Counseling Asian American Clients
HISTORY Asian and American cultures are as different as black (yin) and white (yang), or east and west. While American culture is relatively new, in terms of history, the Asian culture is one of the world’s oldest, with its earliest origins believed to be Sumer, located near the Persian Gulf, in approximately 3500 B.C. China is believed to be the world’s oldest existing civilization, beginning with the Shang Dynasty in around 1500 B.C. (Chan, 1991).
RELIGION
While there are two religions prevalent in American culture, Christianity and Judaism, there are many popular religions in Asia, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Hinduism and Islam preach the unity of the cosmos, although Hindus honor many gods whereas practitioners of Islam follow only Allah. Buddhism is less about gods than it is about spiritual enrichment as man suffers toward the enlightenment of nirvana. Confucianism and Taoism are both religious and social philosophies which illustrate the differences between eastern and western cultures. While Taoism stressed order and spiritual harmony, the great teacher Confucius, emphasized the importance of ‘filial piety’ as evidenced by his writings, the Analects: “The Master said, ‘A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies” (Zia, 2000).
VALUES
Virtue is also of paramount importance in the Asian values, both in terms of government and politics. People are expected to serve others as a moral obligation. This helps explain the difference between the Asian and American family structure. In Asia, patriarchy prevails, with the father exerting a dominant influence, whereas the mother seldom ventures out of the home. In China, women had literally been bound to the home by
RELIGION
While there are two religions prevalent in American culture, Christianity and Judaism, there are many popular religions in Asia, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Hinduism and Islam preach the unity of the cosmos, although Hindus honor many gods whereas practitioners of Islam follow only Allah. Buddhism is less about gods than it is about spiritual enrichment as man suffers toward the enlightenment of nirvana. Confucianism and Taoism are both religious and social philosophies which illustrate the differences between eastern and western cultures. While Taoism stressed order and spiritual harmony, the great teacher Confucius, emphasized the importance of ‘filial piety’ as evidenced by his writings, the Analects: “The Master said, ‘A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies” (Zia, 2000).
VALUES
Virtue is also of paramount importance in the Asian values, both in terms of government and politics. People are expected to serve others as a moral obligation. This helps explain the difference between the Asian and American family structure. In Asia, patriarchy prevails, with the father exerting a dominant influence, whereas the mother seldom ventures out of the home. In China, women had literally been bound to the home by
References: Chan, S. (1991). Asian Americans : an interpretive history. Boston: Twayne. Wu, F. H. (2002). Yellow: Race in American Beyond Black and White . New York: Basic Books. Zia, H. (2000). Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People . New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.