do every The wave of hate crimes against do you look Asian? With the US from upstate New toward ethnic Asian people to the Angry that anyone would speak to thing in our power to accelerate the Asian Americans has recently being one of the most ethnically York recently, she surface. another human being in this man end of this crisis. We should show increased again. News outlets diverse countries in the world, it is told me a harrowing When I visited my hometown ner, be it a US citizen or not. without a shadow of a doubt that report attacks occurring across the discouraging that having a certain story about a Hong Minneapolis in Minnesota last year, “Is this really anything new?” I we are Americans who will do our US with four taking place in one appearance prevents others from Kong man who was just as the virus was starting to wondered to myself. Taking a step part for our country in this time of day in New York City. Why do these accepting the simple answer you assaulted outside a become a worldwide concern, I felt back and putting things in perspec need,” Yang wrote. continue? Why aren’t Asians have provided. Feeling that lack of Kara Chinese restaurant the tension. Growing up as a Kore tive from childhood to present day, These words coming from a fel accepted as Americans? In a recent acceptance throughout life and Schroeder just a 15minute an adoptee in a Caucasian family, I realized that although I have lived low Asian American felt insulting. interview, Chris Kwok, a board having left the US almost a decade Second drive from her home. racism for me was blatantly preva in the US since I was 11 months old Instead of holding criminals member for the Asian American ago, it leaves me to examine the Thoughts The man was beaten lent. Even in Asian countries, I have and a naturalized citizen since 4 responsible, he went on to blame Bar Association of New York, said, notion of never returning. I likely unconscious, rolled faced microaggressions and stereo years old, I have never felt accepted victims. You’re being physically and “The political and social invisibility will not spend the rest of my life in under a car, and left in the cold typing every day. But during my as an American. I was reminded of verbally attacked? Act more “Amer of Asian Americans have reallife China, but why would I return to until he was discovered the next trip home in February last year, I former Democratic presidential ican”! What does that entail? Dress consequences. The invisibility my country when I cannot just be morning. Having severe hypother experienced a racist aggression I candidate Andrew Yang’s oped in ing in red, white and blue, and comes from Asian Americans being American? mia and frostbite, he remains in an had not faced since high school. The New York Times that was pub volunteering! And people will for seen as permanent foreigners — intensive care unit in a hospital. At the MinneapolisSaint Paul lished in April last year when get about a virus discovered in Chi they can’t cross that invisible line Contact the writer at Other attacks have caused some International Airport about to attacks on Asians were rising. na and treat Asians as equal! into becoming real Americans.” [email protected] Candid camera: Lucky cut In tribute to Bach’s musical creativity
By CHEN NAN [email protected]
Since 2009, pianist Sheng Yuan Bach’s six solo violin has been holding concerts every pieces set the March to pay tribute to one of his favorite composers, Johann standard for Sebastian Bach. violinists even up to On March 12 at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing, he the present day. continued this tradition by play They are an essential ing four sets of Bach’s English Sui tes on piano. As the earliest of part of the violin Bach’s keyboard suite sets, the repertoire.” English Suites contain six sets and Sheng performed the first, sec Huang Bin, violinist ond, fourth and the sixth during the concert. “I am working on a project to and recorded today. The music record all of Bach’s works for the pieces are made in the usual keyboard, so I chose to play pieces baroque style and Bach added that I haven’t played yet,” says new elements to bring diversity,” Sheng, adding that there are dif Huang says. ferent styles featured in Bach’s At the age of 4, Huang began English Suites. her violin studies and won the Born in a musical family, Sheng Paganini Competition in Italy in began playing the piano at the age 1994 and the ARD International of 5 and received training from Music Competition in Germany in the Central Conservatory of Music 1999. in Beijing. He studied under Solo To pay tribute to Bach’s achieve mon Mikowsky at the Manhattan ments as an organist and his devo School of Music in New York City, tion to keyboard music, a concert where he completed his bache titled Bach: A Life Journey on Pipe lor’s and master’s degrees in Organ will be staged by pipe and Residents have their hair cut on a street in Beijing’s Xicheng district on Sunday, the second day of the second lunar month that is music with a scholarship. His electronic organist Shen Yuan on traditionally called longtaitou, meaning “the dragon raising its head”. It is a day Chinese people consider auspicious for a haircut. interest in Bach’s music inspired March 19. Shen will perform LAN HONGGUANG / XINHUA him to study intensively with Bach’s music from three periods: pianist and harpsichordist Rosal the Weimar years, 170317; Cothen yn Tureck, who was a wellknown years, 171723; and Leipzig years, expert and interpreter of Bach’s 172350. music. Ending off the series of Bach “The Chinese audience is famil concerts on March 28 is pianist Undercover work brought to life through drama iar with Bach’s music since the Zhang Shiyue, who will play six of