The process of Chinese immigration to the United States has experienced three waves. The closest one to us took place in the 1960s. Over time, the descendants of this group of Chinese immigrants have become an important group.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="01" data-track="3" >What is "second-generation Chinese"? </h1>
Second-generation Chinese in the United States, that is, American-born Chinese (abbreviated as ABC or "banana people"). Usually, people divide the second generation of Chinese into "old Chinese second generation" and "new Chinese second generation".
The so-called "second generation of old Chinese" refers to the Chinese teenagers born and raised in the United States before the wave of immigration in the late 1960s; the so-called "second generation of New Chinese" is a Chinese teenager who was born in the United States and received an American-style education, and at least one parent was a Chinese teenager who immigrated to the United States from China after the 1960s.
Young people of Chinese descent
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="02" data-track="97" > the main feature of the "new Chinese second generation" in the United States</h1>
1) Use bilingualism
The "second generation of New Chinese" in the United States often speaks English at school or work, and uses Chinese at home. According to statistics, more than 80% of Chinese people speak Chinese at home. Most of them can understand Chinese, but the degree of Chinese will vary depending on age, the english proficiency of their parents and the place of residence, and in general, there is a tendency to "the older they are, the worse the Chinese".
2) Attach importance to education
A typical feature of Chinese families in the United States is the emphasis on education. According to the 2000 census data of the United States, 73% of the population aged 25 to 34 had a bachelor's degree or above, while only 30% of the white population of the same age had a bachelor's degree or above.
Chinese immigrant families believe that education is the only effective way for their children to move upwards. In fact, the most practical reason why Chinese families attach importance to education is to enable their children to find a high-paying, stable job and gain a foothold in mainstream society. As a result, most of these second-generation immigrants are focused on technology or engineering in the subjects they choose to take at university.
Chinese-American children
3) High professional achievement
Whether compared to their parents or compared to other second-generation minorities, the "New China Second Generation" is generally higher in professional achievement, but slightly lower than the 1.5th generation of immigrants (Chinese immigrants born in China but immigrated to the United States before the age of 12).
The reason is simple. The "new Chinese second generation" has an advantage in language and understanding of the United States, but the mastery of Chinese and Chinese culture is not as good as that of the 1.5th generation of Chinese immigrants. Because the 1.5th generation of Chinese immigrants are involved in both Chinese and American cultures, and they know both English and Chinese languages, they have certain advantages in job search and salary.
4) Lack of sense of belonging
The "second generation of New Chinese" lacks a sense of belonging culturally, feeling that they belong to "between two cultures". Parents will teach and demand the cultural values of their ancestral home countries, and when they go out of their homes, they will be impacted by Western cultural society.
It is worth noting that in Eastern and Western cultures, some values are in conflict with each other. For example, Asian parents often hope to become a dragon and pay attention to their children's academic performance; but in the eyes of Americans, it is far from enough to read and is not worthy of respect. Over time, cultural conflicts can easily lead to a series of identity-related problems.
Infographic: Citizens buy rice at a Chinese supermarket in Foster City, San Francisco Bay Area.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="03" data-track="98" > the performance and characteristics of the overall identity of the "second generation of New Chinese"</h1>
In terms of overall identity, the "new Chinese second generation" is manifested as a Chinese-American with the characteristics of dual identity. In terms of ethnic identity, identity as Chinese; in terms of national political identity, identity with the country of residence (that is, the United States); and in language, lifestyle, and value and cultural orientation, there is a tendency to mix identity.
After the end of World War II, multicultural theory gradually replaced the "Anglo-Saxon" theory and the "melting pot" theory and began to dominate. Multicultural theory emphasizes respect, inclusion and protection of ethnic cultures, recognizing differences between ethnic groups while recognizing ethnic equality. Therefore, "Chinese culture" has a lot of room for survival and development.
Considering the increasing influence of China's economy, politics and culture, the "Chinese element" has a great role in promoting the ethnic identity of Chinese americans; coupled with the fact that the older generation consciously teaches by example, the "second generation of New Chinese" consciousness has more or less planted the "foundation" of Chinese culture.
In short, while they have embraced Western culture, they have also retained their ethnic identity to a certain extent, but in a "different degree of inclination".
