Global Asian Popular Culture - Term Paper Example

Global Asian Popular Culture Introduction Technological advancement of the twenty-first century has hastened the process of globalization. The improvement of information technology sector has largely made the world to conform to what has been referred to as a global village. The internet has played the biggest part the globalization process as communication has been faster efficient, convenient and cost cutting. The development and popularization of social networking has also enabled made people to mingle freely sharing their ideas, cultures and tackling imminent issues affecting the society. Fashion trends have been globalized with fashion designers like Calvin Klein becoming household names in many parts of the globe. In Asia, the people have adopted modernity but have stilled true to their traditional cultural practices and beliefs. The traditional cultures have only been revisited in a modern taste of which they have retained their originality and authenticity. In the contemporary modern world, culture is undergoing the process of globalization; however, the Asian pop culture has remained true to the much highly regarded and respected traditional culture, making Asian culture unique. Asia is the world’s largest continent and the most populous continent. Asia also has one of the richest heritages, with deep and authentic cultural inclination among its people. In this study Asian cities have been closely scrutinized to provide the wide cultural picture of the popular Asian cultures. Much emphasis has been put on Tokyo and Taipei. The studies in these two cities represent almost all other Asian cities and countries. Much emphasis has also been put on the cities because in the contemporary society, the cities are the best illustrations of the diverse cultures from various corners of the world. Some Asian cities are very large and draw people from different nations, working and coexisting together. However, even though there has been rapid globalization of culture especially the western culture dominating in many parts of the earth, Asian cities are very unique and to some extent different from the other modern cities of the world. An analysis of Tokyo and Taipei has been done below, intensively and extensively. Asian economies are rising rapidly with Japan, India, and China in the top five on the list of, world’s largest economies. Asian cities are therefore, sophisticated with rapid technological advancement but at the same time retain the traditional cultures. Consequently, Asian cities are a good illustration of the harmonious and symbiotic blend of traditional and modern settings, be it in design, music, foods, movies or language. The people in these cities retain their traditional cultures but at the same time endorsing the modern technology and western cultural practices as part of their new evolving lifestyles. In fact, Asia has one of the highest and most sophisticated technological advancement in the world, with Japan and China, leading the way. Taipei Taipei is the capital of Formosa, present day Taiwan. Taipei is a large city and like many Asian cities, it is highly populated. Located in the island of Taiwan, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a centre for tourism activities. The culture of the people of Taipei and Taiwan in general make them the friendliest in all over Asia with multidimensional cultures being accommodated. With a marine tropical climate, the city is conducive for many diverse activities both maritime and physical geographical. The city is also the nation’s center for politics, commerce, and mass media. The city has opened up to the western culture and thus it is now possible to experience western cultures like the pop cultures right in the city. The city is thus being flooded with visitors for various reasons like work, leisure, adventure and business Due to the rapid expansion, the city has expanded rapidly making it the fastest growing city in Asia. It has also rapidly expanded becoming a center of educational engagement, industrialization, with numerous centers of electronics, textiles, and shipbuilding. The economy of the city is thus driven by industries and has received international recognition having won the 2006 intelligent community award. As a modern metropolis, the city has endorsed sophisticated, advanced technology in its architectural designs with very advanced transport networking system. Although the city has sophisticated skyscrapers, the architectural designs have retained a rich and distinct Chinese flavor. Various landmarks that portray this distinct flavor include the Confucius Temple and the National Palace Museum. Although the city like many of the modern metropolis has embraced modernity, the people’s cultures have not been radically transformed. There is tolerance o culture and celebration of the diverse ways of life, without conflict or contradiction. Cultural traditions and arts are still very lively in the city and continue to act as a source of thrilling ventures, and spellbinding celebrations. Colorful ceremonies whose origins can be dated hundreds and thousands of years back continue to be publicly practiced with other people of diverse cultures including tourists, open to join and participate in the merry making. These spectacles have in turn become tourist attractions with those who join in the celebrations returning every year to partake, that is, if the ceremonies are annual. The life in Taipei is not dull and gloomy nor cold like the way western cities have been described to be, especially during the normal working hours of daylight, traditional concerts, festivals and other diverse celebrations are held openly in full splendor all year round. This aspect is lacking in western cities. Western cities are very individualistic and it is very rare to find people of diverse cultures sprawling in the streets during the time of the year, in merry of appreciation of cultures leave alone all year round. Although the