Tag: Culture

Ang Yi Lin, 23, a Singaporean of Chinese descent, attended a school for Singaporean Chinese from an early age, which explains her fluent Mandarin. Despite this, she admits hardly knowing anything about China before coming to Peking University. But as China’s economy booms, the “motherland” is catching the attention of ethnic Chinese such as Ang, who were raised elsewhere.23岁的昂依林是一位华裔新加坡人，自幼就读于中文学校 ，因此说一口流利的普通话。尽管如此，她仍然承认自己在来北大之前，对中国知之甚少。但随着中国经济的发展，“祖国”正吸引着他们这些在外长大的华裔人士的目光。
In the past, the West was the most popular destination for Singaporeans studying abroad. However, in 2005, when Ang was in her third year at junior high school, a “Bicultural Studies Program” was added to the Singapore curriculum, teaching Chinese culture, history, politics and economics. The Singapore government also began handing out scholarships to encourage young people to study in China. With China developing at a breakneck pace, the aim was to raise a generation of Chinese-literate citizens who could contribute to Singapore’s future. The same year saw 20 Singaporean Chinese heading off to study in Beijing. By 2006, this number had increased fivefold.在过去，西方国家是新加坡人海外留学的首选目标。但2005年，当昂依林读初三时，新加坡课程中增加了“双元文化项目”，教授中国文化、历史、政治和经济。新加坡政府还通过将奖学金项目来鼓励年轻人去中国留学。随着中国的迅猛发展，新加坡政府的目的是培养一代熟悉中国的国民，为新加坡的未来做贡献。同年，有20名华裔新加坡人来北京留学。截至2006年，这一数字增加了五倍。
Ang says she is not a fan of everything modern-day China has to offer. “To take one example, China clearly has a problem with air pollution. But Singapore says it needs workers who have lived in China, so if I keep heading down this path, it will position me well for the future. I will have an advantage over others. That’s the main thing for me.” She plans to stay in China for a while after graduating.昂说她并不盲目追求现代中国提供的任何东西。“举例说明，中国存在明显的空气污染问题。但新加坡政府说需要曾在中国生活过的员工，所以如果我一直朝着这个方向努力，未来职业发展就很看好。我会比别人有优势。对我来说，这是主要的事情。”她计划毕业后在中国待上一段时间。
Another international student is Chao Wang, 28, a Hui Chinese who also comes from Yunnan. He teaches at an Islamic school back home under the Islamic name of “Abdel Wahab Ben Adam.” He enthusiastically spoke about his desire to “study in Arabic at the most prestigious Islamic education institution.”还有一个国际留学生名叫王超，今年28岁，也是来自云南的回族人。回到家乡后，他在一所伊斯兰学校教课，他的伊斯兰名字是“阿卜杜勒·瓦哈卜本·亚当”。他满怀热情地说他希望能在最著名的阿拉伯教育机构研习阿拉伯语。
As a Muslim, Wang is well-aware of his dual responsibility as a bearer both of Chinese culture and of a wider, borderless Islamic civilization.作为穆斯林人，王很清楚自己作为中国文化和广阔、无国界的伊斯兰文明的承载者的双重责任。