Talk about “Dream”

Source: AAAB yearbook (2022). Original author: Yun Long Zhen Original date: Published in the 15th issue of Business Elite magazine, August 2013

Talk about "Dream" ——Yun Long Zhen——

In the leechee fragrance season, led by Mr. Su Guoli, a Chinese-American banker, we visited Jiangmen Yishang Elite Association, and was warmly entertained, and we watched Kexin Chen's film "China Partner"; then attended the forum hosted by Yishang Elite Association ,and was arranged to sit in the guest seat to answer the first question from the host, Professor Li Guisheng of Wuyi University.

Professor Li asked me for my opinion when the Vice President of the United States, Mr. Biden, attended the graduation ceremony of the University of Pennsylvania not long ago, and he said that "China will never surpass the United States" (to the effect), which caused many Chinese students to criticize and different reactions from public opinion.

When I asked this suddenly, I was like the three partners in the movie I just watched who took the TOEFL test with the American dream. Based on what I have learned about the United States during my 38 years in the United States, I said without hesitation: Yes! I think that Vice President Biden's rather arrogant "rhetoric" may have hurt the national feelings of many college students’s residual ideology and inflated national pride.

Therefore, Interacting and attacking in groups from Chinese student is inevitable. It may also be that they do not understand the national conditions between China and US very well, which leads to subconscious pin-to-pin confrontation.

My understanding is that what Mr. Biden said is based on the present tense: the United States has already realized a real "dream" for countless new immigrants; the viewing basis for Those Chinese college students is the future tense: China, where the "dream" is still in its infancy.

Now everyone talks about "dream", to be precise, the dream mentioned here refers to "dream of future". "Dream" is erratic, vague, fragmented and discontinuous. It May be good, become a "good dream"; sometimes evil, become a "nightmare". An " future dream" is a blueprint with clear and specific goals. I understand that the "dream" that everyone talks about should be divided into two parts: the dreams of individuals, various industrial and commercial enterprises, and the national dream. Everyone has different dreams. In China, it can be felt that: as a student, you want to study abroad, get a doctorate, master a set of skills, make contributions, and give back to the society; as a businessman, you want to make the company bigger and stronger, become a listed company, and enter the top 500, etc. For the “dream” of China as an country, it means that the country is strong and the people are prosperous, the society is peaceful and neat, and the people live a happy life. Everywhere we talk about dreams these days, most of them refer to the Chinese national dream.

China has struggled for decades to realize its national dream. Although there is no modern Sima Qian, who systematically summarizes and discloses information, and be a precept for future generations, but everyone knows that the price is heavy.

In the past 30 years, a more effective path for opening up and reform has been found. China has developed into the world's second largest economy, which is globally recognized; people's life quality have improved, and there are many wealthy people; many scientific and technological projects, especially cutting-edge military, are among the world's leading spears. In addition to the prominence of economy and technology, there are also many disadvantages: corruption and social problems are intertwined, complex and multi-sided; environmental pollution is serious; morality is broken. The rich people who go overseas have many behaviors and images that are far from civilization. It will damage China's image whether what person is rich or not. In the past 30 years, the tide of business has been rolling, and businessmen have made great contributions to promoting economic development. The accumulation of so many problems in the society has greatly delayed the pace of national development, and also increased resistance to China's diplomatic and friendly policy. Personal dreams and national dreams have conflicted and collided.

Fortunately, the central government has determined to rectify, and there has been an initial improvement. But how much time, how much effort, and how much resources should be spent to rebuild people's confidence in the government and realize the country's dream? God bless China, I hope it can be realized in my lifetime. In recent years, China has promoted Confucianism, advocated benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faith, and returned to tradition. That is the moral level, and the education and construction period is long. In my opinion, what is more important today is the spirit of the rule of law is advocated, legal education is popularized, and everyone is equal before the law. Everyone abides by the law and enforces the law conscientiously, and those who are officials should lead by example and be effectively supervised, which is more urgent and important. With our national conditions, national character, ideology, and thinking habits, it will take a hundred years to surpass the United States. I hope I miscalculated by being conservative.

