I am Chinese-American. I have experienced thirty-six of the National Holiday (July 4th) celebrations in America, but none in China.  Recently, I had separate conversations about China’s National Holiday (Oct. 1) with one of my American friends who lives in China and with one of my Chinese friends (of course, also living in China). I was surprised to discover that Chinese and American celebratory traditions and practices are remarkably similar.  Cities in America and in China both stage elaborate fireworks displays.  (By the way, we Americans import almost all of our fireworks from China.) Glorious parades proceed up Constitution Avenue in Washington DC and through Tiananmen Square in Beijing to exhibit national pride, military might, and cultural distinctives.  Red and yellow flags are raised in the east while red, white and blue flags line streets in the west.   Americans invite their family and friends to eat hot dogs and watermelon in backyards across the country.  Chinese (from what I hear and read) invite their family and friends to eat hairy crab or dine at one of the many communist-themed restaurants for a farm-style meal.  I have had the pleasure of experiencing the food at one of those revolution-inspired restaurants, although it was not on October first.

For all these similarities, one difference has always been clear to me during each of my thirty-six celebrations.  Americans treasure independence.  When referring to China’s National Holiday, one actually uses the word “country” – 国.  In America, we just call it “Independence Day.”  Rebelliousness is in our American DNA and I have seen its expression in both business and academia.

I work in a large organization that employs many Chinese nationals.  American managers and leaders (even those who are Chinese by descent) really appreciate Chinese employees – Chinese are known to possess strong technical skills and an extraordinary work ethic.  I often find myself sitting around a conference table with American coworkers as well as with those who share my jet black hair.  I always take note when one of my Chinese coworkers exhibits the kind of independence and rebelliousness that Americans respect.  It’s rare, but easy to observe – they confidently offer their opinions even if no one has asked, they are bold to respectfully disagree with others, and their persistence and tenacity is proportional to their passion about a subject or idea.  I’m not sure if my Chinese coworkers learned their independence or if they arrived in the US with it.  Regardless, Americans respect it.

That reminds me of a story from my days at university.  I had an American teaching assistant (TA) who worked for a professor that had discovered one secret to productivity in academic research – hire lots of Chinese graduate students and give them lots of work with short deadlines.  One day, I went to the TA’s laboratory where he was hosting office hours.  At 5 pm, he informed me that his office hours were over and that he had to leave for an appointment.  He left his fellow Chinese students behind to diligently finish more experiments.  I asked my TA how come he seemed to always be able to leave while the others had to stay and work late into the night.  The TA replied, “I just went and told my advisor that I will work hard and do a good job for him but that I wasn’t going to kill myself working unreasonable hours. He doesn’t like it, but he respects me for it.”  That brief conversation is one of the few things I will always remember from that class.

Allan was born and raised in America after his parents immigrated from China.  He has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and is currently working at a national laboratory in the field of intellectual property.