composer’s works are frequently Bach’s compositions adapted by By XING WEN performed. Bach’s music is also six musicians, including Ave [email protected] frequently used as teaching mate Maria based on a prelude by Bach This kind of stories rial in China. Though these works and written by French composer National security officers usually of composition are from centuries Charles Gounod in 1859, Toccata work undercover and keep a low will surely feature ago, they still inspire generations and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, a profile, but a television drama has patriotism and in of people,” Sheng says. twopart musical composition for thrusted them into the limelight, Sheng’s March 12 concert kicked the organ by Bach and adapted by highlighting their commitment to depth observation of off a series of concerts and public Polish pianist and composer Carl the country’s safety. human nature.” events to celebrate Bach’s birth Tausig, and Bach’s Chaconne, a Actress Yang Mi and actor Zhang day. There will be a total of six con solo instrumental piece that Binbin star in the 40episode drama Liang Zhenhua, scriptwriter certs held at the Forbidden City forms the fifth and final move Storm Eye as investigative officers Concert Hall through March 28. ment of the Partita No 2 in D An Jing and Ma Shang. Together Following Sheng’s concert on minor, BWV 1004, which was with their team, they work to pro ling, friend and lover in their daily March 12, there were two concerts adapted by Italian composer Fer tect critical mineral resources, sen life. by violinist Huang Bin where she ruccio Busoni. sitive data and core technology, and “Although they are ordinary peo played Bach’s complete six sona Zhang will also give an improvi root out espionage operations in the ple who have parents, lovers and tas and partitas for solo violin. sational performance of Bach’s fictional city of Shuangqing. friends, they have a dauntless spirit “Bach’s six solo violin pieces set music during the concert. The final episode aired on Zheji Actress Yang Mi portrays a national security investigator in the and an enormous sense of mission. the standard for violinists even up He says the theme of the concert ang TV and Dragon TV on Tuesday. recently aired TV drama Storm Eye. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY They are even ready to sacrifice to the present day. They are an is to display the limitless creativity It was also broadcasted on stream their lives for the safety of the coun essential part of the violin reper of Bach’s music through various ing platforms iQiyi and Tencent Vid try and its people,” Liang says. toire, which are frequently played adaptations. eo, in which boxoffice tracker by foreign powers to smuggle scarce repeated discussions were made “That’s very touching.” Maoyan says the drama drew resources and steal the company’s with censors from relevant depart Liang says the stories told in the around 580 million views on both core technology. ments over a long period of time on drama will raise awareness on vari platforms. “Unsung heroes like Ma should where to draw the line. The script ous national security threats in the Zhang says he is really proud to be get the credit and respect they was based on carefully investigating backdrop of new challenges brought able to portray a young, quickwit deserve,” Zhang says. published, unclassified information about by a complex international ted national security officer who has This is not the first time the dra on some national security cases. The environment. great perception and a strong sense ma’s scriptwriter Liang Zhenhua draft of the script was finalized in “As citizens of China, we should of responsibility toward the public. created a modern spy thriller like October 2018. be willing to know more and sup Ma, the character that Zhang this. Twelve years earlier, he wrote Liang also met and talked to port the group of people who have played, is a national security investi the script for the television series many national security officers and spent most of their lives in obscuri gator in his 30s. He works undercov Secret War, which follows counter their families to get a clearer picture ty safeguarding the country’s secu er as a human resource director in a espionage efforts made by State of how they conduct themselves at rity and defending its honor,” he technology company in Shuang secret protection officers to prevent work and in daily life. says. qing, trying to search for clues to design leaks of a satellite. The series “Most of them are levelheaded, He says it is meaningful to write uncover possible espionage activi sparked heated discussion among prudent and unpretentious. And stories about subjects related to ties in the city. viewers on the importance of State they are never boastful,” recalls the national security. Ma’s undercover role is also kept a secret protection. This encouraged scriptwriter. “This kind of stories will surely secret from his parents who think Liang to keep finding subject matter Not only did Liang bring to light feature patriotism and indepth that he is just a human resource in the field of national security. how national security officers observation of human nature,” he manager. However, national security is a uncover espionage operations and adds. “I hope I can keep exploring With Ma’s help, the city’s national sensitive topic to write about, so the bring criminals to justice, but he the field and create more well Pianist Sheng Yuan performs at the Forbidden City Concert Hall security department learns of a plot Storm Eye script was written after also portrayed roles as a child, sib rounded scripts in the future.” in Beijing on March 12. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY