How are you? Is everything good with you? I do hope that you are doing well and are enjoying your weekend.

Today is the 270th day that I have been in the US. This week, my heart has recovered peaceful from the confusion and noise. I have been able to concentrate my mind on my studying and continued my created work on painting and music.

I have found a lovely and interesting phenomenon -- almost every American or Chinese friend who has seen my original painting works, he or she wants to get one. So, first time, I painted two pictures for the purpose to send two friends -- I seldom sent my painting works to the others for I seldom satisfy my works. I often feel that painting, especially Chinese Xieyi Paintingis in fact a regrettable art because I often feel some pity here or there after I completed a painting since it cannot be changed as soon as you put down your brusher on the paper.

I am happy that many American friends enjoy my painting, which also makes me to think, why?

First of all, I thought of a Chinese idiom “Mei Hua Xiang Zi Ku Hai Lai” -- “the fragrance of the plum blossom is from the bitter cold”, “Any beautiful result from a hard working -- No pay, No gain.” It maybe is the result of a hard working, since it is a normal thing for me to work for 15 to 17 hours each day…

Then, I thought another words: The more national, maybe the more international. And I guess that maybe this is just the true and more important reason that American friends like my Chinese style painting, because it has brought something Eastern and Exoticism.

This kind of culture phenomena makes me think that when we are learning something new and advanced from the other cultures, we should not give up something distillate in our own cultures. To keep our own unique characteristics maybe is one of the secrets to open a door to enter other cultures, to be paid more attention by the other cultures?

The other hand, since the times is changing always, we have to change along with the times, to add those advanced culture elements from the other cultures into our created works, maybe is the other way to make our own creating work near the needing in the other cultures? Just like Mcdonald's has done in its international adventures ? to keep its own American style as its root, while to add something different into its products in different places according to the different tastes of the local people. Art learning and creation should work in the same way?

So, Friday afternoon, I went to my religion lesson and I wondered what role of Music play in Christianity, why the best classical architectures in Europe are churches of Christianity? Then I translated and sang an Italian song in Italian, English and Chinese. I wanted to feel how the different languages to express a same feeling. I wanted to learn and absorb the nutrition from different cultures every day.

How about you? What is your thought about learning from the other culture? Do you agree with me that the more national, the more international?


I am just a learner on art of painting, music, English and Chinese language, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate your understanding, directions, supports and hope to get your friendly direction and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or Yiping007@MissouriState.edu, or to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sun, June 28, 2009 From USA