AMERICANS don't know much about China. What they do know comes from three main sources: movies, the news, and history classes. This can be a sensitive subject, and I do not wish to offend anyone - my goal is only to give you an overview of American stereotypes of China.
Just as I have encountered many stereotypes that the Chinese have of America (some accurate, some absurd, some insulting), one can similarly encounter American stereotypes of China in the US.
- All Chinese know kungfu and dress like Huang Feihong. (Source: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, and Bruce Lee [Li Xiaolong] movies).
- Anything to do with China is "ancient" and "mysterious." (Source: the fact that Chinese language seems to be made up of "mysterious symbols" to Western eyes, movies about Chinese history).
- All Chinese are "brainwashed" into worshipping Chairman Mao and can't think independently. (Source: studying the Cultural Revolution in high school history classes.)
- "Guangdonghua" (Cantonese) is the official language of China. (Source: Hong Kong movies, Chinese-American immigrants who came to the US from Guangdong and Hong Kong during the 19th and 20th centuries).
- Chinese culture is basically the same today as it was 1,000 years ago (eg, "traditional, conservative, polite," etc.). (Source: studying Chinese history without being familiar with modern China).
- In China, no one can express any idea that isn't approved by Chairman Mao - if you do express an "unapproved" idea, you will be instantly sent to jail or shot. (Source: studying the "cultural revolution" (1966-76)in high school history classes, the events of 1989 in Beijing).
- Chinese (and all "Asians") are good at maths. (Source: I don't know).
- China and Japan are basically the same. (Source: ignorance).
- "Asian" women are generally subservient to men,