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Embracing Culture at the Thanksgiving Table
One amazing thing about being a child of immigrants is the duality of cultures you grow up with.
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Book Recommendations Vol. 2
The Joy Luck Club is a poignant novel that follows the lives of four Chinese immigrant mothers and their American-raised daughters.
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What’s Behind the Mask?: The Slit-Mouthed Woman of Japan
Submitted by Sarah Rata In the spirit of Halloween, many of us celebrate by watching horror movies or dressing up as our favorite characters. Even in quarantine, SFX makeup artists can be spotted all over social media with sliced mouths and zippered faces. However, as time passes we have lost touch with the origins of the monsters and myths we impersonate. One particular horror many of us might not be familiar with is the slit-mouthed woman. Originating from Japanese urban legend, the slit-mouthed woman is much more than your ordinary halloween tale. There are a myriad of variations, but in the most popular tale, Kuchisake Onna (which directly translates to…
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Chinese TikTok
Submitted by Jamie Wen Weiner “TikTok” is taking over the way we stream local news, events, and trends, and stay connected to the personal lives of relevant celebrities. What this major social media platform does very well is forcing us all to reconsider how we brand ourselves as well as products and services. We have also seen this platform boost popularity for the lucky sharers that show up on everyone’s ForYou page, such as when a popular song becomes a trend in everyone’s videos to later skyrocket its way up as the #1 song on the “Spotify” or “iTunes” hit list. Just look at Jason Derulo’s catchy “Savage Love.” It…
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The Mooncake: the unexpected snack of revolution
Submitted by Grace Zhang One of the most beloved traditional pastries in East and Southeast Asia, mooncakes are often synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Celebrated on the full moon of the eighth lunar month, the festival is marked by family reunions, get-togethers with friends, and of course, lots of special foods. While people can usually identify this sweet delicacy with its intricate patterns and delicious lotus seed paste filling, many are not familiar with the centuries old history behind the mooncake. Here is the story of how one innocuous pastry played a pivotal role in the downfall of an entire dynasty. Like many Chinese customs, the origins of the mooncake…
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Mid-Autumn Festival: A Heart filled of Longing
Submitted by Jehleen Zheng What do you do when you miss someone? Whether it be a family member, aloved one, or a friend, what do you do to express your wish that they were by yourside? The Mid-Autumn Festival carries a deeper sense of purpose rather than just themooncake feasting traditions. The festival is also about reuniting with family members,gazing at the moon and engaging in festivities together. It’s only during thesehomecoming festivals that people are able to truly reflect on how much they miss theirloved ones. In Chinese culture, the bond between parents and children is regarded as one ofthe most noble feelings ever existed in the social system.…
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The Love Story of Hou Yi and Chang’e – A Mid-Autumn Moon Legend
Submitted by Julia Sayco Since ancient times, the Mid-autumn Moon Festival, a celebration of spiritual growth and change, has become an endearing part of the lives of many families in Southeast Asia. Both children and adults are enriched through a sense of unity and love by honoring the full-harvest moon and its nourishing light. In relation to what many consider as an “American Thanksgiving,” this time frame centralizes the importance of gathering together through recognition of the seasonal harvest. While the holiday is well-known for its countless festivities, familial customs, and cultural traditions including the eating of fluffy mooncakes, the lighting of lanterns, and the peaceful viewing of the flowing…
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WOMEN IN MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL AMID COVID-19: A “BREAK” FROM TRADITION
Submitted by Maeve Nguyen Ten months into 2020 and we still need to remind ourselves on a daily basis that this is an unprecedented time in the history of human beings. Never before have any of us imagined that we would spend most of our celebrations, festivals, and parties, if there is any, alone or with just a few close family members. With no more big gatherings, what is the purpose of festivities? More importantly, what do we do now? The Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise known as the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival, is one of the most important and age-old festivals in East and South Asia, dating back to…
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Jimmy O Yang: Good Deal Review
Written by Jamie Wen Weiner “Where my Asians at? We out here representing!” An enthusiastic, yet non-overbearing Asian male comedian calls out to his audience. Standing at 5 foot 5 (and repeatedly drawing attention to his short stature), wearing a simple burgundy button-up shirt, dark pair of chinos, a silver watch revealed by his rolled up sleeves (probably purchased as a “good deal”), shoulder length hair, and big round glasses, Jimmy O. Yang makes his presence known to his live, eager audience. Perhaps it’s his natural grace at telling jokes and stories as he saunters across the stage, keeping a friendly, childish smile and exuding modest confidence. He has stories…
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Editor’s Note: Grace Zhang
This year has certainly been surreal, to say the least. In a matter of months, I have watched the world grind to a sudden halt. Our universities have shut down, millions of people suddenly are finding themselves jobless, and quarantine has become the necessary means for survival. This is our new reality: one that can be characterized with overwhelming loneliness and anxiety at times. But like with every crisis, we learn and we adapt. For me, and perhaps also the rest of the world, this tumultuous time has truly taught us the importance of appreciating the smaller beauties in life that we have so often passed by without a second…
