Sitting in the corner, ragged and tremulous, an old beggar was reaching out for money. Feeling heavy with empathy, even though I was only ten, I asked my mom why my grandparents lived comfortably while this elderly beggar had to suffer being homeless, kotowing and begging for his life? Calmly, mom said: "it is just the realistic face of society." This is Chinese reality, but do we deserve it? Can it be changed?
Soon, I began to find answers for myself. From campus journalist in middle school to a journalist trainee for the China Youth Daily, I devoted myself to learning all that I could about reality and improving it in my way. To better supervise the formation and operation of public policy, I examined how employment was related to political affiliation and achievement. Since we are the creators of millions of mansions in the sky, why can't we provide shelter for homeless people in the city?" I felt angry and helpless but could not shake my keen sense of responsibility, as if this situation were at least partly my fault. So, I continued to daydream about becoming a critical journalist with an incisive mind skilled at denouncing injustice and inequality in Chinese society. I wanted to help all Chinese people to see and understand how and why they were also responsible for the happiness or misfortune of their neighbors and that we need to improve our society to improve our individual lives.
Thanks to my major, independent study of comparative philosophy, I moved forward from a simple phenomenological investigation to theoretical thinking, examining theories of freedom, democracy, and equality in ethics, as well as Confucianism, Legalism, and a variety of traditions in Chinese moral philosophy, giving me more insight into social ideals. Learning in a variety of disciplines, especially economics and social psychology, enabled and inspired my critical thinking about Chinese realities from interdisciplinary perspectives. I began to pay particularly close attention to widely held visions of Chinese democracy, transnational supervision of Chinese human rights, and Chinese participation in the regulation of international trade. I began to locate China in the context of the moral issues that I was grappling with, as a contender, a Cold War adversary, and an economic miracle of development with growing power on the world stage.
Earning the MA Degree in East Asian Studies at XXXX University can help me to achieve all my professional goals. Europe's highly developed social system and high-quality academic environment will not only offer me a firsthand experience of democracy and a free market economy, but also contribute objectivity and creativity to my research into Chinese ideological and political control. Your courses represent exactly what I want to study, carry on my previous interest, and help shape my future career as a Chinese investigate journalist. Believing in the power of communication, I will strive to be an emissary between China and Europe, promoting advanced ideas from both sides. In this way, I will achieve my central goal of lending strength to those lacking it and enabling the inspired to push forward with their dreams.
Master's in South East Asian Studies A Personal Statement