Pleased and Perplexed By U.S. Presidential Use of Chinese Proverbs: The China Daily, People's Republic of China

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China Daily, People's Republic of China

Pleased and Perplexed By U.S. Presidential Use of Chinese Proverbs

Have past and present U.S. presidents used Chinese proverbs to good effect in their attempts to reach out to the Chinese people? According to Zhau Huanxin of the state-run China Daily, they have not, but that doesn't annoy Chinese one bit, particularly because President Obama is better at it than most of his predecessors.

November 20, 2009

People's Republic of China - China Daily - Original Article (English)

President Obama speaks to a small, specially selected and prepared group of Chinese young people, Nov. 16.

CCTV NEWS, CHINA: China's state-run TV takes a look at the end of President Obama's trip to the country, Nov. 19, 00:03:50

When Barack Obama journeyed to the Great Wall on Wednesday, I wondered if he or someone on his team would come up with a Chinese saying or two to express the president's feelings. As it turns out, Barack dropped some Chinese proverbs, too.

I have always observed U.S. presidents on their trips to China from a literary perspective, and in this sense I found Obama no different from the others.

They've all exhibited tremendous "scholastic prowess" by invoking Chinese poets, philosophers and proverbs. This always seems to tickle Chinese ears, particularly due to a perplexity over how pertinent the quotes actually are.

With two Chinese Americans in his cabinet - Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Energy Secretary Steven Chu - I believe Obama is surrounded by more Sinophiles than any U.S. president in history. Obama seems particularly adept in borrowing from this pool of Chinese brainpower to get his point across.

Three months ago at the first China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue, Obama turned to one of China's greatest philosopher Mencius [372-289 BC], when emphasizing the importance of strengthening communication in order to resolve disagreement between China and the U.S..

"A trail through the mountains, if used, becomes a path in a short time, but, if unused, becomes blocked by grass in an equally short time," said the philosopher, who was born 2,380 years ago, through President Obama.

The Chinese thinker also helped former President Bill Clinton express his ideas when he visited Beijing in the summer of 1998.

Clinton cited the teachings of Mencius to describe U.S.-China cooperation on international issues: "A good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of that community ... a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens of the world."

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US November 26

Many people believe Clinton's speech matched the grandeur of the entryway to the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an when he said: "Let us give new meaning to the words written in the ancient Book of Rites, which you call the Li Shi: When the great way is followed, all under heaven will be equal."

Time and again, I've found ancient Chinese references eloquently employed to gain political ground by visiting U.S. leaders. When Ronald Reagan visited Beijing in 1984, three years after he was sworn in, he said at a state banquet: "Many centuries ago, Wang Bo [649–676], a famous Chinese poet-philosopher, wrote, 'Although we reside in far corners of the world, having a good friend is akin to having a good neighbor.'"

The next day he followed up with another line to highlight the increasing trust and cooperation between Beijing and Washington: "Let us be of the same mind. And as a saying from The Book of Changes goes, if two people are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal."

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US November 26

It's intriguing to know that Richard Nixon, the first U.S. president to visit China in 1972, followed the style of almost all Chinese at that time, who wouldn't make a speech without quoting "teachings" from Chairman Mao Zedong.

"The Chairman has written: So many deeds cry out to be done, and always urgently; the world rolls on, time presses. Ten thousand years are too long; seize the day, seize the hour!" Nixon reportedly said at a reception hosted by then Premier Zhou Enlai.

Nixon was known to have tactfully followed the quote with the remark, "This is the hour. This is the day for our two people," winning explosive applause from the hall.

Returning to Obama’s journey to the Great Wall, I think Obama may have been reminded of - or may have even quoted - another line from Chairman Mao: "Who are we if we cannot reach the Great Wall!"