What Does It Mean to Be Chinese?

In the west, we believe that we can vanquish history. We think that history is something we can bend to our will. What we don't understand about china and other parts of the world is that history is not something that you move on from. It is deeply embedded in you. And when we speak to them, we have to be cognizant of what they are hearing. Otherwise there will be endless misunderstanding, and that equally can lead to conflict.