city has embraced technological advancement, natural sites or ancient monuments are still intact as the people are still closely united by their traditional beliefs. Nature lovers have a wide range of sceneries to choose from and visit. The city is surrounded by mountains depicting the natural setting of the Far East, there also unique greenery, urban parks, and aqua marine beauty sites, these sites show the close relationship the people of Asia have with animals and how much they treasure their natural geography appreciating it by engaging in preservation activities. The numerous hot springs offer visitors to engage in-group steaming, the hot springs also offer the much-needed warmth during winter. In these sites, you find numerous people basking in the steam a clear illustration of the importance of participating in community activities. Taipei has a wide a variety o foods to chose from and has one of the widest varieties of cuisines to offer in all over Asia. However, the city has maintained a wide variety of Chinese food some of which are known to have been discovered thousand of years ago, making it a haven for traditional foods. The foods are prepared with exemplary Chinese expertise that has passed from one generation to the other. The foods have been widely credited and have been recognized allover the world for their appealing color, flavor, spice and aroma making the food in Taipei world class. The wide variety of foods offered include the various varieties of meat, which have been cooked with great expertise. Some of the animal meats available include pork, beef, duck, chicken, and lamb. The meat could be roasted, smoked, barbecued, or braised allowing a wide range to choose from, vegetables and black beans are also served in plenty. Seafoods are the mostly consumed dishes with one of the widest variety to choose from in the world found here. Almost all sea creatures are readily available and the various cuisines are made from these seafoods. The diverse foods of the place and any other place in Asia indicate the culture of the people. It also shows how they managed to obtain sufficient food from the environment. Asia is the most populous continent in the world but many of the Asian countries have managed to feed their populations without straining. Some of Taipei’s unique places are listed and explained below. The Yangmingshan National Park is a suitable site for nature lovers. It has volcanic geography and numerous hot springs. The Park is a perfect summer resort owing to its breathtaking mountainous scenery and hospitable, comfortable weather. The park has some of the most peculiar animals, which would be enjoyable to catch a glimpse of. These include the Taiwan bandicoot, Formosan boar, and Formosan rock-monkey amongst many more The Chung Cheng Memorial is another of Taipei’s captivating scenery. The octagonal shaped historical monument rises seventy meters or so from the ground and the entrance door is more than a hundred feet tall making it an awe site of the traditional Chinese. The Shilin Market is also another unique feature; having all sorts of delicacies. The market has also many massage parlors, fortunetellers and a temple for good luck. It has a big shopping mall and almost all fashion trends can be purchased here. The market has become famous for its nocturnal nature, which offers a unique feeling to its visitors. Most of these sites have been preserved for generations and are still highly regarded in the contemporary Asian settings, showing the close connection people have with their culture in Asia unlike in some parts of the world where the popular culture has totally replaced the traditional culture (Thakur 65). Apart from the discussed features, Taipei can also offer a passenger lift viewing of the city, which is over 500 meters from the ground. Dragon Mountain Temple offers a perfect reflection of Taiwanese religion as people of all faiths gather here to worship the so-called Goddess of mercy. Fresh juices are also locally available and noodle soup. Various festivals are also held at different times of the year. These include the Buddha’s Birthday, Celebrating the moon, but for a festival lover, then the Lantern Festival is the biggest and most indulging. Basking in the hot spring is also offered by this beautiful city. Most of the things the city has to offer \has some cultural significance and this is similar in other cities across Asia Tokyo Tokyo is Japan’s largest city and is considered to have a duality of definition in that although it has come to be referred to as a metropolis since the formation of the metropolis in 1943 it is still considered as one of the country’s forty-seven prefectures. Apart from being the base of operation by the national government, it is also host to the imperial palace and the ancestral home of the highly regarded imperial family a sign of how the modernized people still appreciate their traditions. The city has over twelve million people but the whole prefecture has more than thirty million people making it the most populous metropolitan area in the world. The city has been regarded as one of the most viable economic hub of the world having the world’s most dominant and largest purchasing power and thus the largest metropolitan economy in the world with diversified cultural affiliations. Tokyo like many of the Asian cities has become an economic center with diverse business operations having their headquarters in the city like the Japanese vehicle manufacturing company, Mitsubishi. Tokyo is one of the most modernized cities in the world and the economic center of Asia and thus receives visitors from all over the world. Investors, buyers, students, philanthropist, dealers, and all diverse professionals converge in Tokyo and thus it is a true global city exhibiting all forms of cultures. Together with London and New York, Tokyo has been regarded as one of the most dominant and commanding centers of world economy. In terms of stock exchange, sophisticated lifestyle, technological