- to write your Chinese name
- to know how to play Mah-Jong
My kids know neither. We worked so hard when they were babies to go through the book to choose the perfect Chinese name. One that means, wisdom, happiness, prosperous, strong, long life -- all those things.
Son #2 is taking Mandarin at college. On the first day they asked him what his Chinese name was and he didn't know. They gave him a nickname and he's used it ever since. I wrote his name & took a pix of it and sent it to him immediately. How incensed I was when he said "its too late". "Too late for what"? I said. Tell them your mother said that's not your name! What's their number I'll call them, give me your teacher's name. A name symbolizes who you are, what you stand for, what your destiny is. Now he won't live a wise, happy, prosperous, strong long life. His life is doomed as this impostor.
Regarding Mah Jong -- I was never any good, and I never had any patience, so perhaps I am a bad parent for never really sitting down and teaching my kids how to say "pong", "serng", "sik la", "ha ha". I never liked the counting but I guess the game has moved on and there's different scoring rules. My favorite part was building the bridge and putting my three-in-a-row's out in front. I loved being the banker "jong" but could never count right (started from the wrong side, took too many or little & screwed up the next person...... blah. Can someone teach my kids to play so I don't screw up their heritage?
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