Data chart: On February 14, 2021, local time, on the third day of the Lunar New Year, New Yorkers in the United States dined at an old restaurant in Chinatown to feel the taste of Chinese New Year
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="04" data-track="99" > the identity difference of the "second generation of New Chinese" in the United States</h1>
In the identity of the "second generation of New Chinese" in the United States, there are three main "manifestations".
1) A tendency to identify with the United States
They are culturally almost completely assimilated into the United States and try to identify themselves as "pure Americans." Most of them are born in middle-class and above families, live in white communities, usually speak only English, accept American values, culture and lifestyle, consider themselves to be "Americans" who are no different from those around them, and their families do not emphasize the identification with Chinese culture.
2) Tend to identify with the Chinese
Most of them come from working-class backgrounds and live in Chinese communities. Can speak Chinese, understand traditional Chinese culture, live traditional Chinese festivals, and define yourself as "Chinese". In fact, this is also a major feature of early Chinese self-identity.
3) Tend to identify as "Asian-American"
They have been looking for a "middle ground" that would associate themselves with other Asians, i.e., consider themselves "Asian-Americans."
They argue that identity should not be based on a common race, belief, or language (other than English), but on shared experiences. They abstracted the history of multiple "close relatives" into the history of the entire group, creating a new culture, that is, distilling a sense of "pan-Asian" identity.
It should be pointed out that "Chinese identity" and "Asian identity" are not exclusive. Just as German Americans and French Americans are separated from each other when they are together, in the process of communicating with Japanese Americans, they all regard themselves as "of European descent".
Infographic: Pedestrians walking in Manhattan's Chinatown, New York.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="05" data-track="100" > the differences in identity between different groups</h1>
1) The identity of the "second generation of New Chinese" has certain differences in different age groups
In childhood, they mostly resent being called "Chinese". In their view, their parents' overemphasization on grades and the imposition of unfamiliar cultures (Chinese culture) and values confuse them; because of the ethnic characteristics of yellow skin, dark eyes, and black hair, the experience of being ridiculed by white classmates makes them strongly hope that they can integrate into mainstream (white) society as soon as possible.
In their adolescence, especially after entering college, they began to try to gradually understand the history and culture of their ethnic group. In fact, college was an accelerating period of Asian-American ethnic identity. In college, young people begin to meet a variety of people, be exposed to all kinds of fresh ideas, and begin to rethink the ultimate question of "who am I?"
During this period, they will explore their ethnic identity in various ways, and eventually have a more rational and clear understanding of their ethnic identity.
Data chart: On February 7, 2021, local time, new York, the United States, snow fell for several days, and Manhattan Chinatown was covered with snow.
2) The identity of the "second generation of New Chinese" also varies according to different social classes
Because of the difference in social and economic status, the new Chinese immigrants are also divided into different classes, which also determines the innate differences in the living environment and educational conditions of the "second generation of New Chinese", which in turn affects the positioning of their own identity.
New Chinese immigrants in the United States, including professional and technical personnel, family reunification immigrants, investment immigrants and irregular immigrants.
Among them, some family reunification immigrants and irregular immigrants have a relatively low economic and social status after coming to the United States, and most of them engage in low-paid labor-intensive work, which is a typical working class. Most of the "second generation of New Chinese" who were born and raised in this type of family lived in a purely Chinese world, were accustomed to communicating in Chinese, and tended to think that they were Chinese.
Obviously, the wealthy class, represented by professional technicians and investment immigrants, basically chooses to settle in middle-class communities, and their children mainly accept white (American) culture. Therefore, it makes sense to lean toward "American identity".
On May 8, 2021, a number of Chinese associations in San Francisco jointly held the "Chinatown Diary" Epidemic Situation Forward" public welfare photo exhibition
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="06" data-track="101" > the reasons for the differences in the identity of different groups</h1>
Prejudices in the family environment, school education, living environment and society are the specific reasons for the different identities of different groups of "new Chinese second generation".
1) Family environmental factors
Some Chinese parents believe that learning Chinese will hinder their children's learning of English, and at the same time, in order to maintain cultural homogeneity with mainstream society, they do not encourage their children to learn Chinese, nor do they teach Chinese culture to their children. Therefore, children naturally see themselves as culturally American.
