(Minghui.org) Editor’s note: The environment in mainland China is filled with Communist Party culture. Immersed in such an environment, one would gradually be influenced by Party culture without realizing it. This 8-part series explores some commonly seen problems among practitioners that may be attributable to the Party culture. We hope it serves as a reminder as we work to break free from the grip of the Communist Party.
Continued from Part 6
On its official website, the China National Tourism Administration lists ten disrespectful conducts displayed by Chinese tourists abroad, including littering, spitting, smoking in cigarette-free zones, cutting in line, making noises, taking off clothes in public, cursing, and other deplorable behaviors.
At many famous tourist spots throughout the world are signs that remind Chinese visitors to be quiet, to flush the toilet, and not to litter.
Chinese tourists are usually middle-class people with good education, yet their ill-mannered behavior is shameful for China as a nation.
Ostracized for Discourteous Behavior
We ask ourselves if the Chinese people were like this in the past. China has been called a civilized country for thousands of years. In traditional Chinese culture, “etiquette” and “rules of conduct” were always stressed and were social norms. In ancient times, Chinese culture was seen as the symbol of elegance, and many Asian countries sent students to China to study Chinese etiquette. Even today, former traditional Chinese principles are still displayed in some Asian countries.
A practitioner of Confucianism believes that etiquette is fundamental for a person to be successful in society. Young children need to spend years learning how to speak, behave, and treat others. A person who was discourteous would have been ostracized in the ancient Chinese society.
Culprit for Discourteous Behavior
The above begs the question, “How did the Chinese people become disrespectful and ill-mannered?”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) not only tried to destroy China's traditional culture but also promotes a vulgar and lewd Party culture.
After several decades of indoctrination and brainwashing, many Chinese people are only out for themselves and display uncouth behavior.
The role models promoted by the Party are often those who do not pay attention to hygiene and politeness. Since the CCP came into power, people had to follow these new norms; otherwise, they would be seen as an outcast.
Over time, the Chinese people have changed their notions and behavior. Curse words and vulgar behavior are no longer frowned upon.
Traditional Culture Suppressed
Since the CCP came to power, it has suppressed, banned, and distorted traditional Chinese culture. Traditional etiquette was criticized, and the public was told that hygiene was the pollution of “Western capitalism.” Therefore, it had to be forsaken for a different mode of behavior.
Several generations of Chinese have grown up in this environment, and thus they lack the knowledge of what proper etiquette represents.
The Party interprets values according to their needs at a given time. Anything that is not in line with the Party’s values is considered invalid, outdated, and rotten. Anything outside the Party's norm is criticized by the state machine.
Indoctrination and Brainwashing
Among Falun Dafa practitioners, many were indoctrinated and brainwashed from youth by the Party. Their speech and behavior are more or less influenced by the Party culture. What worsens the situation is that many of us practitioners are not aware of this. This is one of the reasons why we sometimes fail to do what Master asks of us and why the process of our improvement is slow, although we have been doing the three things for quite some time.
If we don’t get rid of the influence of the Party culture that is trying to strangles us, we will not be able to improve on our cultivation path, and it will interfere with us in saving sentient beings. Thus, if we want to assimilate to the Fa, we should purge all the Party culture substances in our mind and return to traditional Chinese values.
A cultivator should be able to resist the influence of filthy notions that attack us daily while in everyday society, uphold higher moral standards, behave with dignity, treat others with compassion, forbear, and handle problems with a big and upright heart. Only thus can we win people’s respect and save sentient beings.
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Category: Improving Oneself
