Eggs Under A Red Flag

The book is a discussion about several aspects of Chinese culture. Even the title of the book, "Eggs under a Red Flag," reflects the latter theme, because it presents an implied-query, which begs the question - so what about Chinese culture, the Chinese family system, and the Chinese people? The latter question also gives rise to a host of other issues and questions. One such issue or question is what the real stories behind the red flag are. For instance, these are the issues or questions that make us wonder why the Chinese people seem to excel in the sport of ping-pong, but not the sport of soccer; why Chinese cuisine seems to constitute an integral part of the lives of the Chinese people and their culture; why some Chinese men, officials or wealthy businessmen have second wives; and a host of other issues, questions, and stories. For these reasons, the book and its title, "Eggs under a Red Flag," also presents the sub issue of what are the real stories behind the red flag. These are the issues, questions, and stores that actually penetrate the wall, symbol or symbolism of the red flag. Additionally, a penetration of the wall, symbol or symbolism of the red flag, inevitably reveals the real Chinese culture, Chinese family system, and Chinese people. As one source many years earlier wrote, "Young China, being wearied of the revolutionary ardors of its fathers, is going back to old China." The latter may well be a truism because the real Chinese culture and Chinese people have always, although sometimes seemingly unrevealed or silent, stood behind the wall, symbol or symbolism of the red flag. From a Western perspective, the foregoing issues, questions, and stories also present issue of the successes of China in many facets of life, such as their successes in economics or burgeoning economic growth, and growing regional and international influence in both economics and diplomacy. This also presents issue of whether the West should learn more about Chinese culture, in order to more effectively engage China. This is because, in many of the critical aspects of life, society, politics, and economics, we ought to emulate many of China's successes. The reasons are many such as the Chinese philosopher or Confucian Mengzi (Mencius) earlier advocating, "Rule a big country as you would fry a small fish." Then in a more recent example, the former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew advising the United States to co-op Southeast Asian countries into its system via free trade agreements, while it has the bigger market, lest suffer the consequence of these countries drifting to China, which is where the real profits are. What all of this, at the end of the day, ultimately, says about Chinese culture is that the old is new again, as Chinese culture continues to regenerate itself throughout the generations to come. In other words, time changes, but actually nothing changes. The book explores Chinese culture, the Chinese family system, and the Chinese people.