However, there are also some Chinese parents who, in their hearts, hope that their descendants can inherit the values of Chinese. Therefore, they will conduct bilingual training for their children and believe that speaking Chinese and understanding Chinese culture is "a key to their children".
It is worth noting that parents and children of Chinese families have "inherent contradictions"
The "second generation of New Chinese" received a completely Western-style education in school, and the way of thinking has been no different from that of Westerners. They are not accustomed to the cautious and cautious style of their fathers, and the fathers cannot understand the value choices of their children.
Many children often complain about their parents' lack of "social life" and believe that their parents "need some entertainment"; parents complain that they came to the United States to give their children better educational opportunities, but now they have "lost" their children.
2) School education factors
Chinese schools in the United States, mainly run by Chinese clubs or churches, have a remedial nature of Chinese schools, that is, students mainly study in local schools, only on weekends or individual evenings to make up for Chinese. Attending Chinese school has greatly strengthened the sense of Chinese identity of the second generation of New China, and promoted and influenced the construction of their identity.
The college period is the period of "ethnic awakening", and some colleges and universities and research institutions in the United States have set up many Chinese or Asian research centers, cultural centers, etc., and opened related courses, such as Chinese literature, Chinese immigrants, Chinese communities, Chinese families, etc., which further arouses their ethnic consciousness, enlightens them to reflect on their own history and status, and explores the identity problem of "who I am".
Members of the "Public Safety Patrol" spontaneously established by the Asian community in Flushing, New York, USA, and some members of the public have received self-defense training to improve their security capabilities
3) Factors of living environment
Most of the Chinese families living in white communities are typical of the middle class, and their children generally have a superior living environment and can receive a good education. Even though some of the new immigrants who settle here want their children to preserve their ethnic cultural heritage by learning the ethnic language, they lack the support of the language environment, and they are gradually "assimilated" by the mainstream for reasons such as work.
The second generation of new immigrants living in Chinese settlements has long been influenced by traditional Chinese culture and is prone to reach a consensus on "Chinese culture". Every year on China's traditional holidays, Chinatown is gradually filled with young immigrant children singing the protagonist and performing the highlights, from Peking Opera, martial arts, dragon and lion dances, to stilts, waist drums, and songs, many Chinese communities believe that China's traditional culture is attracting and infecting the next generation because of its unique charm. This subtle culture has influenced generations of people, even if they leave Chinatown to go to college elsewhere, they will always see themselves as Chinese.
4) Prejudice factors in society
Although more and more Chinese are recognized by mainstream society. However, the prejudice of mainstream society against the Chinese has not been completely eliminated. In the United States, one generation of immigrants tends to look at the social discrimination and other disadvantages encountered by minorities more easily than their children, because immigration to the United States is their own willing choice; but in the face of these disadvantages, the second generation of immigrants is more sensitive than their parents.
The Americanization of Chinese teenagers in language thinking, lifestyle, and social behavior is only a unilateral change, and does not guarantee that they will become Americans recognized by American society.
Even if they speak English as well as Americans, in the eyes of Americans, the "banana people" are still foreigners, and it is difficult to form a close circle of friends with them; and the children of these immigrants believe that they are "authentic Americans" and that American society should treat them equally. Faced with the harsh reality, they are prone to complain about social injustice. This mentality generally reflects the confusion and distress of the second generation of Asians. As a result, the attitude of the outside world towards the Chinese has also had an important impact on the identification of Chinese children.
Customers dine on the streets of San Francisco's Chinatown.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="07" data-track="137" > summary</h1>
In general, the identity of the "new Chinese second generation" in the United States has the common characteristics of dual identity, but there are differences between different groups - either inclined to Chinese identity, or inclined to American identity, or inclined to Asian American identity. In addition, the "second generation of New Chinese" in the United States with different social classes and different age groups also have different identification tendencies.
Prejudices in family environment, schooling and society are all factors that contribute to differences in identity. However, considering that the United States, as a multi-ethnic country, has different levels of identity differences, it is precisely a manifestation of multiculturalism.
In fact, there is no need for the outside world to be too harsh on the identity of the "second generation of New Chinese", and it is necessary to follow a certain tendency to identify. For them, every identity is the result of voluntary choice. Frankly speaking, if they want to be more inclined to "Chinese identity", the most important thing depends on China's current level of productivity and development.