Cultural Exchange: Proverb #2

The second proverb that Maggie shared with me is:

"A single flower does not make a spring."
一花独放不是春，百花齐放春满园

China is a nation of people who belong to many different ethnic groups. For example, Maggie belongs to the 汉族, or Han people, which represents the majority of Chinese people. Despite the fact that although her people may be the majority, Maggie chose a proverb that represents the essential diversity of her country, which shows just how much she and the Chinese people value and celebrate their ethnic diversity. In fact, Maggie told me about a famous Chinese song that echoes the sentiments of this proverb: "56 ethnic groups, 56 flowers, 56 brothers and sisters unite to be a big family."Here are some pictures that Maggie shared with me, showing the traditional clothing of different ethnic groups.

白族 (Bai)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKaCk1KOmVb4vfQX-AqwvNtzR-CTsizFLRWOf5hd2Zlu5UvTtDwzAJXqNsVStbXl0nzQnFSlFdp6EnrgEQP8zKelE9uTux2vBLvHHbUGBXCXcPga8DL2AStYv4Ghn0heUaW7E1hZ0jhPM/s1600-h/bai)

傣族 (Dai)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFccn57bHD3srq9ppZtOJqHSOOrgz5Ed4UT5gPUBfQ9cE7oP1-QcB5bGGdQQwY-lqs0g1XMEv7zkuYCQBmJtulPtxe9DgSichGVCuH50rOXtJJrawIO_U4dV_Bh3fjA8TNR8twV3SiNE4/s1600-h/dai1%E5%82%A3%E6%97%8F.bmp)

土家族 (Tujia)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCE2X5sFRxEAWj_kOgI6xyozAmiJswV96s_As_MVb6SjjchHfVbEPihoIiq7tu6juZZ9Ekr8mBuWEYsfyq9f5bAgiCcoclgj9yIuw2KmPyRkMPnCqr11UygHVp6nnpgQFyqeQaWowVPqbt/s1600-h/tujia2.jpg)

藏族 (Zang)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosu8HnVnn9p45OThIyKnZ6odVqjm4NyKuicjcHZAR1Ymt98Yc5CIVGF4jrFj3yzrbA80LoMNsllyLZsP6qZZdW8BuOgEXtNaJVJDz634s6PiyP3V7zmPIfOMqnyu_ZUmlz5VWmaglu8_S/s1600-h/zang1%E8%97%8F%E6%97%8F.bmp)

This is what I said to Maggie regarding this proverb:"To me, this proverb also means that we must remember to work together. If we try to be the only culture on this earth, we will never be able to enjoy the lovely springtime which is filled with many different kinds of beautiful flowers. I believe that the world needs diversity to look exciting, refreshing, happy, and beautiful. And just because one culture is very good, it doesn't mean that they are the only good culture. The cultures or countries next to our own maybe very healthy and beautiful, in their own ways. I think that we should not try to dominate one another, but be strong in our own ways, and create a beautiful world that is composed of many different and unique individual countries."

Here is a bonus picture! This is Maggie elegantly posing in the costume of 满族 (Man).