The United States also loves to talk about the "American Dream". But its significance is that in the American institutional environment, individuals (especially new immigrants) can easily realize their dreams. Americans rarely talk about the national dream. The United States is a civil society, emphasizing the rights of citizens, which are guaranteed first. All government and social behaviors are governed by the law. There is fewer government offices to govern, and government power is also subject to corresponding effective checks and balances.

Where is America's National Dream? More than 200 years ago, the "Five Freedoms" stipulated in the Constitution when the United States was founded and later amended are the blueprint at the highest level and the most specific American dream. Geographically, the United States is uniquely endowed by nature. Because of its political stability and highly developed productive forces, the two world wars have left the country untouched by wars, attracting a large number of talented immigrants, and it has become a superpower. The national dream of United State has basically been realized.

The United States, known as a nation of immigrants, is a melting pot of nations. In the face of the legal system, everyone has more equal opportunities. In an open society under the rule of law, as long as you don't break the law, you can do anything, which will greatly release your intelligence and social vitality. In this environment, as long as immigrants work hard, their dreams can be realized, which means the realization of the "American Dream".

Of course, the U.S. political system also has its shortcomings and problems. The two Middle Eastern wars, the financial crisis in recent years, and the current "prismatic" incident have all had a big impact on the United States. Now the national debt is astronomical, The spending are way more than its income, unemployment is serious, economic recovery is slow and so on. However, there is no perfect political system in the world. For more than 200 years, the American-style political system has proved to be more suitable for American society. Even if there are shortcomings and loopholes that cause great social shocks, its system can face up to history, face the facts, and have the courage to correct it, so that the social body can quickly heal itself. In a word, the United States has many advanced experiences and methods that are worth studying and learning from China, which are thoughtlessly denied and regarded as an evil way and a way to against the country? I Feel sorry for this kind of thinking. If China and the United States can communicate more, understand and learn from each other, reduce targeting and friction, and even tolerate and make concessions to each other, and enhance mutual trust and friendship, it is of great importance to China and the United States and world peace, and it is also the most hope of overseas Chinese as well.

China's development is advancing by leaps and bounds, and its hardware is getting better and better, but many software still cannot catch up with the United States, and the road to catch up with the United States is still very long. Build a fair, just and transparent civil society and a society under the rule of law as soon as possible has become an must-do for the Chinese society, just as a professor said: "Recovering the Spring and Autumn", with the efforts of the people, within a hundred years, the Chinese dream and national rejuvenation may be realized. Then, we could loudly and firmly answer Vice President Biden's rhetoric denied: NO!

As a Chinese-American, I have been living in the China for more than 40 years, and I have experienced the "old society" and the "new society". I have lived in a "colonial society" for ten years, and have lived in a "capitalist society" for half my life. I also often pay attention to things in China, and the emotions can be said to be complicated. Like millions of overseas Chinese, I also have dreams. When I first immigrated to the United States, I once wrote: After traveling 20,000 miles to the country, the new wife can bear to leave behind. Wandering to find a safe place, who can relieve the sorrow of overseas Chinese? Yanhuang civilization rooted in the Chinese soil, soul and dream fly around the hometown. The rule of law implements democracy, and the wanderer sells the dagger.

In modern times, Wuyi was the first to acquire foreign civilization and marine culture. Talents came out in large numbers of its members and spread all over the world, making great contributions to the country and the nation. At this historical juncture, the city merchants are pursuing their own ambitions and making great progress. As a local, it is honorable to be honored. The Yishang Elite Association gathers elites, all of whom have made extraordinary achievements. I am only a half-scholar, and I am very flattered by the hospitality. Reading "Yip Business Elite" magazine.

And I become more knowledgble and inspired about Merchant. After talking about a bunch of "dream" words above, it is not so crazy try to contribute to the high-level magazine "Empire Business Elite", right? My writing is difficult to be elegant, and it is always normal. Son I would like to express my gratitude to the colleagues of the Yishang Elite Association and Professor Li Guisheng. If it is fortunately printed, all errors are at your own risk. And I hope that "Elite Merchants Elite" will be widely spread all over the world, and one volume will be popular.

This article was published in the 15th issue of " Business Elite" magazine in August 2013.