advancement, revenue generation, liberalism, and dynamism, Tokyo is always among the top cities of the world. Tokyo is thus a good illustration of the industrious nature of Asian people. The people of Asia have a workaholic culture that has made Asia to grow tremendously. Although, Tokyo is a global city, like many other Asian cities, the culture of the natives is much exhibited. Tokyo uniqueness stems from the blend of the modern sophisticated method and time-honored old. Although the Japanese pop culture is much exercised in the city, the imperial family institution still has considerable influence with the institution being highly regarded and respected. Individuality is closely linked and associated with the old form of group identity. Some of Japanese cultures like the emergent pop culture of Manga has taken the world by storm especially Asia and thus could be viewed as a modern synthesis, but scrutiny shows the culture has it origins in the traditional Edo-period. No matter the level of dynamism and sophistication, with the adoption of some aspects of western cultures, the basic concepts and foundation of Tokyo’s cultures remain founded and true to its origins. This is the same case with other parts of Asia (Craig & King 23). In the preservation of the cultures that remain integral to the people’s behavior, the city has many museums and art galleries, the largest being the Tokyo National Museum, dealing with traditional cultural artifacts preservation and Japanese art. Theatres of performing art are also numerous, specializing in both traditional forms of Japanese drama and depiction historical figures, and modern cultural drama. Just like in Taipei, there are many festivities and celebrations of which many have historical background, these festivals attract a large following that sometimes reach millions. Cuisine in the city is very popular and internationally approved. Majorities of foods in the city are seafoods with Japan being among the leading fishing nations on earth. Tokyo is has also become a center of movie production and shooting, with even Hollywood directors approving the shooting of movies in the city. Ginza, Rainbow Bridge, Tsukiji jogaii market, and Tokyo sky tree are some of the sites that one could visit. Tokyo has been used to shoot many movies some of which have grossed millions of dollars like Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift, which was originally from the US. Tokyo is an advanced metropolitan area with huge economic prowess. Like other Asian cities, the language of the metropolitan is that of the native people, in this context Japanese. Asian nations have at one time or the other, fallen under foreign occupation and others colonization. The British colonized countries like India while Japan was actively occupying China and her neighbors. Although some of the states fell under foreign occupation, they have retained their languages as the main language of communication. Other countries in the world that fell under colonialism or were at one time occupied by foreign powers adopted the culture and language of the aggressor. This can best be seen in Africa where African cities are dominated by the language of the colonizers. Asian cities have also retained their cultures and traditions. They are also experiencing massive and radicalized technological developments quickly turning them to global cities. Their traditions however remain their major influencer. The architectural designs of many Asian cities portray the local cultural beliefs rather the western designs. They are also faced with natural disasters frequently experienced in the region. Earthquakes and typhoons are very frequent compared to other cities of the world, and thus Asian cities like Tokyo have come up with architectural designs that can withstand the earthquake magnitude. For example, the March 2011 earthquake in Japan was more severe than the 1923 earthquake but less damage was witnessed in 2011 than in 1923 because of the improved architectural designs. Cities like Tokyo do not have ancient buildings as they have been destroyed at one time or the other by disasters (Fung 87). Asian nations have largely borrowed from the western cultures. Many movies and music resemble the western ones with the dancing and dress code being similar with western fashion designs. Famous celebrities from the west like Lady GaGa, Beyonce and many others have become popular in Asia organizing concerts attended by thousands of fans. For a longtime, the Hong Kong movie industry has produced excellent movies like those of the famous Kung Fu expert, Bruce lee. Hong Kong still produces excellent movies of which in the recent times it has produced movies similar to those produced in Hollywood. In Seoul Korea, the pop culture has become very popular. Like in the west, celebrities have become the trailblazers of trending practices. For example, the famous and widely acclaimed Korean TV series, Boys over Flowers made the young men of Korea to start applying make-ups, something that was unheard of in Korea before. The global Asian culture draws heavily from the western cultures. The western cultural practices have been applied almost in all areas of the society in Asia. On the other hand, Asia is a fast growing continent becoming a major influencer of global politics and economics. Consequently, Asian cultures are becoming global with Asian programs gaining international reputations. Although Asia has adopted the contemporary global pop culture, much of the Asian culture remains deep rooted in the traditional cultural practices. The contemporary Asian culture is thus a blend of the traditional culture and the global pop culture. Works Cited Craig, Timothy and King Richard. Global goes local: popular culture in Asia. Hawaii: University of Hawai’i Press, 2002 Fung, Anthony. Asian Popular Culture. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2011 Thakur, Upendra. Some aspects of Asian history and culture. New Delhi: Abbinav Publications, 1986 Read More